As Camila struggled to get on her feet, Elena stood up and then watched her with her hands akimbo. “What I stole? Girl, he was mine to begin with!” “Good for you.”Camila adjusted her clothes, raised her shoulder, and then covered the space between her and Elena.Their faces so close to each other, Elena stared down at the lady she was a bit taller than, and then smacked her tongue.“You don’t know what I am capable of,” Camila groaned, her voice so low that she could almost not hear what she said.“Oh?”“You don’t know the length that I can go to just to keep what is mine.”“Oh?” Elena raised her brows again sarcastically.“If I needed to kill a person…” she panted, and Elena took a step back as the lady’s saliva fell on her face.“If I needed to kill a person just to be with him, then… I will!”“If you would ask me, I would say that the person that you would kill first is only yourself.”“You know nothing, Elena! You do not know anything!”“I know a lot, Camila and because I do, I
“Let’s go to an amusement park first!” Nathan screamed.“What is that?! Let’s go to the zoo and then lick some ice cream afterward!”“Zoo? Do you have any friends there?” Nathan grunted.“Friends at a zoo?” Natalie drew her brows together.“Maybe your friends are in the cage there,” Nathan said and then burst into laughter at his own joke.“Hey, Nathan!” Elena snapped as she turned to look back after she ignited the engine of the car.“You should not say something so sensitive, it is not nice,” she smacked her tongue.“It is just a joke, mama!” Nathan grinned and Ariana turned her head to look at him.“It is not a joke when the other party does not laugh at it,” Ariana rolled her eyes.Elena shook her head and then drove the car gently out of the compound.It was a Sunday, and as Ariana had suggested, they had came out for fun.“You should say sorry to your sister,” she said, her eyes on the road.As she drove the car out of the compound, she glanced at the car that was nearly packed
“Mama, I wanna use the restroom,” Natalie moaned as she walked closer to her mother and then tapped her gently.“Me too!” Nathan hurried to her and then grabbed his shorts.“The both of you?” Elena raised her brows.“Yes, hurry, mama!”“Okay, sorry babies,” she smiled and then prepared to stand when Ariana raised her hand and then stood up instead.“I will follow them. I’ve been here before so I know the way to the restroom,” she said.“Okay, thank you.”“Let’s go guys,” Ariana caressed Natalie’s hair and then took their hands in hers.After they were out of sight, Elena raised her head to look at the car that was parked there earlier but soon squinted her brows when she realized that it was no longer there.‘Someone got tired, I guess.’She thought and then picked up her phone.____Since they were both kids, Ariana entered the female restroom with the two of them and then escorted them to a different toilet.It was quite a large restroom, so it had different rooms enough for a few p
Ryan glanced out through the window to check if his friend was coming but there was no sight of him and he let out a long sigh again.A while ago, when Zeke had sighted the kids standing from their seats with their aunt, he had told him to drive the car to the back of the ice cream shop which he did after he asked why.Zeke didn’t answer him till he got there and then said that he assumed that they were going to get more orders or to the restroom and he hoped it was the latter.Ryan sighed again and rested his head on the headrest before he sank into his seat comfortably.He knew that his friend wanted nothing more than to reunite with Elena and just like he knew, he also knew that it would take him literally everything in the world to make the woman take him back.It’s been three months since she returned, and all through the three months, he had been pleading with her but there was no sign that she was going to forgive him yet.She still stared at him with hatred in her eyes. She wa
Zeke got down from the car and then walked towards the butler who waited outside like he was anticipating his arrival.“Mr. Russo,” James greeted him formally as he covered the space between them.“Is everything alright? Mum is acting hysterical,” he said as they turned to the door.Early this morning, his mother’s calls had bombarded him.If he was asleep, he could have said that her call woke him up as it was barely four in the morning.She told him he needed to come around today and even though he told her he was going to be busy, she yelled at him frantically and said to him again that he must be present.James shrugged his shoulders off as they both entered the room, and there, he met his brother and then sister who sat on the chair while their mother paced to and fro the room.“Mother,” he called out and the woman stopped walking.“Oh, finally!” She snapped and rested her hands on her waist.“I told you to come in very early!”“Ma, it’s barely eight in the morning. It’s hard to
Jeremy and Zeke stood at the edge of the bed while they watched Chloe tuck their mother back in the bed.They waited until she was asleep and they were sure of that before they all turned to leave the room.As soon as they reached the living room, Jeremy said to Chloe instantly.“Stay home today.”“What, why?!”“An insane man is roaming around and we don’t know what he looks like. It’s safer if you are at home.”“Are you staying home too?” She frowned.“We’re men and we know how to protect ourselves from people like him, so you don’t have to worry.”“Bullshit! Why should I stay home and you can’t? Is it because I am a woman?”“Come on, Chloe. Just stay home.”“I won’t! Why should I do that because of that person? Why don’t you both just stop me from going out at all? Besides, he is a man, so I don’t have any business with him. It’s you who should be worried given how you work with literally only men! I only sew ladies’ clothes,” she said, breathing heavily.Zeke pressed his lips at hi
“Guess what I made for youuuu,” Elena sang as she entered her room with a tray in her hand.“Pasta!” Chloe clasped her hands together.“How did you know?!” Elena laughed and dropped the tray on the table and then turned to look at Chloe who sat in her bed.“You know that is my best food, so I assume that is what you would be making since you chose to cook for me,” Chloe laughed back.“Nice try,” Elena chuckled and then moved the try to her.“Do you love surprises so much? You didn’t tell me you were coming.”“Today is Sunday, so I guessed you would be at home. And see, I guessed right.”“I could have gone on a date with whoever,” Elena rolled her eyes and Chloe went mute.“Please, don’t.”“What?!” Elena burst into laughter.“Don’t go on a date with anybody,” she said, her eyes fluttering like she meant what she just said.Oh, she actually meant it.“Whatever. How about you? Are you not seeing someone, Chloe?”Chloe exhaled at the change of topic, picked up the fork, and then dipped it
“Dad, it’s Nathan and Natalie!” Nathan said.Zeke cleared his throat and then nodded his head.“I know, bab—” he was still saying when a FaceTime request came in from them and he picked it up after adjusting his hair.Seeing their wide grin plastered across the screen, Zeke smiled unconsciously and waved his hands at them.“Hiii!” They drawled.It seemed as if they dropped the phone on the table so it could capture both of them equally and then sat in front of the phone.“Whose phone are you using to call?” Zeke asked.Nathan looked around as if he was being watched and then whispered, “It is for Mama.”“She would be so pissed when she finds out.”“We just have to make sure she does not,” Nathan shrugged and Natalie nodded her head in agreement to him.Zeke smacked his tongue at their naughtiness and then nodded his head.“How are you both doing?”“You are our daddy, right?” Natalie asked instead.“Of course, he is!” Nathan exclaimed.“How did you know? He had not even said that he is
Staring down at her kids who giggled happily since Zeke had announced to them that it was time to return home.The kids were so happy and it was so evident. They jumped excitedly, held each other's hand, and then rushed out of the house.“I hope they are not stressing you?” She asked Zeke.Zeke chuckled, shook his head, and then answered, “Stressing me? I’m enjoying every moment, Elena, trust me. It would have been perfect if you had been here too,” he said and she rolled her eyes.“I mean it.”“Whatever. And Natalie. I hope she is still taking her medication.”“Of, course, Elena.”“Thank you.”He shook his head and then clasped his hands together, “Let me know if you hear from Ramon, okay? He might call you or whatever, just let me know. We will start working on things from my end too.”“Are you not really going to wait for dinner?” Karina joined the two in the living room.“Left to me, Mother, I would have, but the twins… they think I am planning to leave them here and then return h
“What happened?”“Elena…” he sighed and clasped his hands together.“If you do like this… you are making me scared. Did he do something that I am not aware of? You gotta tell me.”He nodded his head in agreement. He didn’t plan on hiding it from her.Ryan was right to have told him to let her know. She needs to be aware and wary of that man.“Do you remember Ethan? I’ve told you about him before.”“I remember! Did you find him?!” She exclaimed.Zeke nodded his head in agreement and she clasped her hands together.“Finally! Oh my God. Did you meet him? What did he say? Did he…”“He is in Italy currently. We have not met. However, he is living by a different identity now… and even a new face.”“He underwent surgery?” Elena raised a brow and Zeke nodded his head.“That is… messed up.”“It really is.”“So, what do you plan on doing now?”“He has two sons… and Ramon…” he hesitated and breathed out again.“Talk.”“Ramon is his son.”The room suddenly became more deafening to Elena as the ma
“Wait, Daddy, wait!” Nathan shouted and stood up from his seat.“Boy, sit down back. It is dangerous standing in a moving car,” Zeke said to him.“Why are you taking us back home?!” He ignored him and asked.Zeke pulled the car gently and then turned to look at him.“Didn’t you agree that we would be spending a few days with you? This is just the second day. Why are you taking us back to our mummy?!” He cried out.Natalie jumped out of her seat too and then looked around.Apparently, Nathan had noticed that he had taken a different route from his own house and then they were on their way to theirs.They had a very fun day today. They went to the park. They went to an arcade bar. They went to see a movie. They did many things that the twins believed so deeply that the memories will forever be imprinted in their heads.Natalie shook her head vigorously and then started, “Are you tired of us already? Did we do much today? We will be more cautious next time, Daddy. Please don’t…”“Oh, sil
“At this point, I think the Internet cannot function without you if you do not get aired in the news at least once a week.”While he drove, Ryan had bombarded him with calls like crazy and he had finally pulled to a corner just to receive the call only for the man to say that first.“What is going on?”“You are everywhere on the news… again.”Zeke exhaled and closed his eyes for a second. “What happened?”“You and Elena… it is finally out.”“What?”“The reason behind your separation.”“What?!” Zeke exclaimed.“And your recent charade… I mean… apology. The one outside of the building, it is all over the news too. You should see for yourself.”Zeke swallowed hard, nodded his head as if the man was there to see the gesture, and then ended the call.He rushed to the internet, and without much stress to type out his names as he was leading the charts just like every time, he clicked on it and then twitched his lips upward.The internet said that they separated because he cheated on Elena.
“No, no, no. You must be mistaken, he is Ramon. Elena’s friend,” he said, pointing his index finger aimlessly. Ryan sighed, nodded his head, and then swallowed. “I stayed up all night trying to wrap my head around it too. I found out last night,” he said. Still, Zeke shook his head. That was impossible, was it not? Although he hated Ramon, very much in fact and he believed that something was off about the man right from the beginning but still, he still chose to believe that was because of his own personal feelings. He knew the man liked Elena and mainly because of that, he had hated the man. But… he was his cousin too? “Investigate further,” Zeke dropped the pictures on the table, refusing to believe. “You know that my information is correct. All the time,” Ryan shook his head. Heck, he was right! He had never had a reason to cross-check whatever information that his friend gave him. “You are saying Ramon is family! That is even the least of my concerns… the fa
“What were you saying?” He asked as his eyes finally dropped on the photo book and the huge frame in Nathan’s hand.“Where did you get those?” He asked again.He had just finished cooking when the door had pushed open and Ryan had rushed in.“Hey, dude! What is going on?!” He exclaimed in pure surprise as the man had not informed him before coming.And not like he actually minded, he just knew that Ryan would not have shown up at his place unannounced very early in the morning.“Hey,” Ryan shook his hands before his eyes trailed down to the apron that was tied around his waist.“Ah… I just finished cooking,” he explained and untied it gently.“You… were cooking?” He raised a brow.“Yes. I made a very nice delicacy,” he smiled.“Since when did you start cooking?” Ryan laughed.“Well… I want to make their food by myself today.”“Who?”“My…”“Daddy!”And the screams of the children cut him short.“We found a room opened and it was there,” he answered as he handed the frame over to his fa
Zeke opened his eyes finally, closed them back, and then tugged his lips gently into a smile.The kids were still sleeping soundly beside him and the sound of their soft snores sounded like music to his ears.He did not know he could sleep well because just like they were medicines, he had slept off too while he patted their back and told stories to them.Yeah, stories.The previous night, Nathan and Natalie rushed to his bed and then told him to come to their middle, which he did without much query.After he lay in the middle, he covered their body with a duvet before they asked that he tell them a story.“You are joking,” he shook his head, chuckling.“No, we are not,” Natalie shook her head too.He exhaled and smiled, thinking of excuses to bring up but they were adamant.Finally, he settled for one. One that was only imaginary that he wondered if the children would find it fun.“So… once upon a time,” he started.They scooted closer to him and he grinned harder.Even if he truly h
“What?” Mateo laughed from the other end of the phone which made Ramon cussed inwardly.“I am coming back.”“When?”“Now. I’m at the airport.”A short silence ensued for a while before Mateo chuckled again.“Did something happen?”“Of course, and I can’t stay here any longer. At least for now.”“She rejected you again.”“It is not funny.”“Actually, I find it amusing that you are joining this fight because of a woman.”“My mistake was joining later. I will do anything as long as it would ruin Zeke.”“Ooooh, how much you have grown, brother!” He laughed.“I will be in Italy soon.”After he dropped the call, he glanced at the last-minute flight ticket in his hand and then exhaled.After Elena had gone to pick up the kids which he was certain were with Zeke, Ray had bluntly said to his face that he was disappointed in him and would not want to see him again.How could all of them turn on him in that manner?Karina who was most nicest amongst them all turned her back to him too and then h
“W… were you two watching us?!” She shouted, glancing around.Turning to look at Zeke who burst into a loud laughter, she glared at him, moved closer to him, and then hit the side of his stomach with the back of her hand.“It is not funny!”Zeke nodded his head, struggling to stop laughing. Out of everything, her facial expressions were more funny.She looked like she was caught doing something bad.“We did not exactly watch you,” Nathan defended.“We just raised the curtain for a while to check up on you and we saw you doing that,” the girl raised her brows playfully.“And it looked quite intense so we didn’t want to disrupt anything,” Nathan added.“Shut up, shut up!” She snapped and Zeke laughed out again.“I’m sorry,” he waved his hands at her when she threw him a deadly stare.“So, why did you two kiss if you have not… like reconciled?” Natalie asked.Elena scratched her forehead and shook her head, “We didn’t kiss exactly.”“Oh…” the kids’ mouths formed an O in a quite sarcastic