Johannes's POV It had been a week since I talked with Nathalie. After that day, nothing much changed with how we treated each other. I am her boss, and she is my secretary. "Johannes, Abuelo is coming next week. Any plans?" I looked at Clinton, who informed me of the matter, but I was confused as to why he was telling me this. Is there something important that I need to prepare for? He looked at me with equal confusion before he shifted his weight and gave me a disappointed look n his face. "I knew you were spacing out these past few days, but I can't believe you forgot... you, of all people," he said. What the hell? He simply put the folders he was holding on the table before he spoke up again, "Don't bother me for the rest of the week. I'll be having a visiting Ysabel," he said. I furrowed my brows as it was also news to me. "You made up? Damn it, Clinton, she's still married, isn't she?" I can't really understand why he's clinging onto the woman who chose another man before him
Nathalie stares at her reflection in the whole-body mirror inside her unit. She's wearing a long, dashing, black dress that compliments her pearl-white skin. It was a gift from Johannes. Her hair is curled down to her shoulder. Her makeup is light as she did it herself. When she stared enough, she decided to go out. As if a decade had passed, Johannes rushed to her unit when he saw her door slightly open. He offered her his hand to escort Nathalie. 'Stunning' is the only word that came to mind when he saw the woman. He knew that Nathalie's beauty surpassed that of the ordinary, but seeing her dress up always caught him off guard. She would always give him a different definition of beauty. The small pearl earring he gave her this morning looked alluring when paired with the pearl choker and butterfly necklace he saw for the first time. "Nathalie-" "Woahh! Is that Nathalie? You look amazing as always," Johannes turned his head in the direction of the voice he had not heard for a lon
Johannes's POVI had always thought that women were weak creatures. Though my mother is often an exception to that belief. After all, there are times when she's even bolder than my own father, who grew up underthe wings of my grandmother. That was what I thought about the woman, but my whole perception changed when I met Nathalie Taylor. A woman brave enough to shoulder her family's burden since she's the elder sibling. A womanbrave enough to stand shoulder by-shoulder with renowned men and even givesthem a great impression, I never saw her cry, nor was she afraid unless it's about her brother, who's long gone now. It was a tragedy that I would never forget even if a century passed; And all those assumptions about. As a bold, prideful, and strong woman, Nathalie was already proven that it was hard for me to imagine her trembling. Her hands shake while she looks at me with such sad and scared eyes. The music at the party was so loud that I could barely hear her whimper. I would no
The moonlight was the only source of light in the dark room. Nathalie had hated the darkness since that incident, but she feels at ease right now. It is Johannes's presence that makes her feel safe though she'd usually tremble even at the slight moment of darkness.Just like the day that Johannes passed out, Nathalie feels like she could be normal again if this man were by her side. She feels like her life could go back to the way it is."Hmm," she furrowed her brows when the soft gleam of sunlight hit her pupils. Nathalie stared at the sun's rays that seeped through her unit's enormous window. She usually puts down the curtain. Why is it not the way it usually is?"You're up," Nathalie remembered asking the man to stay by her side until she fell asleep, but she did not think he'd actually stay. And to remain until she woke up... Nathalie could not help but feel warm inside her chest. It had been so long since she spent some time with Johannes outside of work.She could not deny it. Sh
“Are you sure you’re fine already?” Johannes asked when Nathalie entered his office. He’s worried that Nathalie is still quite shocked by what happened during their grandfather’s birthday. Nathalie nodded, “I had an excellent rest in the past three days, sir,” “Nathalie, about what I told you-“ “It’s fine. It’s okay. I know it was only a slip of the tongue. I understand that you’d have those thoughts with you when a year had already passed,” the smile on her face made Johannes even more guilty. Nathalie thought otherwise, though. She thought of many things in the past three days that she stayed inside her unit. Why Johannes came up with the idea? Why was she still so affected by Vie’s presence? Even though her traumas can be justified, she dislikes that she’s still stacked in the nightmare of what happened in the past. Everyone might understand her, but she could not understand herself. *** Nathalie was surprised when she read Johannes’s next appointment. It was a name she could
Nathalie glanced at her watch. No wonder the sun is already setting. It’s past five already, and she just finished the meeting with Samuel. Though they had not come to the final deal yet, they had talked about various stuff. ‘Maybe it is about time I ask him with what I really want to know,’ Nathalie thought, watching Samuel drink from his cup of coffee. He had not mentioned anything outside of the business in the two hours that he and Nathalie spoke with each other. Nathalie was hesitant to ask him about personal matters since it would make her look like she had ulterior motives with this meeting in general. That was the actual case, but Nathalie did not want Samuel to think that way. After all, she knows that this man is good in nature, and he still is... she hopes. “I heard you had a kid,” Nathalie was curious about how he managed to get that insane woman pregnant. Samuel stared at her with a sudden question. The mention of his daughter made his mood fluctuate; he had looked at
“I am always grateful that I met you, Johannes,” Johannes gazed at her ocean-blue eyes as if those pair had enchanted him. He drowned and let himself drown in the depth of those blue. It calmed him, like walking by the side of the sea after a long tiring day. At last, his rest. He cupped Nathalie’s chin and did not hesitate to claim her lips. Johannes caressed her cheeks gently, afraid that even a slight strength would make the woman disappear. His hand traveled to her back, pushing her to him even more as his lips gently and slowly devoured her lips. Nathalie closed her eyes, trusting the man with her whole being. She never thought she’d ever find comfort in his touch when men’s touch had traumatized her. What was the difference? What made Johannes differently? She could not figure it out. All thoughts that filled her head were the times she had suffered alone in the past year. When she would wake up in the middle of the night feeling those petrifying memories conquer her entire
Johannes's POV I could not sleep all night. I felt exhausted with my every move, but oddly enough, my heart was satisfied. I played with her hair with my fingers, feeling the softness of them against my palm. She's sleeping soundly. I chuckled at the thought and took the chance to kiss her on her head. Damn it. The calm she brought me by just being by my side. I can't even explain the ecstasy I felt earlier. I can't believe I felt that way in a fucking noontime. As if the sun was mocking me, I narrowed my eyes because of the sunset. This wall in her unit is uselessly massive. I closed the curtains, and the room instantly turned a little darker than earlier. That's better. I glanced at Nathalie again, who was still sound asleep on the bed. I know that she won't just instantly disappear, but my heart won't settle unless she's within my sight. "This won't do," I went back to bed and hugged her from the back. She moved slightly, but she must still be asleep by the way she breathed.
“Where are we going, Dad?” Julian asked his father while still yawning. He had just woken up from his afternoon nap when his father picked him up from his grandparent’s mansion. Julian Nathaniel Alejandro, Johannes felt proud while staring at his son’s ocean-blue eyes. “We’re going to the cemetery,” “Is Mom there?” Johannes looked at him with sad eyes and smiled, “Yes, Julian. We’re going to see Mom there,” Johannes fixed his son’s seatbelt and started the car’s engine. It had been seven years since Nathalie birthed Julian. He’s a big boy now who hates it when Johannes kisses him on the cheek. He used to giggle when his father did it, but now that he turned seven, he would glare at Johannes whenever he did that, especially when they were in a public place. Julian looked like Johannes, but his eyes took after Nathalie. Those deep blues of ocean that always enchanted Johannes. He could not help but stare at them whenever he had the chance. “Are we going to visit Abuelo too?” the
“Uncle Ken,” Yohan sat beside him. Johannes was still staring at the door where the woman had left. The harsh sound of the rain was worrying him. ‘Nathalie hates the rain,’ he thought to himself. He furrowed his brows and realized that the fact that the woman hated the rain popped up out of his head out of nowhere. Was it a memory? Did he remember that from the past? “Uncle Ken?” Yohan called him again since Johannes did not respond the first time. Johannes then looked at him and messed up his hair. “Come here, bud,” Yohan sat on Johannes’s lap and lowered his face. Yohan rubbed his hands against each other and then looked at Johannes with teary eyes. “Did Mama make a mistake to Uncle Ken?” he asked, crying now. “Yohan is the bad boy because I lied,” “What?” Johannes asked, furrowing his brows now since he could not understand him all too well. Yohan jumped from his seat and took something from his pocket. “Yohan was mad when he learned that you were getting married. I thought
One week had passed since Nathalie and Johannes had a check-up. Nathalie is fine now, but the latter seemed different. Johannes stared at her sleeping figure. He had been doing this for almost a week now. After what he witnessed last time, Johannes always found himself inside her bedroom. Staying beside her while Nathalie cries in her sleep. Johannes could not understand what it was that pulled him to the woman he had lost memories of. Should he open himself for her, or should he cut every string connected to her? Johannes could not decide. "Nathalie... Nathalie Taylor," he muttered *** The chairman handed over the folder to General Smith. He’s a companion he had when he was just starting out, thus, confirming the trust between them. “We had been trying to figure out these cases before... I can’t believe such a young woman could do all these evil things,” “She’s crazy, Smith,” “Are you sure you want to hand it over to us?” General Smith asked the chairman. Miraflores Alej
"You're here again," Yael tried to get up but gave up when she felt an exhausting pain inside her stomach. It was so painful that her eyes teared up. Johannes panicked and ran to her. Worrying, he told Yael, "This is why I always come here. I told you you don't have to get up when I come here. How could you be so stubborn!?" He shouted to the poor woman. Yarl stared at his enraged face and then averted her gaze, "I told you you don't have to come here... you... you found your home, Johannes," "Ken. You gave me that name. Use that," "Johannes—" "Are you really trying to make me mad? Johannes here, Johannes that! I fucking cannot remember anything related to that name, so damn it, just treat me as that penniless Ken before!" Johannes frustratedly told her. Yael had realized her mistake. She stared into his eyes and tried to read his confused emotion. Yael had met Johannes when he was still in the hospital. She assisted Johannes back then, and he had felt indebted to her kindness.
Nathalie’s POV I was about to get inside the mansion when I saw a familiar figure, but I doubt it was him. It would be impossible to see him out of his cave. “Nathalie Taylor!” I turned around and saw Harries waving at me. It had been so long since we last saw each other. She even nagged me because I was behaving unlike myself these past few months. “Harries!” I hugged her, and she kissed me on the cheek. Harries still treats me like a child, really. I motioned her to sit on the chair and asked a waiter to serve us food. “How was your trip?” “Terrible,” I furrowed my brows; this woman loves traveling like how she loves medicine. To hear her condemn her last trio like this, something must have had occurred. She rolled her eyes when a man greeted her with a kiss. Now I get it. Harries must have felt upset with her husband, Loki. He’s a businessman like Johannes though he majored in the medicine industry, the reason why he eventually met my best friend through the same acquaintanc
Cohen’s POV I could swear I never intended to attend this fucking party. There were a lot of familiar faces though I am sure that they didn’t know who I was. Sebastian is doing his thing of introducing me to everyone he knows, which is practically everyone at this event. “Sebastian,” “Hmm? Wait. Mr. Alfredo! Hey! Long time no see. How is it going with the firm?” he chatted with yet another man in a suit. Sebastian seems friendlier than the last time I saw him. I distanced myself a little since it would be a nuisance if he asked me to talk to his acquaintances. I sat by the bar, and the bartender gave me a tequila. I smirked and greeted him with proud eyes. He dares challenge me? Well, I have a pretty high tolerance when it comes to these types of drinks. I was enjoying myself when the host announced that the party was about to start. I could vomit at the sight of the host of this event. What the hell? Is this party about them? Sebastian, you idiot. I should not have mentioned Nath
Cohen’s POV It felt strange waking up on a soft mattress. It had been a long since I last slept in one. I don’t know why it feels empty though this room is not even that big, to begin with. It’s cold, really. Winter is knocking on the corner of this house. I stood up after lazily staring at my ceiling for hours, trying to figure out what the hell was wrong with me today. It should be another day when I should visit the eatery and cook for them, but for some reason, I picked up my phone and told them I’d have to take a leave for today. When I went to the kitchen, Caleb was already there, cooking breakfast. He glanced at me and smirked, “Fancy seeing you wake up late,” I ignored him and went to make my coffee. He seemed to be in the mood today that he irritated me this early. “Where’s mom?” I sat on the edge of the table as I looked at him over my cup of coffee. Caleb turned around and shrugged his shoulders. I furrowed my brows with that. “You don’t know?” “No, I mean, she asked me
"A party?" Ken just reached home after visiting Yael in the hospital. He did not want to leave her, but his family insisted that he stays at home. Yohan was with a nanny since he wanted to stay beside his mother. Johannes stared at his parents with a confused expression, "What party? Do I have to participate in one?" he asked again, removing his coat. It was snowing outside. The first snow was last night, and the whole city was covered in white the following day. Joaquin and Beatrice smiled at Johannes, "This is to celebrate your return, son," Joaquin said. Ken furrowed his brows and sat on the couch. He stretched his neck. When he opened his eyes, he looked at his parents and shook his head. "I hate parties." "You don't even remember that," Clinton, who came from the entrance, interrupted his cousin's refusal. Clinton gave Beatrice a box of a new set of tea from China. The woman smiled at him and then turned to her son again. "Clinton is right, Johannes," "Ken. I told you to call
Nathalie visited the orphanage again when she felt well. She brought a lot of toys and food that she bought from the market. The kids were happy to see her, chanting the fairy song they had made to dedicate it to her. Nathalie was looking around, and Olivia noticed that she was looking for something, “Are you looking for something, Nathalie?” “Oh, ahm... I... I was just wondering where Yael and Johannes—I mean Ken are,” she shyly replied. She had heard from the nurse that Yael had been discharged, so she assumed that the woman was already feeling better. Nathalie thought they would be here since it seemed like Johannes liked being around the children, but afternoon came, and there was no shadow of him, Yael, or her son. “Yael? Oh dear, you haven’t heard the news yet? She was brought to the city to have medications, her illness relapsed, and she needed better treatment,” Olivia told her. Nathalie was shocked. She could not utter a reply and just forced herself to smile. Nathalie we