“Where have you been?” Astin asked her seriously. “Do decent women go home like that?”
His last question immediately got on her nerves. She let out a bitter laugh before answering, “Wow, we’re not even married yet, and you’re acting like you’re my husband.”
“That’s where we’re headed, Laura,” he said, standing up. He approached her, making her back up until she was cornered against the closed door. He gently touched her face. She held her breath as his finger traced from her eyebrow down to her lips, making her feel something she couldn’t explain. He even pinched her lower lip.
“I know you were with Gael earlier,” he said quietly, but his eyes had traces of anger. “I am expecting good news from you, my Laura,” he added, pulling her close and causing her to grab his arm.
“Astin,” she murmured, his face so close to hers. She could smell his fresh breath and the scent of his soap. She closed her eyes.
“Let go of me,” she said, struggling to break free. Because of this, he presses himself closer to her. “Yes, I already told Gael. But no matter what you do, you can’t replace him in my heart. You two are different. He is lovable, while you… are not.”
He clenched his teeth for a moment but then let out a bitter smile.
“Oh, come on, Laura. You keep saying you love Gael, but your body screams for me. Care to explain that, my love?” he asked, grinning.
He didn’t let her answer, immediately capturing her in a deep kiss. Why did she feel like she enjoyed what he was doing to her? His kiss was so different from her boyfriend’s. She felt confused. Before she could respond, she pushed him away hard, not wanting it to go further.
She gave Astin two slaps as she left and locked herself in the bathroom.
Lately, he had become more aggressive towards her, so she had to control this before their wedding day—and before her leaving him. She had to retain her virginity.
She breathed a sigh of relief when he was no longer in her room when she emerged. What if she went through with the wedding? Who knew what else he might do to her?
She double-locked the door so Astin couldn’t enter. She had barely laid down on the bed when she heard his car start. He was leaving the gate when she peeked. Maybe he was going to the bar again.
The next day, her Mama Kendra asked where he had gone. She had no answer since she didn’t know his whereabouts, and she didn’t have a plan to find out where he was. She was focused on her plan to leave.
Astin stayed away for days, and she overheard from the couple that he was busy at the office and staying at his condo temporarily. She was thankful, as no one was bothering her. She had hoped Astin would realize that he no longer wanted her to be his wife. Several women are attracted to him, so why choose her? But deep down, part of her felt conflicted. She shook her head at herself.
Time flew by. Three days before their wedding, he returned. She thought the wedding wouldn’t push through since it hadn’t even been discussed. But that morning, she woke to find everyone in the house busy preparing. Apparently, they were all leaving today, and Astin was serious about the wedding.
Astin's sister and also a friend of hers, Andy, just came out of her room chatting constantly about the upcoming wedding. The same day she confessed to Gael when Andy’s wedding was discussed with Ezi’s family. Her mind wandered as Andy kept talking; she couldn’t help but think about her own wedding, happening just three days away.
After realizing what needed to be done, she made her own plans, not agreeing with Gael’s suggestions that day. She’d only asked his permission to use his name if necessary. She knew his flight was the next day for a two-week vacation in Mexico. Their relationship remained hidden. Gael had bought her a new phone after she mentioned that Astin had thrown hers away, including a new SIM card. She didn't want to accept it, but he insisted. They used it to call each other these past few days.
Astin also replaced the broken phone through his assistant, but she didn’t bother opening it.
She finished packing for their trip back to Caramoan when Astin arrived. She was startled to see him leaning against her door. He looked more mature, with a bit of stubble growing. It was the first time she’d seen him since their last conversation. She felt an odd urge to embrace him but held back. He left quickly, probably heading to his room.
They sat next to each other in the helicopter on their way out of Manila. She hadn’t returned to Caramoan in a long time, as her Mama Kendra had moved her father to Manila to make it easier for her to visit. Recently, she hadn’t been able to see him, but she called and spoke with him.
She was lost in thought when she felt Astin’s lips on her earlobe, making her eyes close. His stubble tickled her.
“Astin,” she said, turning to look at him.
“I missed you,” he said simply, and she stared at him.
She didn’t respond and looked away to the window, avoiding his gaze.
She gasped when he suddenly buried his face in her neck. She tried to push him away, but he wouldn’t beg, so she let him be. Eventually, he fell asleep. She supported his head and let him lean on her shoulder.
They went straight to Astin’s house. He would take her to her family’s home in the poblacion the following day since they weren’t supposed to see each other before the wedding.
More guests had arrived, mostly Astin’s relatives. She hadn’t invited any of her family members since most of them, especially on her father’s side, didn’t care about her.
The resort was open to the public. There were many visitors, and she felt a bit guilty. But she had to carry out her plan. She wasn’t ready for marriage, especially not to a man she didn’t love.
Astin left to visit his hotel, leaving her in his room. She wrote down the number of an old friend who lived in the remote part of Caramoan. Astin didn’t know this friend, and she was grateful. She had already discussed her plan with this friend.
She was lost in thought when Asia suddenly entered. She thought she would arrive the next day.
“Bestie!” Asia greeted her happily, approaching her. “Are you sure? Just say the word if you don’t want to, and I’ll take your place,” she said with a laugh, always so vocal. Asia had long fantasized about Astin, but he’d never shown interest.
Asia invited her to go swimming. It had been a while since she swam in the sea, so she happily agreed. They swam in the far part of the resort.
She was amused watching Asia collect seashells while she waded in the water and rode the waves. She really missed swimming in the ocean. She wore a two-piece swimsuit while Asia wore a one-piece. After a while, she felt her stress melting away with the waves. It was refreshing.
Just as she was about to get out of the water, she noticed a group of men approaching, laughing. They were coming towards her and Asia, who stopped gathering shells to look at the group.
Her gaze froze on one man slowly removing his shirt, revealing his toned body. She couldn’t see his face well because of the sunlight, so she submerged herself because he was looking at her. She only realized it was Astin when he smiled.
She turned away quickly, fearing he’d think she was fantasizing about his body. How was she supposed to know it was Astin? She covered her face in embarrassment.
She screamed when he suddenly hugged her from behind.
“Astin!” she shouted, trying to remove his arms wrapped around her.
He only laughed and leaned his face close to hers. “You look gorgeous today, my love.” His whisper sent shivers through her.
It took her a while to reply. “Thank you,” she spoke curtly, stepping towards the shore.
She had only taken two steps when he pulled her by the waist. She held onto his chest to create some distance.
“I love you so much, Laura,” he murmured, his voice husky.
She looked into his eyes. There was something different in them. She felt her heart flutter, but her mind resisted.
“I need to go home now. I’m feeling cold,” she lied.
He didn’t seem convinced, frowning slightly. Who would feel cold in such warm weather, especially with him hugging her? But he still helped her out of the water, taking her towel she’d left on a rock. She had to control herself as much as possible.
His friends were now swimming, but Asia was still collecting shells.
Astin placed the towel over her shoulders. They walked over to say goodbye to Asia, but suddenly she tripped.
Callen, who was nearby, quickly helped her up. Asia cried like a child when she saw a tiny bamboo splinter stuck in her knee. She laughed when Asia slapped Callen after he kissed the wounded spot after pulling the splinter out. They looked like a pair of quarrelling cats and dogs as she and Astin left. They bumped into Astin’s brother, who was looking for Asia.
That night, they attended a grand feast at the hotel’s ballroom. It was hosted by his Daddy Sebastian, who had supported Astin’s mother during her tough times with Astin’s father. There were already many guests, most of whom she recognized. Her eyes also caught sight of Elisa and the woman she was with that night when they drove back home, Astin, who was very drunk.
Astin is very reluctant to leave Laura at her house at that time. Tomorrow was their wedding, and still, he was nervous. Uneasy filled him. He didn’t want to go home yet, but his mother encouraged him to do so. They weren’t supposed to see each other today, but he insisted. Her mother wants him just to drop off Laura and then leave, but he can’t. He preferred to stay with her. He wouldn’t be at ease until they were married. He still had a few hours to wait before the woman he loved would finally be his.He looked at his friends, who were now causing a disturbance. They were throwing him a bachelor’s party. They were on the rooftop of their hotel, enjoying the calm sea and beautiful cabins.Because he didn’t want Laura to have a bad impression of him, he refused to let his friends bring women. Even though he knew Laura’s feelings towards him weren’t entirely certain, he respected and valued her emotions and opinions. He was already a bad shot with her and didn’t want to worsen things.
The helicopter had barely landed on the HGC helipad when he jumped out quickly. His happiness is at stake here, so he should not waste time. He had already ordered a search while in the air, but Laura was nowhere to be found, not even at the homes of Laura's former high school classmates. The cellphone he’d given her with a tracker was turned off. If only she’d turned it on, it could have helped the search. He’d already asked his Daddy Sebastian to pull up Gael’s profile—he needed his Daddy Sebastian’s expertise. With connections worldwide, he was sure his father figure could locate Gael and her woman.Ezi was on standby, waiting for his signal. He needed Gael’s current number to pass on to Ezi so they could track him. Once Sebastian gave him the information, he sent it straight to Ezi.He called their housekeeper, but Laura hadn’t returned home. She wasn’t even at the institution where her father stayed. He cursed repeatedly as he drove to the Malonzo family’s house. When he arrived,
8 YEARS LATER“Sergeant,” Astin startled when he heard a voice behind him. He turned around and noticed the worried expression on John's face.There he goes again, reminiscing about his past. There's still a slight pain, but it's not the same as before. He’s learned to control himself, and he could say he's a different Astin now, shaped by time. He dated a lot of women just to fulfill his needs as a man. He no longer centered his life around that one woman. Being a soldier is not easy. You’re away from your country for months or years and, above all, far from family.He’s been away from his family for eight years. He graduated top of his class in the military four years ago. His parents were proud of him, though they weren’t happy about his choice of profession. They were deeply saddened when he agreed to be sent abroad.Recognized for his potential, he was one of those sent to Somalia, where he was also given the authority to choose who he would take with him. One of those he chose w
LAURA was walking down the stairs when she overheard her Aunt Kendra talking to Uncle Kent on the phone. She paused mid-step, eager to catch any news about Astin. It had been eight long years since she last saw him. To this day, she blamed herself for Astin joining the military. If only she had shown up at his wedding, none of this would have happened. He would have been happy and still with them now. Though Aunt Kendra never showed it, Laura knew she was deeply sad. She would often find her aunt spending entire days in Astin's room. Laura had apologized countless times to the Hernandez couple, but they never held a grudge against her. They welcomed her back after a year.Now, she was working as Andrea's secretary in their office. They had offered her a higher position, but she declined, preferring her current role. Ever since Astin left, Andrea had been managing HGC and Hotel De Astin, with the couple's guidance.Since Astin disappeared from her life, Laura herself had become melanch
LAURA had just finished taking a shower. She was waiting for her dress to arrive for Astin's welcome-back party. Astin didn’t want the party, but his mother insisted. Close relatives and family friends were invited. Some police and AFP officials would also attend, along with Astin’s whole team, who became his family while fighting abroad.Andy’s smiling face was the first thing she saw when she heard the knock on her door.“You okay?” she immediately asked.“Yeah,” she replied, smiling.She handed her the dress she brought. “Here, this will look good on you. You need to look great tonight,” she said, smiling as she gave her the dress.She looked at it, then glanced at Andy. “I can’t wear this, Andy,” she said firmly.“Why not? It suits you. I’m sure my brother’s eyes will pop out when he sees you in that!”She bit her lip at her comment. She didn’t know that her brother was cold towards her—cold as ice. She shouldn’t even be attending tonight. But since the party would be held right
EVEN with only a few hours of sleep, Laura still woke up early. She quickly showered and went down to the dining room. The helpers, who were tired from the night before, had already prepared breakfast early.“Good morning,” she greeted them.The three helpers greeted her almost in unison.“Take a seat and eat your breakfast, dear. It’s likely that the couple will wake up later. The party ended late last night,” Manang Rosa said to her.“Is that so? Alright, I’ll eat now since I have work,” she said, grabbing a mug to make her own coffee. She didn’t ask the helpers to make her coffee because she wasn’t their boss. She was only a guest, something she constantly reminded them of.“Good morning, Ms. Laura,” Mang Vincent greeted, arriving just then. “What time are we leaving?” he asked her.“After we eat. Have some breakfast first,” she invited him warmly while she scooped rice and a dish onto her plate.Because she was afraid to drive, Mang Vincent drove her to and from work every day usi
LAURA woke up late the next day but still arrived at the office on time.She looked at her coworkers gathered in a group. She came closer and was curious about what they were talking about. She even guided his ear next to the speaker to hear.“Yeah, Miss Laura used to be Sir Astin’s fiancée. Can you believe it? She rejected him! He’s so damn hot!” Joyce said, twirling her pen in her fingers.“She’s so lucky he even liked her. Why didn’t the wedding happen?” another colleague asked.Laura cleared her throat, hands on her hips. Everyone straightened up as they turned to see her.“H-hi, Miss Laura!” Joyce greeted nervously.“It’s too early for that, Joyce. AKH is on the way. Please return to your cubicles,” Laura said before turning and walking off.She referred to Andrea Ken Hernandez, or Andy, Astin’s sister. Everyone feared Andy because of her strictness and perfectionism at work. Even Laura experienced it, but she didn’t mind since it was part of Andy’s job to maintain discipline. L
UNTIL Astin finally pulled her up, her eyes were wide open. She could hear his string of curses. “F*ck, Laura! I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” he muttered, but his words were loud and clear to her. He embraced her tightly once he had completely pulled her out of the water. She simply stared at him as he let her go. He sat down, burying his face in his hands. He must have been worried—his expression had been like that the entire time he was rescuing her. He looked utterly dazed. It seemed Astin had forgotten she knew how to swim and could hold her breath underwater for several minutes. She had no intention of dying; suicide wasn’t even in her vocabulary. But she felt a tinge of happiness, knowing he had saved her. At least he still cared about her. That meant she still affected him—that there was still hope for Astin to return to her. She was about to speak when he wrapped a towel, fetched from the bench, around her wet body. Then he hurriedly carried her into the house. She thought he
She halted mid-step upon seeing the inside of her boss’s condo. She clutched her chest several times, feeling as if she had already been here before. It was familiar to her. She was confused. Where had she seen this? In her dreams? Was this one of the buildings she had glimpsed before? Her gaze locked onto a large framed photo hanging on the condo’s wide wall. If she wasn’t mistaken, it was his wife. She couldn’t bring herself to blink while staring at the woman’s face. She took in every detail. Their eyes and lip shape were identical. Without thinking, she reached out and gently caressed the large portrait. She stopped at the sound of Lionel Richie’s *The Only One* playing. A strange pounding filled her chest. She turned to her boss, who was already watching her. He held a remote control. He raised the volume and slowly walked toward her. Before he could get closer, she felt a sharp pain in her head. “Ahh…” she groaned. A part of her head throbbed. She clutched her head, grip
As soon as Ira entered her house, Astin sped off in his car. The next thing he knew, he was standing in front of Spotlight. He called Ian first. No answer. So, he called Lexxie instead, who immediately handed the phone to Ian. This was the first time in a long while that he was asking his friend for help. He hadn’t been active in Ian's agency since losing his wife, Laura. He felt embarrassed to call his Daddy Sebastian. His parents would find out about everything he was doing again. He needed certainty before telling them anything. So many things were running through his mind. He was so darn attracted to Ira. Not just to her face, but to her entire being. Her face was the only thing different from his wife’s. Ira’s natural scent was driving him crazy. His wife rarely wore perfume, so he knew her scent by heart. It was the same. He wanted to give himself hope. He wanted to be happy! Fate had been too cruel to him. He felt like he was going insane with all his thoughts! Even
HER boss kissed her lips tenderly before pulling himself out of her. They both lay on the sand, staring blankly into space. She couldn’t believe what had just happened. She had given herself to her boss, while she couldn’t even bring herself to give in to her husband. But what could she do when both her heart and body had willingly surrendered? She covered her face with her hands for a moment. When she looked at her boss, she found him gazing at her. He wasn’t even blinking, so she flicked his forehead. “You’re making me uncomfortable. Stop staring,” she muttered. “Do you really love your husband? What if I told you to leave him and come with me? Would you?” She froze at his question. “Just because this happened between us doesn’t mean I’ll leave my husband.” She shook her head. “We have a child. And what happened between us... was a mistake.” Sadness clouded his face. The moon shining down on them made his emotions even clearer. “What you just said hurts, Ira, but
Just as she had promised Kiarra. After they ate, she invited her to swim in the sea. The child was overjoyed. She helped her change into swimwear. Since she didn’t bring anything to swim in, she just wore shorts and a spaghetti top. It was nighttime anyway, so it was fine. She carried Kiarra until they reached the shore. Her boss didn’t come along, which relieved her. It was just the three of them—her, Kiarra, and the nanny. She wouldn’t feel awkward. She guided the child as she swam. They stayed in the shallow part, where the water only reached Kiarra’s waist. The little girl showed off, moving away from her using the butterfly stroke. When she returned, she used freestyle. Laura clapped for her. She never expected Kiarra to be this good. They even had a swimming race. She let the child win on purpose, which made her happy. The nanny cheered for Kiarra. Laura felt genuinely happy whenever she saw Kiarra laugh. There was something different about this child’s presence. “You'
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
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
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
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
“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