Hours had passed since Bonita left the bridal shop with a sour face, yet her piercing gaze at Benjamin lingered vividly in his mind. There was something unusual about her expression, the same one that had captivated him two weeks ago when he fell in love at first sight. But Benjamin wasn’t sure how to explain the feeling. He knew that her gaze was different from the innocent one belonging to the little girl in the framed photo he was now staring at, even though both were the same person.“Can I keep this one?” Benjamin suddenly asked. He was holding a framed photo that had been sitting on a corner table. He walked to the family room sofa and sat across from Jeremy and Melissa. It was his first visit, yet the house had left a warm impression on him from the moment he stepped in.“Boo will curse you if you take her things without asking for permission,” Melissa scolded, sitting beside Jeremy.“My sister is tough to win over. Just give up,” Jeremy said nonchalantly, his fingers intertwin
Bonita drove home, her car roaring with the force of her frustration toward Benjamin. She slammed the car door shut and stomped toward the house. Without hesitation, she stormed into Jeremy’s room, knowing it was never locked, and grabbed the baseball bat displayed on the wall.She intended to use it to hit Benjamin, who was sleeping soundly in her brother’s bed, but changed her mind. Tossing the bat aside with a loud clatter, she picked up a thick book from the desk instead. Without waiting, she began striking Benjamin, her blows landing on his arm, shoulder, and chest."Delete my photo, you jerk!" Bonita shouted as she continued her assault. She didn’t care where the book landed on him—just hearing Benjamin yelp in pain was satisfaction enough for her.“Hey! Put that book down, Boo!” Jeremy’s voice rang out, startled awake by the commotion. He stood on the bed, looking confused, unsure whether to side with his sister or Benjamin.
The night passed with a sense of relief for Benjamin, knowing that Jeremy was willing to help, and for Bonita, who felt her frustration subside enough to allow her a good night’s sleep. However, it was a restless night for Jeremy and Melissa, who spent hours contemplating how to help Benjamin form a relationship with Bonita. They hoped that if Bonita and Benjamin got together, it might ease the trauma Bonita had been harboring. If their relationship went well, leaving Bonita behind with Benjamin as her companion would grant them peace of mind. A gentle kiss on her forehead woke Bonita at dawn. As she opened her eyes, she found Nolan gazing at her with a mix of worry and relief. She bolted upright upon realizing her father’s presence. “Didn’t you say you’d be home tomorrow?” “I came back earlier after seeing the picture of the man who proposed to you on social media, but it’s gone now,” Nolan replied, sitting beside her. “Tell me, who is he?” Bonita rubbed her forehead, her frustr
Nolan raising an eyebrow just as Bonita spoke, almost as if her protest was no more significant than the flutter of a fly's wings. His gaze cut through the distance between him and his daughter, landing squarely on the young man he had only just met that day."I know her as Boo because Jeremy and Melissa kept calling her that since yesterday," Benjamin explained, attempting to clarify that he knew Bonita well enough. His words aimed to address Bonita's objection to his lack of knowledge about her name while leaving a good impression on Nolan."It seems a formal introduction would be better, don't you think?" Nolan asked, shifting his gaze from Benjamin to Bonita.Bonita looked at her father in disbelief, but she quickly turned her attention away when Benjamin extended his hand toward her with a smile. The triumphant grin on Benjamin’s face annoyed her even more than the same expression often worn by Jeremy."I already introduced myself two weeks ago. My name is Benjamin. Benjamin Lync
Now, Bonita’s sleep was restless. She woke up repeatedly, staring at the clock on the wall in Helga's room, which seemed to move unbearably slow.It wasn’t her first time staying over at someone else’s house, nor was she the type who struggled to sleep outside her own room. However, all her memories of Benjamin from four years ago suddenly flooded her mind, replaying vividly in the dark. Her heart silently screamed, begging for morning to come faster, so those memories wouldn’t drive her to further frustration.Slowly, she sat up with a few pillows propped against her back. Turning toward Helga, who was sound asleep beside her, she made sure her movements didn’t wake her. Helga didn’t stir. Reaching for her phone beside the pillow, Bonita typed a message to Melissa.[Did Benjamin tell you what happened?]A frustrated sigh escaped her lips as she stared at the phone screen. Every passing minute on the clock made her feel more restless. She knew their time difference shouldn’t be an iss
The dark streets Bonita had known for four and a half years brought back memories of the first time she met Benjamin. She deliberately passed by a row of shops, one of which was the café she and Velica used to visit. Benjamin's outdoor equipment store was in the same area, just three blocks away from that café.Bonita drove her car toward Benjamin's store and parked across the street. Noticing that Benjamin’s Jeep wasn’t in the parking lot, she reached into her bag, pulled out her phone, and called the store.“Hi, this is Kim at Star Adventure Equipment. How can I help you?” Kimberly greeted cheerfully from the other end.“It’s Bonita. Is Benjamin there?”“Sorry, Boo, Ben’s not here. Do you want me to leave him a message?”“No, that’s not necessary. Just promise me you won’t tell him I called.”“Alright.”“Thank you.”“Of course, Boo. Have a great day.”Bonita hung up the phone and started driving again, this time heading toward Benjamin’s apartment. She had visited Benjamin’s apartme
The car Bonita was driving stopped multiple times as waves of pain coursed through her chest. This time, she pulled over just a few meters from her family home, unable to trust herself to drive safely. She sat in silence, trying to calm herself before heading home. A part of her hoped her father wouldn’t notice her mood, which had hit rock bottom.The night had grown late. She left the moment she realized Benjamin seemed to harbor feelings for another woman. She didn’t need a confession from him to confirm it—his eyes had said it all. Bonita had intended to salvage their relationship, but the signs of his love for someone else were undeniable.Ignoring Benjamin's pleas for her to stay, she had fled, evading his Jeep for hours. She craved solitude but had nowhere else to go but her family home. She could have booked a nearby hotel, but that would only remind her of the painful moment when she saw Zayna embracing Benjamin so intimately.Tears streamed hotly down her cheeks, turning her
Something Bonita had been unaware of for years was suddenly laid bare by her father with surprising ease. The pain she had felt over Benjamin’s betrayal now deepened as she learned the truth about her parents’ marriage and her grandmother’s role in separating two lovers.Nolan gently stroked Bonita’s hair, tucking the stray strands behind her ear. “I love you, Boo. Live a happy life with the man you love. I won’t arrange a marriage for you, nor will I force you to marry anyone. I don’t want to repeat the mistakes my mother made.”Swallowing a bitter pill, Bonita let her sorrow spill out to Nolan. “The man I love cheated on me. There’s no way I could live my life with him.”“This time, fight for it. Don’t be like me. I was a coward who couldn’t hold on to your mother for you and Jeremy, even though you both had a right to have her in your lives.”Bonita shook her head in resignation. “I can’t force a man to love me. And don’t call yourself a coward. You’re the most perfect man in my li
Drenched in sweat and immersed in inescapable pleasure, Bonita and Benjamin lost track of everything happening outside the campervan. It was impossible to count how many times Jeremy had tried calling the newlyweds who had vanished from their own wedding reception. He had traveled halfway across the world to attend his sister's big day, only to find her once again behaving as she pleased."Let it go; leave them be. Nothing bad will happen," Melissa said in a calming tone, patting the back of their son, Julian, who was snuggled in her arms. "Even if something does, they’ll figure it out on their own."Jeremy glanced toward Edith, who was smiling quietly in a corner of the resort they had rented as accommodations while preparing for the wedding. After years of estrangement, the resentment he once harbored toward his mother was gradually fading."Edith doesn’t seem worried. Boo has proven herself capable of traveling the world without causing trouble.""That’s only because Benjamin is wi
A deep, passionate embrace unfolded between the newlyweds as they shared a kiss under an altar set near a mist-covered waterfall. Friends and family cheered joyfully, celebrating the union of two hearts that had journeyed for years across the world to finally find their way back to one another in love.Only a handful of guests were present amidst the cold mountain air, including the bride and groom. It was an unconventional choice of venue, but nothing could deter Bonita and Benjamin from tying the knot after a long relationship filled with uncertainties.The bride's gown and the groom's suit were outfits they had owned for years. The altar was decorated simply with flowers and local foliage, arranged lovingly by Velica and Melissa over several days. Meanwhile, the warm dishes on the table, still steaming, were prepared by David and Zayna.Benjamin broke the kiss and gazed lovingly at his wife, a satisfied smile lighting up his face. “Thank you for letting me spend the rest of my life
"Stop it!" Bonita admonished sharply.Benjamin’s laughter echoed against the stone walls. He found most of Bonita’s written points reasonable, though a few struck him as utterly amusing. "Are you sure you want to know about that? You might get jealous.""I won’t get jealous as long as you’re honest with me. I’m not jealous of things that belong to the past.""Alright." Benjamin replied, taking Bonita's hand and guiding her to the sofa. His gaze softened as it settled on the woman who, to him, shone brighter than anything else in his world. "Just to clarify, does this mean I’m officially your boyfriend again?""As long as you fulfill all the points written on that paper ..., then yes."The kiss Benjamin placed on Bonita’s lips caught her completely off guard. Before she could think better of it, Benjamin cupped her face, pulling her closer as the kiss deepened into a gentle embrace.Having grown unused to such intimacy after so many years, Bonita tried to match his rhythm. Her arms fou
"That’s true," Bonita said, her head bowed. She had thought about it countless times—the decision to call off the wedding wasn’t just about Mea. "I went looking for my mother on the day we were supposed to have our date—the day you met Mea. My mother told me everything about her relationship with my father. I did love you, but ... I thought maybe it would be better to rethink the foundation of my feelings. I wasn’t sure if my love for you was pure or if I was in love with the idea of falling in love, like my mother once was with Frans."Benjamin’s hopeful thoughts came crashing down. Though there was still a glimmer of hope, Bonita’s reason for ending their engagement left him feeling empty."To be honest, I doubted whether you truly loved me. Falling in love at first sight is something I’ve always found hard to believe. When I found out about Mea, I thought maybe you only loved me because I might remind you of her.""You two are completely different," Benjamin clarified, his voice pa
All the windows in Tristan's family stone house were barred, forcing Bonita to give up on escaping. She had searched every corner of the house for an opening, but there was no way out. She even tried calling out for help to passersby through the windows, but they ignored her as if unwilling to risk getting involved in helping a prisoner.The crescent moon appeared quickly. Bonita chose to wait patiently for Tristan to return the next day, planning to confront him for locking her up with Benjamin—even though Tristan's words about food and the guest room were accurate.Benjamin had already showered and changed into clothes he found in the wardrobe. He asked Bonita to freshen up and change while he warmed the food in the fridge, but Bonita, too annoyed, refused when she saw that all the women's clothing in the wardrobe consisted solely of sexy nightgowns.Her diamond earrings and white lace dress still clung to her body as she lay on the bed. However, her leather boots had been removed a
"Are you using the same method as when you chose Mea's favorite flowers for our wedding theme?" Bonita asked, her expression grim.Bonita's question froze Benjamin in place. He hadn’t expected her to remember the flowers or even care about them after all these years."I thought I made it clear that I refuse to be anyone’s replacement.""You were never anyone’s replacement, Boo.""Don’t!" Bonita snapped, her voice sharp as she pointed a trembling finger at Benjamin. "Don’t call me that! I will never allow you to call me that!""Alright," Benjamin replied, his voice steady. "Let me say it again so you understand. You were never anyone’s replacement, Bonita."A jolt coursed through Bonita's fingers as he said her name, and she quickly crossed her arms over her chest, shielding herself from the emotional attack threatening to reach her heart."Listen," Benjamin began. "I chose those flowers because my father once gave them to my mother, not because Mea liked them. How did you even think t
"I don’t believe in fortune-telling.""Your life must be boring," Tristan quipped as he walked away. He pulled his phone from his pocket and answered a call, his eyes lighting up. "I'll bring her over. Just wait there and make sure you look your best.""Do you work in theater?" Bonita asked casually, assuming the mention of appearances had something to do with it.Tristan laughed as he put his phone back into his pocket. "No. I own a fruit plantation in the west, near where my mother lives.""Wow, I feel honored to know someone so important," Bonita said with a sly smile."It’s useless since you’ve already turned down my date invitation.""Should I regret it?" Bonita teased."You should, but no. You already have a lover. I’m not the kind of man who steals someone else's woman for personal pleasure."Bonita studied Tristan intently. "I could introduce you to Velica. She’s my best friend. She’s been single for a long time, even before I started traveling. Would you like me to introduce
"Is that your lover?" His gaze fixed on the photo next to Bonita's campervan steering wheel. His expression shifted as he glanced back at her, studying her face more intently.Bonita didn’t respond. She knew exactly which photo he meant—it was a picture of Benjamin. The photo had been there for years."Forget my joke about being your lover. I wasn’t serious.""I wouldn’t accept your date invitation even if you were.""Relax, I won’t count the lunch I offered earlier as a date. The restaurant is two hours from here, but you should wear something a bit more appropriate for an upscale place."Bonita grinned. "I guess this is the perfect occasion to wear my favorite dress again.""You have a dress?" the stranger asked, squinting in mock disbelief."Of course. Actually, I inherited my family’s bridal business. I dress like this," Bonita gestured at her T-shirt and shorts, "because it's more comfortable for driving."He gave her a skeptical look. "Alright. I’ll have to shower at a lodge nea
Weeks, months, and years went by.Benjamin's desire to find Bonita never waned. He had completely forgotten Mea. In his heart, there was only Bonita. Not even the countless women who flirted with him during his journey to find his former fiancée could divert his heart, not even for a fraction of a second.One thing Benjamin learned from his quest to find the love of his life was that he believed they would meet again at a more appropriate time. This belief gave him the patience to endure whatever life threw at him. If it meant circling the globe hundreds of times, he was willing to do so, as long as it would eventually lead him back to Bonita.However, Benjamin didn’t know that Bonita was deliberately avoiding the places they had once dreamed of visiting together. While he searched for her in their planned honeymoon destinations, Bonita chose to explore other locations.Benjamin observed kangaroos from afar in Australia, while Bonita danced with a group of shepherds in New Zealand. Wh