“Ethan did this!” Zeke said the moment he joined Ryan in the car.When he entered the living room with Elena a while back and had broken the news to them, they had panicked as expected.When Ray asked him the cause of the fire outbreak, he answered that the police had started their investigation, and they would know soon.Elena had told him to say it that way. Of course, it would not be easy to tell them that it was coming from his family.He was not even sure if Elena had told them anything about Ramon and Ethan yet.Although Karina had pestered him to wait back to have a meal with them, he had turned them down politely as his friend was waiting for him outside.Oh, thankfully, the twins were sleeping!“Ethan? How sure are you?” Ryan asked as he ignited the engine of the car.Zeke handed his phone to the man and Ryan sighed as he read the message.“He’s telling you he won’t go easier next time, right?” Ryan asked.“That mother fucker… messed with the wrong person. What if she was fu
“Shit, we lost him!”Ryan yelled and then slammed his hand on the steering wheel when he pulled the car down the street.They both got down from the car and Zeke ran his hand through his hair.“Fuck.”“What should we do?”“I guess we wait,” Zeke answered and slowly trailed his other hand down his arm.He had applied too much pressure on his wound already and he was starting to feel pain again.“You think? That psycho showed his face. He knows we are unto them.”“Which is why we should wait. We can only wait for them to strike again. This time… we just gotta be prepared,” he swallowed.“It seems he’s the only one who knows yet. I’m certain if Ramon knew, he would not have called Elena two days ago. She said he called her.”“Ramon did?”“Yes. And he has told her he is not in the country yet. He lied.”Ryan shook his head and then smacked his tongue. “What do we do now?”“We gotta trace this number. He called directly. Not anonymously. We should find out where he stays, don’t you think?”
“What do you mean by you’re not doing something loud?!” Brenda widened her eyes and stood up.Zeke exhaled, exchanged glances with Jeremy and they both shook their heads in unison.It had been a week since the fire ruckus and they had gathered to talk about Ryan and Chloe’s upcoming wedding.Zeke had thought they were kidding about getting married in two weeks till they both called for the meeting.“That is what she wants, Mother,” Ryan breathed out.“And you should be convincing her otherwise. Why would you not throw a party!”“Mum!” Chloe exclaimed.“We are not throwing a party. Just… a formal gathering of the families and then the priest. That is all. Oh, I extended the invite to a few of my workers, he has done the same also. That is enough.”“Oh, no, no no!”“Just leave them be,” Jeremy groaned.“No way! You should have an extravagant wedding. I want your wedding to be the talk of the town! I want…”“We don’t want that,” Chloe cut her short.“Why would you not want that?”“We can
“I can’t believe you’re the one delaying, really. You literally started preparing before me!” Elena exhaled as she pushed the door to Ariana’s room open.“Nude or red?” She ignored her and asked instead.“It’s just a little gathering, Ariana. You’re not gonna meet thousands of people, I promise,” She groaned.“Still, I hate to be caught unfresh. But, then again, why are they opting for a little gathering? You might not know but everyone is talking about them!”“Talking about them? Why?”“Because their union is the least expected in the world! Damn! Chloe and Ryan. Zeke’s sister and Zeke’s best friend! Everyone is talking.”“Good or bad?”“Good, of course, and yes, they were all looking forward to a big party. Trust me.”“You included?” Elena raised a brow.“Well, I can’t say I am not. Now, red, or nude?” she asked again, staring at the lipstick in her hand.“Nude will do. You are wearing a wine…”“Red will do,” she cut her sister short and then turned to face the mirror again.“Why d
When a strong arm suddenly wrapped around her waist, Chloe freaked out, dropped the phone, and then screamed.“Baby, baby, it’s just me!” Ryan exclaimed, moved to her front, and then grabbed her shoulders.“It’s just me…” he breathed out and pulled her into a hug.“Ryan…” she sighed and wrapped her arms around his waist.“Did something happen?” He disentangled from the hug gently and asked.“N… no. Not at all. What are you doing here? Mum was just going to check up on you.”“I have missed you so I snuck here to see you,” he giggled.“What is bothering you?” He asked again and then bent down to pick up her phone that fell.When Chloe tried to snatch the phone from him hurriedly, he moved away and then unlocked the phone.Reading the message that she had read, he twitched his lips upward and then curled his fist tightly into a ball.“It is Ethan…” She swallowed.“No. It is Mateo,” he shook his head.He had called her ‘sister’, so it was definitely Mateo.Now, it made sense why Chloe had
Elena looked away from him and breathed out.For a few seconds, she had thought he was truly getting married- To another woman.And that news had almost sent her flying out of her seat.She closed her eyes and smacked her lips.She was hopeless, really.“Are you thinking about what I said?” Zeke asked and then joined the audience in clapping.She turned back to look at him, swallowed hard, and then clapped too.“There is nothing to think about there.”“There is, Amore.”“Don’t call me that,” she snapped her brows together.“Amore?” He asked and she frowned harder.Zeke laughed and shook his head, “Why do you get mad whenever you’re called anything else aside ‘Elena’?”“Because Elena is my name and you should address me as that,” she pointed her index finger at him.He wrapped his hand around her finger and then kissed the back of her hand hurriedly.“No, Amore.”“Hey,” she snatched her hand away and then looked around.“So, Elena. Let’s throw a party too. A very extravagant one.”“You
“Is it my eyes or is someone actually standing there?”They all turned to look out of the window after Ray said.“Is that…” Ariana drawled.“Ramon?” Elena drew her brows together.She and Ariana exchanged glances and then shook their heads.To their parents, he was just Ramon.The man who was awfully obsessed with their daughter till it got in his head and started to act wrong.But to them, he was Zeke’s brother. Cousin. And might actually be a pawn for Ethan’s conspiracies. “What is he doing here?” Ray grunted.“Maybe he is back to his mind now,” Karina chuckled.As the car pulled in front of the gate, the gate creaked open and Elena got out of the car.“I will meet you inside.”“You can just bring him in too. You’re not turning him away, are you?” Karina asked.“Don’t interfere, mum,” Ariana said instead.“Elena…”Ramon rubbed his hands together and then shook his legs.“What are you… doing here?” She swallowed hard.“What do you mean? You missed me, didn’t you? So, I am back becau
“Where are the twins though? I have not seen them anywhere around?”Ramon asked as he stared at Elena who settled on the couch opposite him.“Oh… they are at their fa— They are at Zeke’s house,”“Oh…” his mouth formed an O and he nodded his head.“So… Can we talk now?” She asked.He nodded his head, bowed his head, and then palmed his face.Elena watched while he did that for a while before he started.“It was during the time Natalie was sick that I heard about my origin.”“My father had always claimed that he was an orphan. He said it was just him and that his family had died during a plane crash and he was the only survivor. We believed him of course, till recently when my brother called to tell me the truth.”“My father is Russo. He is Zeke’s uncle. Surprising, right?”Elena swallowed and then nodded her head.“After he told us, my brother thinks that it was right that he pursued his rights. He said he had shares at their house and since then, he has been out of reach.”“Your broth
“THIS IS OUR NEW HOUSE?!!!”Natalie’s scream encircled the whole house and Elena and Zeke turned to look at her, smiling.It was the second day after the wedding and they had spent the night at the hospital before coming here.“God, God, God! This is so crazy!” Nathan yelled.“Language, boy,” Elena smacked her tongue.“Daddy, mommy, this house is so…! Huge! It is freaking huge!” Natalie cried out.She rushed to the couple and then hugged them tightly together.The excitement on their faces was everything.Zeke wouldn’t stop grinning from ear to ear as he watched his children look around the living room.“Before we take a full tour, do you both wanna see your room?” He asked and then jumped in in excitement.“Yes!”“Follow me,” he took Elena’s hand and then walked to the stairs gently while they both trailed after them, holding hands too.Their room was on the third floor, the same floor as theirs and when they got there, Zeke curled his fist into a ball and then smiled.“I will open t
FINALE.“Everyone, my name is Natalie!”Came the tiny, adorable voice of the girl which made everyone murmur in excitement.“Hello everyone, I am Natalie, the older twin of my mommy and daddy,” she introduced again and the couple laughed where they sat.“Today, I stand before you… to read my heartfelt letter to my mommy and daddy,” she said again.“It’s all written here,” she brought out a paper, “But, I would not be reading it. As I have something else to say to them… from the depth of my heart.”“So…” she sniffed and then looked around at the pairs of eyes that were bored on her.Her palms were sweaty and her breath was getting heavier.Would it have been better if her aunt had read the letter instead of her?“Erm…” she stammered and looked around again.When her eyes landed on her brother, Nathan who gave her a thumbs up, she smiled gently and then nodded her head.“Today is a dream come true, everyone. Today… I am very happy to have been a part of our parents' ceremony. It has bee
“Oh, my!”Chloe gasped as she stared at Elena and shook her head through teary eyes.“Don’t be dramatic,” Elena rolled her eyes.“Only that I am not!”Chloe breathed in as she took in every detail of the dress that she had made.This might actually be the best wedding dress that she had ever made.Elena, the bride stood radiantly, her grand white wedding dress shimmering around her like a celestial aura. The dress hugs her curves in all the right places, spotlighting her slender waist and toned physique.The fitted, mermaid silhouette showcases her feminine sculpture, while the sweetheart neckline frames her heart-shaped face and highlights her dazzling smile. Her long, flowing white sleeves cascade down her arms like a river of snow, with delicate, sparkling beads and detailed lace trim that catch the light.Elena makes a very beautiful bride, and she was glad she had the honor to make her beautiful on this day, her day.Elena and her brother were tying the knot today and she had bee
“You really should not be doing this, Chloe, trust me,” Elena sighed as she stood in front of the woman who looked around for what to get, to begin with the measurements.“No, no. I am doing this. I will do this. I must make your wedding dress, what are you saying?” She frowned and then grabbed the measuring tape.Chloe had remained adamant and no matter how much she had tried to stop her from worrying about making her wedding dress, she didn't listen.It’s been two weeks already since she had gotten engaged to Zeke, and then in a month, they would be getting married.If it were up to Zeke and his mother alone, the marriage would be taking place the following week after she got engaged, but she insisted on going slow.In fact, to her, getting married a month and two weeks after she got engaged to him was slow too but they were going to pull it through anyway.Of course, she wanted to be married again.In fact, she could not wait to be married to the man who had brought so much joy to
Waking up the next morning, Zeke had the widest grin on his face.The kids were sleeping heavily in their middle with their arms and legs crossed around he and Elena’s bodies.They snored so gently and he found that cute.Now that he was looking at them, the kids had the same sleeping style as Elena.Their legs spread wide, dropping on each other, their arms wide, and while one was dropped on their heads, the other was spread widely beside them.Their mouths were parted very gently.He chuckled, leaned closer to the drawer beside the bed, and then picked up his phone.He took a picture of them together while he carefully ensured that he didn’t wake any of them.After that, he took a personal one of Elena and zoomed in closer in order to capture her face.When Elena suddenly stirred in her sleep, he returned his phone and then dropped his head like he was sleeping.But that was all, the woman was still enjoying herself as she didn’t open her eyes.He chuckled, got out of the bed gently
She finally raised her head to see the people around them.Her mother, her father, and her sister.Zeke's family was not excluded. Including the couples who had been out of the country for their honeymoon, Chloe and Ryan.Unable to hold back her tears, she burst into tears and sniffed back hurriedly.“W… what are you… doing?” her voice broke as she asked no one in particular.The twins said nothing and made way for Zeke who covered the space between them and then picked up her hands in his.He kissed the back of her hand and then went on a kneel gently.“Zeke,” Elena mumbled.“So, I thought hard and thoroughly about how to do this properly. To give you the proposal that you deserve, but, this is all that I could settle with. You deserve way more than this and I would do anything in the world to prove to you how amazing and precious you are. We… We have had our ups and downs. I have fuck— messed up many times…” “And you do not deserve the things that I have done to you. You have no id
It has been nearly two weeks since Elena and Zeke had become so open with their relationship. Over a couple of times, the paparazzi had caught them during dates and had released numerous articles about them.Although people were happy for them, there were still some people who wondered why they had divorced in the first place and if it was right that they returned together.But, she knew what she was getting back to. Elena had told Ariana that.“Not everyone will be happy with the choice that I have made and a lot might hate me for that, in fact. But, everything that I am doing is for me and my babies alone. Everything that I do is for my happiness and I am ready to deal with anything that comes with it,” She had said to Ariana that day after dinner in her room.The woman had shown concern on how the netizens were trolling her but it still would not change the fact that a larger netizen was rooting for her and Zeke.“Do you think he wants to propose?” Elena asked Ariana who helped he
Zeke turned to look at the woman who sat beside him in the car, humming as gently she could, happiness written all over her.His mind went to the box that was in his car’s dashboard and how she had rejected it this morning, telling him, “I will not accept this… at least, not like this.”And then, it occurred to him that he needed to propose grandly to her.That was his original plan, but, all of a sudden, he could not wait and just wanted to tell her everything.“Are you sure you don’t want to go home first?” Zeke asked her, and then dropped his hand on her thigh.“I have totally forgotten that there was a meeting this morning. I could just dismiss it but I have done that too much this year.”“It does not matter.”“It does, so, step on it. The meeting will start soon.”“Yes, ma’am!” He exclaimed, moved his hand away, and then stepped on the pedal.•••“Should I pick you up when you’re done with work?” He asked her as he pulled in front of the company.“No, no, I’ll just call my chauff
“Babe…”He kissed her lips gently and bore his eyes on her.She yawned and stirred in her sleep before she squinted her eyes open.“Why?”“Are you hungry? I want to order food for us,” he said, while he kissed her neck.“God, did you wake me up for that?” She frowned, stretched lazily, stretched her arms and wrapped them around his neck, and then locked her legs around his waist.“Babe…”“What is the time?” She groaned.“It’s past nine.”She widened her eyes, sat upright, and then shook her head, “We should get going!”“Shall we?” He tilted his head, wrapped his arm around her stomach, and then pulled her back to the bed.“What are you doing? Everyone will be waiting for me!” She laughed as he tickled her.“I have called Ariana that you’re not coming home tonight. So, no one will wait for you,” he kissed her.“Oh, Zeke.”“What do you want to eat?” He asked again and then kissed her ear.“What do I want to eat…” she drawled gently in an accent.===THE NEXT MORNING.Waking up next to h