Surprisingly to say, the older folks date was going well. Partially because they both went on gushing about their kids in turn and didnt shy away from mentioning their dead loves once or twice. That was ofcourse until Dragana dropped the bombshell. “What are we to each other Lucas?” She asked quietly. It was no secret that she was greatly enourmered by the man sitting directly opposite of her in the small vintage diner. But she wasnt the kind to drag things along. And blurry lines werent her favourite geometry. Lucas gulped. He quickly raised his champagne glass and in one long sip he emptied it before facing her. “It has been a while since i felt this nervous talking to a woman.” He admitted making Dragana smile. “Tell me about it.” She scoffed. “I got my daughter’s blessing.” Lucas said looking at Dragana in the eye.“My son gave his too”“Really?” Lucas beamed. Dragana nodded. “Does that mean we can make it official?”“Make what official?” Dragana asked making Lucas frown.“Our
FOUR YEARS LATER…Isabella couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight that met her eyes once she entered her daughter’s bedroom. The older was sprawled on the floor obediently while his granddaughter painted his entire face with all sorts of stickers, not to mention the colorful rubber bands holding his cropped hair messily. “Look Mummy!” The little girl shouted excitedly. “I am making gramps pretty.”“I can see that pumpkin.” Isabella chuckled. “Dont laugh.” The older man grumbled. But he too couldnt hide his happiness. “You are getting soft, oldman.” Isabella taunted. “Only for her.” The older man retorted. “For her i would go to the depths of hell and combat Lucifer if need be.” Isabella smiled wider. She knew those words to be true. Her daughter, Davina was immensely loved and protected. She will never know suffering like her mother did. The train of thought had Isabella flashabcking a few years ago when she had surmised that happiness was never in the cards for her. Boy had she b
Isabella slammed the door shut on her new bodyguard's face. She didn't understand why her father felt the need to hire yet another bodyguard after the last eight had quit in the last one month. She smiled ruefully, thinking of ways to make the unsuspecting fool take off in a day or less. Slumping, back down, onto her bed, Isabella exhaled heavily, rubbing her temples. She needed to find a way to get rid of her supposed shadow the soonest, so she could get her friends over without anyone knowing as usual. Before she could formulate a candid plan, there was a light tapping on her bedroom door. She ignored it, but the person on the other side of the door proved to be persistent.“What?” She snapped, yanking the door open, and came face to face with a deliciously male species she called her bodyguard. Unlike a while ago when her father did the introductions, the man had ditched his jacket and the tie. He had also undone the two top buttons of his shirt and folded the sleeves carelessly to
When Asher got to the Address, Isabella was nowhere in sight. He tried asking the intoxicated-stricken brats he saw running from what would be a crime scene with no doubt, but no one knew where she was. A thought occurred that perhaps she had left, but he dismissed it. She had sounded too shaken up on the phone, which meant she hadn't gone far. He began looking around the property himself. That's when he came across the bloody body lying next to the pool. He quickly stepped past it carefully and headed for the lady's washrooms. Even before he entered, he could hear someone sobbing inside. “Miss Garcia,” he tried calling multiple times, but got no response. “Isabella,” he thought that perhaps using her name would draw her out, but it was a dead end as well. He finally gave up trying and stalked in, entirely ignoring the female-only huge ass sign. There she was. Huddled at the corner of the counter, hugging her knees miserably. The sight bugged Asher. “Isabella,” he muttered, but she di
Isabella woke up the following day with a massive headache. Probably because she had cried herself to sleep. After she had ordered Asher off her room, she had gone back to viewing pictures and at some point, she got overwhelmed and pulled a joint she had stashed in a drawer. It wasn't surprising when she empty the plate afterward. But once she finished eating, it was like her grief hit again. Ten folds. “Fuck!” She groaned, looking for the Advil she keeps for such occasions. She quickly took a pill and gulped much-needed water before sitting on the toilet with a sigh. After emptying her bladder, Isabella jumped right into the shower. She was feeling all sticky and worn. Standing under the warm water, Isabella's mind drifted to Asher. He had been decent with her yesterday, despite how curt and rude she had been with him. She planned to take it easy on him henceforth. Turning off the shower, Isabella grabbed a towel and wrapped it around herself before sauntering back to her bedroom. Th
Isabella was grumpy the following morning. She ignored Asher, not sparing him even a glance unless when absolutely necessary. His rejection the night before still stung. By midday, she announced that she wanted to go out shopping. What Asher didn't know was that after the shopping spree, Isabella wanted to go to a bar. He accompanied her nonetheless because that is his job. She was surprisingly well-behaved if not for the man she was currently sucking faces with. It bothered Asher, more than he would like to admit, but he kept his cool and stomached the discomfort. Hours passed by with Isabella and her male friend having a good time. Afterward, she surprised Asher by demanding he take her to Silvia's home to pay her last respects. “You are drunk,” Asher drawled. “I hadn't realized, genius!” She retorted, leaving no room for arguments. Unknown to Asher, Isabella drank purposely for that reason. Otherwise, she couldn't be able to face the grieving parents in a sober state. As Asher tor
Asher laughed. A burst of full belly laughter, which fuelled Isabella's anger. “What's funny?” She snapped her heaving up and down erratically. “You, ma'am,” Asher said simply. “You are what is funny for thinking you can just fire me, yet you didn't employ me. Tsk tsk…”Isabella got on her feet suddenly, pushing her half-eaten plate carelessly. “You are gonna regret this.” She promised with a deathly glare. She then turned to Marcia and Paul with a smile. “I will see you later,” she hurried out of the kitchen, and Asher had no option but to scurry after her. She banged her bedroom door to his face, and a minute later Maroon 5 blasted on her speakers. Asher felt his replacement for the night couldn't have come sooner. The spoiled brat was definitely trying to drive him insane.*****The following day was the hardest for Isabella. She put on a short lacy dress ready to go talk about her best friend in the past tense, and it was daunting. Luckily, Marcia was coming with her, for the ol
Back at home, Silas Marlowe was humming praises for his amazing son, who was going to avenge his dear wife. He picked their wedding photo from the nightstand and traced her face with his fingers. After so many years, finally his son Asher would bring justice to their family. Asher was already in place at Garcia's mansion waiting for the right time to make his move. “Very soon, my dear, your son will avenge your death.” He spoke to her image. It has been more than thirty years, but the man was still hung up on the injustice he thought was done to his family. The Garcia's used to own the biggest pharmaceutical in the city, and most cancer drugs used to be found there. But then they closed down, creating an instant shortage of the drugs and an obvious increase in prices of the little left in the market. And since Silas and his wife were just mere earners, they couldn't afford to keep up with the medications and in return, his wife's health deteriorated, and eventually, she died. Asher wa
FOUR YEARS LATER…Isabella couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight that met her eyes once she entered her daughter’s bedroom. The older was sprawled on the floor obediently while his granddaughter painted his entire face with all sorts of stickers, not to mention the colorful rubber bands holding his cropped hair messily. “Look Mummy!” The little girl shouted excitedly. “I am making gramps pretty.”“I can see that pumpkin.” Isabella chuckled. “Dont laugh.” The older man grumbled. But he too couldnt hide his happiness. “You are getting soft, oldman.” Isabella taunted. “Only for her.” The older man retorted. “For her i would go to the depths of hell and combat Lucifer if need be.” Isabella smiled wider. She knew those words to be true. Her daughter, Davina was immensely loved and protected. She will never know suffering like her mother did. The train of thought had Isabella flashabcking a few years ago when she had surmised that happiness was never in the cards for her. Boy had she b
Surprisingly to say, the older folks date was going well. Partially because they both went on gushing about their kids in turn and didnt shy away from mentioning their dead loves once or twice. That was ofcourse until Dragana dropped the bombshell. “What are we to each other Lucas?” She asked quietly. It was no secret that she was greatly enourmered by the man sitting directly opposite of her in the small vintage diner. But she wasnt the kind to drag things along. And blurry lines werent her favourite geometry. Lucas gulped. He quickly raised his champagne glass and in one long sip he emptied it before facing her. “It has been a while since i felt this nervous talking to a woman.” He admitted making Dragana smile. “Tell me about it.” She scoffed. “I got my daughter’s blessing.” Lucas said looking at Dragana in the eye.“My son gave his too”“Really?” Lucas beamed. Dragana nodded. “Does that mean we can make it official?”“Make what official?” Dragana asked making Lucas frown.“Our
"Please don't hurt her." Asher found himself begging. "You don't have to pretend to care for this wench son, " Silas responded smoothly. "I already confessed our plan to her. "Not to worry, she won't leave to tell a soul. You can go back to finish the rest like we agreed on." Isabella didn't even feel when the tears started. She was too hurt to feel anything, let alone liquid flowing down her cheeks. Asher wanted to fight. But he couldn't. For the fear that his old man might hurt his Isabella. So he decide to play along. Knowing very well that Isabella will never look at him the same way again. But at this point, there was no other option. He would rather have her alive and well hating him, because the alternative was unthinkable."And how will I explain that she slipped out of my watch?" He asked in a bored tone throwing Silas off the track momentarily. Isabella froze. Up until then, a small part of her heart hoped that everything was some twisted joke to test her trust in Asher. But
Asher couldn't contain his haywire horrific thoughts as he drove towards his childhood home breaking every speeding limit known to man. He knew his old man too well to know he wasn't bluffing about hurting Isabella. After all, he had been preparing all his life for that exact moment. Asher hadn't dared tell anyone of the call afraid that he would get the blame he so deserved for putting Isabella once again in harms way. He surprised himself when he began chatting to the deity to keep Isabella safe where his own strength would fail. By the time he got there, Silas had more than managed to convince Isabella that she was nothing more than a vengeance tool for Asher. "I am here, now you can let her go." He screamed at his old man kicking the basement door open. Isabella didn't even lift her eyes to look at him. She felt so betrayed and used and damn a fool for never questioning her knight in a black suit, earpiece and gun who practically appeared in her life when she desperately needed s
Silas Marlowe was in a foul mood. Scratch that; he was livid. Seeing red literally. His 'heroic' son had proved that when you want something done, you should do it yourself. That's why Marlowe was preparing to go after the Garcia's himself now. And if his ungrateful son attempts to get in the middle, Marlowe would serve him a similar fate to that of his enemies. While the occupants of the Garcia mansion relaxed, thinking all the threats against them had been neutralized, one bodyguard worried. For he knew his father too well, and there was no talking him out of the vengeance scheme that he had planned all his life. But what he didn't expect, was that his father was already on the move. It was two days after Isabella found out that the people closest to her had been keeping a vital secret from her, and she hadn't attempted to talk to any of them since. That's why when she left to meet with her old friend Elton, she didn't let Asher accompany her as always. Instead, she chose one of th
Isabella sputtered in surprise, not believing that Asher could be that shameless in front of her father. “Did you need anything?” She asked hurriedly. “Are you trying to get rid of me?” Lucas coughed awkwardly, forgetting momentarily why he had come into the kitchen to begin with. “Of course not but…” Isabella trailed, realizing that fast that Lucas was just messing with her. Their relationship had improved greatly, and she was slowly getting used to his witty side that she never knew existed. “What do you really want, dad?” “I thought we could talk.” Lucas replied seriously. It's about time he came clean to Isabella about her biological father and everything else Marina would have wanted her to know. Lucas had conveyed the thought to Marcia, who too agreed it's about damn time. “About?” Isabella frowned. One look at Lucas and Asher knew he should excuse himself. Kissing his girlfriend briefly on the forehead, he left, assuring her that her was going straight back to bed. Marcia h
It had been over three weeks since Isabella and her old man returned to their old mansion. Though Lucas was adamant about it, the two have already enlisted the mansion for sale and a new place is almost ready for them to move in. Isabella felt they had a lot of bad memories in the house to keep kivbg there like nothing had happened. Especially after Edith's hearing a week ago where she finally had the guts to tell Lucas to his face that he didn't father her daughters. And though Asher had already told Isabella and Lucas that days prior, it still sounded so callous and cold coming from the horses mouth. That left Isabella conflicted. On one hand she hated her step siblings, Jacinta and Olivia. But after the revelation, she pitied them more. Must be hurtful to know of their shameful bloodline. One moment they called him grandfather the next they can't fathom calling him father. After much negotiations, she and Lucas agreed the two had no choice in how they got into the world. But at the
“Shut up asshole.” Someone mumbled shakily. Leave it to Bich to water down heavy moments. The wailing couple didn't even seem like they had noticed the surrounding bickering. They only had eyes for each other. “ I can't believe you are back,” Isabella moaned, tightening her hands on her lover. It had been quite tough holding on to the belief that Dragana would get Asher back for her. “I am here.” Asher croaked, thankful for finally having the one person he can't imagine a life without in his arms. All the torture that Fredric had put him through felt worth it. He would gladly go through it again to ensure Isabella is safe. “You are here.” Isabella agreed. Marvelling at how surreal it all felt. “You are really here.”“He really is.” Bich spoke up once again in what felt like exasperation, but in reality his eyes were barely seeing anything. “Can we cut down the waterworks now?” Everyone laughed throatily. Asher realized Isabella was too emotional to let. And he would rather not sto
Asher grinned. In as much as he hated to see Isabella cry, it thrilled him immensely to see her emotional reaction due to his return. She squealed, decidedly freezing in her steps as undoubtedly happy tears flowed non-stop. “Go hug him already.” Dragana prompted, but Isabella didn't budge even a muscle. She wanted to. Badly. But her body didn't obey her mind, no matter how much she willed it to. Anyone present couldn't keep their emotions in check as Asher did the moving. More like limped to where his girlfriend stood and pulled her fiercely into his arms. For the two emotionally drained lovers, it felt like coming back hone as after months of starvation in the desert. They clung into each other and for the first time ever, Asher didn't give a damn who was watching or not. He broke down and sobbed his heart out alongside his girlfriend at the glare of their friends shamelessly. Thing is, no one would have dared judge them among their spectators be because none could claim dry eyes. T