It seemed Lana had got bolder since she had lived in Taguig, but she still couldn’t believe she had mustered up the courage to pop up at Xyrus's house. On the cab ride over, she was filled with nerves, but when she stood at his front door, she was certain she had made the right decision. All the fear evaporated at the first sight of him.Donned in his black pajama pants and a white t-shirt, Xy had swept her in his arms, holding her as she cried, just as she imagined he would. It was proof that he felt as deeply as she did, and being taken care of by him was just another layer in the relationship that was brewing between them.Now, he stood outside the bath, contemplating her request climb in. It was obvious he wanted to, she could see it written on his face, but the apprehension, probably tied in his fear of hurting her, was holding him back. Lana found it ironic that Xy was worried about hurting her, while her husband had no remorse during his attack.“Please,” she added to her ple
With his nerve inknots, Xyrus watched Lana take a deep breath, preparing to tell him her story. He had wanted answers, but now that they were staring him in the face, he wasn’t sure he was ready. Things had been so perfect, right up until they weren’t, and he wanted to know what had ruined them. But he didn’t want to ruin the good times they had shared together. It was a tricky place to be, but when Lana's eyes connected with his, he knew he was out of time.“The man that came to the event last night was Danny Asunta Buenaford. His mother is Filipina like me, and his Dad is American. Of course, he is technically speaking, he is my husband.” Lana's admission was made with shame in her eyes and Xyrus instantly felt guilty for the anger he had felt.When Lana used the word husband, he felt defensive and territorial, ready to tear this ma
It was dark and cold in the home that resembled a castle. Hiding in a back room they rarely used for anything other than guests, Lana could hear Danny marching through the house as he searched for her. His steps were heavy and from the slurring of his words, she knew he had been drinking. It seemed that more and more frequently he was coming home from his Hollywood parties with an axe to grind. She had barely recovered from his last late night of closed fists and hurtful insults. She didn’t want to be his punching bag tonight, so she hid in silence, listening closely for his every move.“Where the fuck are you, you stupid bitch?!” Dan yelled so loudly Lana thought the walls shook. She gasped from the shock of his tone, and instantly regretted it.“Oh, I hear you now.” His voice grew closer with every word until the bedroom door swung open.With reddened eyes and a tired look on his
“Mr. Ashington, I think, we should at least try to refurbish last year’s designs if we’re not going to use them,” Eros pleaded. He was in charge of the inventory of pet accessories and Xyrus's latest decision to get rid of the older designs sent him in a frenzy. “Eros, I’ll give you forty-eight hours to come up with a profitable alternative, but it just seems to me that we’re carrying over a loss.” Xy doubled down on his point. It was the third meeting of the morning for Xyrus, and he could feel himself getting more uptight as the minutes passed. He couldn’t focus the way he used to, blocking out everything around him. Leaving Lana alone had left him feeling anxious, hoping nothing happened while he was away. Meanwhile, he’d also been trying to work through all Lana had told him about her past relationship with her husband, which was still a strange concept for Xyrus to accept. He just couldn’t wrap his mind around Lana running from one city to the next, trying to escape the c
An ambulance driving by woke Lana after an unexpected slumber. When Xyrus left her alone in the apartment, it suddenly felt cold and lonely. She had run from one room to the next, looking in every closet and under her bed, fearful that Danny had found her.Once she was satisfied that she was alone, she did what she always did when Dan found her—she pulled her suitcase from the closet and began to throw her things in, ready to hit the road and run again. It had never been difficult, but this time was different. When she thought of leaving the friends she had made, and job she was growing to love, Lana decided she wasn’t ready to go.It was an emotional battle, one she lost to her bout of tears and frantic screams. When she finally threw the suitcase from the bed, she collapsed with exhaustion. It wasn’t until she finally woke up that she realized how tired she was.After Dan showed up at the charity event, Lana stayed up through the night—first arguing with him, and then finding a
"Do you see what I mean? You just need to find a way to alter the design for less than your inventory cost,” Xyrus explained, as he pointed to the statistical report in front of him.Glancing at the sheet, Eros nodded in agreement. “Yeah, but Xyrus, these aren’t the same type of costumes as the new designs.”“That’s why I suggested just scrapping them altogether. Donate them to a charity or find a better use for them, but the cost of storing them has made them too expensive to continue to carry over,” Xyrys said.Eros nodded again before telling Xy he would draw up some solutions and send them over to his office. It was another meeting that Xy insisted on scheduling. After his morning reign of terror, he wanted to correct the relationships he might have damaged, or at least altered. Eros was one of his oldest employees, joining the company when they first bought commercial space, so he didn’t want to offend or ostracize such an integral part of his organization. When his mind was f
“Hello, I have reservation for two under Xyrus Ashinton," Xyrus announced.“Mr. Ashington?” The young male host repeated his name, like he couldn’t believe it was him.“That’s me,” Xyrus offered a half a smile.“Yes, sir! Of course. Please, this way,” the young man said, before grabbing two menus and leading Lana and Xyrus through the dining area.As they walked through the restaurant, Lana was wondering what the host’s reaction was all about. She knew Xy was a big deal and respected in his professional world, but from the way the host reacted she would have thought Xy was a movie star.“The best table in the restaurant, sir,” the host began, as they arrived at a table for four.“Is that so?” Xy asked.“Yes, sir. You have the best view of the water, and you get more privacy than anywhere else. Will this be okay for you, sir?” “Of course. Thanks a lot,” Xy smiled, before pulling Lana’s chair out so she could be seated.After placing the menus on the table, the host informed Lana and X
Lana couldn't believe those words had just come out of her mouth. Why had she invited him up? But Xyrus was everything a real man should be. He made her feel safe, which was a welcome feeling after being afraid for so long. And the way he looked at her made her feel like the only woman in the room. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she couldn’t help but wonder if Xy was too good to be true. He seemed the exact opposite of Dan in so many ways. Would the fantasy end soon? She hoped it didn’t, but the cold reality of her life was always weighing on her. When he opened the passenger door, she got out, her ribs still sore when she moved. “How are you feeling?” he asked. “What do you mean?” she asked. He glanced her way. “I noticed you winced when you got out of the car.”She looked at him and smiled. “I’m okay. Just a little stiff.”He was shaking his head, muttering something under his breath. “I am so sorry, sweetheart. I will never forgive myself for letting you out of my sigh