I continued with my daily routine, distracting myself by reconnecting with friends. Mom and I discussed returning to the Philippines whenever I felt ready; they never pressured me, especially Dyson and Ken, who were accustomed to life in Korea. Mom and Dad understood Ken's decision to work abroad, away from the family business he couldn't handle. I avoided discussing topics with him that I knew he wasn't comfortable with, especially concerning our parents. "Mom!" I called out from outside the door. "Why are you shouting? What's the matter?" Ken asked, approaching with a spoon in hand. "Nothing, just hungry!" I replied with a smirk. "I thought you were on a diet. Where do you get all this energy to eat?" he teased, but stopped short when Mom shot him a look, and I frowned. "I'm not interested—" "Oh, come on! Mom cooked something special," Ken interrupted, nudging me towards the kitchen. "Really!? I'm in!" Dyson exclaimed, rushing ahead into the dining area. "Hurry up! We're runn
"Are you sure about this?" Raven asked as we walked towards her car. Raven had picked me up from the airport upon my return from the Philippines. Mom and Dyson had left first to avoid being seen with me; Dyson, being a secret agent, couldn't afford to have ties to someone like me, whose life was a tale that spanned across continents. As expected, there were numerous cameras and people posing as regular passengers. That's how the media operates. They thrive on sensational stories, and the return of Villanueva was a major headline. Speculation about the pregnancy of an heir to a major corporation swirled, and the man in question had disappeared. The pregnant man was the son of their business rival. Thus, the rumor mill churned, with many asserting that I was the pregnant woman who had left the country to give birth. It had been seven months since I left without a trace, leaving them to speculate. The plane ticket Miguel's father had provided wasn't used by me; I returned via a differe
"Let him through! We need to talk!" a woman shouted from outside our gate. She was yelling at our guard to let her in, causing a scene in our exclusive subdivision. After five minutes of commotion, I decided to intervene. "What's going on here?" I asked as I approached them. "This lady says she needs to talk to Sir because ma'am has disappeared. Is there anything you know about this?" our guard explained. "What do you want with my husband?" I asked the woman. "Husband—" "Yes, my husband! Wait, aren't you the woman Miguel brought here last week?" I cut her off. "What's your problem? You've been losing it for a while now! Aren't you ashamed? You're the side chick making a scene?" I added, frustration evident in my voice. My head was spinning. "Why? Are you married?" she retorted. "We're not married, but we live together under the same—" "I'll steal him from—" "If you can, go ahead," I shot back sternly. My thoughts turned to Miguel. Despite living under the same roof, our re
"Moooom!" I called out excitedly as we arrived at Mama's farm. Miguel had sent everything he thought might be useful, though I wasn't really ill. At the time, I didn't want to believe it and I offered to make tea, but he declined. "What a morning to arrive!" Mom greeted us warmly as she watered her plants in this remote province of the Philippines. "He's been looking forward to seeing you. Thought you were a boy who wouldn't give up," Dyson teased, earning a playful smack from me. I hugged Mama tightly as she approached. Raven, Ken, Dyson, and Angela were chatting animatedly nearby. "Have you eaten yet?" Mom asked us. "Not yet! We've been missing your cooking. Aira hasn't eaten because she knew we were coming home. Come on, Aira, what's with that?" Dyson exclaimed, dodging a few pebbles I tossed his way. Mom, Raven, and Ken burst into laughter at our antics. Angela, meanwhile, was admiring the flowers as if seeing them for the first time. "You really are like siblings!" Mom rem
We recently spent three days at Miguel's mother's farm, which now feels like my own. It was a delightful vacation, and like any getaway, it's always hard to return to reality. Since having my son, these transitions have become particularly challenging for me. I find myself constantly anxious about losing my partner and more emotionally sensitive than ever before. **FLASHBACK** *Third-person POV* Five months ago... "Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" "Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa" "Huhuhuhuhuhu waaaaaaaaaaaah!" Aira cried out in pain. She woke up to find her bed soaked in blood, the crimson spreading from her waist down to her feet. She sobbed and screamed even louder, thoughts of her son overwhelming her. "Why? Aunt Mich! Oh sh*t! Ken!" shouted Ken, her brother, rushing into the room. He was frantic, not knowing what to do, but his concern was solely for his brother and the blood loss. "My baby, Ken, I lost my baby!" Aira cried out tearfully. "Dyson! Car! Hurry!" Ken sh
This was my first time back at the mansion since leaving, aside from seeing Ken. "Good day, ma'am. Welcome back," greeted the guard and some of the staff as I entered. I approached Mom and Dad to greet them with a kiss, and did the same with my siblings Shane, Jan, and May, offering a smile from across the table. "Where have you been? You've been gone for quite a while," Shane inquired. Did they really not know what had happened, or were they pretending? "Where's your child? Weren't you pregnant, or was that just a ploy to trap Miguel? Too bad it didn't work out. In the end, he'll marry me anyway!" Meriam interjected from behind. I sighed inwardly. As before, I didn't want to engage, especially not with her. "You were pregnant when you disappeared? But it's impossible to give birth in just 7 or 8 months," Shane observed, clearly unaware of the truth. I sighed again. "Congratulations, Shane and Jan. I'll make sure to attend your gender reveal party," I offered, handing Shane a
"Have you sent it yet?" I asked Dyson over the phone. "Yes, boss. They might be scrambling now to find out who sent those documents!" he replied from the other end. "Good. He must be losing his mind right now, fearing someone knows what he's up to," I responded. I hung up and refocused on my work. "Ma'am, Mr. Santiago is requesting your availability for a meeting. What time would you prefer?" Pen, my assistant, inquired. I smiled knowingly. He was quick to figure out it was me behind everything. "Tell him 2 p.m. tomorrow," I instructed. "Dyson! I need you at 2 p.m. tomorrow," I texted Dyson, now ignoring other messages on my phone. Work matters with Pen were swiftly handled, but I avoided discussing personal issues unless absolutely necessary. After finishing at the office, I visited the store. Later that night, I planned to go to the bar—a rare chance to visit my first love after many months. Before the boutique, Raven and I had started the bar. It became popular among stude
I woke up to sunlight streaming through the window. The sun was already high; it must be noon. As I got up, I realized I wasn't in my own condo. Rolling my eyes, I remembered I was at Angela and Raven's house. He must have brought me home from the bar. Our supposed celebration had amounted to nothing. It felt like I was reliving my childhood, being cared for by Raven once again. "You're already awake. Let's eat!" Angela greeted me. I nodded, unable to speak because I still felt the lingering scent of alcohol on my breath from not brushing my teeth yet. On the small sofa in the room, I found a towel and a new toothbrush. They must have brought them in while I was asleep. Quickly attending to myself, I noticed new underwear and clothes in the cabinet, so I didn't hesitate to use them. Leaving the room, I found Angela setting the table. "Where's Raven?" I asked, scanning the room. "He's in your office; he said you have a meeting at 2 p.m., but there are papers needing your approval,