RAFAEL The bathtub filled with vanilla-scented bubbles and pink flower petals was ready for our leisure. The moment I got to know Savannah, I understood a little what she wanted from a relationship. She was the type that liked chocolates and flowers and romantic gestures, she was sweet, so she appreciated being given affection. She deserved these things. I didn’t want her to think I would abandon her as her ex-husband did. Maybe she was already thinking about it by the tone of her questions. “It’s beautiful,” she murmured with twinkling eyes. “Angus had the servants prepare it. I’m glad you like it.” “I love it.” She gave me a sweet smile. I stepped into the water first and soon felt the warm water stream. I extended my hand to Savannah. “Join me.” She accepted my invitation, stepped into the tub, and we leisurely sank our bodies in the bubble bath. I sat across from her so I could watch her enjoy herself. I brought my legs to her side so she could move freely. “Thank you.” She
SAVANNAH“I’d known Gill since seventh grade. She left letters in my locker, watched me play tennis every practice and official game with her friends, and cheered for me,” Rafe began as he gently stroked my collarbones with the vanilla water. It was as if he knew my favorite scent. But it was more surprising that he played in middle school.“You played tennis?” I suddenly pictured a young Rafael Sebastian holding a racket in a cute tennis uniform. It was a sight I wanted to see. I smiled.“Yes. My father didn’t care if I had extra activities as long as I always won.”“Did you?”“I did.”“Wow. You must be pretty good in class too.”“Never got a B,” he bragged. I felt his smile.I laughed. “My hot nerd boyfriend. And then? Was Gill in your class too?”“Always sat in the back. It was impossible not to notice her as she scribbled about me in her letters.”“I’m more astounded that you actually read them.”“Not all of them. I threw some when I was annoyed.”“And you didn’t speak to her abou
SAVANNAHWhen we got to bed, we cuddled on the bed for almost seemed like forever. I was facing the windows, watching the curtain blow and the hue of the moonlight while Rafe embraced me from behind.It was past one o’clock, according to the digital clock on the nightstand. It was peaceful; the air was cool but not too cold. Rafe’s body heat helped calm down my senses. We weren’t talking, just feeling and hearing each other’s presence and breathing.“When did you realize you wanted to be with me?” I whispered because it was too quiet.“Ever since I saw you.”I hummed. “But you must have wanted someone before. After all, you are a very healthy and fine young man.”I felt his body twitch. “Perhaps, but I never wanted anyone as badly as you. I’ve thought about you since you gave me back my phone.”I squeezed in closer to his body. “That’s nice. I’ve thought about you too. A lot. Can I tell you something?”“Go ahead,” he answered, a little curious.If I couldn’t tell him I love him yet, m
SAVANNAHI woke by the sound of my alarm at six, aware that Rafe’s arm was wrapped around my waist. I was instantly flooded with thoughts that I would meet his family this morning. I wondered about the questions they’d ask me.Still, it was a good day. I felt good for some reason I couldn’t explain. Whatever the status of my relationship with Rafe, it didn’t change the fact that I love him, so I would be by his side, whether he couldn’t return my feelings or he wasn’t ready to admit it. I’d decided to walk this path instead of overthinking.It really was a good day.Determined, I turned to face him to greet him good morning, but he beat me to it.“Good morning, Savannah.” His eyes twinkled, pausing over my almost bare breasts.I smiled. “Good morning.”“Did you sleep well?”I nodded. The truth was, I was short by two hours, as I usually get six to seven hours of sleep, but I felt fine. My body adapted to the schedule.“Good.” He kissed my forehead. “If only they weren’t expecting us;
SAVANNAHBenjamin was waiting for me at the beachfront, sitting on one of the benches. Rafe’s brothers played by the beach and with Anya watching them mess around. With the picturesque scenery and light atmosphere, I realized I shouldn’t be worried about this.“I didn’t expect he would ask for you. I’m sorry,” Rafe whispered. His forehead pressed against mine.I ran my hands along his arm. “I’ll be fine. Trust me. I can handle myself.”He nodded. “That’s not what I’m worried about.”“If he ask me to break up with you and offers money, I’ll simply decline. If he tries to throw juice on my face, I’ll immediately jump to the beach, pretend I can’t swim, and scream, so he has no choice but to save me.”“That’s pretty detailed.” He laughed softly. “Fine. I forgot who I was talking to. You’re you.”“Yes, I got it. Okay?”“You do.” He cupped my face and kissed me.I walked toward Benjamin. He was looking into the distance, watching the waves while sipping his fruit juice. The morning sunligh
RAFAELI brought Savannah upstairs, and we strolled from the left wing to the right. While we were on it, I showed her where each hallway and door led.My parents’ bedroom was on the right wing by the end of the passage, the biggest room on the floor. Across from them were Anya and Julian’s bedroom, while in the middle was Carter’s. On the opposite, in the left wing were mine and Adam’s. I had a second spacious bedroom on the floor because I was the first son.The middle had a common room, which my father used as his study. It had an office, a library, and a piano. In that room, Anya was choosing her dress with Mika, my mother’s personal stylist.When we came in, Anya was fitting in a charcoal knee-length maternity dress with a sparkling front gliding over her pregnancy curves. Behind her were racks of clothes, dresses, and suits, picked specifically for tonight’s party.“This is really lovely and comfortable,” she said, pinching the fabric of her dress in front of the body-sized mirr
SAVANNAH“You look wonderful!” Anya exclaimed as she entered the room. I’d just finished putting on everything—the elegant evening dress, makeup, accessories, and the super pretty Dior shoes Mika provided me. But I couldn’t help but admire her looks tonight, too. She chose the charcoal dress.“Wow. You look damn sexy. I mean, even with the baby bump.” Seriously, she was a goddess. I’d only noticed her small delicate face now that she lifted her hair.She stroked her belly. “Thank you. Well, this is the sexiest part.”“Have you seen Rafe?”“Still with Julian.” She clicks her tongue. “There’s this last-minute thing they must do, but he told me he’ll see you at the party. They’re already dressed, so I’m here as your chaperone.”How could I not love her? I could tell how precious she was.“Oh, God, no. I should be your chaperone.”We laughed.“Come on. Party’s already going.”Even though I was anxious about how Rafe would introduce me to everyone, this excited me at the same time. Eager,
SAVANNAHFriend? Knowing this now wasn’t strange because having a friend wasn’t impossible. But this was still surprising because Rafe mentioned several times about having no friends.I wanted to ask her how they became friends because I’d only just learned a few things about Rafe’s life, but it’d be rude, so I shook her hand instead.“Yes, I’m Savannah.”“Rafe’s girlfriend, I heard.” She flashed a grin. “You don’t mind if I sit for a bit, right? My parents are busy doing their own thing right now.” She leaned forward and whispered, “They love coming to any of the Sebastians’ events. I get to meet new people, so I came along.”Alright. She was friendly. Or maybe she thought they were friends because her parents were acquainted with Rafe’s. For some reason, my heart started pounding against my ribcage. I didn’t have a good feeling about this.Well, she was already sitting.“So, how did you know Rafe?”“Um, it’s a long story, actually.” A story that wasn’t her business to know.“I’m ask
SAVANNAH Two years later... I expected to see this day but didn’t expect to feel melancholy. Carter was packing his stuff in a big blue box, like someone who got fired from his job. But his expression was too joyful for someone leaving his post. I was happy for him at the same time. We’d worked together for a couple of years now, and we were so productive. Seeing him step down as CMO would make a drastic change for the office and the entire management. Well, he was following his dreams. He was leaving the entertainment world for a new career journey. He had finally built the perfumery company that he had wanted all along. As for me, I would be the new CMO and Rafe’s partner in life. Yep, that was the proper name for it. “Take care of my office, will you?” Carter said as he transferred his pile of old binders to a box. “You know what to do with these?” “Yes, when I needed ideas from our previous work. Visit us, okay?” He chuckled. “Come on, Savi. We’ve been practically a family e
SAVANNAH“A toast. For all of us!” Rafe lifted his champagne glass as we gathered after the program. The Estrellas and some familiar faces in the company had also joined us at our table. With that, everyone raised their glasses and then drank their champagne.“Thank you, darling.” Rachel put her glass down and clasped her hands. “You see, everyone. I’ve always asked myself whether this time will come, and I’ll be present to witness it.”Everyone turned silent.“But here I am, seeing all of you, celebrating our success. I can’t ask for anything more.” Her gaze stopped at Michael, and she smiled. “I’ve never felt so happy again until this moment. And to my husband and children. Thank you for making this possible, and congratulations to us all.”Everyone at the round table applauded and sipped on their drinks again.“Congratulations to the additional family member, too,” a sophisticated-looking woman in a blue gown commented. She seemed about Rachel’s age.“Oh, Anya is giving birth six m
SAVANNAHThree weeks later…After convincing Michael to officially meet the Sebastians, he hardly had any sleep. I could tell by the dark shades underneath his eyes and how he always asked me what to say to them. He looked nervous but was still very handsome, just like his brother. They were fraternal twins, but was it ironic that I was seeing a resemblance now?Someone knocked on the door, and then Rafe let himself in. “Is everyone ready?”Last week, I moved into his penthouse, which I basically consider my personal space now. We hadn’t told anyone about our engagement since we wanted his parents to meet Michael first and then our announcement. It should be private. He also insisted I invite Michael here yesterday so they could talk.In addition, Michael didn’t know there was a huge celebration in the company tonight. It was the sixtieth founding anniversary of Sebastian Entertainment Group and Rafe’s appointment as the new chairman. Michael had changed his ties many times now in fr
RAFAEL“A week after Mikhail went missing, and the news spread to the school,” I began the story I never told anyone. It tortured me to share this part of my life with someone, but not this me. Surprisingly, I felt fine. My tranquility was her doing.Savannah was now leaning on my chest with my arm on her shoulders on the bed. I loved smelling her vanilla-scented hair. We fucked and made love in the last three hours, but I still couldn’t get enough. I needed more of her.“The kids watched, the teachers felt sorry, and that was when Brett’s friends came to me. They told me what happened at the amusement park. We came back every day. Dad hired people to find him, but he was gone. He didn’t speak to me for a while.”“So you blame yourself because you thought he blamed you. Your dad mentioned something about it,” she said. That was probably when they spoke at the beach. “Why do you think he blamed you?”“I brought him there after school. Mikhail didn’t speak, but he understood me. I asked
RAFAELI couldn’t imagine their faces when I told them Mikhail was alive. Dad had lost hope. My mother still mourned in her sleep. Julian was young when Mikhail went missing, so he couldn’t remember much. My twin was a lost boy who never found his way back home. It had been three decades.I thought it was impossible. I thought when Brett showed me the papers, he was messing with me again, trying to destroy the sanity left in me. But when I saw Michael Gibson, the man who raised the only woman that brought me back to life, when he told me how he got lost before I could say anything, I knew it was him. It was a small world, but it took us time to find each other.It was her. Savannah brought him back to me.Mikhail wasn’t as he was twenty-nine years ago. I worried because of his speech disability, the world would be cruel to him, but he grew up as a man better than I’d become. He stood on his own and became a self-made man. He loved Savannah and protected her. I should be ashamed.I hur
SAVANNAHMichael and the girls were in the living room when Rafe left a few moments ago. They were staring at me with a googly as if waiting for me to say something. I wondered if my brother had told them anything. In addition, it was still strange to see Sofia sitting in our living room.I sat on the sofa across from them.“What now?” Riley said.I looked at my brother. “Do you mind me telling them?”Michael tensed up, folding his arms across his chest. “I supposed they already know, so there’s no point asking.”“Sorry,” I murmured.I started explaining from the beginning—about how Michael told me he was still looking for his family. My friends knew my brother was adopted, but we didn’t speak about it because it seemed unnatural. Michael was already there when I was growing up. My brother even surprisingly answered Riley’s questions.“Please, don’t tell anyone about this yet. Even with your parents, Sofia,” I pleaded.“Of course. I understand,” she said softly.
SAVANNAHMy whole body shivered. Rafe’s question only meant that they were talking about Michael. Gradually, I understood what was happening.There were things Rafael didn’t tell me. Things about him he couldn’t entrust others yet, especially to someone like me whom he had just met. That was human nature, so I understood and was still waiting. But things between the two of us kept getting deeper.It wasn’t just any person who’d accidentally become a part of his life.Rafe had a sibling (a twin) he’d lost many years ago, and it was my very own brother. The same person who raised me, the same person who carried and fed me as a child. It wasn’t just about his family—it was mine too.Rafe and I’s connection to the Reeds was already problematic. I wasn’t sure what to believe because the coincidence was too bewildering; it almost seemed impossible.Unable to answer or move, Rafe snatched my hand and dragged me to his car with brute force. My wrist was hurting, but the noise in my mind from
SAVANNAHThe past few weeks have been busy in the office. I missed Rafe terribly despite my anger at what happened in Long Island. His absence had me overthinking things about him and Erin—things he refused to tell me.I hadn’t heard from Rafe since his last message and only followed him on the news. He was in many meetings and conferences, but Billy and Carter assured me everything was going fine. They didn’t tell me when they were returning. I’d just take what I could get and let him explain when he returned.But today, I stood before his brother because I needed to leave early. Brett was picking me up to take me to Brooklyn, eagerly looking forward and hoping I’d meet Michael’s family. However, Carter had to bring another piece of news.“Rafe’s returning today.”A pool of emotions lifted up my heart. Excitement? Restlessness? I wasn’t sure. “He is? What time?”“Not sure, but he has probably left the office now.”I heaved an exhale. “Thanks for giving me an update every now and then
SAVANNAHI spent the next hour talking to Michael about Rafe. He’d love a bit of honesty, although I kept some privacy for myself. He listened, but he was frantic. My brother wasn’t the type to show it all throughout.“Savannah, that is not okay to leave a girlfriend alone at god knows where for any reason,” he pressed.“I know, but I don’t want to make an issue about it before hearing his explanation.”He shook his head. “You’re too kind.”“Well, I was raised this way.”He arched his eyebrow. “So it’s my fault.”“No! Because you’re too kind to me.” I held his hand. “Michael, we’re still new. He’s still figuring things out because the last time he had a relationship was over a decade ago.”“And you believed him?”“Yes. Why would a man lie about his relationship? As far as I know, men like to brag about it.”“Well… You’re not wrong, although I’m not the type,” he defended. “But please know that if he ever hurt you, he’ll have to face me.”I gave him a smile. “Thank you, but I’ll figure