Fabian downed drink after drink. The bitter taste of the alcohol burned its way down his throat. He wasn't satisfied yet and took another swig. He wanted to drown himself in alcohol. He didn't understand himself. He hated to admit it, but Alfie was right about Gigi having nothing but his money. He knew that already, but it was hard to swallow the fact that she didn't care about him, only his money.He downed another glass of vodka hoping it would cloud his mind. He didn't want to think about anything, but he couldn't help it. There were so many what-ifs running through his head. What if Gigi found someone much wealthier than him? Or someone who could provide what she really wanted?Fabian let out a desperate sigh and downed another glass. He couldn't fathom what he would do if the time came when Gigi left him and went with a man who could give her everything. Yes, he could be that man, but he couldn't give a secure relationship. Damn, they weren't even in a relationship. What they had
Gigi bit her thumb while staring at her cellphone. She had been glancing at it repeatedly, growing increasingly annoyed with herself. Dyosa had already scolded her, saying she was becoming too clingy to the man—who, after all, was just a client.She wanted to throw a fit because Fabian hadn't contacted her for almost a week. Not a single call or message. She was starting to worry. Had he realized that she wasn’t worth his time and money? Did he not want her anymore? Had he found someone younger and fresher? A million questions swirled in her head."Hey, stop overthinking, girl. I already told you—don’t fall for clients. It happened to me before, and trust me, it hurts like hell when they remind you that you’re only good for their bed," Gracia warned. She was sitting on the floor, gulping down a bottle of liquor.Gigi pressed her lips together. Her friends knew how she felt about Fabian. She couldn’t say she was in love with him, but it sure felt like it."Who wouldn’t fall for a man t
"Gigi, someone’s looking for you. His name is Markus—handsome, tall, and nerdy. I already let him in since he smells so good," Alyana knocked on Gigi’s bedroom door.Gigi abruptly sat up from lying down. She groaned as dizziness hit her due to her sudden movement. Her head hurt from being heavily drunk last night. Thankfully, Dyosa brought her home earlier.Butterflies went wild in her stomach. What was Markus doing here? Did Fabian send him? Her heart pounded hard inside her ribcage. She clutched her chest as it started to hurt from the rapid beating. She was nervous about why Markus had come. She was sure it was an order from Fabian."Wait, should I go out?" she yelled as she got out of bed.Gigi hurriedly changed her clothes, making sure she looked presentable before facing Fabian's secretary. She couldn't help but feel anxious. The memories of last night rushed back, and she wished she could disappear from embarrassment. Now that her drunkenness had worn off, she felt like punchin
Gigi stirred awake, feeling a heavy weight on her lower body. She tried to move her feet, but the heavy thing prevented her from doing so.She sniffed, and the familiar scent assaulted her senses. She couldn't be mistaken, she knew that smell. The woman immediately opened her eyes, and there, she saw Fabian sleeping soundly beside her.After eating and taking a bath, Gigi chose one of the sexiest nighties. Even though it wasn't evening yet, she wanted Fabian to see her in it. She wanted to look sexy and delectable when he arrived. She wore a purple mesh nighty with a slit on the side that showed her sideboob, and she paired it with a purple lacy g-string that didn't actually hide anything.His face looked exhausted, but he looked peaceful. A day's worth of stubble printed on his jaw. His shoulder-length hair was disheveled, which made him look more attractive.He was naked, and the only thing he was wearing was boxer shorts. His hairy legs were wrapped around her legs. That's why it w
They say every person has their own standards when it comes to love. It's funny that people set standards as to what kind of person they want to love. Acceptance of all the flaws and weaknesses of a person is another definition of love. Standards are just society's way of dealing with the pressure. We tend to set them so we have reasons to choose the person whom we wanted to spend our life with. But in reality, we eventually throw those standards out of the window the moment our hearts beat for a certain person.Fabian traced Gigi's jaw with his finger. The gentle rise and fall of her chest was so peaceful to watch. The serenity etched on her sleeping face made his heart swell. She may have a messy past, but there was something in her that always made Fabian comfortable. Even though he knew that she was only after his money, he closed his eyes to that reality. As long as she's with him, he doesn't care about money or reputation anymore.His fingers ran into the rim of her parted lips.
Happiness is something that money can't buy. From other people's perspectives, they see happiness as a reward for grinding oneself to work and have enough money in their pockets. While people may have different views on money, the point is the same: money is important in people's lives. That was Gigi's belief before she met Fabian.She often thought that money was the answer to all her problems. Money for her mother's medicine, money for her siblings' tuition, money for them to eat every day. Back then, that was all Gigi thought about, but it's different now.Gigi turned to Fabian with a smile as he lay on a sun lounger. He looked so handsome, shirtless, wearing only swimming trunks. He was wearing sunglasses while his hair hung just above his shoulders. Fabian's hair was one of his many assets. His beard and mustache added to his rugged and manly look.It was her first time riding a cruise ship, and she couldn't contain her excitement. She never thought Fabian would take her seriousl
The cruise ship docked at the ports of Greece after seven days of wandering in the sea. The crew was so accommodating she felt like she was special.During the seven days of sailing, Gigi enjoyed herself immensely. She got the chance to take pictures at every corner of the ship, and Fabian was very patient with her whims. They stayed at the pool deck most of the time, especially at night. She enjoyed stargazing with him.The food on the cruise was great, and she felt like she had gained weight over the past seven days. She ate so much all the time, and Fabian just let her eat whatever she wanted. He spoiled her so much that Gigi sometimes thought she didn't deserve this kind of attention from him.Fabian was both generous in bed and with material things. What would happen if he woke up to the reality that she was just a paid companion?What would she do if she fell head over heels for him and he decided that she wasn't right for him?Her insecurities sometimes got the best of her. She
Fairytales and dragons. Dwarfs and witches. Unicorns and cyborgs. There are things in this world that are hard to believe. There are things that we think are hard to achieve, seem impossible, but come true. Life here on earth is full of what ifs, questions that floated in our minds, and we never dare to find the answers, because once we know the truth, it will cut deep. We think it's impossible, so we settled for what we thought is real.Gigi let out a breath countless times. The knee-length peach dress lay elegantly on the edge of the bed. It was beautiful in Gigi's eyes, and she was sure it was expensive.She sat on the edge of the bed, reached for the dress, and caressed it gently. The fabric felt soft on her palms. Next to the dress was a box containing shoes. It was a simple silver open-toe shoe. The hotel staff brought them. To be honest, she didn't expect Fabian to do something like this, and it warmed her heart for a woman like her, a woman who didn't deserve to be valued. Gig
A hearty laugh echoed through the McIntosh mansion's garden. The old businessman couldn't stop chuckling as he was informed about what happened at the Crown Tower. He would have been even happier if he had witnessed Fabian Romano lose his composure. If he could have seen the man crumble, he would have gone there himself. The man wiped the tears from his eyes, still overcome with laughter. He couldn't believe that the mighty Fabian Romano had been tricked by a woman. "Just look at the irony, that woman was Lozano's... companion before she became Fabian's. What a small world, they were mortal enemies after all." He clapped the man who had been his eyes and ears inside Fabian's office. "I have to give you an award for being the best actor, son. You did a fantastic job. You fooled him so well." He praised the man. They were sitting in the garden's gazebo, wine glasses in hand. They were celebrating Fabian Romano's small downfall. Even though
Gigi clutched the pillow tightly as Fabian pounded her back violently. There was no gentleness in his every move. His hands were all over her body, gripping hard, slapping her skin until it turned red. Gigi whimpered as his movements became even more aggressive. He beat her mercilessly. Her sex felt sore and her body ached. His hands held her waist so tightly she felt like her skin would rip off. But she endured it all, knowing why he was acting this way. “You. Are. Mine.” Every word he said was filled with unspoken anger. His voice was thick with bitterness. Gigi could feel the emotions he was trying to hide from her. He was hurting, deeply. This action of his was just a defense against the pain that consumed his heart, and Gigi fully understood it. In fact, she wanted to be punished for being the reason for his misery. He released her waist and hugged her from behind. Their sweaty skin touched. He was leaning into her bac
Fabian gripped the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles almost turned white. The tight grip on the wheel was the only thing keeping control over his burning rage. His car sped through the dark road. It was almost midnight and the streets were empty. His eyes stayed fixed on the road as he drove aimlessly into the night.His heart wouldn't stop pounding. Her pictures kept flashing in his mind. He had already seen that child in the pictures Gigi had shown him on her phone. The similarities were too obvious, but he hadn’t thought it was her daughter. She had a child—and that bastard Lozano was the father! Fate was making a complete fool out of him. Or had this been his plan all along? Did he deliberately make him meet the girl, capture his heart, and then leave him? Were they still in a relationship? So many scenarios spun around in his head, he felt like he was going insane.That bastard couldn’t get the better of him! How dare that woman play with his he
Vira never felt this kind of rejection before. She was born and raised like a princess; she always had everyone’s attention. She got everything she wanted. All women were jealous of her, and men dreamed of having her. She was educated and smart, and she knew her worth as a woman.Fabian made her feel like she was nothing. No one had ever made her feel that way! How dare this man treat her like trash. She was a McIntosh princess—she always got what she wanted. And now, she wanted that whore out of Fabian’s life. She wouldn’t allow herself to be upstaged by a cheap woman.Instead of leaving the office, Vira took a deep breath to calm herself. With years of practice, she had mastered her emotions. No matter what, she had to keep her composure. Holding her head high, she turned to face Fabian.He had his back to her, leaning both arms against the edge of his desk. His eyes were closed, as though he was lost in deep thought.
“Sir, Mr. McIntosh is waiting inside your office,” Markus greeted his boss as he walked in.The scowl on Fabian’s face screamed trouble for the employees. Whenever he looked like this, everyone made sure not to make mistakes—getting fired was almost certain. These were the days they hoped their boss wouldn’t even notice them.The poor secretary swallowed nervously. He was trembling because Fabian’s expression grew even darker upon hearing who was waiting for him. Markus knew exactly why his boss was in such a foul mood.Fabian didn’t say a word, not even glancing at his secretary. Markus hurriedly opened the office door for him, bracing himself for whatever storm might come today. He could sense it—this wasn’t going to end well.Fabian’s mood darkened even more when he saw the people sitting in the visitor’s chairs in his office. He’d already had a terrible start to the day, and seeing these two made everything worse. It had been two days since he last contacted Gigi.“Fabian, son! Ho
There was a long stretch of silence as they sat facing each other. Neither one of them wanted to speak first. But Gigi couldn’t take it; she didn’t want this to drag on in her unit. If this woman came to talk, she might as well start now so it could end sooner. She wanted her peace, and that would only be possible if she was alone.All her life, Gigi had been told she was beautiful—and she knew it too, she saw it in the mirror. But now, facing the woman who was about to marry Fabian, she couldn’t help but feel a tinge of envy. Beauty isn’t everything. It’s superficial and useless if it lacks substance.“What are we here to talk about?” Gigi was the first to speak. She looked up from her bowed head to meet her guest’s heavy stare.Elvira McIntosh sat on the single-seater sofa with so much confidence it made Gigi uncomfortable. Even in the way she sat, it was obvious—this woman was not ordinary. She was born with class and glamour. She's every woman’s dream.Gigi swallowed hard as a wav
Cold water trickled from the shower. Gigi just let the water flow from the showerhead. Her skin felt cold and her eyes ached from crying. Even though she was shivering, all Gigi could do was sit on the tiled bathroom floor and cry. She felt terrible, and there was nothing she could do but cry.Alfredo threw her out of the house like trash. She went straight to the condo after leaving his house. Her heart was boiling with rage—rage directed at herself. Gigi felt awful. After everything he did to her, he even had the nerve to threaten her. She felt hopeless and helpless.She wiped the tears that wouldn’t stop falling. She sat naked on the bathroom floor. All her life, she had been used to sleeping with strangers for money. Yes, she felt disgusted with herself for being that cheap, but what she was feeling now was far worse. Aside from not being able to defend herself, it felt like she had betrayed Fabian. Even though he knew nothing of what happened, she still felt like she had betrayed
The red liquid flickered against the firelight. She raised the goblet and scrutinized the crimson wine. Screaming Eagle Cabernet, the world’s most expensive red wine—a luxury only the wealthy could indulge in. She wanted to laugh at herself. Yeah, she’s rich. Beautiful. Educated. Those traits were supposed to elevate her, yet now they felt meaningless. She felt like a pitiful joke, utterly worthless.She took a swig from the goblet, then grabbed the bottle on the table and drank straight from it. She longed to drown herself in alcohol, hoping it might silence the questions raging in her mind.Elvira exhaled sharply and slammed the bottle onto the coffee table in her condo. Closing her eyes, she tried to steady herself. Her thoughts had spiraled for days, gnawed by insecurity—a weakness she despised herself for surrendering to.It had been a week since she’d rushed back from the States. Fabian had abandoned her there abruptly. She’d dismissed it as an emergency until an anonymous messa
There are things in the world that no matter what we do, we can’t control. It’s beyond our grasp and all we can do was just stare as fate takes over. We get hurt and we look for someone to blame. We choose to blame the people around us, the gods in heaven, or even ourselves. There's nothing else we can do but to cry over those things.Gigi suddenly sat up from her bed, jolted awake by a nightmare. She groaned as pain struck her. She held her head and stomach. They ached. Her womanhood was also throbbing in pain. Her body was in pain, a different kind of pain. She knew that pain, the pain of a violent intercourse. Her muscles screamed and her breasts were soft.The events that happened before she lost consciousness earlier came rushing back to her. Horror enveloped her whole being as realization hit her. No! I can’t be! This can’t be happening!She clutched her chest when she felt her heart pounding wildly. She didn’t want to accept the truth! But no matter how much her mind denied it,