“Oh dear…I nearly forgot you were still here. Tell me, who are you?” Sharon could only bite down on her lip. She was fuming and she felt insulted by the woman’s utterance.Looking over to the man she came with, she found him with a bored expression as he sipped on his tall glass of red wine. He seemed not to care and was waiting for the opportunity to leave.“Uh…um y-yes. I…I…” She couldn’t go on. Who was she? Just his secretary at work. They never spoke outside of work. What was she going to reply her? All the confidence and resolve oozed out of her and she felt deflated. She was cornered now and couldn’t even mumble her name to the waiting woman.Just then did the man next to her rise to a stand, holding his phone close to the ear and he stared down at her. “Get up, we’re leaving. Now”.She didn’t mind his cold tone, she was just happy she could finally leave the oppressing woman’s presence. So she stood up eagerly with a smile that had the CEO lifting a brow.“Dad I gotta go, give m
Bloom thought she must have heard wrong. The ice king was offering to drop her at home? Her lips fumbled for words and she stuttered out.“Y-you d-don’t h-have to…” It felt like pushing out a huge lump of rock out of her throat. He was only studying her again, wondering why he was so drawn to her.“Don’t bother about it. Hop in” And he spun to quickly walk over to the driver’s side of the car. Bloom pouted, ‘He’s taking advantage of being my employer. Cruel ice king’.Bloom strapped on the seatbelt and focused her attention on the scenery outside the window. It was the second time she was riding in his car and like the first time, she couldn’t deny the comfort that was enticing her to lay her back properly.Hayes glanced over at her to see her with a relaxed ambience as she continued to stare out the window. Something in him…something so distant was beginning to light a bonfire within him. He didn’t know what was transpiring within that far distance in his chest. What was this strange
Bloom kissed the little boy goodbye and waved at him as she watched him go. A smile hugged her face as she turned to leave.Bloom arrived at the Company early that day. She changed into her work clothes and headed straight to boss’s office. She said her greetings to the snobbish secretary and went further in.Something peculiar caught her attention. It was a photo frame and it was the first time she was seeing it.There was a woman who looked to be in her late thirties and had the same eyes as a certain man she knew well. The woman was sitting in the middle of two little boys. They all appeared to be sitting on a picnic mat and all smiling so happily together.Bloom smiled softly with warm eyes as she caressed the photo with her fingers. She could easily tell the older boy to the woman’s right was him. He looked so happy, ‘It's almost unreal that he’s currently nothing like this’.Just as she moved away from admiring the picture, she sang out. “We’ll take the highway to heaven, and I c
That Saturday morning, Bloom was glowing with unmeasurable joy. She had received a notification that informed her of the payment of her salary into her bank account. That was why the little rabbit was all sparkle and sunshine as she speedily tidied up the boss’s office even when she wasn’t supposed to be there.She couldn’t control the spurt of excitement rushing through her so she raced into the company and thought to thank him for hiring her by cleaning his office before she went to the nearest ATM to cash out the money.“I’m back! Ben! Mario!” She flashed into the house, a humongous smile sitting on her glowing face.Benjamin was the first to show up and wondered over her merry mood.Bloom only giggled cheerily and approached him. “I just got my salary! And I’m taking us out”.Now he smiled down at her, raising a hand to pat her head as if praising her. “That’s great sis. Mario is going to bring the place down with his joyful screams”.Bloom laughed, looking away to see her droopy e
Something shifted, glided down with such speed and shattered into several uncountable pieces as Hayes watched these happy people playing on the street.‘She…she has a daughter?’ He thought that little boy was a girl from his squealing girly voice and what the kid was wearing didn’t help to distinguish him from being a girl.That wasn’t all, that little girl just referred to this new man he didn’t know, as daddy?! His grip on the steering wheel fastened tighter till his knuckles went white.What? And she said she wasn’t in a relationship. Now she not only had a child but a lover as well!At first, he was struck bewildered when the child referred to her as mommy. He couldn’t believe it…that child looked to be around four or five years old. It felt impossible!And when that same child called out to this- wait a minute, he was…. The man turned with the kid in his arms and Hayes instantly wore a flummoxed expression. His gaze were like crystalized ice as he glared at the man’s very existenc
Bloom returned hurriedly, held the door knob and pushed inwards. She was about to say something when she bumped into a wall and winced, “Ow”.She had bumped into the CEO and when she tried to look up, she suddenly discovered something was restricting her. She tried again and met the same result.Hayes stared at her with wonder until he finally saw what was troubling her. One of her bells had gotten stuck onto his cufflinks. He held on against helping her immediately to enjoy her sweet torture to free herself. She even wore a frown and gritted her teeth.‘How amusing…’ Hayes, who never believed anything else in his life could revive a genuine smile back on his face…was smiling in such a mesmerizing way as he observed her torment even more.That was until a snap sound was heard, followed by something softly clinking against the floor. Bloom gasped dramatically with eyes bulging out and had palms to her agape mouth.“Oh no! I just got this” She panicked and squatted on the floor to pick u
“What am I even doing?” Hayes chuckled to himself as he watched her walk into a an elementary school. He had parked his car at the other side of the road to watch her walk in through the gates of the school.Bloom was there to pick up Mario and when she resurfaced, he tensed up. He spaced out for a moment as he stared at her. She held her daughter’s hand and was saying something while the kid was nodding happily. He couldn’t help the suffocating squeeze in his chest.How could she have such a beautiful child? And for that man? He was…sad? He rubbed that aching area to sooth the panging pain as he started his car. He drove right in front of them and rolled down his window.Bloom was bewildered. What was he doing here? Mario was curious as to who this person was and moved to ask, “Hello? Are you a friend of mommy’s?”The child was just too adorable and Bloom almost fainted at the smile the ice king pulled as he stared down at her son. “You could say that, little girl. But I’m her boss”.
It was lunch break. Bloom wanted Mario to leave the men and come have lunch with her. She had brought a food flask along with her and returned to the boss's office to get her son."You don't have to. Sharon will get lunch for you, or what do you say?" The CEO threaded his long, slender and masculine fingers in a caressing manner through the boy's soft thick curls and wore a simple smile.Bloom and Adrian gasped and Sharon nearly fainted. Who the hell was this?! Where did that cold-hearted ice king drift off to?! They revelled in their individual conflicting thoughts till Adrian was brave enough to dare interrupt the ice king. "B-but..."But, Mario nodded eagerly, a sheet of happiness etched across his adorable face. "Yes! That's even better...if it's okay..." His voice lost its charge at the end, his shoulders slumming and head lowering as he slowly turned to his mother.'This kid!' Bloom was amazed. He was acting all pouty and spoiled all of a sudden. But what was more pending in dang
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