"I mean, you ... look sweet," Benjamin mumbled, his face flushed with embarrassment."I'm not candy, but I get what you mean. You just confessed your love to me." Mea's lips curled into a knowing smile, even as they remained pressed together. The word love slipped from her lips as gently as the scent of flowers, as light as a strand of hair carried by a warm breeze on a scorching day. It was profound enough to settle deep within Benjamin’s heart from the moment it was spoken.Benjamin froze. It was then that he realized his confession of liking her was actually an admission of love. He felt he might have acted impulsively, only now becoming aware that he had no intention of having a girlfriend at such a young age. Not once before that moment had he ever thought about the possibility of falling in love. Mea had always shone in his eyes, making Benjamin late in realizing he had rushed into declaring feelings he didn’t fully understand."I'm sorry, but I have to turn you down," Mea said
Jeremy’s disapproving shake of the head did nothing to stop Bonita’s determined movements inside a third-floor room of the bridal shop. One of the five sewing rooms had been cleared out so Bonita could freely work on a dress for her mother, assisted by Theo as her helper. The two of them had been engrossed in their work ever since Bonita had cleverly extracted her father’s opinion on which design he liked best, without revealing who the dress was for.Various types of fabric had already been cut into shape and were being applied to a faceless mannequin. Theo worked swiftly to prepare all the accessories needed to complete the dress, including stitching intricate details and sourcing additional materials.“Dad’s going to hate you if he finds out, Boo,” Jeremy remarked, leaning against the doorframe. He had been silently observing Bonita for half an hour without her noticing.“He won’t be home anytime soon, and he won’t find out unless you tell him,” Bonita retorted without looking up,
"How's your wedding preparation, Boo?" Nolan asked over the phone."Perfect. When will you come home?""Four days before your wedding day. Have you contacted your mom yet?""Not yet. I’m still thinking about what to say to her," Bonita murmured while stroking the unfinished gown for her mother. It only needed some lace and a few layers of embroidery. Jeremy had been incredibly helpful in finishing the gown quickly without a single complaint, even though Bonita could sense how much it bothered him to work on it."Call her soon. She will need time to prepare things.""Do you miss her?"Silence fell. Nolan neither confirmed nor denied it, but the answer was clear to Bonita. Since Nolan had once explained why he decided to part ways with Edith, he hadn’t brought her up again. Nolan had even avoided Bonita by constantly working out of town, sourcing materials or building new connections—excuses that Bonita knew were fabricated."Come home earlier if you’ve wrapped up your work. I miss you.
Bonita acted indifferent, though inwardly she was elated seeing Jeremy's attempts to persuade Melissa to let them share a room for the night. Jeremy tried everything, from bribing Melissa with her favorite ice cream, cooking her grilled meat, to showering her with compliments all day, leaving Melissa utterly baffled.When Jeremy's true motive was finally revealed, Melissa shot Bonita several unfriendly looks. However, Jeremy managed to convince her that it was the last night he could spend with Bonita before her wedding. Reluctantly, Melissa accepted the strange sibling request.Bonita mouthed a silent apology to Melissa as she entered Jeremy’s room. She secretly hoped Melissa wouldn’t mess up her room that night, though she braced herself for the worst by morning.Jeremy’s room layout was exactly how Bonita remembered it, albeit now crowded with Melissa’s belongings in every corner. The scent of the room no longer carried Jeremy’s distinctive hint of sunlight and earth, but the ambia
Four and a half years ago, a stir erupted on Bonita's campus when Benjamin began showing up regularly. Initially, the girls speculated that his visits might be connected to a photo he had posted on social media, which suddenly disappeared. But the rumors soon evolved into whispers: Were Benjamin and Bonita in a relationship? Bonita tried to quash the gossip, repeatedly explaining that Benjamin was merely a close friend of her future sister-in-law.No one believed her denials. The gossip shifted to accusations that Bonita was deliberately lying to hide her relationship with Benjamin.“Of course, Boo wouldn’t admit it. Handsome guys need to be hidden from other girls, right? So they don’t get snatched away,” Maria said mockingly to a group of students lounging nearby. To outsiders, her comment might sound like she was defending Bonita. But anyone who truly knew Maria would understand that her presence on campus, given that she wasn’t even enrolled there, was strange enough on its own.“
"May I hug you?" Benjamin asked suddenly.Bonita turned to him but ultimately said nothing. She thought about how shameless and insensitive he was for not realizing she just wanted to be alone. She had intentionally distanced herself from the crowd as a clear signal that she didn’t want to be disturbed.“Sorry if I’m being forward. I just thought you looked lonely.”“Find another woman who will fall for your good looks. I can assure you, that woman isn’t me,” Bonita snapped as she took a step away. Before she could fully escape, Benjamin gently grabbed her arm. She froze, unsure what she was expecting from him, but perhaps letting him speak wouldn’t be as bad as she imagined.Benjamin shrugged off his dark brown suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders. "Maybe it will keep you warm. The wind here is strong, and you’ll get sick wearing just that dress.”They stared at each other as the wind carried the scent of
Memories of her time with Benjamin strengthened Bonita’s resolve as she headed to meet Zayna. However, Bonita’s expectations were off. She assumed Zayna would invite her for coffee or something similar at the café they had agreed upon as their meeting spot. To her surprise, Zayna stepped out of the café just as Bonita got out of her car. It made Bonita wonder if Zayna had deliberately chosen a seat by the window to watch for her arrival—or anyone else's—with ease.Zayna carried a bag filled with bread and two plastic cups of smoothies. She looked stunning in a sleeveless blue dress that accentuated her figure. What caught Bonita off guard—leaving her a little flustered and stiff with nervousness—was how Zayna immediately got into Bonita’s car without saying a word, forcing Bonita to get back in as well."Apologies if I startled you, Boo—or is that not your nickname?" Zayna asked casually, placing one smoothie in the car’s center cup holder while sipping t
Zayna filled an empty plate with grilled meat, fries, vegetables, and toast for Bonita. “You’d better eat first. I’ll give you Mea’s contact and address afterward.”Bonita smiled. “Thank you. I didn’t expect you to be this warm, considering everything you’ve done.”“I might seem like the villain, but that’s not my role,” Zayna said as she casually prepared her own plate. Her tone was as calm as a gentle sea breeze. “You’d probably be surprised if you truly knew me.”“I hope you’re not worse than you seem,” Bonita quipped, cutting into the meat on her plate. “Just so you know, I won’t easily trust the surface of your kindness. You’ve put me through a lot of trouble lately. I really hope today’s meeting doesn’t make things worse.”Zayna chuckled softly. “Well, I hope I can treat you better. You are … Benjamin’s fiancée, right? If I’m not mistaken from that ring on your finger?”Bonita swallowed her food and extended
"Call me if my sister contacts you," Jeremy demanded as he approached the departure gate at the airport."She’ll call you if she wants to," Velica replied disinterestedly, hugging Melissa. "Take care of yourself. Living with him won’t be easy."Melissa glanced at Jeremy, who was still grumbling. "We’ll be fine, but please let me know if you hear anything about my sister-in-law. I’m really worried about her. She’s independent, reliable, and all that, but she’s still my sister-in-law. I don’t want her to face trouble without anyone to help her.""Sorry, even if she contacts me someday, I’ll keep it to myself because I don’t trust you. You’d go straight to Benjamin.""No, I promise I won’t tell Benjamin anything about her. If you must know, he’s disappeared too. I’ve had a hard time reaching him since the wedding ...." Melissa’s words trailed off as her gaze met Edith’s, who quickly averted her eyes."He’s disappeared?" Velica asked, intrigued."I once called Jenna. She cried before I co
"Can you stop worrying about your sister? She's not a child. She’ll come home once she’s done having fun," Nolan said as he closed the book in his hands, annoyed by Jeremy barging into his study once again without knocking."Can’t you show even a little concern for her? She’s your daughter!" Jeremy snapped, slumping into the chair with frustration."As you’ve said, she’s my daughter, and I do care about her. But I trust that she’ll be fine. She’s heartbroken right now—let her do whatever she needs to heal. She decided to leave on her own. Can’t you respect her decision?""Honestly, I can’t. She’s never been away from this house for so long. This home is her only safe haven. If she really wanted to live on her own, she’d have bought a house or an apartment long ago.""Things change, Jeremy. Your sister chose to leave, and she made that decision consciously. Accept it," Nolan replied, his lips twitching with irritation.Jeremy's brows furrowed in disbelief, unable to comprehend his fath
Uncertain of what more he could do to find Bonita, Benjamin was almost tempted by his old friend’s sudden offer of help. The man’s powerful family connections and vast social network could make it easy to trace Bonita, even though she was traveling the world with a different nationality.To mask his vulnerability, Benjamin accepted an invitation to drink in the friend’s hotel room. Too late, he realized the man had hired several escorts to join them.“I’m leaving,” Benjamin declared after downing his final glass, rising unsteadily and leaning against the wall for support.“Oh, come on! They’re just here to drink with us. They won’t bother you unless you let them touch you,” said Tristan, arms outstretched, his half-empty glass in hand.“They’re here for you, not me.”The slam of the door punctuated Benjamin’s exit. Tristan turned to the women with an amused smirk. “What an idiot, huh?”The women nodded like puppets. Their lives, sadly, were pawns of money, hired to entertain.Slamming
When Bonita shared her travel experiences on her blog and social media, Benjamin struggled even to write about the feeling of losing his former fiancée in his journal. While Bonita felt lazy about continuing her journey, Benjamin was still desperately trying to find a way to locate her. When Bonita laughed with new people she met along the way, Benjamin was overcome with frustration, cursing himself for failing to find the woman he loved. While Bonita slept in her campervan in the middle of the forest, Benjamin spent his nights sleeping on the roadside in his beloved Jeep.Benjamin crossed the country border before Bonita. He drove toward Mount Roraima, assuming she might head there. Unbeknownst to him, Bonita had altered her travel plans to visit nearby places before venturing further away.An experienced adventurer, Benjamin was accustomed to spending time in the wilderness. Sleeping on the ground or camping on mountain peaks was no burden for him. He knew how to collect water and i
Bonita’s travel plans, carefully crafted back at Edith’s house, shifted completely after she acquired the campervan. Both her destinations and timelines were now open-ended. She ventured into directions that hadn’t been part of her original itinerary and stayed in various places for as long as she pleased.One time, she camped in a forest far from any settlements for several days. The sound of animals and flowing rivers soothed her broken heart. The solitude, free from human interference, refreshed her soul in ways she had never imagined.Her habit of regularly purchasing branded clothes, bags, and accessories gradually disappeared. Bonita became more selective about her purchases, surprising herself with how much this approach reduced her stress. She found a newfound sense of relief in being surrounded by fewer belongings.While she was in the savanna, Eddison sent her official wedding photos of Nolan and Edith. The heat Bonita had felt under the blazing sun vanished the moment she s
Intrigued by Irena, Bonita decided to extend her stay at the inn. The aloof old woman gradually warmed up after Bonita brought her half a dozen donuts from a stroll around the inn. In return, Irena offered her a cup of coffee for free.Irena pursed her lips after sipping her coffee, "What do you want from me?""I want to get to know you.""Is that all? No pity because I’m living alone in a city far from where I was born?""No. I think you’re amazing for building this inn all by yourself.""Don’t end up like me, young lady. Living alone like I do is miserable. I have no one to talk to .…”Bonita gave a faint smile. "I could be your friend."Irena sighed. "You’d still be a stranger to me. Sooner or later, you’ll leave this place. When I say someone to talk to, I mean someone for a lifetime.""I have a best friend who’s happy to listen to me. I could be that kind of friend for you.""Foolish girl. I don’t mean a friend. I mean a life companion. Someone to be there for you through thick a
"What if I'm not the person you're looking for?"Eddison let out a relieved sigh upon hearing Bonita's voice. The woman who had caused such a stir throughout the day had finally called him. More than that, he was glad she chose to reach out to him. He still remembered how she had once offered him her new phone number, only for him to refuse it."Sorry for troubling you, and thank you. I’ve seen the photos of my parents' wedding on Velica’s social media, but I want to ask for their official wedding pictures from you.""You will have to pay for that," Eddison said with a wide grin. "Tell me where you are.""As far as I recall, I only offered you my new number, not my location. In case you’ve forgotten, you declined my offer back then. Now, I’m reluctantly using this number to thank you," Bonita replied, her tone intentionally light, hoping to sway Eddison to comply with her request."And to ask for another favor. You know, services like this require payment."Bonita glanced out the rest
I canceled our wedding. I’ve returned Jenna’s ring and transferred all the money you spent on the wedding back to your account. The wedding suit I had made for you is yours to keep. I left it on the chair.There’s a wedding invitation card for you on the table. My parents are getting married in place of our wedding. I don’t expect you to attend because my father and Jeremy would be furious if they found out what happened. I left the card so you’d know.I wish I could say all of this to you in person. I’ve already said some of the things I wanted to, but you might not remember them when you wake up.I love you. Truly.My love for you is still the same as I write this. I canceled the wedding not because I hate you.When I first met you, I thought you were crazy for proposing to me before getting to know me better. I’d never been interested in falling in love before meeting you, but your presence kept haunting me. You kept pursuing me, and eventually, I gave in. I’m not even sure when I
Bonita placed the suit on the back of the chair and the wedding invitation card on the table, then approached Benjamin, who was sprawled awkwardly on the bed. The room reeked of alcohol, with five empty vodka bottles on the bedside table. In the four and a half years Bonita had known Benjamin, he had never been a drinker. She didn’t even know his alcohol tolerance.The man looked utterly disheveled, with unkempt hair and stubble on his chin, longer and messier than usual. His shirt appeared unchanged for several days, with hardened stains near the collar. His shoes dangled oddly from his feet, as if his attempt to escape had failed.Bonita removed his shoes and adjusted his bent legs before turning him to his side and propping him up with a pillow to prevent him from sleeping on his back. She was about to climb off the bed when Benjamin weakly reached for her arm, mumbling incoherently.Bonita gently brushed his messy hair back, her tears spilling over as the pain in her heart became