His hands in his pockets, Zeke’s lips tugged into a soft smile as he sighted Elena from where he stood and a sigh of relief escaped his lips.He ignored the people who turned to pay him respect and then some who stopped dancing just to acknowledge him and then walked gently to Elena.The woman looked like heaven. He does not know what heaven looks like but he was sure that she could pass for one.She was very beautiful. Maybe too much, in fact.She glowed effortlessly under the light, her eyes reflecting the chandeliers’ sparkle and amplifying the room's sense of opulence.“Elena,” he called her name softly as he stopped in front of her, not minding the people who were looking at him, and somehow, in this extravagant ballroom, it seemed as if the world outside was fading away and all that was left is the magic of the moment—— The music, and the enchantment of her beauty.“Elena, you…” he started, about to say when suddenly, someone got in between them and his face hardened at the sudd
Elena took another glance at her sister who kept her head turned out of the window throughout half their journey home and she let out a soft sigh.She reached out to her, dropped her hand on her hand, and then waited for her sister to pay attention to her which she did almost immediately.“Are you good?” She asked her.Ariana let out a long exhale before she answered “Sure.”“Are you still thinking about… uhm… Zeke?” “That man?” Ariana frowned in disgust and adjusted in her seat.“I am thinking about the man I danced with at the ballroom!” She defended like it was some big deal to be thinking about Zeke. “Who?”“You know that handsome man I was dancing with?” She asked, hope flashed through her eyes.“Who? I did not take a look at his face at all!”“Oh, sister!”“Why? Did he do something wrong?”“Of course!” Ariana exclaimed.“Really? What is that?!” Elena sat up.“He took my heart!”A short silence fell in the car after Ariana said and they both burst into laughter.“Excuse me?”“T
Chloe paced to and fro in her room while she kept her eyes glued to her phone, looking up things on the internet in order to clear her doubts.“But… I am so certain of what I saw,” she soliloquized as she took her index finger in her mouth. About a couple of hours ago while she had dressed Elena up, she noticed a scar on her belly. Under her belly to be precise.She had looked up all the surgery marks that could leave such scars but none of it looked like it till she searched for a cesarean section.Chloe was torn.Only people who had given birth through cesarean section could have such a scar but why did Elena have it?When she noticed it, she dropped her finger on it gently and tried to caress it before Elena slapped her hand away rather sensitively and turned away from her.“I can do this myself,” she had said before snatching the dress from her.It was because she acted unbothered about the scar by not asking what it was and by not looking curious that she left it be and let her
“Now, talk.”The moment the car entered Zeke’s perimeter and the car pulled into a garage, he had said.Jeremy ignored him till the car stopped moving and then sat upright, opened the door, and then turned his head to look at his brother.“In the car? At least, have some respect for me,” he rolled his eyes and then got down from the car.“God, your house!” He exclaimed as he strolled to the building while Zeke walked past him.“Do you not think it is quite embarrassing that as your brother, I have not been here before? You have never allowed me.”“It is still a surprise that you think I see you as my brother, Jeremy,” Zeke smacked his tongue and then walked away.“Why should I not see you like that? We are brothers. Our mother birthed us, from the same womb, separate years, though.”Zeke turned around, dropped his eyes on Jeremy, and dipped his hand in his pocket, “You are NOT my brother.”“Okay, okay, I hear you,” he waved his hand at him and then watched as the man walked ahead of h
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
Before he stepped out of the car, he dialed Jeremy’s number first and then waited for the man to pick up which he did after the call was almost ending.“I hope you are calling for something very important. It’s so early in the morning, dang it,” Jeremy hissed.“There is a problem,” Ryan exhaled.“Good, I love to hear that. What is wrong?”“It is Zeke. You need to leave everything you are doing and come over here, right now. Please.”“What is wrong with Zeke?”Ryan glanced out to look at his friend before he answered Jeremy and a long silence ensued.“Share me your location,” he said and then dropped the call.After he ended the call, he placed a call across to Chloe too, and then explained the situation at hand before he finally stepped out of the car.He moved over to Zeke, palmed his forehead, and then dropped his other hand on his waist.“W… what in the name of madness is this?” He moved to his front, leaned down, and then lifted his chin up with his hand.Staring down at his frie
“Is he truly outside?” Karina rushed to her husband as he entered the room and he swallowed, entering fully.“I have told him to leave. He is leaving already,” he answered and then looked around the living room.“Where is Ramon? I ran into him outside the door here.”“He has gone to see Elena,” she replied.“Was he truly on his knees?”“You worry too much, Karina.”“Answer me, Raymond.”“Do you think that man has what it takes to do that?”He knew so well that his wife would not agree to the fact that he had left Zeke on his knees outside their mansion.“Honey, I really think you should stop interfering in their business.”“Whose business?” He feigned ignorance and settled on the chair.“Elena and Zeke. Raymond, they are not children.”“You are not honestly rooting for them again, are you?”“I am in support of whatever Elena chooses. I can’t make decisions for her and you need to know that too.”“In the past, you were against their union! I should have listened to you.”“That was beca
“Who did you say is asking for Elena?”“A Zeke Russo, sir.”Ray drew his brows together and turned to look at Karina who sat on the couch away from him.“Don’t let him in.”“Raymond,” Karina called him softly.“Let him return to wherever he is coming from or you will be losing your job!”The gateman bowed and then rushed out back.Delivering the message to the man in a rather harsh way, he closed the gate and returned inside.“Something happening?” His partner asked him as he returned inside his quarter.“The man outside. Boss said he does not want to see him in this compound or I will lose my job.”“Wait, really?”“I am telling you,” he exhaled and then settled on the chair in front of the big screen.“W… what is he doing?” He stuttered as he watched the screen.The other man rushed to him, drew his brows together, and then parted his lips.“Is that what I think it is?”“He is on his knees?” The gatekeeper asked rhetorically and then stood up hurriedly.___________“Hey, are you craz
“Take, one more spoon,” Elena patted her daughter as she took the last spoon of her food and after the girl collected it from her, she cleaned her mouth with a handkerchief and then leaned back.“Are you full?”Natalie nodded her head and then turned to look at her plate where Nathan had dropped a piece of meat in.She raised her brows, smiled gently, and then picked it up.“Thank you.”Nathan watched her sister chew it completely and then asked. “Do you want more?”She shook her head and then instead pulled off her cap. “See, my hair is starting to grow.”Nathan stared at her head where he could barely see a strand and then chuckled. He pulled off his cap too, bowed his head, and then showed her his. “Mine too.”“But…” Natalie tilted her head. “I can’t see any hair there.”“Same. There is no hair on your head either.”They dropped eyes on each other, and Elena pressed her lips, thinking Natalie had taken offense at his comment when her facial expressions literally went unreadable.Sh
“So, you’re not going? Really?”Zeke ignored Ryan totally, his head buried in his laptop and the man shook his head. Ryan exhaled and collapsed in the chair opposite Zeke and palmed his face.“Your daughter… Natalie is getting discharged today and you really are not going there?!”Still, he was mute. Maybe if Ryan peeped to check what Zeke was typing continuously on the keyboard, he would see that the only word he kept typing was ‘Natalie.’“You know, you are an asshole, right?”Still, he was mute.“She is leaving the hospital today. It means she is hale and healthy already. It means she can move around freely and you can meet her as you please, you know?” Ryan reminded him.When Zeke did not answer, he leaned closer, pushed the laptop shut, and then hissed.“What are you planning? I can swear that you are not busy and you were typing shit right there.”“C… could you see them home safely?”“Dude, that is your duty, not mine!” Ryan snapped with creased brows.Zeke nodded his head, exh
Elena looked out of the door for the umpteenth time and then sighed before she returned to stab a piece of apple in the bowl in her hand.“Give up. He’s not coming,” Ariana breathed out.“Who?”“I know you are waiting for Zeke.”“I am not!” She denied and Ariana nodded her head.“Besides… how did you know he is not coming?” She asked.“It’s been almost a week. He left without telling you and has not returned since then. He didn’t call you either.”“Something… might be wrong with him,” she shrugged her shoulders off.“Something like? Chloe was here and she didn’t deliver any bad news, so, what something?” Ariana asked.Elena sniffed, bit her lower lips, and then turned to look outside again.She did not want to admit that she was worried, but deep down, she knew she was.He was supposed to be here…He had promised he would be by her side till Natalie got discharged.He left that morning and had not returned since then.He didn’t even call her!She suspected so strongly that her father
“Did something happen?” Ryan asked Zeke again. This time, he had pulled the car gently into his compound and had followed him out of the car.Zeke had kept mute the entire time in the car and even though he and Chloe had thrown random jokes, or started random conversations with the hope that he was going to join, he kept mute still.Still, Zeke said nothing and made an entrance to the big door of his house.“No, I am certain something happened. What is wrong? You said you were going to stay for a while. You said you wanted to see your daughter.”“Ryan…” Zeke finally exhaled and swallowed.Entering the living room fully, he turned around, dropped his eyes on the couple, and then palmed his forehead.He was keeping his feelings bottled up. He felt like he wanted to cry.But, he was a man and he should not cry, right?But, fuck that.He had little regret in his life, but this…?He would forever regret it.It was something he could have controlled. He did it anyway. He thought it was the
When Ray suddenly burst into laughter, Zeke’s eyes fluttered as though he had said something very funny. He tilted his head and then sighed.“Sir?”“Is this some movie show?”“You asked…”“How much do you want, Zeke?”“I have answered you.”Ray shook his head, “My daughter is not an option.”“Everything I did is for my family, father.”“I am no father of yours and they are not your family either.”Dumbfounded, Zeke nodded his head and then smacked his tongue. “Sir.”“I am grateful to you for what you have done for our family. For my grand daughter.”“It is my responsibility as her father.”“You have no responsibility to fulfill, dear,” he chuckled rather sarcastically.“So, see her as much as you want to while we are still in the hospital. Elena included. I can assure you that will not happen again after she has been discharged.”“Fath—”“You can’t have her again!” He snapped and then palmed his forehead.“You don’t even deserve her.”“I will make myself worthy of her again,” he said.
“Are you sure? If it were up to me, I’d suggest that you stay here for a few more days,” Elena said, worry plastered across her face as she watched the man who did his shirt button.It was early the next morning and Zeke had already asked to be discharged even though the doctor had suggested that he should spend at least a day more.He insisted that he was good already and that he had no other complaints and if he did, he'd let the doctor know.“He does not listen,” Chloe who stood beside Ryan rolled her eyes and hissed.“I don’t like it here. I could not sleep well in that bed,” Zeke snapped his brows together as he glanced at the bed.“As if you’ve ever slept well in any bed,” Ryan rolled his eyes.Zeke swallowed, moved over to Elena, and then dropped his hands on her shoulders.“I am fine. I promise.”She exhaled, nodded her head, and then sniffed. “You better let me know if anything goes wrong again.”“I promise. Now, we gotta wait till Natalie gets discharged, right? The surgery