I struggled to catch my breath after waking up, my body drenched from the cold water they had poured on me. Laughter from the people around me greeted my ears as I opened my eyes, filled with a growing sense of fear. "Who are you?" I asked, my voice shaking despite my attempt at bravado. A man was approaching me with a malicious grin spread across his lips as he peered down at me. "Do you not remember me?" he asked, tilting his head while studying me. "I won't bother asking if I know you," I replied defiantly. I turned my head sharply when a loud slap landed on my cheek. My jaw clenched, and I glared at him. "What have I done to you? Have I wronged you in any way for you to do this?" I questioned. "It seems you do remember me," he remarked with amusement. "Did you enjoy the gifts we left you? It was quite entertaining to watch you and your husband arguing in the parking lot by the way. It's not the right time to kill you both yet, and so... but you've left us with no choice. Yo
"Is this what you want, Aurora?" Lucas asked calmly. Just a few minutes after I woke up in the hospital, he was already giving me a sermon. My head was already hurting, and he was adding to it. "I've been telling you for a long time not to meddle in my life, but because of your stubbornness, this is what you get!" "Can you please be quiet?" I said irritably. "Lucas, I haven't even had enough rest, and now you're lecturing me—" "Because you're giving me another problem!" he shouted. "I told you that you'd just add to my problems, but you didn't listen to me—" "I never said to include me in your damn problems. I didn't ask for your help. You offered to help on your own, and I just accepted it. You didn't say that it would bother you to help. If you had let me know, I wouldn't have come along with you," I interrupted his tirade. It just hurts that he's blaming me for everything that's happening when, in fact, nobody wanted any of the things that happened to me after those damn peop
I looked at Lucas as he sat beside me. After all, I ended up staying in his condo. "Are you still mad at me?" he asked. Instead of answering, I focused on drying my hair. I had just finished taking a shower after almost three days of not being able to bath because of my head injury. But still, I didn't let myself get all sweaty and smelly. "Can I?" he tried again, gently holding the towel I was using to dry my hair. "Go to sleep," I commanded. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. I saw in the corner of my eye his nose scrunching slightly and a slight bow of his head. "I didn't really mean to blame you. I was just upset because you didn't listen to me. It's just... it's so hard to get you to follow what I want, which is also for your own good—" "Lucas, it's not my fault that I ended up in that situation!" I interrupted in disbelief. "No— what I mean is before that," he replied, slightly sounding frustrated. I just rolled my eyes at his actions. I stood up to go into the room and distance m
I marveled at the sea as I gazed out from the private jet Lucas and I were on. Looking at the sea made me really missed the time where I can go outside without worrying anything about my life at stake. "Exquisite, isn't it?" he asked with a smile, momentarily drawing my attention. I nodded slightly and continued to look at the vastness of the island. I wasn't sure if we were already on the island he was talking about, but wherever it was, I was sure I'd enjoy it to some extent, even if he left me in a house to attend a meeting. -flashback-"No, I'm not riding with you, Lucas. My death date is next month, and you're making me go to the heaven so early, seriously in this morning?" I objected when he said he would be the one to pilot the private jet that I am looking at. "Don't you trust me?" he asked. "No," I replied directly. How can I trust him when, right from the start, I hadn't seen him drive any aircraft? Second, I was aware that he was angry with me; what if he just dropped
"Lucas," I gasped as he continued to explore my femininity using his tongue. I grabbed his head and tried to pull it away from my intimate area. My body was trembling, my thighs were tensing, and my toes were curling from the sensations he was making me feel once again. "Release it, Aurora!" he commanded. As if he clicked the trigger in me, I release my juices out uncontrollably. I couldn't hold back anymore and let it all out, unable to stop it anymore. "Ahh..." I moaned as he touched me. I had just woken up, but now I was feeling sleepy again because of what he did. "Lucas!" I protested as he moved his fingers inside me, causing my body to jerk once more. He chuckled and slowly moved upwards. I couldn't bring myself to look at him when he tried to embrace me. I could feel his eyes waiting for mine to meet his, but I didn't oblige. "Do you want to swim?" he almost whispered. "You're infuriating," I replied with irritation, then pushed him away to get out from under him. "Wh
I responded to Lucas's passionate kiss, fully aware of the passionate embrace we were sharing. He lifted me and brought me back towards the shoreline. I wasn't sure how we ended up in this situation, but all I knew was that in an instant, he was carrying me, and there was no hesitation in his slightly aggressive kisses. Goosebumps rose on my skin as I heard his soft groan. I repeated my delicate touches using my wetness on his manhood that was inside his cotton shorts. I can feel the roughness of the cloth on my sensitive skin. "Damn it, Aurora!" he said in a husky voice. "Ahh..." I moaned as he teasingly stroked my bare and sensitive area. I felt a wetness between my legs as he grinds against me. The stars glittered overhead as I tried to look at him. Lucas took off his shirt, and then he buried his face to claim my lips once again. I could feel the dampness growing between my thighs as he dry-humped against me. "Lucas...." I allowed him to undress me, but I winced at the pain
I woke up in the early morning due to the noise coming from what Lucas was watching."Have you been awake for a while now?" I asked him, slightly startled about him watching at this hour.He had a serious expression as he continued to watch. Not paying any attention to me, I shifted my focus to the front and watched the reason why he looked almost about to cry. His eyes were too red. "At the moment, the tragic events are still under investigation, and it's been revealed that the culprit behind the disappearance of underage children nationwide is none other than the infamous Red, who has been previously reported due to the disappearance of minors in various parts of the country," the news anchor reported.I raised my eyebrows and adjusted my posture. "Red," I said, and I turned to Lucas, but he was already on the phone.I couldn't confirm whether the Red I knew was the one being mentioned in the news, but based on Lucas's expression, it seemed likely that it was. I covered my mouth wh
"Morning," Lucas greeted me as I opened my eyes. I blinked and reached for his face. He just chuckled and planted a kiss on my lips. I blushed and sank back, realizing I hadn't even brushed my teeth yet. "You said you'd arrive tomorrow," I said, pretending to be a bit upset. "Did you miss me?" he asked with a grin. I quickly shook my head. "Why would I miss you? I'm just worried I won't be able to go home and see Mommy," I replied. He leaned back and shrugged. I removed his arm that was resting on my waist and got up from the bed. "I bought you clothes," he said as I felt his presence behind me. I fixed my messy hair and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for the two of us. Once again, his strong arms encircled my waist. I left a space for his head between my shoulder, and my cheek so he can fully rested between them. "You smell bad," he said, slightly sniffing me. Even though I knew he was just teasing me, I couldn't help but sniff myself. I hadn't showered yesterday
I was sore down there. When I woke up, Lucas was still sound asleep. I rummaged through his clothes to find something to wear and cover my body. My outfit was ruined from the outside down to my underwear. He was a beast! Even though I could barely walk properly, I felt no regret. I wanted it, and I won't deny it. He didn't stop until I was begging him to. I only managed to rest for a bit, but I woke up to him making love to my body again. I went straight to the kitchen to get some water. I must have run out of fluids in my body because of what he did. He was trying to hold himself back earlier, but when he laid me down on his bed, it was like he was going to tear me apart. I coughed when I felt his arms wrap around my waist and Lucas burying his face in my neck. "One more?" he asked, pulling me slightly, causing me to feel his hardness against my back. "I'll cut that off," I threatened him. I hadn't even had a proper rest! He just laughed while teasing my breasts, and
"You want more?" I brought the pasta closer to her that I hadn't touched. I was busy watching her enjoy the food I made. She hesitated to look at it. "Don't you want it?" she asked. I shook my head. "I'm not hungry," I replied. "You're wasting food. You shouldn't have cooked so much," she complained, although she was smiling as she took my plate. "Take it easy on the wine. You have low alcohol tolerance," I reminded her. She just smiled at me and gave her full attention to the pasta she was eating. "Does your fiancé know that I'm the one you're visiting here? Does he even know me? Who I am in your life?" She stared at me for a long time while chewing slowly, as if she was thinking. "Of course," she eventually answered. "Do I know him?" "You do," she replied affirmatively. "I'm just going to change my clothes," I said as I left her there. How I envy her for being able to move on and heal her heart that fast while here I am, still stuck on the day when she left me. I quick
"Put me down!" she complained as I carried her like a sack of rice. "Stop squirming!" I said, starting to get annoyed. When I opened my car, I finally put her inside. She looked at me with such anger in her eyes that it felt like she wanted to kill me. "I dare you to open that damn door. It is not funny, Aurora," I said seriously. "Why are you forcing me to go with you? I already said I want to go home—" "And I insisted to take you to your hotel. Yet, we need to talk first." "We have nothing to talk about, Lucas." I turned to the driver's seat. "Yes, we do. You haven't told me why you came here. Was it so important that you flew here when you could have just called me—" She laughed, which made me turn to her. "Call you for what? So I wouldn't see your girlfriend?" "She's not my girlfriend," I corrected her. "You kissed, and now she's not your girlfriend? Damn, what? Are you going to throw your girlfriend away?" "That was an accident, Aurora! I didn't kiss her," I defended
I gasped a breath before facing her. She was silently looking at me while I faced her. A mix of anxiety and fear consumed my system, but I didn't let it show. "Aurora," I said her name. "Lucas," she called me. I could see the surprise in her eyes as if she didn't expect to see me in front of her now. Her eyes pierced through me and looked behind. Even without looking, I knew she was looking at Justine. "You left your girlfriend," she said, now unable to look directly into my eyes. "What are you doing here?" I asked her. After four years, here she is... in front of me. I don't know how to act because I was too shocked by the situation and the fact that she saw me in such a bad state. If... If I could just hug her tight, I would. My attention shifted to her lips as she bit them, something she does whenever she is holding back from saying something. I tried to follow her eyes, but it seemed she was avoiding our eyes meeting. "I got a job offer somewhere here. The driver dropped m
I had been staring at her face for a long time. I was controlling myself not to make a move just to avoid scaring her. She was crying in front of me, and God knows how hard I was trying to hold back the urge to pull her into my arms. Seeing her cry made me want to cry too. As much as I didn't want to see her in tears, I couldn't do anything. I couldn't blame her because I knew she was carrying a heavy burden in her heart. She left the Pines without clarity about what happened before. She planted anger, and it seemed that it hadn't gone away until now. I am not asking her to forgive me anytime soon. I just want to apologize for what I did. I know that forgiveness isn't easy. I never planned to say goodbye to her. It was never on my list to talk to her before I leave, but I had no choice; it seemed this was meant to happen. "Goodbye," I love you. I could no longer hold back the tears streaming down my cheeks, so I hurried back to my car. I cried quietly as I watched her in front
"Aurora left her kids here. I can't leave them," Chris began as he answered my call. "Where did she go?" I asked, raising my eyebrows in concern. She still hadn't gotten over what happened before. She still leaves our kids anywhere. "I told you I can't leave the kids. How will I know? I am in front of Aurora's parents' house. The kids are playing outside," he reported. "I'm heading there now," I replied and ended the call. I turned the steering wheel to go back. Christian had said he was going somewhere, and I couldn't leave my children unattended. I wouldn't forgive myself if something bad happened to them. This is the only way I can ensure their safety. I had been away for a long time, though not literally since there were times I visited Sitel even when they weren't aware. "Thanks," I thanked Chris as he said he was leaving. "Superman!" shouted a familiar child's voice that made me turn. I looked back to see who was calling. Liam had a big smile on his face. Looking at his
"What are you doing here?" Noah asked. He was in front of me. If looks could kill, I would have been lying dead a long time ago. There were just some police around us, and I know how it feels like. The difference is that I was imprisoned because of Aurora's wish for me to be locked up, while this guy in front of me was here because he tried to kill someone. "Did Aurora visit you?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer. I was hearing updates about what was happening with Aurora. Chris was helping me keep an eye on her. It's not that I wanted to invade her privacy, but I needed to. The last time I decided to stop checking on her, in just a span of a fucking second, her life was in danger again. "She has already been discharged from the hospital, for your information. It seems your mother didn't tell you or give any updates about Aurora yet," I added. I smirked when I saw that he seemed to be interested in what I was saying. I felt pity for this friend of Aurora's. He had
I was left sitting here outside the house. Several hours have passed, and until now, Lucas and my children have not returned yet. I have peeked multiple times at the passing vehicles, hoping that one of them carries Luna and Liam. I wanted so much to rest, but I can't. I will wait for them to come back here. I can't bear it if my children were to disappear from me as well. They are my only family. Lucas cannot just steal my kids away and hide them from me. I have more rights than he does if we are going to talk about the kids, but what can I do if he has completely kept them away from me? I wiped the tears that flowed from my eyes. I am getting tired of crying. If I had known this would happen, I would have just stayed inside the house. If I knew that leaving my children just to talk to their father would lead to being separated from them, I wouldn't have left them. I messed up my hair again. Thoughts keep racing through my mind. I swear to God. I could spend all my money just to
I was almost ready to fly my car. The problem was that due to rush hour, I was having a hard time weaving in and out. I had been honked at by the cars I was overtaking, but my desire to catch up with Lucas prevailed. I couldn't explain why I felt anxious. I had just said earlier that I would keep my kids away from him, yet here I was, nearly crashing my vehicle just to reach his condo building. Why didn't he tell me he was leaving? If Noah hadn’t told me, I wouldn’t have known at all. After everything, he was going to leave? He would just abandon everything and bury it all? Did he want to start a new life and live more quietly? I exhaled forcefully through my nose. I grabbed my hair in frustration while staring at the car in front of me. Those few seconds felt like several minutes. "Damn you, Lucas," I muttered angrily. I kept glancing at my cellphone. I couldn't sit still as time kept ticking away. I didn't even know if I would still catch Lucas at his condo. My eyes we