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“I hope you’re not taking me to some fancy restaurant. As you can see, I’m not dressed for the occasion,” Quinn remarked as Jake walked her to his G-Wagon that was parked a few blocks away from the bookstore. “And I came driving… what happens to my car?” She added.“I’ve already asked my assistant to meet us at the mall. He will get your car keys and come and drive your car to your house. No need to worry, I've got everything covered,” Jake answered. He glanced at Quinn and said, “As for your outfit, it’s not bad. You look great and comfortable. We just need to get you something warm. I'm the one who needs an outfit change.” Quinn arched an eyebrow, wondering why they needed to wear something warm. What kind of date did Jake plan? She asked him, “Where are we going? Are we hiking? You rich people do weird things. You must know, I’m lazy and I can’t climb a mountain. Besides, it’s dark. There could be wild animals in there!” Jake laughed. His eyes squinted and his lips stretched wi
The usually busy ice rink was quiet save for the soft music playing in the background. Fairy lights twinkled above, setting a romantic ambience in the calm and clear night. Quinn was in awe of the place. She could see that Jake had put in a lot of effort for her sake and this fact warmed her heart.However, the beauty of the place did nothing to remove her fear of falling on her ass. Her feet were unstable on the ice, unable to balance, so she found herself about to do a forced split... her heart raced at the thought of the pain she would go through. Just when she thought she was about to hit the ground, Jake swooped her up in his arms like a knight in shining armour. Quinn's heart pounded hard against her ribcage. She thought Jake looked so cool and sexy when he did that. Leaning her head on his chest, she thought, 'This man has a great body. These muscles... oh my." “Are you calm now?” Jake asked, looking down at Quinn who was holding on to his neck for dear life. Quinn chuckled
As the days went by, Oliver responded well to treatment and he got discharged. However, he didn’t leave the hospital since Claire would have to stay hospitalised for the rest of her pregnancy term or until they found a solution to her situation. That day, Oliver went to the office to conduct some meetings and handle some matters that required his presence after being away from work for a long time. He was back from his leave, however, he would only work for a few hours before going back to the hospital and sometimes, he would work from the hospital since he was the boss and he could work from anywhere, including having video conference meetings. Oliver walked into his office and told Thomas who was following him. “Call Miss Spark to my office.” “Yes, Sir,” Thomas responded and proceeded to perform that task. A few minutes later, someone knocked at the door and when Oliver called out a ‘come in’, the door opened and Victoria Spark gingerly walked into the office. Victoria Spark w
“Daddy, the baby is bored. You’ve read too many stories. Let’s play a game with her!” Thalia said, grabbing the book from Oliver’s hands. Oliver's eyes slightly widened. He said, "Are you saying Daddy's reading is boring you?" "No... I just want us to play games with the baby. She must be bored. I would be bored if it was me," Thalia remarked seriously.Claire chuckled before stroking Thalia’s hair. She remarked, “We can’t play games with the baby right now, Thalia. In a few years, we will be able to play together.”“Who said I can’t play with the baby? I can!” Oliver remarked. He glanced at Thalia and added, "I'm a fun Dad. I can play games with the baby."Claire arched an eyebrow. She asked in amusement, “How so?” Oliver cleared his throat. He stared at Claire’s stomach and covered his face with his hands before saying, “Where’s daddy?”He removed his hands and exclaimed, “Here I am!” Thalia broke into a fit of giggles. She said through giggles, “Daddy is so silly, Mommy. The bab
Jake scoffed. His initial shock at seeing his ex after four years wore out and her words sank in. He furrowed his eyebrows and stared at Charlotte in disbelief. What did she say? She missed him?In what world did that statement make sense? She’s the one who left and had no right to miss him. And so what if she was back? Did her return affect him in any way? No. It didn't. He nodded and smiled, saying, “It’s been a while… I’m here to see my friends, excuse me.” Jake walked past Charlotte and approached Oliver and Claire. He smiled at them and asked Claire, “How are you doing today, Claire?” Charlotte remained at the door, standing awkwardly. Did Jake just ignore her? Why? Jake never ignored her... he loved her too much. 'Is he playing hard to get?' She mused. She forced a smile and walked out of the ward before closing the door behind her. Seeing this, Claire glanced at Jake and remarked, “That was rude, Jake. She looked like she had a lot of things to say to you.” Jake sighed.
“W-What?” Jake couldn’t believe his ears. His eyes grew into the size of dinner plates and his jaw dropped to the floor. For a minute, he couldn’t move, simply staring at Charlotte, trying to process what she had said. Charlotte's words repeatedly echoed in his ears like a broken record, causing his heart to pound like a galloping horse. “What did you say?” He asked after finding his voice. “I said you have a son, Jake. Our son,” Charlotte answered. A lot of thoughts reeled in Jake’s mind. ‘I have a son? Does that mean Charlotte was pregnant when she left?’Jake gulped, his throat suddenly feeling parched and he wished he had taken that coffee. “Why did you leave if you were pregnant with my child?” He questioned, feeling a stab of betrayal. How could she still leave despite knowing she was carrying his child?Was her job more important than letting him know that he was going to be a father?Charlotte sighed heavily. She remarked, “I never knew. It was only when I got to Japan th
Jake spent some time with his son and then, he said bye and promised to spend more time with him the next day. However, the little boy didn't want to let go of his father. Seeing that Jake was about to leave, Lucian threw a tantrum and began to cry. It was only when Jake carried him that he stopped crying. Jake spent a good amount of time calming the boy and promising him that he would return to see him. Seeing his son cry for him broke his heart. How long had the little one longed for a father's love?"I'll read you a bedtime story, ok? Let me tuck you in," Jake said, soothingly. Charlotte led Jake to Lucian's room where he placed Lucian on the bed and began to read him a story. It took some time for the boy to sleep. His eyes kept opening each time he felt like Jake was leaving. "I'll see you often, Lucian. Don't worry, my son. Your father will always be around," he whispered and Lucian finally drifted off to sleep. Jake felt like a hand was squeezing his heart. His son was depr
Jake glanced at Charlotte incredulously. To say he was shocked would be an understatement. What the hell did she say?Get back together? Now why would he do that? The woman chose her job over him… that ship had already sailed. There was no way in hell that he would make the mistake of reuniting with Charlotte. The woman was unstable and he definitely didn't love her anymore. She left and someone else occupied his heart. “Jake?” Charlotte chuckled nervously. She smiled and said, “Say something. You’ve been staring at me for a few minutes without saying anything. I said since you've confirmed that you're Lucian's father, we can now get back together and become a complete family.” “I’m just shocked. What did you say? Get back together? Are you delulu? Have you forgotten that we broke up- no, you broke up with me. Do you think you can decide to do something and I always have to bend to your will?” Jake questioned, shock clear on his face. "Charlotte, who the hell do you think you are?
Years came and went... After a warm shower, Oliver stood behind his wife to help her wear the necklace that was engraved with their children's names. "So, you know what today is?" He asked as he placed the necklace around her neck. "How could I forget?" Claire arched an eyebrow. "You've been talking about it for months.""Yes... because I've been preparing a vacation for us for when this day comes. I can't believe it's been eight years already," Oliver remarked. When he was done putting the necklace around Claire's neck, he placed a soft kiss in the crook of her neck before saying, "You've made me the happiest man on earth, Angel."Claire sighed before leaning back into Oliver. She remarked, "Time flies."Everything was going well for everyone. Oliver Ford had taken over as chairman of the Ford Corporation after his father, Henry Ford, retired. With Oliver's leadership, the company was taken to greater heights and it expanded to more foreign countries. As for his marriage with Cl
"Uncle Jake. Remember how you owe me?" Thalia said with her arms crossed over her chest. "I'm here to collect."Oliver, Jake and Liam were left to babysit the kids while their women went out to relax. The men chose to let the kids play in the playroom while they caught up on a few soccer games that they had missed during the week. However, Thalia saw this as an opportunity to collect her debt from one Jake Norton. He was seated in the living area, invested in a soccer game when she confronted him. Jake's eyes widened. He didn't expect the little one to interrupt him when the game was just getting good. His favorite team were leading and he wanted to see how it would end. He chuckled and replied, "You want to collect now? Let's wait until the game is over, ok?""Are you trying to run away from paying your debt, Uncle Jake? A real man sticks to his words," Thalia remarked in her adorable voice. Jake sighed. He said, "Ok, you win, sweetheart. So, tell me. What do you want me to do f
A few weeks later..."I can't believe you guys are having a double wedding! I'm so freaking jealous! I want to get married again so that we have a triple wedding!" Claire exclaimed after Quinn and Aria were done with their makeup."Oh my... you two look so gorgeous. I love the designer wedding dresses," Claire remarked with a smile plastered on her face. "It was more convenient since we were both getting married this year. Besides, Jake and Liam are ecstatic about getting married on the same day," Quinn replied, smiling. They had come to that decision during Thalia's birthday party. Oliver suggested it and the rest thought it was a good idea. "I'm more surprised that Aria is getting married. She's just a year older than me. We promised to get married at thirty," Evelyn remarked. She sighed and looked at her friend in awe. "You make such a beautiful bride, Ari. Congratulations."Aria smiled, looking at herself in the mirror. She couldn't recognise herself. With her hair pulled up int
Liam entered Aria’s apartment for the first time. He noted how cosy and homely it felt. There were blue couches in the living room and grey curtains on the windows. Liam’s eyes fell on the portrait of a little boy hanging on the wall. His heart raced as he looked at the boy who had dark brown curly hair with fair skin and hazel eyes. ‘Is that my son?’ He thought in his mind. The boy took after Aria but he had his eyes. Liam's heart felt warm. He glanced at Aria and eagerly asked, "Where's Jayce? Where's my son?""He should be in the kitchen with his nanny. Let me get him," Aria responded, her stomach a bundle of nerves. She still couldn't believe what was happening. It all felt surreal. Just the previous day, she didn't know who Jayce's father was, but now, not only did she find out who it was, but he also proposed to her. Who knew she would end up with the stranger she had a one-night stand with?Her heart was filled with warmth and sweetness. Aria looked for her son and sure e
Sophia Hill was over the moon at the thought of her long-time dream finally coming true. When she left the special forces and joined Liam’s company as part of his security team, she developed a crush on him.She did all she could to get noticed by him and when Liam noticed how good she was, he promoted her to be his personal bodyguard. However, that was just it. Liam never made a move on her or spared her a glance. Sophia thought since he was a player, it wouldn’t be hard for him to fall for her. However, nothing of that sort happened. Liam kept her as a bodyguard and never saw her as anything more. A chance came for Sophia to make Liam hers. He accidentally got drugged at a party and Sophia was ecstatic about such a great opportunity. To her shock, she found him making love to another woman in the room she had booked for him. Fierce jealousy rushed through Sophia and she wanted nothing but to separate the two but it was too late. All she could do was wait until Liam was done. She
Liam’s heart was beating like a drum within the walls of his chest. He took in a deep breath as he held the envelope. His friends stood beside him, waiting to read the results with him. Oliver patted his shoulder and said, “Don’t worry… even if you don’t turn out to be the father, you still love Aria and you will be with her.”“That’s right. Look at me and Lucian. We may not be related by blood but he’s my son and I love him. I’m sure Aria’s son will love you regardless.” Liam let out a breath. He glanced at his friends and they nodded at him in encouragement. Ignoring his pounding heart, he opened the envelope and took out the document with trembling hands. “The results are usually at the bottom of the page,” Jake remarked. “Don’t waste your time reading the statistics.”Liam’s eyes went to the bottom of the page and he read the results in his heart. A smile crossed his lips before it turned into a grin. “The child is mine! Aria’s son is mine! Haha! I have a son!” Liam exclaimed,
“What?” Jake’s eyes were almost popping out of their sockets. “Is it the same Aria we all know? Wait, she’s back?”Liam almost laughed at his friends' reaction. He knew they would be shocked. He and Aria had a huge age gap but surprisingly, they got along well. No one would know they were nine years apart in age if they saw them together. This was why Liam was convinced she was the one. He wanted someone he could relate well with as a wife. Forever is a long time to be with someone you can't stand. He nodded and replied, “Yes, it’s her. She’s working at my company-”“Liam… she’s like a sister to me. Are you really in love with her or you’re taking advantage of her?” Oliver questioned, his eyes narrowed down at his friend. “I wouldn’t propose to her if I didn’t love her-”“You what? Are you crazy? Do you think Uncle Adrian will agree? He knows you’re a player,” Oliver said. “You could have started by winning him over first.” “Well, I’ll do that but first, there’s something I need he
Liam's hand trembled when he held the familiar bracelet in his hands. What did this mean? Why was this bracelet with Aria?He took in a sharp breath, his heart clenching at the memory that flashed through his mind as he examined the bracelet. It was definitely this bracelet. He may not remember anything from that night but he remembered how brutal he was. The drug had taken full effect and he lost control. It was like a beast within him was unleashed and he devoured the woman who had walked into his room without mercy.This was why he felt guilty when he found out it was Sophia. He was so rough and probably hurt her during the session. This was why he kept her around to compensate her. However, the bracelet in his hand brought back part of his long-lost memory. The woman beneath him was struggling when he became so rough he had to grab her neck to pound into her like a crazed beast. He recalled how she held his wrist and the bracelet in his hand was on her wrist. The bracelet was m
"Why can't you take me seriously, cupcake? I really want to marry you," Liam said after Aria tried to brush off his words as bluff. Who didn't know that Liam never wanted to get married? He had been announcing it for years since she knew him. She chuckled and uttered, "You don't need to lie, Liam. I know you." Liam furrowed his eyebrows. He remarked, "There you go again using my reputation to judge me. I want to marry you, Aria. You're the right one for me... I can feel it in my bones."“B-But you haven’t even met my son yet,” Aria mumbled when she realised he wasn't joking. “I’ll meet him before we have our wedding,” Liam replied. Aria’s eyes widened into saucers. She asked, “We will have a wedding?”“Of course! Isn’t that how people get married?” Liam arched an eyebrow. “I thought you wanted a contract marriage. Like you need a wife and I’m available-”“It’s not a contract. I want to marry you for life,” Liam proclaimed. “Till death do us part.”Aria bit her lower lip as she th