"Come, let's eat breakfast. I called Nana Helena last night to prepare breakfast for us. He softly said and pulled away from me. I stood on my tipped toe and kissed his face, which surprised him."Thank you for helping me dress up, sir." A genuine smile appeared on his lips."You are welcome, and call me by my name. He said and went out of my room. I smiled, picked up my bag, and followed him outside.I went to the dining area, and everyone was already there eating."Good morning." I greeted and settled on my seat, and Zachary settled on the head of the table beside me. "Hello, Nana Helena." I smiled when she placed a plate with pancakes, sausage, bacon, and toasted bread before me."Hello, dear. How are you? I heard you burned your hand. How's your hand?""It's a bit better now. It only hurts a bit when I'm holding something," I replied."Avoid contact with water for a while until it gets better. Did you change the bandage?""After we eat, I change it, Nana," Zachary replied. He pick
I wasn't able to return to school after the incident. We went to the clinic, and Zachary felt so guilty when he saw the bruises on my side. He apologized repeatedly, with his eyes brimmed with tears. My heart broke seeing the Zachary Anderson that everyone feared looked so vulnerable, like a child wiping his tears with the back of his hand, and kept apologizing."I'm not mad. I already forgive you," I whispered and wiped his tears. He sobbed and lowered his head. I sighed and pulled him into my embrace, and let him lean his head on my shoulder. Í softly pat his back as he silently cries with his arms wrapped around me.We arrived home, and he stayed by my side after he applied the ointment that the Doctor had given me earlier wherever I went. Before, it would surely annoy me, but now I smile and don't comment about it. I understand now why he is like this. "What are you reading?" He asked. We were in the living room now. Only the two of us were inside the house because Jason returned
I watch Zachary as he looks at the woman standing beside me. I quickly went beside him and held his hand when I saw that he was balling his fist tightly beside him."What can we do for you?" I asked because Zachary seemed like he saw a ghost, and I could feel he started to panic. I held his hand and brought it on my lap, and that took his eyes away from the woman in front of us, and his stares diverted at me. I smiled at him, and he returned it, but I saw his lips tremble. Who is this girl? Why does she have this effect on Zachary?"I just want to greet an old friend." The girl said, smiling."Leave," Zachary said softly, but I knew inside he was trying to control himself not to scream at the woman. "Don't be like that, Zachary. We have been close before." The woman said and pulled a chair and sat in front of us. "We are not friends, so leave us alone." "Miss, please, can you leave us? He doesn't want you here, so please, can you return to your table." I asked politely, hoping she
It is Saturday morning, and we are all eating breakfast, talking, and laughing. Zachary told me earlier that he wanted me to accompany him to his therapist. Alex and Jason were so happy hearing about it and thanked me many times, saying I was the reason Zachary wanted to get better. They said before that no one can persuade him, even his parents, but with my appearance, he is willing to go on his own.I glanced at Zachary once in a while. I couldn't believe that this was the man who had made my life a living hell before. He is still a jerk sometimes and screams at me occasionally, but it doesn't affect me anymore, and I know how to tame his anger quickly. Just a hug and a kiss, and he'll calm down.I learned that once he is screaming, I should not approach him with anger; instead, I wait until he calms down and voices out my side. That way, he will listen and wouldn't become furious.This guy has a temper but is very sweet and caring as well. Most of all very generous, not only to me b
"Zach, we are home," I whispered and unbuckled his seat belt. "I feel dizzy." He whispered. I got out of the car and went to his side. I open the door and hold his hand. "Come." He got out of the car, but he staggered backward, and his face looked pale. "What happened? Why do you suddenly feel dizzy and look so sick?" I asked worriedly and guided him to the door. I brought him straight to his room and let him lay on his bed. No one is around. Maybe Alex and Jason went out and brought Tyron with them.I fixed the pillow under his head and removed his shoes and socks. "Sit for a while. Let me take off your jacket." I sit beside him, pulling him up, and he quickly leans his head on my shoulder. I removed his jacket and laid him back, but he promptly bolted up and ran to the toilet and kneeled beside the toilet bowl, and threw up."What happened?" I asked, scared now. I rub his back as he continues to throw up. I quickly pulled a tissue and wiped his mouth when he slumped on the floor a
"Go ahead, I'll follow you," I said when the car stopped in front of the building. He stepped out of the car, but instead of walking away, he rounded to my side and opened my door. "Just go ahead," I whispered. I don't want his employees to see me coming with him in his car."Are you embarrassed to be seen with me?" He asked, glaring at me. Here you go on a guilt trip. I sigh and step out of the car. He holds my hands, leading me to the entrance that a guard has already opened."Good morning Mr. Anderson, Miss Park." The guard greeted us, but Zachary didn't acknowledge him. I sighed."Good morning, Uncle." I greeted back, smiling. He already knows me because I am here on weekdays bringing Zachary's food.We went straight to the private elevator with his employee's eyes looking at us, but I just kept my head hanging down. When we reach his office is located Jason is already there to welcome him but frowns when he sees me. I pointed to Zachary, wearing a poker face, and walked inside h
The following morning I woke up around six, and Zachary still sleeps. I removed his hand from me and went inside the bathroom. I washed my face and brushed my teeth before I went downstairs and made breakfast.After cooking, I returned to my room and chuckled to see Zachary still sleeping. I took a change of clothes from my closet and went inside the bathroom, and took a bath, and I shook my head when I came out; he was still sleeping. I went to his side and softly shook his shoulder. "Zach, wake up," I whispered. He just groaned and went back to sleep."Zachary, it's quarter to eight now. Come on, wake up. You are going to be late." I whispered and kissed his cheek. "Five minutes more." He murmured. "No more five minutes. Wake now," I whispered, leaning my face on him. He smiled and caressed my face, and then he opened his eyes. I straightened up, and he sat up, rubbing his sleepy eyes."Are you already dressed up?""Yes, And I already make breakfast. Now go and take a bath." He no
ATHENAI sighed and followed him to his desk carrying the plate. He is sulking again. If he wanted to buy something there, he could ask someone to do it for him. Why did he want to do it by himself?"Come on," I said and brought a spoonful of food to his mouth, but he moved his face to the other side. This guy is acting like a spoiled brat kid again. "You need to eat more. You only eat three spoonfuls of food." What the... I glare at the back of his head when he turns his swivel chair around, facing his back at me. I could see his face on the floor-to-ceiling glass window before him, pouting with his arm crossed over his chest like a sulking kid. "I'm sure if I ignored him and not coaxed him to eat, he would think that I don't care about him anymore and will spitfire like a raging dragon again. I slumped my shoulder and went in front of him, and offered him a spoonful of food, smiling. When he kept his lips close, I shoved the spoon in my mouth and offered him another spoonful; when
ZACHARY"Come in," I called out when a knock at the door came. "Papa!! I quickly looked up from the paper I was signing with a smile when I saw Nathalie step inside the door with Athena behind her."What is my little princess doing here?" I stood up from my seat, and she quickly hugged my legs. I picked her up and peppered her face with kisses, and her giggles filled my office.I walked to my wife, who was smiling, looking at us, and wrapped one arm around her waist and pecked her lips. We've been married for five years, but it still feels like the first time. My love for her never lessened as the years passed by. Our love for each other keeps getting stronger.I now recover all my memories in the past, and it made me laugh remembering it, as well as regret doing those things to her."Papa, I missed you. That's why I asked Mama to visit you." "You missed me, but we just saw each other this morning, and it is just three in the afternoon," I said, walking to the couch. I settled on the
ATHENA I groaned when I opened my eyes the following day. My head is pounding, and my body aches. Zachary and Nathan are still sound asleep beside me."I checked the time and groaned again to see it was only six in the morning. It's too early for me to wake up. Usually, during the weekend, we get up from bed at ten, I wanted to go back to sleep, but with the pounding of my head, I'm sure I couldn't do it."Babe, Babe!" I softly shook Zachary not to wake our son, who was softly snoring between us."Hmm!!! He hummed, then opened his eyes but suddenly sat up, startling our sleeping son."Papa!!! He whined and snuggled back on his pillow. "Sorry little prince." He planted a kiss on his forehead and then faced me."Love, what happened? Why is your face so pale? He stood up from the bed and went beside me. Nathan, who was drifting back to sleep, sat up this time rubbing his tired eyes when he heard the worry on his father's face and then looked at me "Mama, are you sick?" He moved closer t
ATHENA"Mama!" I quickly looked behind me, startled, and Nathan glared at me. I didn't notice that he already come together with his father to pick me up. I'm currently outside the school gate talking with my classmate while waiting for them, and I saw Zachary parked not far away from us. I returned to school one year after our wedding to finish my studies. Zachary was against it, saying that he could provide for me and our son our whole life. He said that the profession I should be learning is to be a good mother and wife for him, especially in bed." I smacked him after seeing the smirk on his lips, earning a chuckle from him.After lots of hugging, kissing, and lovemaking, he finally gave in for me to go back to school, but he had another idea for me to just homeschooled together with our son. This possessive guy never failed to amuse me. He said there are lots of young and good-looking guys at school, and he isn't young like them anymore and is not as attractive to them. I couldn't
FIVE MONTHS LATERATHENAI smiled, watching my reflection in the mirror. All I could see was a woman who was content with what she had. Her eyes smiled in happiness, and she looked radiant and beautiful. All she wished for come true. She has a loving man's soon-to-be husband beside her. She has a sweet son, a loving mother and father-in-law soon, a brother, and friends. She has nothing to ask for. She got everything she wanted. Her life is complete, and her heart is content. I'm blessed to have met him that day, even though he was a bully initially, but I wouldn't change any of it because we won't be where we are right now if those things never happened. "Mama, you are so pretty, like a Princess." Nathan grinned in my soon father in law arms. Everyone carried him constantly, which he had longed for before. "Thank you. You are handsome like a prince as well." He is wearing a black tuxedo that fits him perfectly, a red bow tie, and shiny black shoes, and his hair is sleek back. He lo
"She just made up all of those stories. She is a liar. She wants money from me." Dylan said, still denying all the allegations against him. "Then why do you hide Miss Park and let everyone believe she is dead," Alex asked."It's her idea, not mine." He denied. "And this woman is lying. They are lying." Dylan screamed and rushed to Winter, but the guards caught him before he could touch her. Let me go, let me go. I'm not guilty of all their accusations. They are lying. The judge shook his head."Mr. Dylan Lee is guilty of multiple murders and kidnapping and will have life imprisonment." The judge said, standing up from his seat. "No!!! They are lying!!! He screamed, struggling as the guards dragged him out of the courtroom. His father followed behind him with tears in his eyes. Winter went to us and bowed her head."I'm so sorry for everything. I'm so stupid, and my love for him blinded me. I didn't 'mind that all the things I was doing were already wrong because all I wanted back the
ATHENA"Very well said, Dylan." I looked at the woman, trying to figure out who she was, but her hoodie and cap covered her face."Miss, who are you? You are not allowed here." The guards said and grabbed her wrist to pull her out of the courtroom, but she struggled with his hold. "I want to testify against Dylan Lee. I know what happened from the very beginning. I know everything." I gasped. Someone comes to help us. I looked at Zachary, and he had the same surprised and hopeful look. "Send her away. I don't know her. Someone might pay her to testify against me." Dylan snarled, but I could hear the fear in his voice. The woman yanked her arms away from the guard and pulled the hoodie and cap off her head."You don't know me?" I gasped when the woman showed her face to us. I will never forget that face, even though her right cheek has a scar."Winter?" Zachary muttered, looking at me with a surprised look in his eyes. I looked at Dylan; his face was now pale, and fear in his eyes."W
Zachary Today is the first court hearing. We are sitting in the court hall together with my parents. Athena is sitting on my right, Nathan is on my lap, and Alex is on my left as Athena's lawyer. My parents are sitting in the chair behind us.Dylan and his father are sitting on the row of seats opposite us. He was throwing us a death glare and smirk once in a while. He looks confident, as if he already knows he will win.They already took their oath earlier, and now the hearing will start. Athena is the first to tell her story, and she told the court everything that happened six years ago until we rescued her.Dylan was calm while Athena was talking. He even looks uninterested in it. He never interrupted until she ended talking. Then Nathan was called to support all Athena's allegations. We don't want him to be in here, but we don't find any witnesses, and he's the only one who can support his mother's story.Alex walked him to the witness stand. I'm so proud of him. He looks so brav
ZACHARYI snapped my eyes away from the paper I was reading when a knock at the door came. I went back to my work just this morning. I have lots of work that were pending for my absence. Jason did some of it, but some needed to be done by me."Come in!" I called out and resumed reading the document I was holding."Papa!!! I quickly looked up and smiled to see Nathan and Athena entering the door. I chuckled when he ran to me and wrapped his arms around me. "Why are you here?" I asked, smiling, then picked him up and settled him on my lap. "We brought you lunch." He grinned and kissed my cheeks. I smiled at Athena, who set the food they brought on the center table. I stood up, carrying Nathan in my arms, and went to her and kissed her forehead."Nathan wanted to see you. He said he missed you and kept asking me to visit you.""You miss me already?" I just left this morning." I ask, poking his nose. He giggled, then buried his face in my neck."Yes, I missed playing with you, papa.""We
ZACHARYI sighed and turned my eyes to Athena, who was now sleeping soundly. Hesitantly, I ran my fingers through her hair. It looks foreign but feels familiar. Everything about her felt familiar, even her scent, the feel of her arms around me. It's so familiar that I always wanted her arms wrapped around me. I think I loved this woman so much back then. I smiled and pressed my lips on her forehead but quickly pulled away, embarrassed when someone suddenly pushed the door open."Papa, did you kiss Mama?" I awkwardly scratch my nape, embarrassed. I felt like I was caught red-handed for doing things I shouldn't. I took him from Jason's arm, who was wearing a teasing smile on his lips, but I ignored it."You can leave now and do your thing. If you need me to sign any documents, you can bring them here.""Okay, sir." He said, smirking. "See you later, Nathan. I need to go to work. Rest so that you'll get well fast.""Okay, Uncle. Bye-bye.""Bye, little one." I glared at him when he gave me