Jeremy stared at his brother for a while and then swallowed the lump that was in his throat forcefully. He opened his mouth to talk, but words failed him and Zeke spoke up again.“In fact, it’s all useless. I will deal with my personal matters by myself, you may leave now.”“I doubt if you can make her forgive you without my help,” he shrugged his shoulders off.“Leave, Jeremy. My driver will drop you off at your destination. You should leave right away,” he said and then walked to the stairs.“But, it is late. I can’t not travel at such an ungodly hour.”Ryan glanced at Zeke who turned deaf ears as he ascended the stairs and then turned his head to look at Jeremy. He shook his head at him and pressed his lips together.“Let him be.”“Ah… that depressed mother fucker,” Jeremy shook his head and Ryan chuckled.“He is not depressed. You wronged him.”Jeremy sniffed and then nodded his head. “I know.”“I’m leaving,” he raised his hand to wave at Ryan and then turned around.“Tell him to
“I believe you will be on your best behavior when we get there,” Zeke said to Ryan who kept his head buried in the phone, not minding that they had arrived at the basement of Elena’s company.“And, please, no matter what she says or does to you… can you not react? I’m afraid she’s not the same Elena you used to know.”Ryan finally raised his head and a wide grip plastered across his face.“You worry too much.”“That is because I know what I’ve seen… and heard from her,” he smacked his tongue and Ryan nodded his head.“I am not her enemy though. I doubt she would treat me the same way she treated you,” he shrugged his shoulders off and then pushed the door open.“So… don’t compare me to you,” he said and then got down from the car.“You are overly confident for someone who knows nothing about the person I am talking about,” Zeke shook his head and followed suit.“Did she know I am coming… or you?”“She knows I am coming. Not you,” he answered as they walked together.“Hold on, what bus
“Excuse me?” Elena raised a brow as she turned to look in his direction.“How… how could you…” he stopped halfway as he dropped his eyes on Ryan who shook his head at him like he was warning him to not talk.“How could I what?” She asked, knowing exactly where he was heading.“Never mind,” he hissed softly.“Biased? No way, don’t tell me you expect some sort of welcoming too, Zeke?” She twitched her lips upward in disdain and he swallowed hard.“Do I not deserve one?” He answered back without thinking twice.“You?” She asked and then laughed sarcastically before turning to look at Ryan.“I have missed you so much, Ryan,” she said as she settled on the couch, beckoning him to sit also.“Would you believe if I told you that I missed you more? I am sorry I didn’t make my visit sooner,” he swallowed.“I do not worry about that.”“I know, but I should have. It’s been over a month since you arrived, and not to lie… I have purposely missed out on social gatherings just so I would not run int
Zeke contemplated if he should do what was in mind without minding his ego, or if he should not while he watched Elena who settled in her seat after she had ignored him when he called her name.He closed his eyes for a few seconds, pressed his lips together, and then curled his fist tightly.Staring at Elena who sat on the single couch in front of him, with her legs crossed, he knew he needed to do this.Seeing the way she acted with Ryan and Chloe was proof that maybe she had not changed entirely and the only person she was like this with was him… and probably Camila.He breathed out, glanced at the floor again, and slowly, he went on his knees.Elena sat upright, startled by his action, and then raised her brows.“W… what are you doing?”“Elena…” he started after he had licked his lower lips.“What the fuck are you doing?”“I know… I know that I have wronged you terribly. I know… I know I was not the best husband while we were married. I know… you suffered because of me. But, I am r
“Did I keep you waiting?” Chloe asked as she settled in front of Elena in the coffee shop away from the company.“Not really. Did you go somewhere far?”“No. I was with uhm… Ryan.”Elena didn’t fail to notice the blush that spread on her face and chucked gently. “With the way you just blush, someone could assume that you have a crush on the man.”“Which man? Ryan? No way!” Chloe protested hurriedly and Elena chuckled.“You don’t know how to lie.”“I am serious, Elena! I don’t have a crush on him!”“It’s been six years. You are not over the feelings yet?” “What?” Chloe breathed out.“I know you used to have a crush on him… as a teen,” she smiled softly.“B… but how? I mean… Why would you think so? I don’t…”“You always talked about him like he was a god. A sculpture. You talked about him and infatuation was all I could sense from you,” she said.“Elena,” Chloe swallowed and bowed her head.“What? Are you ashamed of your feelings?”“He is my brother’s friend.”“Is there any rule that
Instantly, Chloe choked on her saliva and kept coughing till Elena reached out to her and patted her shoulder.“Easy, Chloe. Is that too much of a news?” She chuckled.“You…” Chloe inhaled as she tried to regain her composure.“You have given birth… to two children?” When Elena nodded her head in agreement, she leaned back and exhaled again.She was expecting such an answer, but why had it gotten her more surprised?Was it because she answered without denying or was it because she has not just one child but two?“I… I thought… I thought you had not been with anyone since my brother,” Chloe stuttered.Instead of answering, Elena shrugged her shoulders off, picked up her coffee, and then sipped it slowly while she stared at the lady who was finding it hard to believe.“Who is he?” Chloe asked.“You ask too many questions, don’t you?”“I am curious about many things, Elena.”“You didn’t think I would tell you the truth, did you?” Elena raised a brow and Chloe shook her head.“W…who is t
“Your words hurt, Elena…” Chloe exhaled, a painful smile escaping her lips.Elena adjusted in her seat, and shook her head, “I did not mean to.”“Elena.”“You cannot meet my children.”“Why? Do you hate me too? If I could go back in time to change the past, I would, but I can’t. Why… why are you…”“I am not being hard on you on purpose, Chloe.”“Let me meet them.”“And who would I tell them you are? I would not introduce you to them as their aunt. You might think it’s just a word, but my children are so smart and you would be surprised by how quick they will figure you out.”“Anything!” Chloe sniffed and wiped the tears that laced her eyes with the back of her hand. “Anything, if aunt does not sit well with you.”Elena watched Chloe who kept tearing up no matter how much she wiped her tears away and then smacked her lips.Her eyes fell on her coffee and her ice had already melted. She picked up the glass cup, removed the straw, and then drank the coffee directly from the glass.“I co
“What do you mean by ‘a Russo’? She is just Chloe?” Elena rolled her eyes.Raymond kept his eyes pinned on the lady who was starting to feel intimidated by the man, and then, Elena exhaled and talked again.“It’s okay, Dad. You’re intimidating her.”“Does it look like I care?”Ariana rushed towards Elena, grabbed her hand, and then dragged her to another side of the room.“What are you doing? You never wanted her here.”“She knows already.”“About the twins? How?”Elena took a glance back at Chloe who kept her head bowed in front of her parents, and then returned to look at Ariana.“I told her.”“Elena!”“She saw the cesarean section scar and asked if I had given birth. Of course, I would not say no,” Elena rolled her eyes.“Are you cool with it?”“She said she would never tell anyone.”“And you trust her?”“Hold on…” Elena drew her brows together and exhaled.“If I remember correctly, you were urging me to tell her because ‘she is different from her family’, right?”“Just that I didn
“B… but… why have you come to pick us?” Nathan stuttered as he reluctantly got out of the gate.“Your daddy sent me to pick you up. He is running late at work.”Zeke had initially thought that they were going to close by 3PM as usual but they had closed by two.“Daddy?” Natalie raised her brows.“Have you forgotten? I am his friend. His only best friend in the world.”The twins exchanged glances again.“I know you two are mad at me about what I said the last time and I am so sorry, okay? Can you forgive me already? I’m taking you to your daddy. Can we leave now?”Nathan moved over to Natalie and then held her hand. “We will wait for Daddy to come.”Ramon gritted his teeth and then forced a smile hurriedly. “Come on, guys.”“Daddy promised to come pick us up.”“But he is not here yet.”“He probably thought we would be closing by three and not two!” Nathan snapped.Oh, this boy was smarter than his age.Ramon hissed,“Actually… I should not be telling you this…” he sighed and bowed his
“Can we not go to school today, Daddy?”Natalie forced a solemn look as she stared at her father who addressed her dress.“What?” “We are not going to tell mummy.”“What?!” He widened his eyes when Nathan added.“We’re going to act as if we went to school and then when it is time, you will take us back home,” Natalie said.“Jesus, when did you two become like this?!” He exclaimed and the twins burst into laughter.“You are being dramatic, papa.”“You want me to join you to lie to your mother!”“You are exaggerating. It’s not gonna be a lie. We’re just gonna tell her that we went to school…”“Whereas you didn’t?” He cut her short and she clasped her hands together.“Exactly.”“How did you two come up with that idea? It is so…”“Perfect? We know,” Nathan smiled.“Not perfect, guys!”Natalie covered the space between her and her father who knelt in front of her and then wrapped her arms around his neck.“That is because we have missed you, daddy. We want to spend the rest of today with
“But Daddy, do you pull your friends' clothes?” Natalie asked after they had watched Ramon out of the compound.“We were only talking. It is nothing serious. Trust me.”“I thought you were fighting. About what he told us.”Zeke sighed and then glanced at Ariana who chuckled. “We have settled everything. He had apologized for saying something like that so we are good now.”“Hmm,” Nathan rolled his eyes.“I am being serious.”He held the door for them and they both entered the car.“Have you told mummy?”He parted his lips and then scratched his forehead. “I forgot.”“Daddy!” They both exclaimed and he rushed back inside.Ariana laughed as they watched him run to the big door and she turned to look at the twins.“Your mummy will agree. Don’t worry.”===“Daddy, do you know our birthday is on Saturday?”He nodded his head as he took a turn out of the street before he glanced at them through the rearview mirror.“I do.”“We will be six years old!” Natalie shrieked and he giggled.“The ‘Ye
By the time Zeke and Elena got to the living room, Ramon was ready to leave. “Oh, I was just going to come to you to say bye!” He exclaimed, smiling. Zeke needed not to be told that the man was wearing the fakest and forced smile ever. “Oh… is that so?” Elena smiled and then moved away from Zeke. “I… sorry about your face,” she pointed her finger at his face and he chuckled. “I probably deserve it.” She nodded her head and he leaned closer to her gently and then hugged her. “I have missed you.” Zeke watched, with his hands curled into a tight ball. “When will I see you again?” She asked him. “When you feel like seeing me… but soon,” he pulled away and then stared at her. “Soon,” he repeated and then glanced at Zeke. He turned to leave the room after bowing at the old couple and then Zeke hurried after him. “Are you going to pick a fight again?!” Ray hollered. Instead, Zeke curled his arm around the man’s neck, turned back, and then smiled. “Not at all, fat
After they disentangled from the hug, Ariana waved her hands at her sister and then exited the room, leaving just the two of them in the room.When she got up to the living room, she rolled her eyes backward when she found her mother cleaning Ramon’s wound.Oh, Zeke should have hit him harder!At least, disfigure his face for the rest of his life.She grunted and then walked to the big door that led outside the room.“Where are you going?”“The twins are in the car. So, I’ll check up on them.”“Why won’t they come in, in fact?” Ray rolled his eyes.“I bet they think Zeke has come to return them so they chose to stay in the car till he returns,” she laughed.She dropped her eyes on Ramon, twitched her lips upward, and then said, “They love their father so much, you know. At this point, I can’t wait for them to become a proper family.”She said on purpose to rile Ramon up.Instead, the man only watched her while he faked a laugh.“Just leave them to do their thing,” Karina rolled her ey
“Zeke, no please!” Elena screamed and rushed to the man who threw a punch in Ramon’s face. She grabbed his shirt and tried to pull him backward but he would not budge. He kept hitting the man while Ramon raised his hands defenselessly. Zeke pulled him up, and then shoved him against the wall, “What are you doing here?” “C… Chill… you’re gonna kill me,” he coughed, trying to move Zeke’s hand from his neck. “What the hell are you doing here? How dare you show your face here?” “What are you saying, what have I done?” “You’re going to feign ignorance?” “I don’t know what…” Zeke raised his fist and tried to punch him again but Elena was quick to wrap her hands around his wrist. “Jesus, Zeke, you’re going to kill him!” “Let go, Elena.” “No, not on my watch.” “Why would you even let him in?!” He snapped and yanked his hands from her grip. “Just let him go.” Zeke turned back to look at Ramon, tightened his grip around his neck, and then breathed heavily. At that
“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
“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
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