Little Mario was wagging his tail before the reluctant Stefano who was trying his damnedest best not to give into the child’s playful antics. The two women seated on the two-sitter couch were giggling at the hilarious sight when the boy’s mother walked into the ward with a tray of food in her hand.Stefano was being stubborn and was defiant to their persuasions to let his anger go. He was still not yet clear with his father and so Mario was put up for the task to pull him out of it. He had held on for minutes but there was clearly a limit to how much he could remain inexorable.And he finally gave in, throwing his hands down in defeat and swiping up the boy into his arms. “Ugh, I can’t keep up with it anymore. Why do you have to be so irresistible huh?”Stefano whined, running his fingers into Mario’s sides to tickle him.Anna chuckled at them and helped Bloom with the tray, “Ah you’re such a life saver, I haven’t eaten all afternoon”.Ella looked to her friend with a frown, “Says the o
“…and fax me the files immediately you’re done. I’ll go through them later” Hayes sipped from his mug of steaming coffee with Bloom's eyes fixated on him. She knew he was restless and not in the best of mood that morning as she observed his awkward resilience.Tilting her head to the side, observing more intricately with the tip of her index finger drilling into the base of her chin and her brows meeting, the CEO got distracted for a moment and smirked dangerously at her. He was going to pinch her on the nose when an information he just heard restricted him from doing so.His eyes went cold and his jaws hinged gravely, making Bloom shiver from the unintentional anger he was rupturing with. ‘I wonder what must be wrong’ She thought worriedly to herself as he turned his back to her, exhaling a very low and dreary growl.“Salvador Spencer” That name evoked a bustling wave of dreadful memories that had him tensing indignantly. It belonged to the most sly and obnoxious man he had known all
Mario fell asleep a few minutes after swallowing two small bowls of his strawberry flavored ice-cream. While his mother tucked him in bed, his father took the empty bowls to dispose of them.Bloom switched off the lights and shut the door behind their exit after kissing the little boy goodnight. As they walked back to her bedroom, she couldn’t help but worry over her lover’s quietness. He looked like his mind was being saddled by something and it tugged unendingly at her heart to watch him.When they entered into the bedroom, she couldn’t tolerate it any longer and so she stepped forward. Grabbing him by the arm and forcing him around, she asked him what was wrong. With eyes speedily searching his eyes to uncover any hidden details, she calmly listened to what he had to say.“So…this rival of yours was the one who pressured your esteemed business partner to back out huh? That’s playing dirty. If they were so proud and confident of their prowess, they would play fairly…not employing und
“When will you be done so I can come pick you up?” Pablo asked with a smile and Tania squealed happily, “You’ve been especially sweet today babe. You can come pick me up at four”.He smiled warmly, “I got us movie tickets so we can watch a move later after that”.Tania was overjoyed after he said that and he relaxed. After that incident with those shady people, he had been acting extra caring towards his girlfriend to rid her worries and insecurities. It made him so happy she was back to her normal self.“I’ll get going now, don’t be late. I love you” And she got out of the car, waved him bye as she walked towards the academy’s front building. After she was gone, he breathed out and softly dropped his fisted hands against the steering wheel.That was when his phone buzzed with a notification, alerting a text message. Reading through the text, he set the phone into the center console and accelerated out of the parking lot. The private detective he had hired to investigate Salvador Spenc
“We’re home!” The little boisterous speed train announced his arrival the moment they stepped into the large house. His mother and uncle were giggling behind him as they watched him racing about and greeting all the domestic workers around. Everyone adored the little boy a lot. “Is that my little champ?” A voice travelled from the sitting room and towards where they were, at the small hallway that led there. Mario quickly sped in the direction of the voice, “Grandpa! I’m coming with full speed!” “I’ve got you!” Bloom and Stefano walked into the scene of Mario being lifted into the air and lowered to receive a kiss in his hair amidst his childish giggles. Mr Antonio was laughing with the little boy who was overflowing with excess joy when someone else joined them. He was a shy teenager who had been peeking from the indoor balcony upstairs as the little boy had come barging in that morning. The teen climbed down the large staircase unnoticed until he was close enough. He looked relu
The detective walked into the office where his client was and immediately got down to business. Handing over the brown file in his hands to the seated man behind the busy desk, he took his seat and watched the puzzled Pablo open the file and pull out the papers in it. Pablo's eyes expanded when his eyes skimmed through. “W-what is…this?” He looked from document to document in increasing alarm until he got to the last and pressed at the other man for explanations. The detective exhaled and nodded with confirmation, “You’ve seen it for yourself Mr Pablo. Those are what I found out after using the bridge you gave the other time”. Pablo stared down at the documents now strewn over the mess on his desk with indenting worry darkening his pleasant features. “So this is the connection between Salvador and the mafia? They’re business partners…dealing with hard drugs”. The substance involved was Marijuana. “Hayes Warren also has his hired private detective hot on the matter. Has he been info
“Daddy!” Mario was picked up, twirled around, kissed all over the face and embraced tightly by his father. Bloom watched with a smile as they greeted each other before advancing towards where she was standing in the lobby. “Too shy to give me a kiss?” He lifted a brow at her and she blushed, looking around to see the people watching and instantly growing embarrassed. Hayes simply chuckled and closed in on her to press his lips against her forehead tightly. As he brushed past her gently, his fingers brushed over hers, mingling and teasing until he firmly gripped her hand and pulled her with him. “H-Hayes…” “Just come with, there’s someone I have to see” He pulled her along and Mario stuck his tongue out at her from where his head laid, on his father’s shoulder. Bloom frowned and mimicked him, making the boy giggle and start making faces at her to infuriate her. They all stepped into a ward that had Bloom quitting her nonsense with her son and looking around with awe. “Don’t look so
Hayes was in a hurry to get to the office that day but was forced to stop his haste when he saw the entourage that barged into the mansion that Thursday morning. It was Anastasia and her…family? His brows met with discontent and he moved with approaching steps. When Anastasia saw him, she lit up and a large smile plastered over her face. “Hayes!” She called out his name with glee and his expression stilled with disdain. What was she up to? “Oh Hayes, it sure has been a while. How are you son?” Anastasia’s father stepped closer to Hayes and shook hands with him. “I didn’t know you were coming, it’s a pleasure” If only he meant that from his heart. He was getting angrier by the second and was badly itching to flee that scene that moment. ‘Now you won’t get away so easily’ Anastasia smirked secretly and felt triumphant when Hayes walked her parents into the guests’ living room where his parents were. It seemed the stage had been set for her and for sure this time, she would win at all
Bloom laughed heartily to what Anna was saying at the other end of the line as she pressed the button at the bottom of the pen. "You really want to do that? Mario would love it but I don't think Martha would want to join in. It's her day after all..."She was making a list for her daughter's two-year old birthday party and had asked Anna for some suggestions in case she was missing something. "...I think I might have to revise my budget once more" She pouted, using the butt of the pen to scratch her hair as she peered down into the rough scribble."It's good Ella's going with me- you should come with as well..." She began to walk away from the island, heading out of the kitchen where the children's voices came blowing against her.Mario came running down the hallway in pursuit of Benjamin who carried a happily babbling Martha in his arms. Bloom shook her head and stepped back into the kitchen before they would knock into her. "Ben, stop inciting the kids!"She moved away from the phon
“Listen to me! She’s not worth it!” Bloom grabbed his head, raising on the tips of her toes and forcing him to bend down to her as she held a fierce look, searching his flaming orbs as she spoke in a hushed tone.“Hayes…look at me, you’re better than this. I know you can control it…for Mario, you’ll scare him”.Sudden realization struck his mind and he shifted his gaze to look over at the boy who was clutching his grandpa fearfully after his father had barked in that loud and reprehensive voice. He felt sad to see the fear reflecting in the boy’s innocent eyes and deflated simultaneously under Bloom’s gentle pressure. Valerie looked at him calming down and huffed haughtily. Her gaze lowered to her tied hands in front of her and pain distorted the look on her face. She might’ve plotted to get rid of his mother the night of that fire but…she had lost the most valuable things in her life as well. “My avaricious jealousy drove me into committing such a vicious crime…snatching my children
It was Pablo who grinned at the glaring man and innocently walked in, in the company of his sister, his mother and the Don. When Mario felt the new presence that entered into the ward, he looked away and beamed to see Pascal. Carrying his plastic bowl in his hand, he was once again making a great dash. “Grandpa!”Hayes had never seen the Don before and as he observed him closely, he could see the prominent features Pablo had was inherited from his father. “I see you’re having quite the moment yourself huh” Pascal smiled as he had the boy in his arms and the child giggled guiltily. Mario saw the woman that came with them and looked at her with unfamiliarity and he questioned in a small voice, “Are you my grandma?” The child’s innocent question had the adults looking his way and Mrs Jefferson gave him a warm, affectionate smile and quickly glanced at his mother before nodding. “That’s right, I’m your mommy’s mother and that makes me your grandma”. ‘What?’ Bloom, Pablo and Laura were
Standing up, “You could’ve all had it easy if it had been Stefano on your tail…but not me”. Their voice went dangerous at the end and the petrified woman was on the verge of hyperventilating as three loud shots echoed around her and she jumped with great fright. “W-who a-are you?…w-who s-sent y-you…” How shocking it was to see her so badly shaken, it was utterly pitiful to watch and they huffed at her question and came to squat in front of her with their firearm dangling in their loose grip. “The grim reaper, out on a hunt for those who dared to cause Bloom Santiago, pain. Now, on your feet, old hag” They held the gun firmly and pushed its muzzle into her cheek to drill in the command. “Try to disobey me and you end up like that blonde pussy”. She shivered after she heard that. It seemed Adrian had been…she gulped, the situation had completely turned in their favor and all she had worked so hard to build withered away in that single instant. “Move it”. **Bloom entered into the
“Quick! Get her to into the building!” It seemed Valerie had been shielded in time as the commotion began and three men were guiding her as they were running in the direction of the back entrance to the house. ‘Like I would let you get away, you vain witch!’ Adrian couldn’t go after them however. Not when bullets were flying about the place sporadically and the number of fallen men kept on the increase. He had taken cover behind a wall and peered out cautiously to see they were all down and the attacker was nowhere in sight. ‘Did he go after them instead?’ He thought that plausible since they must’ve not been only after him but Valerie as well. Whoever they were that had skillfully mingled into his men and kept their profile hidden so perfectly. He froze, there was a sound that defused behind him and his body stilled on an impulse. He heard it again, louder and closer this time and shook wholly at the dreadful sensation that drenched down his form when he heard the cocking of a g
Laura was going to say that normally but it seemed she was rather excited about it than she presumed. Bloom burned even more at her announcement and shrank into herself, wanting to vanish right that moment. ’S-she’s pregnant?’ Mrs Jefferson's brows shot up with pleasant surprise and she walked up to her and held her hands. Bloom felt nervous and antsy as she lifted her gaze and was stunned to see the big smile on her face. “Does he know?!” Ah, this bubbly girl. Bloom was helpless towards Laura and could only blush so hard and bite her lip as she shyly murmured her hesitant reply, “N-no- how would he know anyway when I only just found out?” Laura grinned toothily and Bloom flushed, knowing she was being played with as she sighed. The girl was such a jovial and boisterous person and so the shy and reserved Bloom couldn’t help but get dragged into her pace and teased like that. “Laura, don’t be a bully and spare her your troubles” Mrs Jefferson chided her daughter who innocently zipp
Sergio was walking down the corridor, in search of the little boy. Mario had suddenly just ran out of his father’s ward and since he was small, he quickly disappeared from his uncle’s sight and was currently nowhere to be found. He had thought the boy would be in his uncle’s ward instead but couldn’t find him there either and he was heading to the lobby when he passed the stranger who was stepping out of the elevator. ‘Hmmm?’ Sergio stopped and turned. He saw the back of a man? Well, the build did give away it was definitely a man who was clad in a biker’s outfit and holding his helmet beneath his right arm. His eyes narrowed but he was distracted when he recalled the boy and took a left turn for the stairs, thinking Mario would have taken that way. The stranger smirked and glimpsed at the departing Sergio and walked on. Appearing in front of a ward and reading the name on the doorplate, they pushed the door open and walked in, shutting it behind them quietly. As if they knew before
“Laura, pass the glass of water. She’s waking up” The woman spoke to the girl who immediately went over to the bedside table and gently picked up the tall glass of water and handed it to her mother. Bloom who had been brought in earlier that evening, was scrunching her face and rousing from the state of unconsciousness she was brought in. Her face rumpled more and she shot up with a violent sneeze, startling the other two. Bloom was dumbfounded when her eyes came open. Where were those men she had been with? The surprise attacks and gun shots…her eyes were surveying her surrounding and she couldn’t recognize the unfamiliar faces before her. Mrs Jefferson eased her dilemma by speaking to her first, “You were rescued from the ones who held you captive. I know you’re frightened and still yet to come around with what you’ve been through but I assure you, you’re safe now”. It felt…strangely warm and assuring, to listen to the tender words of this woman who had a similar hair color to he
“You’re acquainted with them?” The chatters ceased and Pablo went silent for a moment, recalling it must really be the first time she was seeing Stefano. He nodded, “Yeah, we’re sort of related”. Sergio jumped when he said that and threw an arm round his neck. “Hey, what’s that to mean huh? We’re your older brothers, the only ones you’ll ever have. Stop acting like we’re some pain up your ass”. And the foul language and his uncouth mannerisms…Alexa frowned openly. ‘I’m worried for the upbringing of this child…then again, I’m not the exception myself’ She cackled suddenly, drawing the men’s attention her way. It was a blow to her, to come to the realization she couldn’t not ship herself with the men and she was retreating away in defeat to her iron principles. She entered the ward and shut the door. That was weird, she just cackled to herself and trudged away. What a strange woman. Stefano was also taking his leave, “Every passing second draws her farther from our reach. I’ll give