A week passed and the netizens seemed to have forgotten about Taylor’s new girl. Just like Phyllis had expected, people did not find this rumor significant or special. It’s not that shocking if Taylor and Harriet became a thing—even more so if he replaced her with a new girl. They simply moved on with their lives instead of gushing over this ‘groundbreaking’ couple. Far from the eye of the entertainment news, Leila was couped up in her apartment. She prioritized the suits that she’s making for Luna and she made significant progress since she pulled an all-nighter. She’s just trying to finish one more suit so she can go back to finishing the dresses that she plans to add to the collection. “I really should hire more helpers…”She realized that her mother was right. The collection that she’s presenting at the opening of her atelier is the work that she has created through the years. She suffered from an intense art block and was struggling to get her creative pace back. She’s goin
“Alright, alright. I’m on my way, Cassiel! Stop rushing me~” she said with a light chuckle. Later at night, Cassiel invited her for a night out. It was timely since she’s been couped up in her apartment for a week now. She wanted to at least unwind and have a few drinks with her friend. Before entering the lift, she knocked on Phyllis’ door and loudly asked, “Are you really not coming?!”“NO! There’s a lot of people outside!” she heard Phyllis yell from inside. “Okay, suit yourself,” muttered Leila before rushing to the lift. She’s opened a ride-hailing app to quickly book a ride. She’s not driving herself to the bar since she plans on drinking. Besides, she’s going to the Zeus Club in Dixon City. It’s an hour’s drive from her place so she doesn’t want the trouble of driving. In an instant, she was notified that the 4-seater car she booked was close by. She walked out of the lobby while checking her stuff inside her miumiu hobo bag. She brought a pressed powder and her lipstick
His big hands trailed on her back as if it was the most natural thing to do. It made her feel so… so… hot…It felt… Exciting.At the back of her mind, she wondered who this man was. However, she was having so much fun, that she didn’t want to spoil the moment. She felt a little giddy trying to guess the mysterious man’s identity. Was he someone she knows?Was he someone new?Either way, she wants someone to stir up her night.Besides, she believes that if it’s someone she has to be wary of, Cassiel would have yanked him away. And so, decided to enjoy the moment. Her perked buttocks lightly grazed the man’s thigh. She did not mind, these usually happen in the club. “Oh, sorry,” said the man behind her. Hearing his deep and husky voice made her extremely curious. ‘I know this guy!’Perhaps, it was because of the alcohol, or the loud music that she could not discern the man’s identity. But she was certain that she knew him. Ultimately, curiosity got the best of her, and turned a
A petite lady dressed in a maxi dress and a brown cardigan stood behind Leila and Andrei with her hands on her hips. Her expression suggests that she’s extremely angry at the duo seated in the bar. Leila sighed. She took off Andrei’s coat before passing it to the lady. “Ruby, it’s a good thing you picked up Andrei.”“I’ll leave you two alone,” added Leila before leaving. “WAIT!” Ruby yelled; again. She grabbed Leila’s arms. ‘Now, what?’She tried to hide her irritation with a polite smile. “Why?” Ruby looked up to meet Leila’s eyes. Leila stood even taller than Ruby because she wore stilettos. Her eyes were sharp and very hostile towards Leila. “Why are you with Andrei?”Leila paused, finding Ruby’s question a bit silly. “Uhh… I’m not. But you can ask him why he keeps on bugging me.”Ruby frowned. “So you’re saying he’s pursuing you?”Leila gave Andrei a side-eye. He was not doing anything to prevent Ruby from confronting Leila. He just stood on the side, watching the scene unfo
—present time from Chapter 3~~~Leila rustled on the couch in her office with the roses that Taylor gave still in her hand. Her head ached as she struggled to get up from her rest. She has sleep marks all over her arms and thighs. It was as if she had fallen into a deep, deep sleep. She knew had a long dream. It felt so real and vivid. But for some reason, she cannot remember anything as soon as she woke up. Her mind was still empty, trying her best to recall her dream. “Ugh…”She looked down at the shiny crystals all over the bouquet. It was the prettiest bouquet she had ever received. Red roses are her favorite flowers and she also loves jewels. Taylor gave both to her in one bouquet. “It’s so pretty…” she murmured. She blushed at the sight of the lovely roses. Again, she’s a simple lady. Of course, her heart flutters when a handsome man gives her flowers.And just like that, the image of Taylor being a player dissipated from her mind. It was as if she never witnessed what
The day continued without any issues. She got back to work and saw clients who came in to book a dress consultation with her. These are the clients that reached out to her before her opening. And so of course, they are her priority. Most of the consultations that she did were for bridal dresses. It seems to be a popular trend these days to have simple ball gowns for brides as she’s been getting a lot of requests for these. Good thing she has a catalog for her designs. “Miss, I’ll head out now,” said Michaella who just finished cleaning up the documents she presented to Leila. “Thanks for today, Micha.”It was already six in the evening and just wrapped up for today’s work. They have received a lot of inquiries about their designs on the first day of their opening. It seems that the fashion show hooked some good prospective clients. She stood up, gazing outside of her balcony to see the garden view. She has poured most of her savings into cultivating such a beautiful garden. Truth
“Oh… we’re close…?”Taylor smiled at her. “Yes, we’ve grown closer since the encounter in the club last time.”Laura grabbed a dumpling and placed it in her bowl. “Oh, you went to a club with my Leila.” She curiously asked. “Yes, Auntie. She was being confronted—“Ah! Yes, Mom, we’re close because of our common friend. You know Cassiel, right? He’s in the same group as Zacharias and Taylor is their boss,” explained Leila after cutting off Taylor. She forced a smile as she kicked Taylor’s legs under the table, afraid that Taylor would tell her mother what happened in the club. If her mother found out what Ruby and Andrei did, she’d be scolded. Taylor smirked. “It’s good to make great friends, Leila. Now that you have your own business, surround yourself with successful businessmen like Taylor so you can get some advice from him.”“Yes, Auntie. I’ll help Leila with her business. She can always come to me anytime.”Laura nodded, satisfied with Taylor’s answer. “You’re a great child.
After dinner, she went out to the powder room to freshen up before heading home. As usual, she touched up her lipstick. This time, she wore a nude pink color which complimented her pink floral dress. “Oh… You’re here.”Leila immediately saw Ayla, who just entered the comfort room. ‘What on earth! Not again!’Ayla was dressed in a lovely green flowy dress. Her hair was tied in a low bun, sporting a clean look. “I heard that you opened an atelier. Congratulations.”Ayla’s words were clearly laced with sarcasm that Leila couldn’t help but chuckle. She did not bother hiding her disgust and showed it right to Ayla’s face. Leila just threw her a glance before fixing her hair in front of the mirror. Her hair color is starting to fade into light pink which complimented her fair skin. Because of the constant hair coloring she does, it becomes a little dry. And so from time to time, she applies a hair cuticle coat to help moisturize it. “I sent Julius on my behalf to congratulate you. Good
Leila — “Mommy~” Lucienne Lown, my daughter, ran towards me with her arms spread wide. She was wearing a beautiful pink dress that I made for her paired with cute white sandals. “Lucy, don’t run fast!” Taylor Lown, my husband, anxiously ran after our daughter. Yes. Husband. We got married weeks before Lucy was born. Well, it was a shotgun civil wedding. I thought that instead of waiting until Lucienne was born, I just figured we do it before the due date. Of course, Taylor was all for it. He was so quick to arrange the most beautiful ceremony and reception I could ask for in that short amount of time. He did not dilly dally as he was afraid of me changing my mind. His words, not mine! I smiled as spread my arms, hugging Lucienne. “My light…” I kissed her curly hair. “Mommy, can I play with Esme?” Lucienne pointed at Esme, Rui’s daughter, who was walking around the beach with her older brother, Eon. “Sure, darling.” “Daddy, can you accompany Lucy down with Esme
Leila — I got discharged from the hospital a week ago, and I am now staying in my mother’s house upon her insistence. After my parents found out about my pregnancy, they practically threatened me to go home with them. Well, it’s mostly just my mother who threatened me, but my father did worry about letting me live alone after that damn stabbing incident. Every now and then, Taylor would visit the house to talk to my dad about the progress of the investigation. And right now, he’s downstairs talking to them again. Whenever he’s around, I’d pretend to be busy so I have an excuse to not see him. However… “Miss, Ma’am Laura is calling for you. She said she needs you to come down now.” “Tell her I’m busy,” I answered. “But ma’am Laura said she’s not going to take no for an answer…” The maid frightfully ran downstairs, avoiding any of my rejection. “What do they need now?!” I can’t just go down… I can’t see him! But my mother might drag me down if I don’t go down there… Ais
Taylor — “Thank you, handsome!” An old florist passed a beautiful bouquet of roses to me with a huge smile on her face. “I made it extra pretty for your wife,” she winked. With an image of Leila’s beautiful smile flashing in my mind, I unknowingly smiled. “Thank you. She loves roses.” The florist threw in a few petals of lilies on the side and said, “Well, take this lilies for your daughter.” “I— “Ah, ah, ah! It’s okay, don’t refuse! I want to put a smile on your daughter’s face as well. She must have been burdened on making your wife feel better.” “You should do better, handsome.” Confused with the florist’s vague words, I couldn’t help but frown. Still, it’s not like I have a daughter to make a big deal out of it. I walked out of the flower shop and headed back to my car to drive by Leila’s atelier. After everything that happened, perhaps I can formally court her this time. I’ve been so engrossed with work and helping with Leila’s case that I have put my love on hol
Theodore intimately held Laura’s hands, and with a relieved smile, he said, “I’m so happy that the most important woman of my life gave me a chance to express my side.” “I fear of losing you both, especially now that I experienced such a blissful family life.” A surge of warmth emanated from the loving couple in front of Leila. Seeing how her mother’s messy love life unfolded in front of her eyes, she couldn’t help but feel a little bad. She realized that convincing her mother to divorce her father was completely out of line. Rather, she finally understood how deep their love developed. ‘Who am I to ruin such a beautiful couple?’ ‘I don’t even feel that hurt because of what he did… I know, and I can feel that he did it with good intentions.’ ‘The only thing I need to worry about is my family… My mother is already so old, she can figure out the life on her own.’ She instinctively touched her tummy, feeling the baby bump. ‘So long as I have my baby, I know it will all work out
“Darling, you’re awake…” Theodore slowly walked up to the mother and daughter who were staring at him silently. “Did you hear from your mom already?” “About what? That I’m your biological daughter?” She passively asked. With the whirlwind of happenings the past day, everything is just overwhelming Leila. The neglectful father that she knew growing up turned out to not be her biological father. All her life she craved for her father’s affection only to be cast aside without knowing the reason why. It turns out, Allen Parker may have a reason for doing so. After all, not everyone can treat stepchildren as their own. ‘I don’t know if I should be relieved or what… This is so frustrating…’ Leila’s eyes were focused on Theodore who sat next to her mother. “Leila, darling…” “Why didn’t you tell us?” Theodore hesitated, his face looking a bit conflicted. “Darling, it’s complicated…” Laura sneered. “That’s what I asked him, Leila. He never explained why. If you didn’t urgentl
“The baby seems very healthy, Mommy!” Said the doctor as she checked on Leila’s pelvic ultrasound on the screen. “But the baby bump is barely there, doc. What should I do?” With her slender body, she’s still concerned about how the bump that she wishes to see is barely visible. The OB-Gynecologist wiped the cold jelly from her belly and said, “Mommy, I can see a small bump. You’re just naturally fit. But if you observe your body, there are changes.” “I bet you had a really flat stomach before you got pregnant. Am I right?” Leila nodded. The doctor pointed at the visible bump in her lower abdomen area. “This bump right here is not there before right.” “But it’s not big yet… Is my baby getting all the nutrition she needs?” “Of course, mommy. It’s just that your tummy won’t grow that big yet. But it will definitely as your baby develops.” Leila reluctantly nodded. “Alright, doc. Thank you.” “No problem. Visit me whenever you have concerns and don’t miss your scheduled prenat
Several weeks passed in a blur, and it was now Rui’s wedding. It was initially planned for her wedding dress to be loose so that it wouldn’t show her figure. But since she gave birth to her daughter, Esme a few weeks before the wedding. She was able to rest and spend more time with her newborn. The entire wedding preparations were handled by her husband, Chase. Leila expertly adjusted Rui’s gown to perfectly flatter her body. They were all satisfied with how the gown turned out. “Lei, where is Esme?” Rui in a beautiful chiffon gown asked Leila. The guests are having fun as they proceed with the wedding activities. “She’s sleeping in her room and Phyllis is looking after her,” answered Leila as she sipped on the sparkling soda that was handed by a server. Rui sincerely smiled, “Thank you, Lei.” Leila squeezed her hands, “Of course, I got you, my dearest.” Rui then went on with the activities with her husband, Chase. As one of the Maid of Honor, she was in charge of helping
Leila was carefully driving her car back to her mother’s house after driving her friend, Phyllis to the airport. On their street, she saw a lot of cars parked near Phyllis and Zacharias’ house. “Are they media people…? That’s a lot…” The amount of people with big cameras waiting outside her friend’s house is insanely plenty. Just a few days ago, Phyllis’ husband was hospitalized because a crazy fan attempted to kidnap him. Now, people got a hold of this incident and were eager to get a scoop about it. “So that’s why Taylor told me not to go out…” “Well… No wonder that couple decided to flee the country.” She then parked her car in front of the house’s front entrance. She swung her keys as she walked inside her mother’s house. “Leila?!” Her mother jolted up from the couch as soon as she walked in. “What’s up?” “You! What did you do now?!” Confused, Leila asked, “What did I do…?” “First, you lied to Aunt Amanda about Rui’s wedding and impulsively went home. We’re not don
KNOCK KNOCK Leila was drying her hair after a warm bath when she heard a knock on her door. “It must be him.” She hurried out of her room and opened the door. There, she saw Taylor standing outside, his whole body drenched from the rain. “Goodness, what happened to you?!” “Haha… It rained and I forgot to bring an umbrella.” “You didn’t drive?” “Why would I drive if there’s a convenience store nearby?” His hair is still dripping wet and the rainwater made Taylor’s dress shirt see-through. His lean body is showing because of this. His body was shivering from the cold, but still, he smiled as he handed over the plastic full of food that Leila requested. Feeling a little sorry for his appearance, she bit her lips. “Uh…” “Why don’t you come in and change?” She offered. Taylor beamed, “Sure!” He quickly took off his shoes and went inside. Leila could only watch him as he wore the fluffy pink bunny slippers he used before. ‘I mean, I’ll feel guilty if he gets sick aft