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46: Her Story
Last Updated:
2025-02-23 18:58:34
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Sunshine and The Beast 47: Meet Aunty
AltheaHave you ever wondered what the right feeling should be in a specific situation? Should you feel relief, sadness, or something in between? Should you even feel anything at all?That was the uncertainty that consumed me now. Hearing Marcus’s story some time ago brought a slight sense of relief and pride. My mother was a great woman. She was kind, caring, and well-liked. She had everything it took to be a good mother—at least in my opinion.She could have been. She should have been. But in the end, I was still left with no one. And that was where the mixed emotions began to settle in, twisting inside me like an unshakable weight.The more I thought about it, the more questions piled up in my mind, growing heavier with each passing moment. Marcus spoke so highly of my mother, yet there was an unspoken tragedy lingering behind his words. It was like there was a missing piece—something that didn’t fit into the beautiful image he had painted of her. What exactly happened? What led he
Last Updated : 2025-02-24Sunshine and The Beast 48: Failed Plan
MatthiasSometimes, the world really didn’t help when we were planning something.I wasn’t too surprised by that. The world had always been a shitty place to live in, but it was the only place to be alive. No matter how much effort I put in, how much I calculated each move, there was always a chance that things would go wrong. The world might have refused to cooperate, but I had always made sure to stay one step ahead—predicting its moves before it could ruin mine.That's what I did. Usually. But this time, I wanted to give a big fuck you to the world for messing things up when progress was right in front of me.I had known Althea was about to meet Fenny. I had known that because I had made it happen. It had taken weeks, maybe even months, of effort. I had tracked Fenny down, pouring money into the process, paying Cyan a ridiculous amount just so he could focus entirely on finding her. I wasn’t going to let her slip away. Not when she was the key to something bigger—something that had
Last Updated : 2025-02-25Sunshine and The Beast Chapter 49: Old Diary, New Mystery
AltheaFenny still hasn’t regained consciousness. The medical results show that the poison in her body is at an extremely high dose—just the fact that she’s still breathing is already a miracle. Every possible treatment will be attempted, but when it comes to life and death, no doctor or advanced equipment can provide any certainty.That means there’s nothing I can do but wait. And waiting, as I’ve learned, is sometimes the hardest thing to do. The helplessness, the uncertainty—it all weighs on me, making every second stretch endlessly. I didn’t know much about God, but if He truly did exist, I hoped that this time, He would help.But other than that, I basically could do nothing.The world outside the hospital room didn’t stop for anyone, no matter how much I wanted it to. Time kept moving, and so did responsibilities. So, after ensuring there was nothing else I could do for Fenny at the moment, I left for the office, hoping work would serve as a distraction.As I entered my office,
Last Updated : 2025-02-26Sunshine and The Beast 50: Collection of Letters
AltheaI’ve never attended a funeral before, let alone to manage one. But there would always be a first time in everything, and this was mine.When Granny died, she asked to be cremated instead. She said it was a form of her freedom, and no funeral was needed.“At least when I die, don’t make me pay for anything. I’ve paid it all with my life.”So when Granny died, it just sort of happened. No special ceremony or time to cry. A few of her friends came, but somehow they didn’t question her decision. We all just stood there, watched the cremation process, as they told me, “It’s just her, you know. All we can do now is to respect her.”I didn’t understand her decision at that time, or even now, but some part of me knew that was so Granny. She would choose something that the majority of people didn’t understand. But Fenny was different. Despite the Alden blood we’ve shared and a few conversations through Facebook, I didn;t know her as much as Granny. I didn’t even know what she looked li
Last Updated : 2025-02-27Sunshine and The Beast 51: Same Suspect
MatthiasI drove through the quiet streets, my grip tightening on the steering wheel. The rhythmic tapping of rain against the windshield did little to drown out the thoughts hammering in my skull. The blackmail letters sat on the passenger seat beside the laptop I had retrieved from Fenny’s apartment, a silent accusation in the dim glow of the dashboard. The weight of them pressed against me, heavier than paper had any right to be. My mind churned through possibilities, each one darker than the last. Every turn of the tires felt like it was carrying me deeper into something I wasn’t sure I was ready to face.Fenny was dead. And now, staring at the threats she had received, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t just about her. This was bigger. A tangled web I had somehow been caught in long before I even realized it.I pulled up to a nondescript building in an industrial district, killing the engine and stepping out. The air was thick with the scent of rain-soaked pavement and
Last Updated : 2025-03-01Sunshine and The Beast 52: New Message
MatthiasThe drive home was steeped in silence, broken only by the low hum of the engine and the rhythmic pattern of rain against the windshield. The darkness outside stretched endlessly, mirroring the weight pressing against my chest. My mind was a battlefield, tangled in the web of revelations Cyan had unearthed—threats that had never truly disappeared, ghosts from a past I had fought to bury.Fenny’s death wasn’t random. It wasn’t some tragic accident or an unfortunate coincidence. It was deliberate. A warning. A message.And somehow, all of it led back to the past—the one I had tried so damn hard to leave behind.By the time I pulled into the driveway, exhaustion was gnawing at the edges of my mind, but the tension in my body didn’t ease. The house stood still, bathed in shadows, save for the faint glow bleeding from the living room window. I lingered outside for a moment, breathing in the crisp night air, letting the rain soak into my skin. The cold did little to ground me.Insid
Last Updated : 2025-03-02Sunshine and The Beast 53: Ask Him (Or Not)
AltheaThe morning light seeped through the kitchen window, casting a soft glow over the table. The scent of coffee lingered in the air, mixing with the faint crispness of toast and the subtle warmth of eggs fresh off the pan. It was quiet, save for the occasional clink of silverware against plates and the low hum of the coffee machine.Matthias sat across from me, his fingers wrapped around a steaming mug, eyes still heavy with the remnants of sleep. His shirt was slightly rumpled, his hair still damp from a shower, a few strands falling over his forehead. He wasn’t reading the newspaper or looking at his phone like he usually did. Instead, he was watching me.I didn’t know if he was waiting for me to say or do something, but I didn’t feel like doing anything at all.Maybe it was because of the lack of sleep. Last night was tiring, sure. I had barely had enough sleep or food since my aunt’s funeral. My body was tired, I couldn’t lie. Yet as I lay in bed, I couldn’t get myself to slee
Last Updated : 2025-03-03Sunshine and The Beast 54: Digging Secrets
MatthiasThere’s a reason why dealing with idiots is exhausting.Sure, expecting too much often leads to disappointment rather than satisfaction, but I’m fairly certain every person is at least given a brain to think. Some just choose not to use it, letting it rot into nothing more than dead weight in their skulls. And the worst part? They don’t even realize it. They move through life making the same mistakes, refusing to take responsibility, blaming everything and everyone except their own incompetence. It’s almost impressive—the mental gymnastics they go through just to avoid admitting they’re the problem.I tended to stay far from those types. I’d rather deal with nobody than waste my time getting mad over someone’s stupid and questionable behavior. But unfortunately, in business, avoiding them entirely wasn’t always an option. Some of them were clients. Some of them were investors. Some of them were people who, for whatever reason, had power they didn’t deserve.And people like me
Last Updated : 2025-03-04
Latest chapter
Sunshine and The Beast 89: The Conference (I)
Matthias“And … yep. You’re ready to go.”Althea nodded slowly after adjusting my tie, her lips curling into a soft smile. “You look good with that tie.”I never really cared about ties, honestly. As long as I looked neat and presentable, that was enough. But I wasn’t about to complain if someone else took notice and made me look even more “put together.” And that person was Althea.“You’re really okay on your own?” I asked her once again.She rolled her eyes. “I didn’t know you like to ask one question a thousand times, Matt. I am okay. The baby too. We’ll be fine. Just … you know, tell me if anything happens over there, okay?”That was supposed to be my line.I was actually reluctant to attend this business conference. But Cox and Tech—my company—needed to be present, especially since I was one of the speakers this time. The Milan conference was a major event, one with strong potential to expand business opportunities through collaborations, investments, and various other deals.
Sunshine and The Beast 88: The Grandmaster
Folded Page.Another plan has been successfully implemented.The man looked at the pile of papers on his desk, saw various contract signatures, letters of agreement, as well as some evidence of handover of asset transfers. It's just as usual sucess, nothing to be proud of. But this time, one contract caught his attention. The one who signed it made his smile grow bigger.Oh, Althea. Sweet Althea, he thought. She was definitely his favorite lamb. The one he wanted to keep at its best condition before it's used as the main course.A special main course, of course.The man then touched the edge of the contract with his fingertip, especially on the name listed. His chest was pounding with enthusiasm and anticipation, even though he already knew what was going to happen next.Oh, of course he did. He planned it. He planned everything.He would continue to take care of this name, to pay attention to it. No scratches, no wounds. At least, not yet. To keep it beautiful. To keep it the way he
Sunshine and The Beast 87: Protecting You in My Way
AltheaThings were changing. A lot.Althea Lewis from the past didn’t like uncertain and quick changes. Well, that was me. It took time to get used to anything, so to had a drastic change all of a sudden was draining.I meant, it took me months to finally be able to get a grasp of my new world, this business thing. And I couldn’t even say that I’d masteredt it.God knew I was far from it.Yet somehow, I didn’t mind the change that happened between Matthias and I. I liked it even, if I could put it that way.It felt like he was an entire different person, yet remained the same. The same Matthias Cox, but better. He brought a kind of stillness that didn’t demand anything from me, which was something I didn’t expect from him. At least me from months ago wouldn’t.He was calm where I was tense. He knew what to do, precise, where I was scattered and needed a lot of guidance. I didn’t need to explain my silences to him—he simply understood them. Vice versa, I didn’t feel the urge to ask abo
Sunshine and The Beast 86: My Wife
MatthiasTristan Kennedy.One name that I didn't really care about before. One name that had lived quietly in the shadows all this time, like a ghost behind a curtain. Everyone knew who Charles Kennedy was. He wasthe filthy rich misogynist who had crazy ideas that almost tanked his own empire.Almost. Underlined that word. Because his company was also one of a kind, an evidence of miracle, some would said.Some said that Charles came to his senses before the fall, miraculously managing to steer the wheel before he succumbed to illness. Others said it was a blessing from God for bad people. The latter sounded like nonsense, if you asked me. That kind of poetic ending sounded dramatic, too clean. I never liked those versions of the story. If God was real, He didn’t run a business portfolio. And companies like K Company didn’t just bounce back from near-collapse on sheer luck.Someone had pulled the strings. And if they could do that, then they were either a genius, or a psycho. The line
Sunshine and The Beast 85: The Boy from The Past
MatthiasEven though people say the crime scene will be the strongest evidence, the reality is often not the case. There would be times where you found nothing but the wind, no trace of a scent.However, again, I didn't have many options.The police station was not helpful, the orphanage that Cyan visited—I didn't have time to go because of the many meetings and the money-crazy people who could only sue instead of thinking and working—didn't give much information, so my option was Staten Junior High.I had gone to Marcus before to ask about Reiley, but I went back to school to ask something else; to see things from a different perspective. Some things was worth it to be checked twice. At least, I hope this one did.I had never thought I would come here once again, and some of the teachers sure shared the same thought, but they welcomed me nevertheless.“Mr. Cox, come in,” said Mrs. Josephine, the new vice head principal. She smiled so brightly, probably because I just told her a few d
Sunshine and The Beast 84: We Missed You
AltheaIt was weird remembering how before I felt like I can’t get used to this world, and a few months later I felt empty because I wasn’t sitting on my working desk.It was strange; how quickly the walls of my office started to feel like home again. The smell of brewed coffee lingering in the air, the faint hum of the overhead lights, the rustling sound of papers and keyboards and footsteps just outside the glass doors.It had only been a few weeks since I last stepped into this space, but it felt longer. Too long. I used to complain about deadlines and office noise, but now that I was here again… I missed it. All of it. Even the chaos.I walked into my office slowly, fingers grazing the edge of my desk like I was reacquainting myself with something lost. It was clean, perfectly arranged. Just the way I left it.“God, finally.”I turned around and found Rebecca, my assistant, standing at the doorway, arms crossed, a wide grin on her face. She looked the same, stylish as always, sharp
Sunshine and The Beast 83: Is This Okay?
Althea“Is everything okay, Matt?”The question slipped out before I could stop myself. I tried to make it sound casual—nonchalant, even—but my voice betrayed me with just the faintest edge of concern.Matthias stood across the room, near the wide living room window, one hand loosely holding his phone while the other hung at his side. The morning light softened the angles of his face, casting a golden glow across the lines of his jaw, but it didn’t do much to hide the tension in his shoulders.He didn’t answer immediately. He just stared down at the screen like he was reading something important. Or pretending to.“Matt?” I called him once again.Finally, he exhaled and looked over his shoulder. “Yeah. Everything’s under control.”It was the kind of answer you gave to stop more questions. The kind meant to reassure without actually offering anything real. I set my coffee cup down on the table a little too loudly.“That’s not really what I asked,” I said, more pointedly this time.Matt
Sunshine and The Beast 82: The Connection
MatthiasI made sure Althea was asleep before I slipped out of the bed.She’d curled into my side like she always did lately, breathing deep, her fingers unconsciously gripping the fabric of my shirt even in sleep. Maybe I could’ve stayed. Maybe I wanted to. It had become a quiet habit—sharing the night, the bed, her warmth. I didn’t know when it started to feel natural, but it had. And I didn’t mind it.But not tonight.Tonight, there was something I needed to do. Something I’d been pushing off for too long.The doctor had said she needed rest, and I wanted her to have it—wanted her to be safe, even if it meant doing the darker parts of this alone. So I moved carefully, slipping from the bed and tugging the covers back over her shoulder before leaving the room and closing the door with a soft click.The apartment was dim, quiet. I padded through the living room barefoot, the only sound the low hum of the city outside the window. I adjusted the headphones, waiting for the familiar chi
Sunshine and The Beast 81: Let Me Take Care of You
AltheaThe more you deal with money, the more screwed it becomes.Lesson learned, but the class wasn’t over yet.If anything, it was just the start of a syllabus I never asked for.I woke up to the scent of something warm drifting from the kitchen—eggs, garlic, maybe a touch of rosemary. It was soft, comforting, something I hadn’t realized I missed until it filled the space around me. My feet padded across the floor, and I followed the smell like it was pulling me with invisible threads.And there he was.Matthias stood by the stove, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, spatula in one hand, coffee mug in the other. A faint stream of morning light spilled in through the windows, casting a golden hue across his face. He looked… peaceful. Out of place, almost, in the soft domesticity of my kitchen.He glanced up when he noticed me. “Morning.”I blinked, definitely not expecting a greet for him. “Are you… cooking?”He turned back to the stove like it was no big deal. “What does it look like?”
