Raven is feeling a lot of things right now.Thank god, he was able to stop Therese from walking out the mansion and his life! He keeps convincing himself that he’s doing it for the sake of his son but deep down, he knows that there is something else. Something beyond things that involve Keith.Maybe that is why he is a nervous wreck too. He glanced at the clock and saw that it’s already 8:55 in the evening. 5 more minutes and Therese will finally be with him to receive his proper apology in the form of…you know what.He didn’t know why but his hands were sweating. His heart was banging wildly in his chest since this morning. He has been with many girls before but this is the first time he was self-conscious. Raven is not naive to what they had to say about him. He knows that girls fawn over him. He’s rich and handsome and even his body is to die for. If he’s being honest, there’s not much work to do on his part to get them drooling over him.Yet, he decided to spend a good hour inside
“Yokoso!”“Irrashaimase!”Therese couldn’t believe it. She’s finally in her dream country with the most important people in her life right now! If she would die today, she decided there is no better final memory to have. Knock on woods, though. She would still want to experience a lot of things with the two boys.“How are you feeling so far?” Beside her, Raven cradled the sleeping Keith as they boarded in Tokyo international airport. The weather was cold yet the feeling that spread on her chest at the sight of the two was warm. “I’m excited to explore the city! But I guess we need to rest first. Our little guy is knocked out right here.” She whispered-talk as she tiptoed to kiss Keith’s forehead gently.He chuckled as he tightened his hold on his son. “The hotel is not too far from here.”“I’m starving.”“Do you want to eat first or maybe we could just order in?”“Order in for now.” She smiled at the domesticity of it all.“Right. We have the whole week to explore anyways.”When Raven
RIIIIIINGGGG.Today is a beautiful day. Their professor’s sleepy voice was music to Therese’s ears and the boring subject was suddenly her favorite one.“Argh! I really hate that subject! Thank God it’s over.”“Sush, just double your efforts and you’ll be fine.”She was still riding her recent high from Japan and no one could ruin her mood today! Especially not her bestfriend’s foul one.“Wow, what happened to you, girl? You used to hate that prof and that subject more than me!” Aly’s face soured as the two walked to exit the school grounds.Therese browsed through her camera roll, smiling from ear to ear as she swiped through the tons of pictures she took with Raven and Keith. She’s alone in her own bubble now, Aly’s words disappeared in the background.“Hey, I haven’t seen that one yet!” Her bestfriend practically pounded behind her like a dog as she snatched her phone playfully.If today was a different day, she would’ve been pissed by her actions. But again, no one could ruin her
“Raven Desmond.”“You single, handsome?” Erika inched closer, batting her lashes while angling her body lower. Raven gulped hard when he saw her cleavage. “Eyes up. I asked you a question.”Oh god, how could she choose him out of everyone in the bar to flirt with? There was a very drunk and very cleary smitten Jayce beside her for fuck’s sake!She chuckled as satisfaction ran down her spine at the sight of his reaction. “I’d take your silence as a no, then?”“No, I’m…I’m single.” It was pure reflex. It’s not like he’s lying. He is, indeed, single. But the moment he said it, Therese’s face flashed in his mind.If he was still his past self, he wouldn’t hesitate to jump this woman’s skin.“Hmmm. Interesting.”Erika smirked before she brushed her fingers down Raven’s chest. “Dance with me, then?”“Oh. I think I’ll stay here for now.” Raven politely shook his head as he drowned his guilt with whiskey.“Hey, beautiful! Why don’t you dance with me instead? Don’t mind that guy. I bet he’s th
The number you have dialed is unattended. Please try again later. “Please…Raven pick up.”The number you have dialed is unattended. Please try again later.For the past three hours, Therese has been calling Raven nonstop as she lay awake in bed, tears streaming down her face. Leonor Desmond’s words still echo inside her head. Because of him, she learned that words uttered in a harmless way could hurt the most. “I’m sorry, Mr. Desmond. I appreciate the offer but I’m not a person who could be bought.” Therese played their conversation inside her head for the nth time. She remembered how her hands trembled as she stood up against the tallest wall she’s ever encountered. “I’m not buying you, Ms. Barlow. I’m giving you a way out. You’re young, smart, and beautiful. You have a bright future ahead of you and you don’t deserve to be…entangled with our family’s messy business.” In hindsight, she knew he made sense. He’s giving her an opportunity to start again. Money and a scholarship. Wit
“Turn around. I’m not done with you yet.” Sweat trickled down her nape. Therese breathed heavily as she turned to look at him gritting his teeth. “Raven, please. Let’s take a break for a while, hm?” She tried to reach out and brush her fingers on his face only to be slapped away. “No. I say when we stop.” “Ah!” He was dealing with roughly. Far too rough for her preference. Still, Therese let herself be pushed and pulled in bed, hoping that after this, Raven will finally clear his mind enough to talk to her. To hear what she’s about to say. For now, she gripped the sheets tightly and swallowed her cries. “Mine. Fucking mine.” He uttered in a frenzy voice sounding almost like a growl as he lifted her hips up the air and drilled his cock inside her in a brutal phase. He reached to press her beck solidly on the pillow and grabbed her waist hard. His left hand was almost choking her but he didn’t stop. The sound of skin clapping against skin filled the room. Most of the time, Therese
Raven’s fiance.It felt like an ice-cold bucket of water was poured directly above her. Therese stood frozen on the ground, forcing her weakening knees to carry her weight. Coming to his office was a bad idea. She shouldn’t have followed her gut. When he wasn’t anywhere to be found in the house, she thought he would be here. She thought she could talk to him about what happened to Keith.She wasn’t expecting to see anything close to this.She felt her heart shatter into pieces. Her vision blurred with unshed tears as she witnessed Raven’s tongue throat-deep with a woman she just met earlier. A woman she thought she could befriend. “I’m so sorry that you witnessed that. It’s embarrassing but it’s not like we’re doing anything wrong, right? We’ll be husband and wife soon.” “Wife.” She repeated the word inside her head.What’s this woman’s name again? Right, Erika. Erika’s demeanor is the complete opposite of what she’s saying. She wasn’t embarrassed or sorry at all. She snickered a
He would never tolerate it. Jayce knew what Raven did to Therese was a total dick move. He’s here to hammer some morals inside his best friend’s head whether he likes it or not. “You were an asshole. You know that right?” “I know! One more bottle here please!” Raven took a shot of the strongest, most expensive liquor in the bar. “Therese didn’t deserve that. What the hell, man?” “I wasn’t expecting her to be there, alright? I was just…testing the waters with Erika. That’s all.” His hold on the glass tightened as he remembered her crying face. Jayce sighed heavily, massaging his temples as he dealt with the Desmond drama. “Okay, so how was it? With Erika?” Silence passed between them save for the instrumental music in the background. Raven slumped over the counter as his lips formed a thin line. “She’s…she’s okay, I guess. Too soon to tell.” “No shit.”Jayce leaned forward, tapping his shoulder forcefully. “Raven, I’ve known how you were with women since forever! You’re always
“Are you busy?” “Not really.” There was urgency behind Nelle's voice that Leonor found hard to ignore even if the line of the call was a bit choppy. Today, they had their daily video call at 9AM as the DesmondTech CEO was getting ready for his flight to see her again. He set up his phone while he had his things inside his luggage. This time, he plans to stay longer with Nelle in her hometown so it was given that he would need a lot of clothes to bring. A month or two...yeah, that would suffice his hunger for her presence for now. "I need to tell you something. Do you remember the man who attacked us with a gun?" Leonor stopped folding one of his jackets midway as he focused his attention to her image. "What about him?" Nelle took a deep breath before angling her camera closer to her face. "Well, it seems like the authorities have finally squeezed something out of him. He said he works under a woman named Stephanie White."He furrowed his eyebrows at the name. "Does it ring a be
"Ugh! Were you always this heavy?" Stephanie struggled to breathe as she dragged Raven's unconscious body towards the bed. Well, she realized she shouldn't be complaining when the drug worked wonders! Just one sip from the tea and he was knocked out like a horse in a tranquilizer. She took a mental note to thank that desperate man from Nelle's hometown. He was the one who delivered the drug she now likes to call the wonder sleeper. "Hngh! I..should have..." Stephanie pulled and pushed her ex-boyfriend's body until they reached the entrance of her door. Before executing her plan, she thought of asking one of her men for help but it was too risky to reveal such detail. If she wants to succeed, she must do this alone. "...led us near the bedroom instead, damn it!" She pulled up her curly hair in a bun when she managed to place Raven's body over the mattress, the foam bounced when she practically threw over. Wiping a bead of sweat that travelled down her temple, she proceeded to work
PRESENTRaven was in the middle of analyzing the latest data from their med booths when all of a sudden, his phone rang violently. He grabbed the device absentmindedly and looked at the screen to see an unregistered number dialing him.“Hello? Who’s this?” He furrowed his eyebrows as he continued browsing on the printed graphs on his table.There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line that almost made him hung up. Sighing in annoyance, Raven thought that it was just another one of those prank calls he often receives from random people."I don't have time for this. If you don't speak anytime soon, I'm blocking you." He gave the caller another second to speak. And when they didn't, he pulled his phone away from his ears and was about to finally press the end call button. "Goodb--""Wait. It's me....It's me."He froze. Slowly, he placed his phone again on his ear to confirm that he wasn't being delusional. "Stephanie? How did you get my new number? I obviously changed my ol
PAST“W-what…what…” Raven stammered as he held the pregnancy test showing two lines with trembling hands. His eyes flew open as he turned her head to an equally shaken Stephanie who was so close to crying. “I bet you know what those two lines meant.” She said as her gaze slid past him towards the window, a faint blush covering her cheeks. Raven saw the muscle on her neck contract as she swallowed hard. "I was just finding the right time to tell you..." "Since when?" "Two weeks ago." Raven felt a lump at the back of his throat. He took a look at the lines again and finally, reality sank in. He's going to be a father! God, he's going to start his family with the woman that he loves. A wave of pure happiness washed over him, causing his eyes to sting with unshed tears of joy. "Hey, w-what do you say? Would you like me to keep--"This is their chance to start again. Raven chuckled and rushed to hug Stephanie who was flabbergasted by his action. He was too happy, too shocked to notic
PASTSLAM! CRASH!Raven threw a glass of water on the wall, making sure that it was reduced to shards. He was buzzing with anger. Today, he caught Stephanie in the arms of another man after she promised him that she would finally change. That she would take their relationship seriously. It turned out that everything that came out of her mouth when they made-up was nothing but bullshit.“You told me you won’t do that anymore!” He screamed at the top of his lungs, his strong emotion getting ahead of him. He couldn't stomach the image of Stephanie making out with an older man just to boost her career. "I believe you! I can't believe I fucking believe you!" Raven was prepared to throw the second fragile object his hands would touch. But Stephanie suddenly matched the volume and rage in his voice. "For fuck's sake Raven! I told you I will secure this deal and that was it! Couldn't you be patient enough?! Now you ruined my one last shot at the show I've been eyeing since the beginning!"
PRESENT.“Welcome back to CelebTV, the home of the hottest and latest gossip in the world of famous faces!” The reporter exaggeratingly gasped for air as she covered her mouth and elbowed her blonde partner. “Have you heard about this, girl?”“What is it, girl?” “Stephanie White, one of the country’s most successful and prettiest runway models is back! After making names and stirring waves abroad, it seems like our girl would like to settle in the country for good. I swear to god, she’s perfect in every way. How I wish…” Therese grabbed the remote control and lowered the TV's volume as she scooted her back closer to Raven in bed. The reporter's voice faded in the background as her boyfriend snaked his arm around her naked torso. She could still feel the delicious ache in her muscles from their love making. "I saw your reaction, you know?"Raven sighed heavily, hiding his face on the crook of her neck. "What reaction?""Back when we had dinner and we saw Stephanie. You looked like y
From that point on, Raven saw red. “You motherfucker!” He yelled with his tone full of anger as he stormed inside and landed one solid punch on the bastard’s face. The force was so strong that the man instantly fell on the ground with a bleeding nose. "Oh my god, Raven, wait!" Stephanie's anxious voice faded in the background.When he saw the man struggling to get up and blinking his eyes rapidly as if he was trying to regain normal vision, the young Desmond wasted no time and took the opportunity to further his damage. He straddled the man while grabbing him by the collar. "You fucking stinky pervert....What have you been doing to my girl?!" He asked in gritted teeth and a pair of bloodshot eyes. It's ironic how he uttered such a question in hopes for an honest answer only to allow his body to move on its own without hearing him first. "Cough...cough...""DIE!" Raven kept punching him, again and again. He made sure that there are no surface of his skin that was left clean. His le
“Didn’t you miss me? Why are you acting so cold?” Stephanie crossed her right leg over her left so her ankle dangled carelessly. She made a show of leaning forward sensually for her dress to stretch downwards, revealing her cleavage. Raven didn’t budge. Irritation flared in his chest. Of course, he knew what she was trying to do.After he dismissed her last night, she should have gotten the signal of his disinterest. Well, he guesses Stephanie is still the kind of person she was years ago.“Who let you in?” It was strange that the moment he entered his office, the first thing that greeted his vision was the image of his ex-girlfriend, sitting comfortably on his leather sofa and reading a newspaper casually like it was the most normal thing to do. “Aw, don’t be mad. I came here because I have something to tell you.” She placed down the newspaper in favor of crossing the room and sitting at the edge of his table.He hated her confidence. He hated how she could still act like she owns
It has only been a week since the two of them parted but Leonor felt like he was about to go crazy. He was forced to rely on his tablet to see her face and hear her voice. He sat on his swivel chair wearing a long face as he was stuck doing paperworks in the city again. “Are you sure you wouldn’t want to stay here with us? Our son’s door and mine are always open for you, you know.” He uttered with an internal pout that put teenagers in love to shame. Luckily for him, Nelle found it cute. Or at least he’d like to think so judging by the way she giggled at his expression and plea."I'm a busy woman, Leonor. I have a lot of things to look after here especially since our med booths are officially active now." She said while holding her phone in a downward angle above her head. Based on her nature-like surroundings, she was outdoors and probably was heading somewhere to share her light to anyone who needed it today. "Where are you off to?" "I'm going to talk to the man who attacked us w