"I'm just kidding, bro!" Gregory chuckles. Isaac was not amused but he didn't dare to ask Gregory anything. "Tsk! What about the work I'd assigned you to do?" he asked, then give a looked at Ralph, then look back at Gregory. "Mr. Rafael's planning to meet you next month. He said, he's still thinking if he'll accept to buy some of the shares or not. Since he also got the news about someone hacking the system of the company," Ralph explained. "About the other task. We already completed it," Gregory added. Isaac then sighs deeply and leaned his body down, placing his arms on his knees as his head rested on them. He took a long pause and look at his hands. "Okay... well... maybe we need to wait for another month. You can rest, I am just going to check something." He stood up and headed upstairs. Both Ralph and Gregory looked at one another, and when they finally assure that Isaac's already out of their sight, Gregory also sat beside Ralph. "I'm shocked," Ralph says after awhile.
Ava and Gregory's enjoying a friendly date over cups of steaming coffee. At a quaint cafe by the seaside, bathed in the warm hues of the setting sun. They engaged in a fun conversation. One thing that Ava's still not used to when it comes to Gregory. They continue talking with each other, until Gregory asked her. "Do you... still love Isaac?" Ava's heart sinks in her chest. Of course she does. She never really stopped loving him. She cleared her throat and meet his sight. "Do I still need to answer that?" A faint smile forms on her face. Gregory never turned away his gaze from hers. "You still love him." It's not a question from Gregory, instead it's a direct statement. Ava took a heavy sighed. "Your his friend... He also shared with you and Ralph about our past. But I wonder what he has told you about us?" she replied. Gregory takes another gulp of his coffee. "You dumped him for another man. You betrayed him because he has nothing back then." Ava felt as if someone had k
"Sir! Here's the documents you ask me to pick up," one of Isaac’s employees says. He looked over the folders. "Is this all the information I needed?" he asked, and the employee explain everything, but Isaac's attention was already elsewhere. His brows furrowed, his lips pressed together in a tight line, as he can clearly see Ava talking with a group of his other men employees. She seems friendly enough. "Sir?" the employee repeated. "Hm, just put the documents on the table in my office, Lance. I'll just check the documents later," he said, distracted. Lance nodded, picked up the files, and left him. When Lance already out of his sight. Isaac walked towards where she is, with his expression darkening the closer he got to her, until he finally stopped when he reached his destination. Ava, as well as the employees who were happily chatting before, turned their heads and saw Isaac, making them bowed their heads a little as a signed of greeting from their boss. "Ms. Flores, go t
"Bro!" Isaac office door opened revealing Ralph's smiling face as he entered. "I thought you and Gregory had other plans today so you can't be here. Why suddenly showing up here?" Isaac asked with his brows raised. "Well, Gregory suddenly have a change of mind," he said shrugging his shoulders, as he stared at Isaac who appeared to be in deep thoughts while staring down at his computer screen. "Hm, I'm curious how's the feeling now that you don't need to wear mask to cover your half of you face, boss?" Ralph teased. "It's good! I don't need to waste my time pretending in front of her," he admitted, as Ralph laughed. "By the way, where's Gregory? For sure, he's with you when you goes here." Isaac asked as he looked up from his laptop. Ralph smirked and leaned closer towards him. "He might enjoying Ava's presence now." He whispered. Isaac brows slowly drew together. He noticed how Ralph looked at him. He's sure that he's waiting him to react like he's not into his news that Gr
"Can we talk?" With a glass of wine in his hand, Isaac walked closer to where his friend is. Gregory leaned back into the plush leather sofa and surveyed his surroundings with a curious gaze. "Yes, bro!" Isaac also pick a glass and poured a wine on it. "We're best bros aren't we?" Isaac took a seat and took a sip of his drink. The rich ruby liquid that filled his mouth sent a wave of pleasant sensations across his mouth that caused him to smirked. "Of course! Wait, What do you really want to talk about?" He glanced over at Isaac and saw that he has already downed half his glass. "You know that what I hate the most are those people who's good at betrayal." Isaac finally meet Gregory's eyes. "You like her." It's obviously not a question but a statement. "What do you mean?" Gregory takes another sip and set the glass aside. Isaac then proceeded to stare at him with a challenging glare. "Come on man, you are trying to hit the woman I really hate the most. You know that I
"Boss, wait!" Isaac didn't pay attention to Ralph's voice anymore as he pushed the door open with his shoulder and rushed inside the empty conference room. "Hey!" Ralph called out again before hurrying after him. "Why you are dying to get out of your office?" Isaac didn't even bothered to glance at Ralph's direction. "You should at least show your support for Gregory, especially that he already have a courage to confess his feelings for Ava." Isaac closed his laptop and sighed loudly. "Gregory didn't even think about our bro code, Ralph. Do not steal anyone who's already a part of someone's past relationship, but he still did it," he shook his head and looked around. "Is that really the reason why you look so down?" Isaac eyes thinning. "Yes! I know it's not happening yet. But I feel that Gregory will hindered my plan to hurt that bitch more. It'll be very hard to do that in front of him, because he's already very sensitive about her. I don't need more problems right now."
"Sorry, Sir. But we are still didn't see Ms. Peterson also." "Thank you." With his jaw clenched, Isaac walked back on the hallway towards his office. "Damn that woman?! Where is she?" Ralph who's following him took a deep sighed. "It's still too early in the morning, bro. But you are making your blood boiled already," he patted his shoulder to comfort him. "I need her right now, Ralph. What? She still wait for Gregory to drive her through here or maybe they shared a coffee date first before going here?!" she thought. His eyes were twitching in anger while walking at the same time. He was so pissed off that he could throw something at the wall but of course he did his best to control himself. "Well, Gregory really wants to drive for Ava, so she doesn't need to commute just to arrive here. Besides... it's not surprising, he's courting her," Ralph said with amusement. "Don't start me with your kind of humor, Ralph. I am serious here. This what I'm expecting, Gregory's making th
"Y-You need me here earlier to order me to do something, right? T-Then just tell me what to do now, so I can go and do my work," she whispered nervously, yet he didn't move. He can still clearly see the anger in his eyes. "Who told you that I need you here earlier to order you to do anything?" he asked with a harsh whisper. She was startled by his question and took a step backwards. "Then, I'm going now." She move but Isaac suddenly pinched her buttock using his hand. Ava's eyes widened, her cheeks grew hot in seconds. "You'll regret letting Gregory court you, bitch. Your body's mine," he said with a low voice which sent shivers down her spine. "I-Isaac, we can't do this here. Someone —" Before she could finished her sentence, Isaac pulled her up, making her wrap his legs around his waist, until Isaac put her down on his table. "Look, I-I still need to talk to some important people here. A-And... yes! I still not done on the last two pages of the files you ordered me to do ye
Ava sat alone on a park bench, staring blankly at the horizon as the sun began to dip, painting the sky in a fiery array of oranges, reds, and purples. The beauty of it all felt distant to her, like something she was no longer a part of. She rested a hand on her growing belly, feeling the gentle movements of the baby inside her. Every kick was a reminder of how different her life was now, how much everything had changed since she’d left Isaac. She swallowed hard, trying to push back the wave of emotion that threatened to overwhelm her. It was always like this—whenever she sat alone, her thoughts would drift back to him, and the life they could have had together. Ava took a deep breath, blinking away the tears that were already welling up in her eyes. She couldn't afford to break down. Not here, not now. She was supposed to be strong. She was doing this for her child. She had convinced herself that leaving was the right choice—Isaac had moved on, after all. He was set to marry someon
Isaac didn’t answer. He couldn’t. Because deep down, he knew Gregory was right. But the guilt, the regret, it was too much. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he had ruined everything. "Listen," Gregory said after a long pause. "Ralph and I were talking. We know you’re miserable. And honestly, man, we’re tired of watching you go through this. Yes, I won't defend myself, I actually don't want you to be with Ava because I think that you're just gonna hurt each other more. But...""Seeing you like that? Isaac, you know that I love Ava, and maybe... you're right, you're the only man she wants to spend her life with your baby." Isaac sat up, his heart suddenly pounding. "W-What?!""She's pregnant? And why didn't you tell me before?! Damn it, Gregory!" "I know, I made the wrong choice, Isaac. But you can't blame me. Ava almost begged me not to tell you, because she's even afraid that you might hate the child." "Arghh! Damn it!" For the first time in weeks, Isaac felt a glimmer of hope
Isaac’s mind raced, searching for something, anything that could change Gregory’s mind. But the more he looked at Gregory’s expression, the more he realized that there was nothing he could say. Ava was gone. And it was his fault."I didn’t mean to hurt her," Isaac said quietly, more to himself than to Gregory.Gregory’s face softened, just for a moment. "Maybe you didn’t. But you did. Over and over again. And now, she’s had enough."Isaac’s eyes dropped to the floor, his thoughts a tangled mess of regret and guilt. He had never intended for things to get this bad. He had always thought that, no matter what, he and Ava would work things out. But now, standing in this cold hospital hallway, he realized how naive he had been.Gregory watched him for a moment, then let out a sigh, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "Look, Isaac, I don’t hate you. But you have to understand... Ava needs to move on. She needs to be happy. And she can’t do that if you’re still around, dragging h
Isaac rushed into the hospital, his heart pounding with fear and guilt. The fluorescent lights overhead buzzed softly as his footsteps echoed through the sterile corridors. He scanned the waiting area, his eyes darting from one person to another, searching for Ava. But she was nowhere in sight. His chest tightened with panic."Excuse me," Isaac asked a passing nurse, his voice tight with worry."Ava... Ava Peterson. She was admitted here, room 314. Is she still here?"The nurse gave him a sympathetic look, then shook her head. "I'm sorry, but she was discharged earlier."Isaac's heart sank. "Discharged? When?""About an hour ago."Before he could respond, someone stepped into his path. Isaac looked up and was greeted by the sight of Gregory, his face twisted in anger, a deep bruise on his jaw. His fist was already clenched at his side. Without warning, Gregory lunged forward and threw a punch. Isaac barely had time to react before he was sent stumbling backward, his head ringing fro
Isaac’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the steering wheel, his mind racing faster than the car speeding down the highway. The headlights of the other vehicles blurred into streaks of light, his focus narrowing on the road ahead—and on the hospital where Ava was.Why didn’t Ralph tell me sooner? Isaac thought bitterly. I could have done something...His chest tightened at the thought of her lying in a hospital bed because of him. As another word of guilt is echoed in his mind: She’s in there because you never let up. You never gave her a moment of peace.Isaac’s jaw clenched as memories flooded back—the cold glares, the endless tasks, the way he piled work on Ava just to see her struggle. He’d told himself she deserved it after everything she put him through. But now, it seemed that spite had pushed her to a breaking point.“Damn it,” he muttered, the anger bubbling inside him. Not just anger at Ava—but at himself. He’d spent years hating her for abandoning him, and all that rage
"I-Isaac! B-Babe, I... I didn't see you there.""Clearly," he replied, his jaw clenched. "I heard everything. All your plans... to steal my wealth and disappear." Erica's facade crumbled. She swallowed hard, she doesn't care if she's seeing how anger and hurt he is. All she wants now is to think any words to fool him. "Isaac... please, let me explain." He held up a hand to stop her. "Do you have any idea how heartbreaking this is for me? I trusted you, Erica. I thought you were different. I thought you were the one who wouldn't betray me. Tears fakely welled up in her eyes as she reached out to him. "B-Babe, can explain!" Erica stammered, her voice trembling."Explain?" Isaac's voice was a low growl, barely containing his anger. "Explain how you were planning to use me for my wealth? How you were going to betray me like...like that fucking Peterson!?"Erica's eyes darted around the bar, seeking a way out of this confrontation. "It’s not what you think. You misunderstood. I wasn’
"Here, you should eat well Ava, so you can get back your energy," Gregory said, as he carefully put the small table beside the hospital bed where Ava's was resting. "Do you want me to feed you now?" Ava could hear Gregory, but she still seemed hesitant to speak. She wasn't sure what to do or if the decision she was considering was the right one."Ava, are you—" Gregory was startled by the ringing of his phone. He sighed deeply when he saw that it was Isaac calling. "Hello, Isaac?" Gregory spoke softly into the phone, but loud enough for Ava to hear. "It's good to hear from you, a reason for her to slightly look up at Gregory. Isaac then at the company can't help but to walked back and forth in his office. He feels irritated because she can't find Ava and to think that she's with Gregory instead of finishing her works, making him feel even more irritable. "Are you with that bitch?" he asked Gregory after a while. Gregory's brow furrowed. Isaac was important to him, a close friend,
“You don't need to tell me repeatedly what I am to you, Isaac." She quickly wiped her tears. "Slave, slut, bitch, whore... I know how much you hate me, that's why you are dying to get your revenge hit my bones right?" she chuckled bitterly. Isaac didn't expect what she just said. He didn't tell her about it, and he will never and now that she already knows it, he knows very well that it might be Gregory who told Ava about it. Ava wait for a moment when Isaac will deny it of course. But then Isaac slightly move away from her, maybe just for her to see his smirked more clearly. "I'm glad that you already know!" Her eyes looked sadly at him. "Yes, bitch! I'm getting my revenge from the start, and I think you also knew how I plan it smoothly." "W-Why?" Ava almost bit her lower lip again even she already tasted blood on it. She didn't want to ask that question, but still, she wanted to hear his response. "Why? You are really stupid, Peterson. You know the fucking reason, why! It's
"Excuse me, Ms. Peterson?" Ava looked up from the paperworks she's doing. Since she arrived at the office earlier in the day, she didn't able to go out, just to make sure that she can meet the deadline the Isaac had given to her. "Yes, Lisa?" Ava asked with a soft smile on her face, despite her feeling her brain throbbing. "Sir. Isaac's asking you to go on his office now." Ava 's heart dropped at once, and she felt as if she could be sick. She's actually doesn't want to see him unless it's really urgent. She's just getting tired of feeling hurt. She's afraid that the next time she'll saw him with his fiancee in an intimate moment would totally break her heart. "Ahm, d-do you know the reasons why, Lisa? I am so busy right now. Maybe, he can w-wait?" Lisa shook her head no. "Sorry, Ms. Peterson, but Sir. Isaac said that she really need you right now, maybe that's an urgent matter." Ava sighed inwardly, as she slowly nodded. "Alright. Thank you, Lisa." She gave the other woman