"Hey," He greeted once he opened the door, "I was just about to give you a call." "Right," she nodded, stepping into his home. A delicious smell wafted into her nostrils. "Are you..." she began and he interrupted. "I made some pancakes," he said, seeming a bit shy, "I woke up quite late and I only just got around to cleaning up. Do you want some?" She thought about her food sitting in her pots. "Sure," she beamed. "Syrup?" He offered, handing her a plate as they sat together on a long sofa. She shook her head. Biting into one chocolate chip goodness, she barely stifled a moan. Sebastian watched as Aurora gobbled up his pancakes, her eyes wide with delight. He stifled a chuckle, pleased. "I didn't know my cooking could make you relax so well," he commented when she had ravished all the pancakes in her plate, "I should cook more." Aurora blinked then blushed for shame. "You cook well," she complimented, setting down the plate on a side stool. She looked down at her hands and gl
"How in heaven's name is this possible?" Aurora stared at the papers in her hands with disbelief written all over her face. Sebastian was calm, sitting next to her while Zik sat opposite them, in shock. "I thought your families were enemies," he blurted out, "and this feud has been going on way before you were born. How did..." "Maybe he abused her," Sebastian spoke, sitting up. Aurora frowned at him. "Don't say such about your father," she rebuked and he shrugged. "Could be what happened." "What if the feud was just a facade?" She opined, "what if your father and my mother were having an affair? That's the only explanation I can think of for this. If your father abused my mother, she would have said something." "Perhaps that's why she hates me so much," Sebastian added, "they had a son together and my father made him die." Aurora looked at the wall clock. Past 5 pm. "She cheated," she said with a sigh, "she cheated on dad with his worst enemy." The doorbell rang the second
Aurora sat on her bed. Sebastian's words still disturbed her but she had some things to get done. "Aurora." Her mother's disinterested voice came over the line. "Evening, mum," she greeted, lifting her legs onto the bed. "Are you in your right senses now?" "I miss Ezekiel," she said instead of answering, "he was a cute little child, my little brother and I loved him so much." She took in a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling. "He was my son too. It's not nice for you to keep remembering the past. It's all gone. Focus on the here and now." "The past is just as important as the present if it has not been fully understood. Mum, I know we haven't been on the best terms but can you promise to at least be truthful to me?" "What's wrong?" "I need an answer," she sighed, biting her lip. "Of course, of course. Is something wrong?" "Are the Grazias and Deusdedits really enemies?" She dropped the bombshell. "Why..." Cecilia started then scoffed, "of course. Long before I got marri
Sebastian stared at the DNA reports in his hand. It was real, it was all true and this made the brother Aurora hated him for, his brother. Ezekiel Elliott Grazia was also his brother and maybe, just maybe, he had been killed by his own father. He sighed, placing the papers in his drawer. He ventured into the shower and emerged minutes later, ready for bed. Shot. The little boy had been shot and allowed to bleed to death. He didn't think the gory image could ever get out of his head. The brother he never knew. * Sunday morning, Aurora rang Sebastian's doorbell. It took him a while to answer. He looked like he just got out of bed. "I go for the morning Mass every Sunday," she said quickly, seeing his confused face, "since you are here, I thought I might invite you." He looked her up and down. "You are all set, I'm not," he pointed out the obvious, rubbing his sleepy eyes. "You have thirty minutes. I thought of that so I came earlier," she answered, smiling widely. He stared at
An hour after Mass, she was back in his apartment, whipping up a healthy coffee smoothie for them. He didn't help, simply stood by the door and watched her. The doorbell rang and he left to answer it. She breathed out a sigh of relief. He made her nervous. He was still the same Sebastian she remembered from six years ago but he was a bit distant and cold and though she didn't want to admit it, it made him more attractive. She couldn't find herself thinking of any other man so much. "Who's at home with you? Rora?" Zik's voice filtered in. "Yeah," Sebastian answered, "she's only helping to make a smoothie. She'll leave soon." She smiled wryly. She emerged from the kitchen minutes later. "Smoothie ready," She announced cheerily, setting down a tray on a side stool. She handed the two men a cup each and took one for herself. "Are you alright?" She queried, seeing Zik's distressed face. He finished his smoothie halfway before dropping the bombshell. "I got a girl pregnant." * Sebas
Aurora sat on her bed, fuming. No wonder he had not bothered to give her a call, he was busy getting fooled by a seductress of a woman. Her chest heaved up and down in anger. No one cared! No one cared about her at all! She screamed, kicking off her shoes and throwing them at the wall. Sebastian barely looked her in the eye, he didn't even care! No one cared! Not ever since she was a child. Her mother was too stuck up in her head with her selfish ambitions; her father was always busy; Princess cared for a while and disappeared when things got too harsh; Cynthia and Daniel didn't even think of her as a friend and the two people she finally held onto, the two people she finally thought were there to stay, they had finally revealed their true colours. She bowed her head and cried. She felt so useless, so unwanted. Every day, she felt like she was searching for something, for someone and she could never feel that satisfaction she yearned for, that unconditional love she pined for. She cri
Where did you find her?" Sebastian inquired at once, taking Aurora from the bodyguard he had watching her. "I think somebody has eyes on you both," the burly man answered, "I was caught up with something else and I didn't notice her leave her house and go to a bar..." "A bar!" "I'm sorry," the bodyguard bowed, "I received a text on my phone telling me to go pick her up. I was able to get her in time. She wasn't touched or harmed." Sebastian was infuriated. He fisted his hands, glaring daggers at the bodyguard. His heart pounded in his chest and he didn't know who to pour out his anger on. "I'll take it from here," he dismissed the bodyguard and carried her up the stairs. One thing kept recurring in his mind. Whoever was stalking them knew he had someone watching her, he even had the bodyguard's cell phone number. How was he supposed to keep her safe? He laid her on his bed and pulled off her shoes. She reeked of alcohol. Her face was not the least bit peaceful and she kept whimp
Sebastian stared at the note that had been put in his mail. 'What shall you do about Cecilia Grazia?' He tore it up and threw it in the waste bin. Cecilia was Aurora's mother and Aurora was the woman he loved and who was currently carrying his child. He would never harm the only family she had. Zik had not called since the Sunday he visited. After the incident, in the evening, both he and Aurora had gone to see a priest for confession and he had registered himself for the baptism class. She said she would get a pregnancy kit in preparation but she had not called him since they parted ways at her doorstep, for over a week. He paced about his bedroom. He was restless. The previous night, he had slept off in an excited state and when he woke up in the morning, he had expected to see her lying next to him. He ran a hand through his hair. He could still smell her, still feel her, still touch her. It was like she was living in his head, constantly near him. He blew out a breath. His hea