Lahat ng Kabanata ng 9 Muses Series #1: Anchored Hearts: Kabanata 21 - Kabanata 30

Habang titig na titig ako sa picture ay bigla akong ginulat ni Thaddeus dahilan para mabitawan ko ang picture frame pero kaagad niyang nasalo iyon. "Thadeo!" Singhal ko sa kanya. Tawang-tawa naman siya kaya sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. "Good morning, baby." Bati niya pero sinamaan ko lang siya ng tingin. "Wala ng good sa morning ko!" Singhal ko ulit sa kanya. He pursed his lips in amusement that made me roll my eyes again. Bakit ba masyado siyang palaasar? "I prepared breakfast for you, kain na tayo." Aya niya. Tumango naman ako at naglakad na palabas sana ng kwarto nang bigla akong buhatin ni Thaddeus. "Thadeo!" Gulat kong sigaw sa kanya. "What? I want to carry you to downstairs, mahal." Pinaningkitan ko siya ng mga mata. "I can walk, Thaddeus!" Inis kong sabi sa kanya. Umiling naman siya. "Well, not now." Sabi niya sabay ngumiti ng pilyo saakin at inilapag ako sa kama. "Isa, Thaddeus!" Asar kong sabi sa kanya. Natawa naman siya at kinurot ang pisngi ko. "Ang cute m

Thad and I spent the night on the yacht engulfed in passion, exploring each other in every possible position and space. The yacht became our private haven, with every corner bearing witness to our intimate connection.As the night wore on, we finally collapsed onto the bed, both exhausted and sated. The physical exertion left us drained, but deeply fulfilled. I nestled against him, my body feeling a pleasant heaviness from the intensity of our time together.As I began to drift into sleep, feeling the heavy weight of fatigue pulling me under, I felt Thad’s gentle touch. He carefully cleaned me up, his movements tender and attentive. His soothing presence was a comforting balm after our fervent night.“Good night, Cali,” he whispered softly, his voice warm and filled with affection. I managed a sleepy smile in response before finally surrendering to the embrace of slumber. The last thing I felt was his loving gaze, a perfect end to a night of shared passion and deep connection.Nagisin

After the reception, the after-party was in full swing. The room buzzed with laughter, music, and lively conversations. Guests were enjoying themselves, dancing and mingling, but I was far from feeling the same excitement. My earlier symptoms had worsened, and I found myself making several trips to the restroom, trying to escape the overpowering smells of the food that made me queasy.Thaddeus, ever-observant, noticed my discomfort. He approached me with a look of concern, his brow furrowed slightly. "Are you sure you’re okay?" he asked, his voice laced with worry."Walang strawberry cake." Mahinang sabi ko sabay nguso. Nagulat naman si Thaddeus, tinignan ako, kaya napatingin din ako sa kanya. Halata ang pagkagulat sa kanyang mukha nang sabihin ko iyon.Then he suddenly smiled and said, "You're craving something? I'll request it from the chef. Do you need anything?"I shook my head, though the mention of the cake made my mouth water. "Just the cake," I said with a soft giggle, my mood

"What was that, Cali?" he demanded, his voice laced with anger.I frowned, not understanding why he was upset. "I don't like her. And you're asking me, what was that?" I shot back, my grip tightening on the glass in my hand. "What do you want me to do? Be friendly with her?"He took a deep breath, trying to control his frustration. "She's just a friend—the one who helped me during college, Cali," he said, his voice strained. "I owe her a lot. Can we please not fight over this?""Ow, malaki pala utang mo sa kanya.” I snapped, my irritation boiling over. “Edi sana sumama ka nalang sa kanya.” Iritable kong sagot tsaka ko kinuha ang bag at naglakad palabas ng resto kahit na hindi pa dumadating ang order namin."Cali!" Thaddeus called after me, his voice tinged with desperation. But I didn't stop. My heart was pounding, and every step I took felt like a release of the fury and hurt that had been building inside me. How dare he invalidate my feelings? How dare he dismiss my discomfort like

Patalon-talon si Thaddeus habang hawak ang kamay kong naglalakad papuntang ballroom. May malawak na ngiti sa labi, at ilang beses niyang hinahalikan ang likod ng palad ko dahil sa sobrang kasiyahan na nararamdaman niya.I told him that I needed to check the ballroom for the event tomorrow as we set sail to Antwerp, Belgium as our first stop, and he said he will come with me."Don't you have work?" Tanong ko sa kanya. "Tingin ko kaya naman ng mga mates ko ang trabaho nang wala ako." Nakangiti niyang sabi."Thaddeus! You're the captain of this ship! Malamang kailangan ka nila!" Singhal ko sa kanya. Napatawa naman siya at kinurot pa ang pisngi ko."Don't worry, my love. They're trained and most reliable mates I had. Don't you have trust in me?" Napanguso ako sa sinabi niya.We arrived at the ballroom, a vast space that can accommodate more than five thousand people. The expanse inside is impressive, even though numerous tables are arranged around the area. The tables are covered with whi