ALEXAHow could I have said no to Clara’s demands when her threats were real? How could I not bow to what she and Ivy wanted when everything my dad ever built was hanging on the line?How couldn’t I be considerate?I had agreed painfully, even though it shattered my heart, but I had hoped that Mark would not want Ivy anymore. At least, if he pushed her away, then it would no longer be any fault of mine.“Let’s go to the hospital together and get this over and done with,” Clara had stated firmly.I had swallowed hard and nodded.Maybe I should have been bold enough to tell my dad the kind of woman Clara was, especially the first time I had found out that she was cruel and dangerous, but I just couldn’t. I was too scared and worried about my dad. He had been so lonely and unhappy, and being around Clara drove all that loneliness away.How could I break his heart like that, but now, I was suffering the brunt of my decisions to stay quiet.“I can’t wait to see Mark!” Ivy had squealed in d
ALEXA“All this happened?” Noelle jumped up from the bed, astonished.She could barely believe what I just narrated to her, and I understood her shock, because despite our closeness, I decided to keep this part of it from her.“Yes, it did,” I answered sadly.“And you kept it all away from me?” Noelle asked.“I was too ashamed to tell you,” I told Noelle as fresh wave of tears spilled down my cheeks. “You warned me against marrying Mark and playing maid after Ivy dumped him, besides, it was Ivy he chose and not me, but I didn’t listen. I stubbornly went ahead and married a man in his sick bed without his knowledge and took care of him dutifully, but it was because I loved Mark genuinely,” I added.“You have always loved Mark Ronaldo, and he is the wrong man for you, Alexa, but you still should have told me,” Noelle insisted, feeling sorry for me and angry about what I just told her.“I was just too ashamed, especially when he looked into my eyes and denied me, Noelle. It hurt like hel
MARK“How does the invitation make you feel?” Vector asked me.Well, Vector was a friend of mine. My best friend, in fact, but that did not mean that I would tell him everything, or exactly how I felt.I was a man of great pride, and that was because it was a common trait in the Ronaldo lineage.“You are a man, and your ego is all that you have. It is what the men in this family are known for, and it is the only thing you have to hold onto,” my dad had told me several times when he was alive.Every single male in the Ronaldo’s family had been known for their untamable pride and ego, and my dad had ensured that he put it inside of me before he died. There was no room for anything called emotions or sympathy or sentiments.“No one ever owns and runs an empire when they have the heart of a woman,” I had often been told, especially when I told over the family business.And in truth, neither of his words had been wrong for any reason. While some of the CEO sons I had grown up with had allo
IVYI had been giddy and elated since Mark asked me to be his date to Alexa’s launch, and I could not contain my excitement.“Hello,” I spoke into the phone as soon as the call connected. “Miss Ivy, it is so good to hear from you,” my stylist answered from the other end of the phone.She was one of the most expensive and stylish female stylists in the entire city, and because of who I was, it was only logical that she became my personal stylist as well. If female celebrities and high class women in Paris were making use of her services, then why shouldn’t I? Besides, since I started to hang out with Mark Ronaldo, even before the accident, it was only reasonable to use stylist such as herself.If Alexa had decided to become a female stylist, she would have failed woefully, because she would never have come any close to my stylist, and that was all the consolation I needed.“Yes, it is,” I said happily. “I need a custom-made dress,” I told her, not wanting to waste too much time over t
IVYThis was the second time I was getting a call from Oscar after the visit he paid to me unexpectedly when I had spoken with the girl I set up with Mark.As I waited for him at the hotel room that he said he paid for us to meet, I wondered if I was doing the right thing or not. In truth, I only accepted to meet with Oscar because he was gradually becoming a pest. Fine, after the time we spent together out of Paris, I had thought that he would stay away like he did when I got together with Mark before the accident. The last thing I needed right now was a clingy ex-lover, especially as things seemed to be working our way.Thankfully, Oscar was smart enough to pick a very cheap and private hotel. Usually, I would have been disgusted by the fact that he was choosing a cheap hotel, but then again, Oscar was just being as careful and smart as I would be.No blogger would think to go anywhere close to a cheap hotel, because they knew that rich, powerful, and influential people would never
ALEXA“Everything is set for your party,” Noelle said, much to my relief.She had selflessly and willingly taken on the job of my personal assistant, making sure that everything was falling into place easily.“Why do I sense that there is a but in that statement?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.I could literally read Noelle’s facial expression even though her lips were not saying the words.“Your dress for the launch,” Noelle answered. “You are fashion enthusiast for men, not women,” Noelle reminded me.“I know that, but what are you trying to say?” I asked.“I am trying to say that you are in no way going to pick out your own outfit for this event,” Noelle said.“But why not?” I asked, confused. “The men who would be coming will be the center of attraction, not me. So who cares if I wear a pair of jean trousers and cotton sweater?” Noelle shook her head at me in disappointment, and I really resisted the urge to laugh at how frustrated and exasperated she was just dealing with me.“Lis
ALEXAThe phone screen burned into my eyes, the moans filling the quiet room like a sick joke. “Oh yes, harder, Mark, please fuck me harder!” My stomach twisted as I watched my husband thrust into another woman, her voice shamelessly calling out his name. The same name I had whispered in the dark when he was unconscious in that hospital bed, clinging to life. The name I had prayed over when I fought to bring him back. And this was my reward? This betrayal—on the night of our fifth anniversary? On my birthday? My fingers trembled as I gripped the phone tighter. A notification popped up, a fresh slap to my face. "Do you like the birthday gift I sent you, dear sis?" I didn’t need to check the sender. I could already see Ivy’s smug face in my mind, could hear the gloating in her voice. "See? Just a flick of my finger and he comes running back. Don’t think your pathetic care ever mattered. To Mark, you’re just a poor nanny." A poor nanny. A mocking smile curled my lips. Tha
ALEXAMark halted mid-step, his broad shoulders tense as he turned to face me. His blue eyes, so sharp and cold, narrowed dangerously as they fixed on my smaller frame. “Excuse me?” His voice was low, quiet, but there was an unmistakable warning in it. I refused to back down. My heart was pounding, but I kept my chin high, my voice steady. “Let’s get a divorce,” I repeated, staring straight at him. For a moment, he just looked at me. Then, a slow scoff left his lips, his expression twisting into something between amusement and disbelief. “Is this your attempt to get back at me?” he asked, tilting his head slightly. His gaze shifted toward the dining table, where the untouched meal sat—an entire evening’s worth of effort wasted. Then, just as quickly, he looked back at me. “Because what?” His voice dripped with condescension. “I didn’t spend your birthday with you? Or is it the anniversary?” There was no remorse, not even a sliver of guilt in his tone, and that hurt mor
ALEXA“Everything is set for your party,” Noelle said, much to my relief.She had selflessly and willingly taken on the job of my personal assistant, making sure that everything was falling into place easily.“Why do I sense that there is a but in that statement?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.I could literally read Noelle’s facial expression even though her lips were not saying the words.“Your dress for the launch,” Noelle answered. “You are fashion enthusiast for men, not women,” Noelle reminded me.“I know that, but what are you trying to say?” I asked.“I am trying to say that you are in no way going to pick out your own outfit for this event,” Noelle said.“But why not?” I asked, confused. “The men who would be coming will be the center of attraction, not me. So who cares if I wear a pair of jean trousers and cotton sweater?” Noelle shook her head at me in disappointment, and I really resisted the urge to laugh at how frustrated and exasperated she was just dealing with me.“Lis
IVYThis was the second time I was getting a call from Oscar after the visit he paid to me unexpectedly when I had spoken with the girl I set up with Mark.As I waited for him at the hotel room that he said he paid for us to meet, I wondered if I was doing the right thing or not. In truth, I only accepted to meet with Oscar because he was gradually becoming a pest. Fine, after the time we spent together out of Paris, I had thought that he would stay away like he did when I got together with Mark before the accident. The last thing I needed right now was a clingy ex-lover, especially as things seemed to be working our way.Thankfully, Oscar was smart enough to pick a very cheap and private hotel. Usually, I would have been disgusted by the fact that he was choosing a cheap hotel, but then again, Oscar was just being as careful and smart as I would be.No blogger would think to go anywhere close to a cheap hotel, because they knew that rich, powerful, and influential people would never
IVYI had been giddy and elated since Mark asked me to be his date to Alexa’s launch, and I could not contain my excitement.“Hello,” I spoke into the phone as soon as the call connected. “Miss Ivy, it is so good to hear from you,” my stylist answered from the other end of the phone.She was one of the most expensive and stylish female stylists in the entire city, and because of who I was, it was only logical that she became my personal stylist as well. If female celebrities and high class women in Paris were making use of her services, then why shouldn’t I? Besides, since I started to hang out with Mark Ronaldo, even before the accident, it was only reasonable to use stylist such as herself.If Alexa had decided to become a female stylist, she would have failed woefully, because she would never have come any close to my stylist, and that was all the consolation I needed.“Yes, it is,” I said happily. “I need a custom-made dress,” I told her, not wanting to waste too much time over t
MARK“How does the invitation make you feel?” Vector asked me.Well, Vector was a friend of mine. My best friend, in fact, but that did not mean that I would tell him everything, or exactly how I felt.I was a man of great pride, and that was because it was a common trait in the Ronaldo lineage.“You are a man, and your ego is all that you have. It is what the men in this family are known for, and it is the only thing you have to hold onto,” my dad had told me several times when he was alive.Every single male in the Ronaldo’s family had been known for their untamable pride and ego, and my dad had ensured that he put it inside of me before he died. There was no room for anything called emotions or sympathy or sentiments.“No one ever owns and runs an empire when they have the heart of a woman,” I had often been told, especially when I told over the family business.And in truth, neither of his words had been wrong for any reason. While some of the CEO sons I had grown up with had allo
ALEXA“All this happened?” Noelle jumped up from the bed, astonished.She could barely believe what I just narrated to her, and I understood her shock, because despite our closeness, I decided to keep this part of it from her.“Yes, it did,” I answered sadly.“And you kept it all away from me?” Noelle asked.“I was too ashamed to tell you,” I told Noelle as fresh wave of tears spilled down my cheeks. “You warned me against marrying Mark and playing maid after Ivy dumped him, besides, it was Ivy he chose and not me, but I didn’t listen. I stubbornly went ahead and married a man in his sick bed without his knowledge and took care of him dutifully, but it was because I loved Mark genuinely,” I added.“You have always loved Mark Ronaldo, and he is the wrong man for you, Alexa, but you still should have told me,” Noelle insisted, feeling sorry for me and angry about what I just told her.“I was just too ashamed, especially when he looked into my eyes and denied me, Noelle. It hurt like hel
ALEXAHow could I have said no to Clara’s demands when her threats were real? How could I not bow to what she and Ivy wanted when everything my dad ever built was hanging on the line?How couldn’t I be considerate?I had agreed painfully, even though it shattered my heart, but I had hoped that Mark would not want Ivy anymore. At least, if he pushed her away, then it would no longer be any fault of mine.“Let’s go to the hospital together and get this over and done with,” Clara had stated firmly.I had swallowed hard and nodded.Maybe I should have been bold enough to tell my dad the kind of woman Clara was, especially the first time I had found out that she was cruel and dangerous, but I just couldn’t. I was too scared and worried about my dad. He had been so lonely and unhappy, and being around Clara drove all that loneliness away.How could I break his heart like that, but now, I was suffering the brunt of my decisions to stay quiet.“I can’t wait to see Mark!” Ivy had squealed in d
ALEXAA few years back, shortly after the doctor announced that Mark had woken up from his coma and I had happily announced to dad and Clara about the good news, I had received a call from Clara.It had been a surprise, because Clara never called me, and the first thought that had come to my mind was that something was wrong with my dad.“Clara?” I had answered the phone with a dreadful anticipation.“Where are you?” Clara had asked, sounding displeased over the phone, which wasn’t new, because she had never masked her dislike towards me, even in the presence of my dad.“At home, fixing the house and making arrangement for Mark’s return home,” I had answered innocently.Indeed, right after Mark woke up, he had demanded to be taken out of the hospital; he had wanted to continue his treatment from the comfort of his mansion, and away from the nosy eyes of bloggers and gossips.Unfortunately, I hadn’t been right there when he had woken up; I had gone for a quick grocery shopping for the
ALEXAThe tears flowed freely, and even when Noelle came over to me and joined me on the floor to console me, I could not stop crying.“He rejected my invitation, Noelle,” I said amidst the tears and bitterness.“You are going to hurt yourself if you continue crying like this,” Noelle said, her voice filled with pity and sympathy towards.I had been skeptical about sending an invitation to him because I was scared and worried about being turned down, but I had no idea that it would hurt me this much. My heart was broken into several tiny pieces, and my throat was tight.“I can’t stop crying,” I told Noelle as more tears flowed. “What if he never forgives me? What if I have lost my dad just because of one reckless night at the club?” I asked, my voice breaking as I cried profusely.Noelle figured that if she continued talking, it would likely fall on deaf ears, because she could feel my pain and brokenness from my tears and the sound of my voice. So instead, Noelle gathered me in her a
ALEXANoelle and I finished from the press office where we went to get my brand name registered and labeled.We had eventually come to the conclusion of “Alexa’s Touch On Men – ATOM” and it was just perfect! I could rarely wait for the launch now as we had been able to achieve a lot over the last couple of days. Almost everything was set. We had been able to book the hall for the launch party and contacted vendors and event planners to help fix the event.“I just want everything to be perfect,” I told Noelle over and over again.“And it will be, Alexa, relax,” she said, chuckling.The day before, Alexa and I arranged the invitation boxes in a grand and stylish way, and according to our guest list, sent them out through a courier service.“If we must get these billionaires to attend and sign me for contracts aside from your dad’s influence in getting them there, then the invitation must be something that would soothe their pride and status,” I had told Noelle.“Of course,” Noelle had