《Encounter》


 Chapter 1- The News

    Matthew¡¯s POV( KTI Tower)


    I yawn as I take off my coat inside my office. I¡¯m still drowsy and I feel like I didn¡¯t get enough sleepst night. I sat in the swivel chair and leaned there. I closed my eyes and felt the colding from the AC.


    I sat up straight and stretched out my arms afterward and called my secretary. It took few moments before she picked up the phone. Maybe she was still busy cleaning up her area since it¡¯s still early.


    ¡°Good morning, Sir. How can I help you?¡±she answered enthusiastically. She still hasn¡¯t faded. She is still the same person I hired a few years ago.


    ¡°Good morning! Can you please bring me a cup of coffee?¡±


    ¡°Sure, sir. Your coffee will be served in less than five minutes.¡± Iughed because I felt like I was in a coffee shop at what she said. She never failed to amaze me with her humor.


    ¡°Five minutes is too long for a cup of coffee, miss. Make it three, if you can¡¯t then let me talk to your manager then.¡± I joked. I also heard herugh in the other line.


    ¡°Hahaha! Then, I suggest that you hung up so that I can prepare it right away.¡±It was her turn to joke.


    ¡°Okay, your timer starts now!¡±I ended the call.


    It is one of our secrets to sess. We do not consider each other as colleagues but as a family who works for one goal. That is to maintain, improve and expand our business.


    We are Asia¡¯srgest textile manufacturer. We manufacture, supply, and deliver different textile needs in the Asian market. I am the eldest in the family so I carry the biggest share of responsibility to carry on our grandparents¡¯ legacy and pass it on to the next generation.


    I nced at the time on my watch while waiting for my coffee. Then, a few momentster I heard a soft knock on the door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± I muttered while feeling excited about my coffee. Yana, my secretary came in carrying the coffee I had ordered. She walked graciously towards me with a sweet smile on her face.


    ¡°So did I make it on time, Sir?¡±she asked while slowly putting the cup of coffee on my table.


    I nodded as I smiled and looked up at her.¡± You are two minutes earlier than expected.¡±


    ¡°It was good news then you won¡¯t be talking to yourself,¡± she said thenughed. She was referring to my request to talk to her manager if she can¡¯t make my coffee on time. We both giggled at the thought of it.


    ¡°Anyway, can you please remind me about my schedule for today? I¡¯m a bit drowsy that I can¡¯t remember all of them,¡± I said with the cup of coffee in my hand ready to take a sip of it.


    ¡°Noted, sir. Can I tell you about it over the phone? I have to attend a meeting with the other secretaries 10 min from now,¡± she said while ncing at her watch.


    ¡°No problem. Just take your time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead, sir. Just call me if you need anything else. Oh! wait. I¡¯ll be the one to call you as soon as I get back to my office.¡±


    I nodded as as sign of approval and continued to sip my coffee. It¡¯s the aroma and bittersweet taste that always made my day. I started to scan some important papers filed on my table. Some of them need my signature and some are still for review. I lost my drowsiness as I started to enjoy what I was doing. Then the inte rang.


    ¡°Hello!¡± I answered.


    ¡°Sir.¡±It¡±s yana who is calling. I remember that she will be reminding me about my schedule for today.


    ¡°Yana, I thought you have a meeting¡±, I said while my other hand is flipping the pages of the papers I was reading.


    ¡± Yes, sir. I am about to leave. I just called to tell you that you have a visitor.¡±


    ¡°At this early? Okay, tell him toe in.¡±


    * My smile widened when I saw who my guest was. It¡¯s my friend, David. More than a friend to be exact. He is a brother to me, so many times already that he proved that a family is not just someone rted to you by blood. They can be rted to you by heart.


    ¡°Bro!¡±he said as if disappointed. I¡¯m starting to get confused. What happened? Why is he acting that way? He did not even bother to greet me when he came in.


    ¡°What¡¯s that look ? You are making me nervous, bro. Did something wrong happen? Wanna have some coffee before breaking that news to me?¡±I stood up to get him a cup of coffee since Yana is not there to do it.


    He shook his head instead so I sat back in my chair. ¡°Any problem? Common, tell me.¡±


    He sighed deeply. ¡°Have you heard the most recent news today?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard, watched, or read any news article today. I was so sleepy when I got here. Why?¡±I asked still puzzled about the way he is acting.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°So you haven¡¯t read the news about you yet?¡± Did I hear it right? News about me? What could it possibly be?


    ¡°Are you kidding bro? What about me?¡±


    He did not answer instead he handed me a newspaper. ¡°Just read it for yourself, then,¡±he said as he pointed to the highlighted headline


    ¡°Kline¡¯s Textile Inc. CEO to announce his engagement to Grymes¡¯ eldest heiress soon this week.¡±


    My eyes widened in shock after reading the news about me. Who scattered this news?. To whom am I engaged? An image of a woman shed through my mind. It¡¯s giving me goosebumps. There¡¯s no way that I would marry that girl. I was speechless for a second.


    ¡°Lost in your thoughts, huh! Well, I understand you though! You hit the jackpot!¡±


    I hissed.¡±Tss! You can marry her instead if you want.¡±


    He looked at me with shock in his eyes. ¡°What? Are you crazy?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way that I¡¯m marrying that woman. She¡¯s not my type.¡±


    David looked frustrated. I smiled at my thought. Does David like Nathalie Grymes? It never crossed my mind before. They are our mutual friends and we have met them from various family and business matters.


    I stood up and transferred to the chair in front of David. ¡± Bro, do you like Nathalie?¡±I smiled when he did not answer me. It¡¯s a yes, I guess.


    He sighed. ¡± Maybe. I¡¯m not certain about my feelings,¡± he shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°That exined why you came here this early. Don¡¯t worry. She is all yours, bro. I¡¯m not gonna marry her.¡±I tapped his shoulders for assurance.


    ¡°As if you can do what you want. The news must have scattered already, leaving you no choice.¡±He said then closed his eyes and leaned on the chair.


    ¡°So you just wanted me to marry her and leave you broken.?¡± I asked trying to tease him. He was very quiet and I knew the reason why. He already knew thew of my father. If it¡¯s him who arranged this, then it would be hard for me to say no.


    ¡°Bro, don¡¯t worry it will not happen. I¡¯ll do whatever I can to cancel the engagement.¡±


    He opened his eyes and waved his hand in front of me. He is indeed in love with her. I wonder why. That woman is a spoiled brat, immature and childish. But I can¡¯t question him for liking her for it¡¯s his preference. We have our taste in everything. One thing is for sure, Nathalie is not my type.


    Yes, she is pretty, smart, and sexy plus the fact that shees from one of the richest families in the country. But there¡¯s no spark at all. I am not a hopeless romantic kind of guy. I¡¯ve dated a lot of women already. Maybe the reason that I do not settle for good until now is that I find them all the same. Boring!


    They were all trying to catch a big fish in the sea because they knew who I really am. They knew that I am Zach Matthew Kline. One of KTI¡¯s heir and CEO. But what if I am not me, would they still chase me?. Would they still crawl under my feet if I am Matthew but I don¡¯t have that silver spoon attached to my name?


    I guess not, specifically in this time when almost everyone is being practical. This is the time to use brain over heart. The time to choose money over love. It is hard to find true love nowadays. Does it even exist? Maybe I¡¯ll try to find mine. How can I escape from that engagement?


    I promise David, she will be your¡¯s. I will not marry her.

 Chapter 2- Mom

    ALEIA¡¯s POV (ISLA DEL FUEGO)


    5 A. M¡­


    I got up from bed and fixed it after. I opened the window of my room that¡¯s facing the ocean and the sound of the waves crashing on the shore greeted me. I closed my eyes to feel the cool breeze. A paradise I¡¯ve always dreamed of spending my life with. My mother¡¯s favorite music, the sound of the ocean.


    ¡°What a beautiful morning!¡±I always wake up at this same time every morning to do my routine- grabbed my towel which is hung near my wooden closet and hurried to the bathroom.


    I was tapping my foot on the floor while singing. One of my fave. Well, I can¡¯t just sing the whole song but still I loved that nk Space.


    I smiled facing in the mirror while singing that song from Taylor Swift, put my hair in a messy bun, and wore my denim jacket. Then I¡¯m good to go.


    ¡°Ale!¡±I paused for a minute. Someone called me andter on I heard knocks on the door.¡± Ale, are you still sleeping?¡± the knocks be louder.


    ¡°Coming!¡±I responded and then walked fast to the door. This girl is so demanding and I¡¯m afraid she will break my door if I can¡¯t open it as soon as possible.¡±Morning, princess!¡± I greeted her while brushing my hands to her hair. She did try to avoid it.


    ¡°What took you so long? Mom is looking for you. She said the fishing boats will arrive soon. You need to be there before they arrive,¡± said Cleofe the 12-year-old daughter of my customer whom I run errands with every morning.


    ¡°No problem, sweetie. I was about to leave when you came. Is the truck ready?¡±I said referring to the delivery truck which is used for delivery.


    ¡°Yupe,¡± she answered and handed me the key. ¡°by the way where¡¯s Ryder?¡± Ryder is my Kawasaki Ninja H2R motorbike. Not that expensive. I¡¯ve been using it for ages and it became my partner in every journey. It was dad¡¯s gift to me at least her first andst gift before I decided to live on my own. We walked to the truck and headed off to the fishing port.


    ¡°Ryder? I hid it at the back of my house. We have important matters to attend toter on.¡±


    ¡°So protective of that thing, ah! Ale, I heard you sing while I was waiting for you,¡± she continued.


    ¡°So what can you say about my voice?¡±I asked her after clearing my throat, my eyes still on the road.¡± Is it good?¡± She burst outughing. Well, herugh said it all. I smiled at the thought of that because honestly I know I¡¯m not good at it.


    ¡°Not a chance, Ale. You suck in singing.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°You are mocking my God-given talent little girl. You were judging me as if you can sing very well.¡±


    ¡°Well, at least I¡¯m better than you!¡± she said chuckling.


    We buzzed off to the fishing port and waited for the boats to dock at the shore. When the ship docked, the people stumbled over to buy different kinds of fish. Others bought fish for personal consumption but most of them are vendors who will sell it in retail at a higher price. Fishing is the major means of living in I del Fuego. Well, aside from tourism of course. The ind is gifted with many natural beauty spots that attract tourists.


    I smiled while watching them. This is how simple their life is but still, you know that they are happy and contented because they are with their family. They love what they are doing. This is life to its simplest form.


    ¡°Cle.¡± I usually called her this way to make her name shorter.¡± Can I have the list? I¡¯m going to finish it as soon as possible. There are some things that I need to do today.¡±She snatched from her pocket the list of people for deliveries and gave it to me.


    ¡°Where are you goingter? Can Ie with you?¡± she said in a pleading voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to visit someone special. Unfortunately, I can¡¯t bring you there,¡± I said then tapped her shoulder. I can justtag her along with me but I don¡¯t want her to see my weak side. I started preparing the buckets to be delivered. I did not know that Cleofe was watching me the whole time, apologetically.


    ¡°Ale,¡± she murmured. I stopped for a while to look at her. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, kiddo? You look so serious,¡± I said and sat beside her, wiping the sweats on my forehead.


    She looked at me and tried to wipe my face with my towel.¡± I mean all of these are a man¡¯s thing.¡±I was speechless for a second. I never thought she would ask that. She was with me all these years but she never asked me that question before.


    ¡°Maybe, because I want to be strong as a man. I don¡¯t have any man to rely on.¡±I chose to keep it to myself. She is too young to understand, matters like that.


    ¡°That was a hard one, dear! Maybe because I want to be strong,¡± I said while flexing my muscles. She giggled until we burst outughing.


    ¡°So sad, you don¡¯t have muscles to brag.¡± This brat surely does not know how to please people. I stood up ready to start my job.


    ¡°Kiddo, I¡¯ll go ahead. I should finish this as early as possible. Ryder and I have a date,¡± I joked then jumped to the driver¡¯s seat of the truck.¡±Bye, Cle. Tell your mom that I¡¯m on my way already.¡±I waved my hand and started the engine.


    ¡°Take care, Ale.¡±


    While on the trip, I couldn¡¯t help but think of Cleofe¡¯s questions. Why is that? Why do I work so hard when I can live like a princess? Maybe it¡¯s because I prefer a quiet life without people looking down on me. I just want to be happy even if it means that I will be all myself. Alone. With no one to hang on to.


    *It waste that afternoon, when I went to the memorial park to visit my mother¡¯s grave. The moment that I have read her name, my eyes began to water. I tried enough to suppress a cry but it was still useless.


    I cried like a baby who was lost in the crowd.


    Tears kept on rolling in my eyes as I began to catch my breath. I missed my mom so much. She was the only one I have but she was not destined to live longer and today is her death anniversary. The exact date many years ago when she left me in this beautiful but sometimes cruel world.


    I knelt to put the bunch of roses on her grave. ¡°Mom, I wanted to ask you if you¡¯re okay. But I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll say you¡¯re not that you; might even think of going back here. Uh! that would be creepy though!¡± Iughed while wiping my tears. ¡°Do not worry about me. I am very much okay. Sorry if I cried, I know that you don¡¯t want to see me crying, but how can¡¯t I when I wanted to hug you but all I see is your name engraved on a stone?¡±


    I stayed for a while with mom and told her stories about me as if she was in front of me listening to them. I was startled when my phone beeped. I was not expecting any call sincework connection is very rare on the ind.


    I checked my inbox and was taken aback because of the message that I received. It was from my friend who lived in the city where I used to live too.


    From: Chelo [ Lei, I¡¯ve been trying to call you several times but you were out of reach. I hope this message will reach you. Zach and Nathalie will be engaged soon. Hope you will be okay after reading this. See you soon.]


    ¡°What a great news! Good for them!¡± That¡¯s all I can do for now. As my eyes began to water again. Zach is the only man I love and I will love in this lifetime¡­


    Secretly.

 Chapter 3- Runaway

    MATTHEW


    Hearing the news from David made me uneasy the whole day. After thest business meeting that I attended, I rushed home immediately to confront my father about it.


    But when I reached home, I was surprised to see a car parked in our garage that was not ours. My heart began to pound heavily, and my instinct told me that something was going on inside our house. Something fishy.


    I even thought of running away but not this time, and I think facing this could end my misery, so with my head held high, I went to the living room.


    ¡°Matt?¡± What the heck! I saw the smiling face of Nathalieing on my way. ¡°Hi! Good evening.¡±Acting calm and modest as if I do not know her true colors. A certified spoiled brat.


    ¡°Good evening!¡± I replied and walked to the kitchen, and there I saw my father and Nathalie¡¯s parents on the dining table. Maybe discussing something. Probably, my engagement.


    ¡°Oh! My son is here already. Come on, son, join us.¡±I sat in the chair beside my father, ready to listen to what they were about to say. I¡¯ve already mastered my line because I have foreseen that this time wille.


    ¡°Of course, I really should because you have something to exin to me. Dad, who scattered that engagement news?¡±I asked.


    Dad stood up.¡± Excuse us, everyone. I need to talk to him in private.¡±He walked past me. ¡± Matthew,e with me for a moment.¡± I followed him until we reached his study area.


    Feeling tired of the whole day from work, I immediately sat on the sofa and waited for him to talk.


    ¡°What was that?¡±he asked with his furrowed eyebrows.


    ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong? I just asked you if who made it published? Anyway, why are they here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me who made it published, and they are here to talk about it, ¡°he answered firmly.


    I chuckled.¡± So it was really true? Who told you that I¡¯m going to do what you want this time, dad? Nathalie is not my girlfriend, and there is no reason for me to tie the knot with her.¡±


    ¡°No worries! It¡¯s her request to be engaged and to settle down with you, ¡°dad said, smiling. What¡¯s funny? Is marriage just a joke to him?


    ¡°She is desperate,¡± I said, referring to Nathalie. For a woman who would do that, she must have lost her mind.


    Dad stayed silent for a minute. ¡°Look, son. Marrying Nathalie would open many opportunities for KTI to enter the European market. Her dad promised to do everything we want in exchange for you marrying his daughter.¡±


    I stood up.¡± Nonsense! And you did agree without even consulting me? I looked like a fool. Dad, I¡¯m your son, why are you selling me off?¡±I felt so down after knowing my worth.


    My happiness and my freedom are at risk. I can¡¯t imagine living life with someone I am not emotionally attached to.¡±Dad, all this time I did nothing but do what you want. Can you spare me this one? Just this one, dad. Please!¡± If I need to kneel and beg to get rid of this freaking engagement, then I will be d to do it.


    ¡°Sorry, Matt, but we have set the schedule already. We have already talked about every detail while waiting for you. Son, you¡¯ll eventually learn to love her. ¡±


    I clenched my fist in extreme frustration. My breathing is getting heavier as if I want to cry. I haven¡¯t asked for anything else, since I was a child. Only now would I ask something for myself. Unfortunately, my dad couldn¡¯t give it to me because the only thing on his mind was to get rich. The person I have devoted my whole life to cannot afford to grant his son¡¯s only request. It was all for money, fame, and power.


    It would have been better if my mother had been here. I know she will defend me and fight for my rights. But all I had was a stepmother younger than my father, who knew nothing but to extort money from our family. I will be the one to sacrifice while other people will rely on what I have worked for. They are fortunate, then. I will never allow it to happen.


    Dad walked away from me, but he stopped while he was about to open the door. ¡°Come, join us for dinner. Our visitors are already waiting for us. It is rude to make them wait.¡±


    ¡°Dad, please cancel the engagement or else,¡± I said with my eyes on the floor.


    ¡°Or else what?¡±he asked, not even turning his back on me. I guess you have finally decided, dad. I¡¯m sorry for not doing it. Not ever!Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    I stood and walked near him. I faked a smile.¡±Common, let¡¯s eat. I¡¯m hungry.¡± I walked ahead of him to where our visitors were waiting.


    ¡°Sorry for making you wait. Matt and I have discussed something. But it¡¯s all settled now, I think.¡± Dad was looking at me while saying those as if he was asking for confirmation. But I did not say anything. I¡¯ll make them guess my next move. Good for them if they can guess what I am thinking right now.


    We started eating, and I noticed Nathalie¡¯s secret nces at me. I could see how happy she was while I was forcing myself to blend with them for the sake of business. She is sitting beside me and its obvious that she is enjoying the moment.


    ¡°You feel like winning the lottery, aren¡¯t you?¡± I said in a whisper. She smiled cunningly and yed the fork with her mouth.


    ¡°You still don¡¯t know me, Matt. What I want is what I get. I know that your father can¡¯t say no to my family if we offer bundles of money. Besides, I¡¯ve been fantasizing about you for so long. It¡¯s not new to you.¡±


    ¡°Tss! You are a pitiful bitch. Desperate!¡±I stood up and walked away from them.


    ¡°Matthew!¡±dad shouted.¡± Where are you going? ¡±


    I turned my back at them.¡± Somewhere far away.¡±


    I left and went to my room. I slumped down my body on the soft bed and let my imagination travel. In a distant ce where no one knew me, and I could start a new life. In a ce where I can find true love and find someone who will ept me even if I have nothing to give but myself. Is there such a ce like that?


    I got up and tried to find that kind of ce on the inte. A beautiful picture of an ind opened up to me. The ind is already recognized as a tourist destination, but it is not yet entirely civilized. I don¡¯t know, but it¡¯s like someone tells me to go there as if someone is waiting for me. Until I dozed off to sleep thinking about that beautiful ind.


    It was four in the morning when I woke up and started to pack my things. I only brought what I needed, a cellphone, some essential cards, and aptop to connect with Yana and David. I was reluctant to leave because I didn¡¯t want to leave KTI. But sometimes we need to choose ourselves in order not to have regrets in the future.


    I decided to call Yana before I headed off to where I was going. It took a few rings before she answered it.


    ¡°Hello!¡±I said, feeling sad.


    ¡± Sir Matt? Why are you calling this early? Did something urgente up?¡±she replied in her bedroom voice.


    ¡± Yana, I¡¯m leaving for the meantime, and nobody knows it except you for now. I¡¯ll call you when I get there. Just tell them that I¡¯m on a business trip for the time being.¡±


    She was silent for a few seconds.¡± Sir, is it about your engagement with Nathalie?¡±She did know me like a family.


    ¡°Mmm. Yana, please take care of our business. If anything happens, call me immediately. We can¡¯t afford to lose it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sir. No problem. Please take care of yourself. We will wait for you.¡±


    ¡°Bye,¡± After I ended the call, I also sent a message to David telling him that I¡¯d be leaving somewhere far away from the city, so he must seduce Nathalie while I¡¯m out. I grabbed my bag and headed off to somewhere that I¡¯d never been before.


    This is the first time I¡¯m going to an ind alone, to I del Fuego as the runaway CE0.

 Chapter 4- The prince

    ALEIA


    It was seven in the morning when I finished the delivery. I only have one hour left to prepare for school. I increased my speed in driving when suddenly someone crossed the road, so I slowed down again and stoppedter.


    I was about to confront him for his carelessness when I noticed that he was busy dialing his phone. He is a tourist, maybe.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Sir, excuse me! There is no stable connection on this ind,¡± I said, trying to get his attention.


    But I was so shocked when he looked at me. I was speechless for a moment, and my heart was beating so fast. How can I not recognize him? He was the man I had been dreaming of since I was ten. His eye that hid thousands of stories. I can stare in his eyes all day long and get mezmerized by them.


    I tried to remain inposure. Why is he here? What is he doing here? He is supposed to be busy preparing for his engagement.


    ¡°I really can¡¯t find any signal. I need to contact someone,¡±he said in despair.


    ¡°Are there no areas where we can find some connection?¡±


    ¡°The weather is not good today, making the signal difficult to find. Are you here as a tourist?¡±


    ¡°Yupe, I¡¯m looking for a ce to stay for a couple of days,¡± he answered while trying to put his phone in his bag.¡±I guess everything I brought here is useless though. TSS!¡± I tried to suppress a smile. He looked so cute even of he is mad.


    I looked around to check if someone was here with him, but I saw no one. Is he trying to run away from his engagement? Or maybe he just needed some time to think about it? Nathalie must be furious for now, for his fiance is gone. Nathalie adores him since we were kids. So am I.


    ¡°Sir, are you alone?¡± I asked while trying to scan the area. But he really is.


    ¡°Kinda. Do I look like I¡¯m hiding someone in my bag?¡±he joked andughed at his joke.¡± Can you rmend some ce to stay? I mean, I don¡¯t have any idea about this ce.¡±


    I nodded.¡±Sure,e with me then!¡±I said and headed to where Ryder was parked. But he did not follow; he just remained at the ce where he was standing. He looked so shocked to see my motorbike. Later on, he walked closer to me with confusion in his eyes.


    ¡°Are we going to ride on that motorbike?¡± he said, looking amazed and doubtful.


    ¡°Definitely. Can¡¯t you see there are no other means of transportation here, except this one? Well, there are some cabs, but they don¡¯t park here all day.¡±


    ¡°You must be kidding, miss! Can you drive well? You know we only have one life. What if we¡¯ll get into an ident or something?¡±I smiled, so this is him. I knew him. The mighty Matthew who is unreachable by many.


    ¡°So you don¡¯t trust me? It¡¯s okay. How can you entrust your life to a mere stranger you just met on the road? I¡¯ll go ahead then. Just stay here for a few hours and wait for a cab.¡±I slipped and started the engine.


    ¡°Wait! Okay, I¡¯lle with you,¡± he said, then hopped at the back. ¡°Do you have an extra helmet?¡±He was speaking near my ear, and I could hear his heavy breathing. He is tensed.


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t have any extra helmets. But don¡¯t worry, it is still early. The policemen are not on their posts yet, so it would be okay.¡±


    ¡°What? This is so unbelievable. What if I¡¯ll get caught for not wearing a helmet?¡±


    I was somewhat pissed off. He is so stubborn and tough to convince.¡±If you are still unsure about this, then you can get off now.¡±Let¡¯s say that I adore this man, but sometimes he is so hard to handle. He thinks highly of himself.


    But what happened next surprised me. He hugged me tightly from behind with his chin on my shoulders. I can¡¯t help myself from smiling.


    So this is how it feels to be hugged by someone you love. Homecourt advantage it is.


    I felt his warm breath fuming in my nape and my ears.¡± Hey, what are you waiting for? Let¡¯s go, ¡°he whispered, giving me chills all over.¡± drive safely, please.¡±


    I nodded.¡±Sure, sir. Hold tight¡±I started the engine and headed off to the nearest rest house for rent. I was driving so fast intentionally, and I could feel him hugging me tightly as if he was afraid to fall. And my smile went from ear to ear. I felt like I was on cloud nine.


    ¡°Slow down; we¡¯re over-speeding,¡± he ordered as I could feel his grip on my shirt.


    ¡°No, we are not. This is normal here on the ind.¡±


    We soon reached the rest house owned by Cleofe¡¯s family. The rest house is made of native materials like bamboo and other types of wood, something that tourists enjoy. Aircon will no longer be needed because it is located near the sea where you can even hear the crashing of waves every now and then.


    ¡°Is this the ce that you wanted me to stay?¡±he said, frowning. Oh, I forgot that the man with me now is not used to living a simple life because he is the mighty and wealthy Zach Matthew Kline. He is used to staying in luxurious and expensive hotels and vis. How can he survive life here with us?


    ¡°This is the only avable ce to stay. Why?¡±I asked, trying to pretend that I did not know the reason.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s kinda weird, though. Is it okay to stay here? ¡± His eyes are scanning every corner of the ce. As if he is trying to evaluate if he can survive or not?


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll love it as soon as you get used to it. Wait, let¡¯s find the owner of this house.¡±


    We walked to Cleofe¡¯s house to talk to her mother, Mrs. Wills.


    ¡°Mrs. Wills,¡± I called while knocking on the door.¡± I¡¯ve brought a customer.¡± It was Cleofe who opened the door. She was surprised to see me with him.


    ¡°Mom, Ale is here,¡±she said.¡±Come in. Have a seat, sir.¡± Zach sat on the bamboo chair near the window.


    ¡°How about me?¡±I joked.


    ¡°You can sit beside him if you want,¡± she whispered. ¡°Ale, is he your boyfriend?¡±. I automatically covered her mouth with my hand to shut her up.


    ¡°Ssh! He might hear you. He is a prince in their kingdom. We must respect and treat him well, okay.¡± Zach was staring outside. I wonder what he is thinking.

 Chapter 5- Islander鈥檚 life

    MATTHEW¡¯S POV


    As I was staring outside, watching the crashing of the waves, I couldn¡¯t help but think of my family. Dad must be so mad right now, if only he listened to me, but the aspiration of getting more wealth blinded him.


    Yana and David must be so worried too, especially that I could not reach them. I hope that when Ie back, everything is still in the right ce, and Nathalie will give up on her obsession with me. But how long should I hide here, and can I even survive their way of living?


    That woman who drove me here looked familiar, but I couldn¡¯t remember when and where I met her. It was impossible to meet her in the business world; she looked in and rugged with her in shirt paired with ripped jeans and a sneaker. But one thing that made me confused was her motorbike. How can someone as in as her afford to buy that kind? Though it¡¯s not the most expensive one, it still costs a million.


    But as I was looking at her now as she is talking with that bubbly little girl. I can¡¯t help but stare at her silently. She looks so simple yet engaging when she speaks. Her personality screams for attention and authority.


    ¡°Sir, wanna have some coffee?¡±the bubbly girl, Cleofe, asked me. It was when I realized that I had been staring at the woman for too long already. The woman who made me ride on a motorbike without a helmet while I was hugging her. It was my first time and It felt good. It gave me an awkward feeling, though.


    I nodded.¡± Sure, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±She walked to the kitchen, and when she came back, she was already bringing a cup of coffee. There, I remember the life back there.


    ¡°His Royal Highness, here¡¯s your coffee,¡± the bubbly girl said while putting the cup of coffee on the wooden table in front of me. What did she just say?


    ¡°Cleofe!¡±The woman shouted, trying to stop Cleofe from what she was about to say.


    ¡°What did you call me again?¡± I asked.


    Cleofe nced at her. ¡°Ale said that you are a prince in your kingdom, so we need to treat you well, your royal highness!¡± she answered with so much sincerity. I giggled upon hearing it.


    I am not a prince, but it somewhat looked like that. Did this woman know me? How can she make up those if she had no idea of who I am?


    ¡°Cleofe, right?¡±She nodded.¡±I am not a prince. If I am, then where is my horse? I¡¯m just an ordinary person like everyone else, so there¡¯s no need for a VIP treatment,¡±I said while my gaze was on that woman. Trying to ask for her exnation.


    ¡°Sorry if I made up that story, Sir. Cleofe is a very yful kid. I just did it so that she wouldn¡¯t bother you in the future,¡± she said apologetically, not able to meet my eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can handle her. Anyway, stop calling me sir, and please look at me.¡± I couldn¡¯t focus because she kept on staring at the floor, maybe guilty of what she did.¡±You can call me Zach.¡± Zach is a better disguise since I do not use it often.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Zach. I¡¯m Aleia, but you can call me Ale,¡± she said casually. I nced at her hands, wishing that she¡¯d offer them for a shake. I bit my lip. What am I thinking?


    ¡°It sounds nice,¡± I said, smiling, and started to drink my coffee which began to get cold. ¡°How about you?¡±I mean, if Ale would want some coffee too. The coffee reminds me of Yana and KTI. I hope they are doing fine while I¡¯m away.


    ¡°I already had mine early this morning. Thanks,¡±she said, and a few momentster, the owner of the resthouse came.


    She discussed everything with me, including the payment, which left me in awe. Why? Because it was so affordable and I thoughtter on that the price is just right.


    Ale, Oh, I started calling her by her name now after she told me about it. She was so aodating; she even went with me to the resthouse and took care of the things I needed


    I was so shocked to see its interior after Ale opened the door. They call this a rest house.? My bathroom is much better than this. It has a small living room, and all equipment is made from wood: from its furniture to its bed. There¡¯s no mattress after all. How can Ifortably sleep without a mattress? It will surely give me back pains and make my muscles sore.


    Later on, I realized my true purpose of being here, and that is to live an ordinary life. If I wanted a grand vacation after all, then I should have gone to a luxurious resort with five-star hotel amodation. But I chose to be here to forget the pressure and to drop all my excess baggage for a while. Maybe I could find someone who will ept me for who I am now, being like this. But do we search for it? I thought that when it was about time, it would just fall like a shooting star in front of us. That thing we called love.


    ¡°Are you sure you will be okay here? You look disappointed,¡± Ale said while trying to arrange some things. Though the room was not that nice, it looked clean and well-organized.¡± Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll ask Mrs. Wills that I¡¯ll personally assist you while you stay here.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, would that be okay with you?¡±I asked after putting my things in the bamboo bed. ¡°Can I request a mattress? ¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    She nodded.¡± Sure, I¡¯ll bring it to you when Ie back. For now, enjoy the view, and the fresh air. Cleofe will get your breakfast anytime from now.¡± Is she going to leave me here? Alone? I mean, how about if I need something? I think I can¡¯tst here without her.


    ¡°Are you leaving me here¡­ alone?¡±I almost said it in a whisper, afraid that she might misinterpret.


    She chuckled,¡± Just for the time being. I¡¯ll be back after I¡¯m done with my duty. If you need something, please call Cleofe or her mother, they would be d to assist you. Would that be okay?¡±


    ¡°Can I ask if where do you live so just in case I know where to find you?¡±


    ¡°I live in the house nearby. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not going to leave you,¡±she said as if it meant something more.¡± as if I can do that, ¡± she added on a whisper, but still I heard it.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°It means that I¡¯ll be back, so you don¡¯t need to worry,.¡± I watched Ale leave and, after that, unpacked my things.

 Chapter 6- Flashback

    #Aleia(Aged 4)


    I was excited to let mommy and daddy see my five stars after reciting in ss. I got the highest mark. We were asked to describe our family, andter we were asked what we wanted someday. I told them that I wanted to be someone like my dad, who helped many people.


    How can I not get a high mark when I have a perfect family? My mom is one of the best. She used to bake some cookies for dad and me. Dad, on the other hand, is a businessman, and he has a lot of people around him.


    ording to mom, Dad is their boss, and he gave them jobs. That was why I wanted to be like him. For me, he is a hero without a cape. He can¡¯t fly, but he can still help others in his way.


    I was standing near the gate of the school, waiting for mom to fetch me up. She used to fetch me every after ss. But it was gettingte, and mom was still out of reach. My ssmates went home one by one until I was left alone. I felt tired and hungry. I scanned to look for foods in my bag. And I saw a candy. I ate it, and I sat on the bench, still waiting for mom.


    ¡°Ale,¡± my teacher called me. I immediately stood up to pay respect.¡± aren¡¯t you going home yet?¡± she asked and sat beside me.


    I tried to look elsewhere to see if mom wasing before I answered.¡± My mom is not here yet, teacher.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s gettingte, and the weather is not that good,¡± she said, then looked up the sky covered with dark clouds.¡± Why don¡¯t youe with me? I¡¯ll drop you off.¡± I was hesitant to go with her. What if momes and looks for me.? She did not leave me while I was busy thinking if I should go with her or not.


    Later on, I saw a familiar car heading to our school. I smiled upon recognizing that it was ours. ¡°Teacher, thanks for being kind, but mommy is here already,¡± I told her and pointed the car until it parked. But my smile vanished when the door opened, and it was not my mom who stepped out from there. It was Uncle Jonas.


    ¡°Lei,¡± he said, smiling. I waited for Uncle Jonas. He is our family driver. He immediately gets my bag and other things. We bid goodbye to my teacher and thanked her for not leaving me alone. As we walked to the car, the rain started to fall. I hurriedly slipped to the passenger¡¯s seat as Uncle Jonas also jumped to the driver¡¯s seat. He ced my bags beside him and started the engine. It was a total silence at first.


    ¡°Uncle,¡± I said, trying to break the silence. ¡± where¡¯s mom?¡± I think this is the first day that she wasn¡¯t the one who fetched me. I tried to lean closer to hear his answer. He smiled. And it was not a happy smile.


    ¡°At home, but she has something to do. Don¡¯t worry; she will be waiting for you?¡±


    ¡°Did she bake again?¡± I asked. I felt so excited. Maybe mom is baking something yummy. But Unce Jonas did not give me an answer. Instead, I heard him clear his throat and looked at me in the rear mirror.


    ¡°Are you hungry? We can stop to buy some food.¡±


    ¡°Hungry? Well, yes. But I want to eat what mommy is cooking, ¡°I said. I leaned to the back seat while looking outside. It was raining already. It will take a few minutes to reach home. I felt sleepy until I dozed off to sleep.


    ¡°Lei, we¡¯re here,¡± Uncle Jonas said. I opened my eyes. Uncle Jonas stepped off from the car and opened the door for me. He then grabbed my bag. I followed him to the house.


    I went directly to the kitchen to see mommy and daddy. But the kitchen was empty and well organized. There were no signs of anyone cooking there. I ran to the living room, but still, no one was there.


    ¡°Mommy,¡± I called while searching for her. I climbed upstairs to their room. The door was partly opened. So I peeked to see if what was going on there. I saw daddy first. He was standing near the window and was looking outside. His hands are in his pocket. At the same time, mom was sitting on the edge of the bed, busy packing clothes. Beside her is a : luggage. I saw her put clothes on the bags. They were silent until I pushed the door and entered the room.


    ¡°Mom.¡± She smiled immediately after hearing my voice. When I reached her, I immediately kissed her cheeks and turned to daddy, who was looking at us already. ¡°Daddy!¡± He crouched and gave me a big hug.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°How¡¯s my princess?¡± he asked while stroking my hair with his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay, dad. Are we leaving?¡± I asked when I saw mom packed my clothes too. Mom and dad were looking at each other and maybe trying to figure out what to say.


    ¡°Baby,e to mommy,¡± mom said and tapped herp. I climbed to the bed and sat on mom¡¯sp. She even smelled my hair. ¡°Only the two of us will leave tomorrow,¡± she said, with her eyes fixed on dad. Dad pursed his lips and said nothing.


    I turned back to mom. ¡°Where are we going, mom? And why dad won¡¯t being with us?¡±


    ¡°Do you love the beach, right?¡± I nodded. ¡°We will go to the beach, to grandma¡¯s house. Your dad can¡¯te with us because he is busy.¡±


    I looked up to dad, and he also nodded.¡± Mom, dad also loved the beach. He liked to swim, too.¡±


    He sat on the bed in front of us. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, baby. I¡¯ll follow as soon as possible,¡± he said.


    Later that morning, mom and I left. Dad was not in the house. He was off to work early. But I noticed him sneaking to my room, kissing me in the forehead before he left. I was still sleepy at that time that I did not mind. I still have lots of time to be clingy to dad.


    We arrived at the ind. At first, I was engrossed with its magnificence. I loved how the color of the sky reflected the ocean-the sound of the crashing waves and even the cold breeze. I used to swim every morning and stroll at the bay every night.


    I waited for dad toe, but time passed. There were no signs of him. Not even a phone call or anything. We did not talk about it. But I was still waiting for him. I knew he woulde to because he promised.


    There were nights when I heard mommy cry. I pretended to be asleep beside her. And when she thought I was sleeping, she would cry silently. I listened to her soft sighs.


    I have adapted to life in the province. Mom enrolled me to a new school. I made new friends. I tried to entertain myself while waiting for dad, but still, he hadn¡¯te.


    Until one day, I¡¯ve overheard mom and granny. They did not know that I was listening. That day I learned that my parents had a divorce. I could not understand what it meant. But mom made a simpler version. She said that ¡® mom and dad could no longer live in the same house. They will be leaving separately. But dad can still visit me from time to time. I was sad, but I needed to ept it for good.

 Chapter 7- Mom is sick

    Aleia( Aged 10)


    Years had passed, but still, there were no signs of daddy. He broke his promise to us. Mommy said that he was just so busy, maybe he could not visit us anymore. Though, I knew he was supporting us financially.


    Granny died due to a heart attack two years ago, leaving mommy and me on the ind since mommy is her only daughter. Since Granny died, mom was so silent and lonely. She was in deep thought most of the time. During those times, I sat with her to make her feel that she was not alone. I¡¯m with her.


    Though, she tried to hide it away from me, it still reflected in her eyes. I also noticed that she was weaker than before. She even went to the doctor for checkups, but still, she did not tell me.


    Until one day, I have read her hospital record. I did not understand what it meant. The terms were profound, but my attention was caught by one word that gave me goosebumps and butterflies in my stomach. It ignited my biggest fear. And that is losing mom.


    I happened to read the word, cancer. The moment I read it, I felt bank and empty. I was not absorbing it, and I wouldn¡¯t believe either. Is mom really sick? I immediately read the name on top to make sure if it was her¡¯s. And tears rolled in my eyes. It says ¡®Cami Grymes.¡± That¡¯s mom. Mom is sick. For real?


    I saw mom sitting on the balcony watching the sunset. And I was watching her; I could not stop myself from crying. All this time, she tried to keep it from me. I wonder if Granny knew about it. All this time, she has been fighting for her life, and dad was not with her. How could he turn his back on her during the most challenging times? She needed someone stronger than her to help her fight.


    ¡°Baby,¡± mom said while looking at my direction. I pressed my lips to suppress a cry, but tears just kept on rolling. I strolled to her. Mom smiled and tapped herp, just like in the old times. I knew she wanted me to sit in there. But can I still do that? She is sick. She has cancer that I could not specify. Instead of sitting in herp, I just stood there watching her. She held my hand and pulled me for a hug. ¡°Why are you crying?¡± she asked.


    I automatically let go of the hug so I could see her. ¡°Mom, you are sick, and you did not even bother to tell me.¡± Mom could not even say a word. For a couple of seconds, she remained nk. She was staring at me as if telling me how did I know it. And I was reading her correctly.


    ¡°How did you know?¡± she said and looked away. She deeply sighed and then looked at me.¡± Don¡¯t worry, baby. Mommy would be okay.¡±


    I sat on the chair in front of her. ¡°But, mom, you have cancer. I saw it in your hospital record.¡± Mom¡¯s eyes widened at my sudden outburst. Then, she started crying softly. I automatically ran to her and hugged her from behind. I buried my face on her neck, and there I cried too. I don¡¯t want to ept it. I can¡¯t imagine life without her. She is the only one I have. ¡°Is it still curable, mom? You will still get better, right?¡± I said, trying to convince myself. Mom nodded.


    ¡°Of course, baby. I will. I still want to be with you. I still want to see you grow as a lovelydy, graduate from school, have a boyfriend, and fall in love¡±, she said, smiling but with tears in her eyes. And we ended up crying together.


    But what happened the next few days is opposite to what mom said. I saw her suffer from her illness. She gets weaker as time goes by. It was Aunt Cristy who took care of her. Aunt Cristy is mom¡¯s cousin on the mother¡¯s side. She lived in the nearby town, and when she heard about my mom being sick, she came to us and offered to take care of her.


    I sometimes skipped ss to take care of mom. I told her our teacher was absent or I had finished my exam early. I always find alibis so that she won¡¯t be mad. But the truth was I skipped and cut sses to go home early. We went to the beach to watch the sun fades away. I didn¡¯t know why she loved it.


    ¡°Mom, why do you love watching the sunset,¡± I asked while we were sitting near the shore. Other tourists were with us too. But they were all busy doing their things.


    ¡°It¡¯s because it symbolizes something,¡± mom said. I felt the curiosity and faced her¡± Sunset symbolizes a task beingpleted. The sun was out the whole day to give us warmth¡±, she said, looking at the sunset. I saw something inside her. She was at peace and was thinking of her own life while giving meaning to it. I looked away to hide my tears. Is she leaving me behind? Alone?. She sighed and continued. ¡°After a mission aplished, the sun will set to prepare for another tomorrow. It¡¯s the moon¡¯s turn to do it¡¯s job. ¡°Baby,¡± mom called me to turn to look at her. I wiped my tears.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m listening. But why do I feel that you were talking about your life? Are you going to leave me?¡±


    She reached for my hand and gripped it so tight.¡± Nothing is certain in this world, Ale. I don¡¯t know how to exin this to you,¡± she said and then traced my face with her hand. I held his hand and brought it to my cheeks.¡± but you must be strong no matter what. Ale, you are still very young, and leaving you is myst option.¡± Mom paused for a minute and started to cry. Her tears flowed in her pale face.


    ¡°Then, don¡¯t, mom. Tell them you are not going yet. You promised me that you will get better, mom.¡± I cried as I jumped to hug her. So tight that just a thought without her made me scared.


    But I¡¯m not losing hope. Mom is still here; who knows, she can beat it and survive the battle.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Ale, do you still think about your dad?¡± I froze. Because honestly, I thought about him since I discovered that mom was sick. I was mad because he was not here with him to give him courage. ¡°Please don¡¯t be mad at him, baby. No matter what happens, he is still your father. Don¡¯t me him for everything.¡±


    All of a sudden, I looked at mom. I can still see that he loves dad just the same. Even if he abandoned us and maybe forgot about us. I was hoping that dad would be here to take care of her.


    ¡°Mom, do you still love him?¡± She was speechless, and that alone answered my question.


    She smiled sadly.¡±I never stopped. Loving does not always mean holding on and chasing them. Sometimes, we need to let go to make them happy.¡±I was a bit confused, so it means that dad was not happy with mom.¡± Ale, you are just ten. Don¡¯t overthink. The right time wille for you to know what it means.¡±


    ¡°When would that be, mom?¡±


    ¡°When you fall in love deeply with someone. That you will still choose to love him even if it hurts.¡± I furrowed my eyebrows because that was confusing for me.


    Is there such a kind of love?

 Chapter 8- Reunited

    Aleia(Aged 10)


    The day that I feared most eventually came. Monthster, after I discovered mom was sick, she became worst. She was bedridden already and refused to get any medical help.


    She would say the medication could not save her. She¡¯d rather spend her remaining days watching her favorite scenery; the sunset. She would like to listen to the crashing of waves now and then near the shore.


    Seeing her in that heartbreaking situation tore my heart, but what else can I possibly do? I was praying for miracles, but there were none. I cried every night. I may be young, but I¡¯m not dumb. I knew what was happening. Mom is seriously ill.


    It waste after dinner when Aunt Cristy and I were cleaning up, when the doorbell rang. I looked at her, and we both looked at the door.


    ¡°Ale, please open it,¡± she said as she went to the kitchen sink to bring the utensils we used. I slowly walked to the door. When I opened it, someone I never expected came into view.


    I was stuck to where I stood. I froze while staring at the figure that I hadn¡¯t seen for a long time. I did not know how to react. It was six years already since Ist saw my father. He had changed physically, too.


    He crouched a little bit since I grew taller than before to meet me at my level. I took one step backward.¡± Come in¡­¡± Should I say, dad? I gave way for him.


    ¡°Ale who?¡­ Rainier, you arrived earlier than I expected! Come in,¡± Aunt Cristy said as she guided him to the living room.


    I closed the door and followed them, but I hid somewhere to listen to whatever they will discuss.


    I could see them from where I was standing and probably hear them too.


    ¡°I am so sorry about, Aleia. She must be so surprised to see you today. I guess she was so little since thest time you saw her,¡± Aunt Christy.


    Dad nodded. Did I call him dad? ¡°Yes, she was. And I understand why she is so aloof now.¡±


    ¡°She is not. She did not expect you to be here today. Ale witnessed how her mom suffered and all those times, you were not here with them.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°I am so sorry about that. Anyway, how¡¯s Cami?¡± Dad asked softly.


    Aunt Christy cleared her throat and deeply sighed.¡±Not getting any better. Her doctor said it¡¯s terminal.¡±


    Dad covered his mouth, and with his eyebrows furrowed, he said, ¡°For how long?¡±


    Aunt Christy shook her head. ¡°We don¡¯t know. Maybe weeks or days.¡±


    I began to sob upon hearing those words. Those words are like daggers that hit my heart. No way! Couldn¡¯t it be? She can¡¯t leave me this early. Mommy! Mommy will still get better.


    ¡°She asked me to call you and talk to you about, Ale. She wanted you to take care of her when she was gone. Can you do that? Will your wife, agree to that arrangement?¡±


    I¡¯m not going with him? And what? Wife? As far as I remember, Mom was her wife. Does he have another wife other than mom?


    ¡°Of course, she is my daughter. I¡¯ll take her with me, and she¡¯ll live with us. Nathalie would be delighted to meet her,¡± he said.


    I went out from where I was hiding. I saw how shocked they were when they saw me.


    ¡°Ale,¡± Aunt Christy stood up to meet me. ¡°did you hear everything?¡± Worries flooded her.


    ¡°I will not go with him, Auntie. I will stay here with¡­¡± my voice cracked, and tears rolled in my blurred eyes. ¡°with mom. I will not leave her.¡±


    Aunt Christy started crying while dad remained in his ce with his hands sped together as he looked at the floor. He was crying too. For what?


    ¡°Ale, how could I exin this to you. Your mom is sick-¡±


    ¡°I knew it. But mom will get better soon. She said¡­ she wanted to be with me and watch me reach my dreams.¡± I said while wiping my tears.


    Aunt Christy reached out for me for a hug. She was hugging me while I was gripping her shirt. Then she knelt and wiped my tears. I looked at her with pleading eyes.


    She sniffed and said.¡±Of course your mom would love it. She can still do it wherever she may go.¡±


    I shook my head in despair.¡±Mom is not going anywhere¡­ ¡± I ran away from them. How can they say that?


    I went to the bay walk, where mom loved to walk when she was still healthy. And I could still see her smiles with her hair blown by the wind. Mom was so pretty. I imagined her hand holding mine. That kind that I would never want to let go. No one would hold me as she did. No one would love me like she does.


    It waste already when I went home. Aunt Christy told me that dad would be staying with us while mommy was still sick. But the idea hit me; he was waiting for mommy to leave so that he could take me. That night I decided to sleep beside with mom. I watched her breathe and tried to memorize her face. I don¡¯t want to forget her, my beloved mom. She woke up when she felt my presence.


    ¡°Baby.¡±l met her eyes. She was smiling. The kind of smile that I have never seen-since we left dad. Mom was happy to see him.


    ¡°Mmmm.¡± I touched her face. ¡°Mom, you looked happy. Did you meet him?¡±


    She slightly nodded.¡± Yes, Ale. At least now, I can be at peace-¡±


    ¡°Mom. Stop. I don¡¯t wanna hear that,¡± I said and covered my ears. Mom smiled again at me.


    ¡°Ale, please stay for who you are no matter what happens. Don¡¯t hate the world just because we suffered enough. Just think it this way. We are luckier than other people.¡±


    ¡°Mom, can I ask you something?¡± I said while lying beside her. I was looking at the ceiling.


    ¡°Sure,¡± she said.


    ¡°If you love, dad? Then why did you choose to leave him before? I mean, I don¡¯t understand until now.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll get my point, baby. But it was the only way to prepare him for all of these. I want to see him happy and secured before anything else.¡±


    I was left confused. Maybe I¡¯ll get it when the right timees.


    Someday.

 Chapter 9- First Encounter

    ALEIA (Aged 10)


    The inevitable did happen. A few days after dad came, mom passed away peacefully. She spent thest day of her life reminiscing how much she loved dad. Dad took care of her and brought her to the beach. They spent hours talking and being with each other. Only then did I know that it was mom who asked for a divorce when she was diagnosed with cancer.


    Dad did not agree at first, but mom was persistent. She wanted him to move on and get away from the pain while she was still alive.


    At first, I didn¡¯t get it. But who am I to question their decision. I was so broken after losing mom. Few days after her funeral, Dad brought me home.


    To our old home. The home where everything started. It was still the old house that we had. Though, some parts were renovated.


    But to my dismay, a woman who I thought was younger than mom for a few years weed us. Beside her is a little girl, maybe five or six years old. She was petite and tall, and she looked so cute and pretty in her pink dress.


    We were standing in the doorway when daddy said, ¡°Ale, this is your Tita Noraine.¡±He paused, andter on, he crouched. ¡°And this is Nathalie, your little sister.¡± Then he kissed Nathalie¡¯s cheek that made her giggle a bit. I felt something inside me. My heart ached. It was supposed to be me.


    I paid respect to her.¡±Good afternoon, Tita.¡±She smiled at me. But it was not a smile of a happy wee. I guessed she was not d that I was here. She gestured us toe in, so we did.


    When we reached the living room, a woman in uniform came in, carrying another baby girl. I looked at dad, who was looking at me already.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    During those years, when mom was there alone, suffering from cancer, dad managed to be happy and married someone else. I felt sad for mom. Yet, it was her purpose that was why he let him go.


    The nanny passed the baby to dad, and he carried her with so much love. ¡°Ale, this is Moraine, the youngest,¡±he added. I smiled at the baby, and my heart melted when she smiled back at me. She is so lovely.


    Tita Moraine ordered the nanny to guide me upstairs. I was expecting that I¡¯d use my old room but the nanny brought me to the other one.


    Well, it was still nice and big enough. When I entered the room, loneliness struck me. I will be living alone here, without my mother, with people who are strangers to me.


    A few dayster, my dad went out of the country for a business trip. I was left alone with Tita Noraine and my sisters. But Nathalie and Tita Noraine kept on ignoring me, even during mealtime.


    I was silently eating my food when Tita Noraine called me.¡± Aleia.¡± I stared nkly at her waiting for what she was about to say. ¡± You clean the table after eating and wash the dishes as well,¡± she added.


    I nodded. ¡°Yes, Tita.¡± Then I continued eating. They left immediately after eating and I was left dumbfounded.


    It was the beginning of my not-so-happy life with them. Every time dad was not at home; I was treated like a maid. No one ever dares to tell dad about it. Their lips were all sealed.


    A few dayster, I noticed that they were busy preparing for something. I figured it was for a party-Nathalie¡¯s sixth birthday. Visitors kept oning. Children were so happy ying in the garden while their parents were busy chitchatting. They were all dressed like princes and princesses because it was the theme of the party. While me, I Iooked like Rapunzel, who was hidden in the tower.


    Later on, a maid came in and brought some food. Am I not even allowed to eat in the kitchen? That they needed to get me food in my room?


    I was a bit hungry and ate the food. Then I decided to look for decent clothes. I sneaked in and joined the crowd. There were too many visitors. But still, my eyes kept on roaming, making sure Tita Noraine wouldn¡¯t see me. Or else I¡¯m dead.


    But a little girl who was running from someone bumped on me. I was about to fall on the ground. But then my back bounced to something hard enough for me to recover my posture.


    I thought I was looking up to the stars when I looked up to a pair of eyes right in front of me. His eyes are glowing, but his expressions are serious. He was staring at me nkly with his pursed lips that were shaped like a heart. I was about to say sorry when it was him who broke the silence


    ¡°Be careful next time,¡±he said coldly.


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    ¡°Tss!¡± he hissed and smiled. I thought it was the best smile. It came from someone who is not used to smiling often. I was watching him while his eyes kept on roaming, maybe looking for someone. He messed up my hair and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead now, kiddo. Watch your steps, always.¡±


    I watched him leave as he joined his friends, I supposed. But I was surprised when he nced at me and smiled sweetly. He even waved his hand. He was not as cold as I thought. It was just a cover-up.


    I tried to hide from the others but I made sure that I could still see him. I made sure he was still in view. And every time I looked at him, I felt something I couldn¡¯t even name that a smile would always escape from my lips.


    ¡°Watching your crush?¡± I turned my back to see if who was talking. I felt at home the moment I recognized who it was.


    ¡°Uncle Jonas?¡±I automatically hugged him. I pointed to the man whom I bumped a while ago. He was so engrossed talking to some of his friends.¡± Who is he, Uncle?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Ohm, the one in a mustard shirt?¡± I nodded. ¡°He is Zach Matthew Kline,¡± he answered and added more details about him. But I did not get it. I understood that he is a son of a wealthy businessman who happens to be dad¡¯s friend.


    I¡¯ve memorized his name and even how he looked like. His smile, his eyes, and everything about him. Until he became a part of my system that is difficult to remove.


    I¡¯ve always done the same thing every time an event is held at home. To see him from afar


    Then it made me realize that I had a crush on him since our first encounter.

 Chapter 10- First Kiss

    Aleia ( Present Time)


    ¡°Teacher!¡± A voice from one of my pupils made me go back to the present. Two years ago, I volunteered to teach pre-schoolers because I saw their need to be nurtured. I saw myself in them when I was their age.


    They crave attention and love. And I love being with them. It gives me the feeling that I was needed and have a purpose in this life of mine.


    When I looked at them, they looked at me with such worried faces until they came to me one by one.


    ¡°Teacher Ale, Are you okay?¡± Vienna said. I tapped her head and nodded. I smiled at them, assuring them that I was okay. Viena is one of my most intelligent and well-mannered pupils.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just remembered something. Are you done with your seatwork?¡±


    ¡°Yes, teacher.¡± They answered in chorus and handed their papers to me.


    ¡°Okay, see you tomorrow then.¡± They left the room one by one. I fixed my things and headed to go. But I was nailed to where I was standing as I was watching Zach near the door. He was leaning on the doorway with his hands in his pocket. He looked so sexy that I could not take my eyes away from him. I immediately looked away when he nced at me.


    ¡°Did I surprise you, Teacher?¡± he said and gave me a teasing smile. My heart leaped a bit. That was the smile he gave me the first time we met. I strolled to him.


    ¡°Yeah, how did you know I was here?¡± I asked as we walked out of the ssroom. Walking side by side, his manly and addicting scent mixed within the air. I so loved his smell. I swallowed. ¡®My goodness! What am I thinking?¡¯


    ¡°I asked that little brat, Cleofe.¡±Heughed. ¡°You were out for so long. And I was freakin bored. Ohm, you looked cool, though!¡± I looked at him, confused. He was smiling from ear to ear.


    ¡°What do you mean, cute? In what way?¡± He bit his lip and raked his hair.


    ¡°When you were with the kids,¡± he answered shortly. ¡°I never thought that a badass woman who rides in a motorbike like a man can be as soft as that.¡±


    ¡°There are always two sides of the story, mister. Would you like to have a cup of coffee?¡±I asked him. We were about to reach the school gate.


    ¡°Are there any coffee shops nearby?¡± he asked while we were walking. I don¡¯t usually use my motorbike when going to school.¡±


    ¡°Yupe! I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll love it there¡±. I smiled. The coffee shop is located near the cliff just above the shoreline. Below the coffee shop is the beach, free for tourists to enjoy.


    When we reached the coffee shop, the sun was ready to set already. Its color ranges from red to orange. I sighed. I just remembered something.


    ¡°Anything wrong?¡± Zach asked. Then I noticed him taking pictures of it.


    ¡°Nothing. I just remembered something,¡±I answered, my eyes still looking at the sun.


    ¡°Hey! Come take a look at this,¡± he mumbled. I moved closer to his side to see what he meant.


    Wrong move! It looked like I was leaning on his chest, inhaling his addicting scent. I cleared my throat and tried to pull away. But he held me closer and whispered.¡±Just stay like that so that you can see this.¡± He pointed the picture on his phone.


    I was amazed. It was, I thought, the most beautiful picture of a sunset I have ever seen. Mom would have loved it. My heart ached. It was mom¡¯s favorite scenery.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°It¡¯s perfect,¡± I said.¡±She would have loved it.¡±


    He nodded and said. ¡°Absolutely.¡± I looked up to see him. I froze; he was not looking at the picture. He was staring at me. I felt the tension because of our position. I moved a bit to give some space. Then a soft voice interrupted. It was the waitress giving us our coffee.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said and took a sip.


    The waitress smiled. ¡°Maam, today is our anniversary and we are giving some promos to our customers.¡±


    ¡°What kind of promo?¡± Zach asked.


    ¡°For two sets of order, just like yours. You will only pay for the price of one. Only if-¡±


    Zach¡¯s brows furrowed. It was his way of showing that he was annoyed or not d at all. ¡°Tss! Only if? Do you mean there are conditions? What kind of promo is that?¡±


    ¡°What would be the condition, miss?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Only if you are a couple, and you¡¯ll let us take a picture of you while you kiss.¡±


    My jaw dropped. Nonsense! How can we do it when we were not a couple in the first ce. Zach wouldn¡¯t agree to that.


    ¡°Miss,¡± I paused, thinking of the right words to say. I don¡¯t want to ruin their event. But it was impossible. ¡°we will just pay the full price. I mean without the promo.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°No problem, Ma¡¯am. Enjoy your coffee.¡± She left us, but then Zach called her. She came back to us with a big smile.


    ¡°Ohm¡­ about the promo? What kind of kiss do you ept?¡± he asked.


    My eyes widened. Is he serious?


    ¡°Zach,¡±I called him, but I did not say anything. I just gave him the ¡®we cannot do it re.¡¯


    ¡°Just any kiss, Sir. But we will post your photo on our gallery,¡± she said and pointed to their gallery that was hanging on the wall.


    ¡°We¡¯ll do it,¡± he dered.


    ¡°Okay, sir. I will get the cam.¡± She stormed out right away.


    ¡°Hey, what are you trying to do? We cannot do that, okay?¡± I said.


    He leaned closer, showing me a bit of his masculinity. I tried to look away, but he moved closer. ¡°It¡¯s just a kiss-nothing to fuss about. And besides, I want to do it for fun. Adventure!¡±


    For fun? Is kissing someone a form of entertainment? What about my feelings? I was afraid it would just worsen my feelings for him. I will be left broken when he marries my sister.


    ¡°No. I mean. I can¡¯t do it.¡±


    ¡°Maam, Sir, are you ready?¡± the waitress said, ready to take a shot, with the cam on the position already.


    ¡°No. Wait!¡±I said and turned to Zach, but instead, my lips met his. It seems that his lips were on standby waiting for mine. We didn¡¯t move, and we just stayed still for a couple of seconds with our lips still glued. Our eyes also met, sending various emotions that our mouth can¡¯t utter.


    ¡°Perfect!¡± It was the waitress. Then we let go of each other, trying to look away. Both feeling awkward and tensed. I couldn¡¯t look at him, for God¡¯s sake.


    -¡°Thank you for your cooperation. Anyway, our manager said that you don¡¯t need to pay even a single penny. It¡¯s all for free.¡± She left us feeling confused about everything and maybe including our feelings.


    It was my first kiss. The one that I always dreamt of, ever since I¡¯ve developed feelings for Zach. I did not expect it to happen here in¡¯ Stay Safe, a coffee shop with my mom¡¯s favorite thing to see, the sunset. By just looking at it, Imagined mom was there, watching her daughter being kissed by the man she loved. It was one of the things she would love to see if only she was here.


    My happiness vanished when I recalled Zach was only doing it just for fun. No feelings involved.

 Chapter 11- Ignition

    MATTHEW¡¯S POVR¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    I thought I was struck with lightning after kissing Aleia. Her lips were soft as cotton balls, it tastes like grape wine that can take anyone¡¯s sanity. I would like to make it deeper but the waitress was there and I was hesitant about how would Aleia would react after. We just met this morning but it seems that I have known her a long time ago.


    I wanted more. I am just a man with needs but I can¡¯t just take advantage of her. She¡¯s the only one I knew on this ind. Without her, I¡¯ll be a lost soul roaming around. She was looking away from me after the kiss. Silence covered us making our coffee cold already. Twilight has started to dominate and the sun was outpletely.


    ¡°Aleia.¡±


    It¡¯s me who decided to break the silence. After all, I need to take charge of my action. But I almost lost my sane when she looked at me. She looked bothered and confused. Though she tried to smile. ¡°Mmm¡­ about the kiss. I¡¯m-¡± I was about to say sorry but she interrupted.


    She raised her hand. ¡°It was nothing. We just did it for fun. I wanted you to enjoy your stay here. Finish your coffee, I¡¯ll wait for you outside.¡±She stormed out right away after that.


    Damn! What she said were the exact words I said earlier. Yeah, I did it for fun. But why do I have this feeling that I want to kiss here more than that? Her lips have driven me crazy. I can¡¯t stop thinking about it.


    I left the untouched coffee and followed her outside. I saw her talking to a guy who I thought was the same age as her. They were bothughing but they both stopped when they noticed me. The guy looked at her as if he was asking if who am I?


    ¡°Jake, this is Zach. He is one of our guests,¡± Aleia said.


    ¡°I was not informed that you became a tourist guide now,¡± Jake answered sarcastically. For me, it sounded like an insult. I was clenching my fist trying to control the outburst.


    ¡°He is alone and I happened to see him so I guided him to Mrs. Will¡¯s house,¡± Aleia replied.


    Jake smirked at me. ¡°Well, the usual you. Anyway, don¡¯t forget tomorrow night. I¡¯ll expect you there. You can bring him with you,¡± he said while looking at me. ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead.¡± Then he left us.


    ¡°Who is he?¡± I asked, tipping my head to see her more clearly. She turned back and started to walk away. So I followed. ¡°Hey, wait for me. Are you mad?¡±


    ¡°He is Jake, one of my friends here. He invited me to his birthday.¡± Her answer did not match my question. ¡°Are youing with me?¡±


    I did not answer. For what. I don¡¯t like that guy. He looked so intimidating. It was just a waste to attend his birthday. But the thought of him with her burdened me. Am I jealous?


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said.


    ¡°You know what, Ale? You looked so familiar. Have we met before?¡± She stopped walking but did not move. I moved in front of her. ¡°Have we?¡±


    I repeated.


    She shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± she started walking again. I grabbed her wrist.


    ¡°What¡¯s bothering you? You¡¯re so quiet.¡±


    ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m just tired. Let¡¯s go home.¡± She was still walking ahead of me. I just followed her and watched her hair being blown by the wind.


    We looked like a couple in a quarrel. I smiled at the idea. Why not? She can be a perfect candidate. I¡¯m sure she will not go after my wealth because she does not know me. She¡¯s in, simple, and independent. She would not be a pain in the ass.


    * She was still quiet when we reached the house. She did not even look at me.


    ¡°Will you be okay here?¡± she asked as we entered the house.


    ¡°I guess so.¡±


    ¡°So, I¡¯ll go ahead.¡± I nodded and she left.


    I was left alone, feeling the emptiness of the house. I still imagined how soft her lips were while  I was lying on the bed. I couldn¡¯t sleep either especially since she was so cold after it happened.


    I decided to get up and looked outside. It was dim already. The sea breeze is getting colder- I grabbed my coat and headed to the door. I was surprised to see Aleia near the door. She looked surprised to see me too. She recovered herposure when she noticed me.


    ¡°Aleia, why are you there? I mean you could have called me or knocked on the door,¡± I said as I gestured for her toe in.


    ¡°Ohm, I was¡­ just thinking¡­ If maybe you still want to eat?¡± she said, while messing the tip of her hair which made her sexy.


    I nodded and pulled her closer to me.¡± That was what I thought a minute ago.¡± She gasped when I raised my hands and traced the corner of her lips. I could feel the heat starting to build in my body. The tension and the urge to kiss her are more tempting than any food. She was just an inch closer to me. ¡°I¡¯m craving for¡±


    I saw her swallow. ¡°What?¡± Then at an instant, I moved closer and pressed my body to her. Then, I kissed her. At first, it was just a tease, testing her if how would she react. She tried to push me at first. But I turn to switch positions and cornered her in the wall with one of my arms, the other arm holding her. I let go of her lips for a second.


    ¡°Zach,¡± she said softly and seductively. I kissed her again. I sucked her upper lip and bit it just enough to make her moan. Her moans just ignited my manly desire. That gave me the signal to kiss her more. I pushed my tongue inside and she willingly weed it with hers. Our tongue battled, like armor in war. My hands started to explore her body. My mouth started to go down to her neck. She smellslike vani and tastes like grapewine.


    I sucked her neck and heard her moan again. I can feel her gripping my waist and arching her body. Maybe still wanting for more. My hands went downward, touching the surface in between her two proud peaks. My lips went back to her lips again and kissed her like there¡¯s no tomorrow. I started to take off her shirt without breaking the kiss, my hands leaving the same heat as mine.


    ¡°Aleia, your making me crazy, ¡°I said in between kisses. My mouth traveled down to her bare neck kissing her all over. She is half-naked already may be ready to give in.


    Our intimate moments were cut off by a loud knock on the door. But I did not stop kissing her. I continued what I was doing.


    ¡°Zach, mom is looking for you. Your dinner is ready.¡± It was Cleofe, that little brat. I stopped what I was doing for a while.


    ¡°Tell your mom that I¡¯m not hungry!¡± I shouted then gave Aleia s soft kiss on her lips. She  had already put on her dress.


    ¡°Can you open the door? I can¡¯t hear you. Is Ale with you?¡±


    I looked at Aleia who was blushing at the moment. She looked so bothered. ¡°Why don¡¯t you hide in the bathroom first while I¡¯ll try to drive that little brat away?¡±I whispered and try to catch her lips for another short kiss. Aleia was  so responsive. Every part of her ignites my manly desire. I never felt this way before. I never felt so damn turned on!

 Chapter 12-Realization

    Aleia¡¯s POV


    My knees are still trembling, my heart pounding heavily as I hide behind the bathroom door. What did the hell happen? We were making out for the fact that we met just this morning. I almost get naked in front of him. Thank God, Cleofe came.


    My emotions and desire carried me. I have loved him since I was ten, contented to see him from afar, dreaming of being with him. And suddenly, he was here with me, and I almost gave in to him knowing that he would be engaged to my dear sister.


    But until when do I have to give way for her? Dad told me before to give Nathalie what she wanted because that brat has a heart problem. We should do everything to make her happy to avoidplications. But it seemed that we had the same taste in almost everything that we even fell in love with one man.


    We are both in love with Zach, but she was not aware of it. It might put me in a challenging situation knowing that her mother hates my existence. I avoided Zach as far as I could; I hid in my room every time he was in our house. I just peeked through the door to take a glimpse of him.


    That was enough for me not until today when I had the chance to taste how it feels to be in his arms. Until I got a taste of his lips and touch in my bare skin. I am a hypocrite if I would not admit that I liked what we did. It feels like a dream, and if it is, I don¡¯t want to wake up forever.


    I¡¯d rather live in this dreamlike fantasy with him by my side than live alone in reality. And the realization came; I could not let go of him. Not anymore. I think it¡¯s time to give way for myself. I need to fight for my own life; that¡¯s him. But fighting my love for him means opposing my father¡¯s will. I wish mom were here to help me with all of these. I loved him, and since we were here, maybe I could take advantage of the situation. I might as well y with fire if needed. Then I would have no regrets afterward.


    ¡°Hey, babe! The brat went home already. You cane out from there,¡± Zach said behind the door. But I couldn¡¯t move. I froze to where I was. Now what? I don¡¯t think I still have the guts to face him after what we did.¡±Babe?¡± he called again.


    I slowly opened the door and went outside. I looked away. ¡°I think I need to go,¡± I said and headed to the door. He grabbed my arm then suddenly, I felt him hugging me from behind, sniffing my hair, and kissing my nape. I gasped and tried to push him away until he let go of me.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go yet. I know you are hungry. We left our coffee untouched a while ago. I can¡¯t just let you go with an empty stomach,¡± he said, still holding my hand. His eyes are looking and piercing my inner soul, saying everything he can¡¯t express in words. I thought I was lost for a second while looking at them-they are the best pair of eyes I have ever set my eyes on.


    He smiled yfully and pinched my cheeks.¡± I know I look good but don¡¯t stare at me like that, ¡°he said and  leaned closer to me and whispered,¡± it made me want to kiss you again.¡±


    I stopped breathing for a few seconds. My heart was racing so fast that I could not breathe normally. I needed something to lean on. If not, then I¡¯d fall for him even harder.


    With my unstable state, I said,¡± I think-¡± But he stopped me midway by putting his fingers on my lips. I bit my tongue to suppress a gasp.


    ¡°You stay here first. I¡¯ll ask Cleofe to bring us food to the cottage near the shore. Don¡¯t think of walking away. You know that I will still find you,¡± he said and stormed out immediately.


    I looked for a chair and sat there with my knees still weak. Ibed my hair with my hand and pulled the hem of my shirt. I tried to recover myposure so that when he came back, I would not look like a teenage girl in love. This is not me. Maybe the saying is true that ¡®when we are in love, we lose our real self and be someone else.¡¯


    ¡°Babe.¡±I nced at the door and saw him there walking to where I am seated.¡± Let¡¯s go. We prepared the table already.¡± He offered his hand. At first, I was staring at it, thinking if I¡¯d ept it.


    I decided to take his hand and stood up.¡± Let¡¯s go, ¡°I said, finally getting back to my senses. He locked his fingers with mine as couples do. His hands perfectly fit mine. As if they were made precisely to hold and never let go of me. They were big and warm. I loved the feeling. It made me feel that I am not alone anymore.


    ¡°Ale,¡± he said softly as we were walking on the shore, going to the cottage where he set up for dinner.


    ¡°Mmmm,¡± I replied. Half of me was listening to the crashing waves. I can feel my mom¡¯s presence by just listening to them as if she was watching me with the man I loved almost half of my life.


    ¡°Have I been rude to you? Yeah, it was not right for me to do it. We just met today, and we hardly know each other. But I feel like I knew you a long time ago.¡±


    I stopped walking, and he did too. I could not even say a word. We were staring at each other, trying to read each other¡¯s minds.


    ¡°But I won¡¯t say sorry for doing it. It was not a mistake. You¡¯re beautiful and hard to resist, and I think-¡± I felt like I was a convicted criminal waiting for my sentence. ¡°I think I¡¯m starting to like you. I want to know more about you.¡±


    I felt like I was on cloud nine after hearing it. But then, after recalling what happened, a smile escaped from my mouth.


    ¡°Why are you smiling like that?¡± he asked with his eyebrows furrowed.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± I could not tell him I was smiling because the make-out happened first before the getting to know stage. Instead, I cling to his arm. ¡°I¡¯m just happy, that¡¯s all,¡± I said as we continued walking.


    I understand that someone like him is not used to confessing his feelings just like that. He does not chase women; women chase him. That¡¯s how it works for a hot and rich billionaire like him.


    I¡¯ll still count myself lucky that he wanted to more about me. But how would he react if he learned that I am Aleia Reign Grymes? The sister of his soon-to-be fiancee.

 Chapter 13-Dinner

    MATTHEW¡¯S  POV


    Watching Aleia smile with her hair blown by the wind was like watching the sunrise after heavy rain. Her smile can calm even troubled water, and her hand is soft and warm, locked with mine. I  squeezed her hand as we strolled to the cottage for our dinner.


    I am not hungry at all. I mean, after what happened, I couldn¡¯t focus on any other things. A part me of was guilty of doing that, and a part wanted more of it too. I took advantage of her. She was not like any other woman who clung to me for my name or money. I don¡¯t want her to think that I¡¯m a pervert.


    She was still silent after we reached the cottage. Cleofe was there also waiting for us. If not because of this little brat, something could have happened. Maybe I should thank Cleofe for that beautiful interruption.


    Cleofe was looking at our sped hands. She was smiling, and I saw her bump Ale with her questioning look. She is a curious type of kid her age.


    ¡°Ehem! Lovebirds?¡± she said as we walked to the table. I even saw Ale blush. She squeezed my hand, asking for help, and I squeezed back. It was a charming gesture. She looked like a teenage girl caught by her friends. And then a memory many years ago shed like a movie scene in my mind.


    That night when a cute little girl who I thought was younger than me identally bumped me. She could have fallen to the floor if I did not manage to catch her. I even saw her taking secret nces at me. It fluttered my heart, though, and Ale was like that kid.


    Shy and reserved but responsive. I even bit my lip with the thought of her lips on mine, with our mouths sealed. I swallowed, cleared my throat, and let go of her hand. I guided her to her chair. Cleofe left us a minute ago, and we were alone here again.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat,¡± I said, and she nodded. I put some of the dishes on her te when I noticed that she was not getting anything.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said. We started eating. We did not talk. We just exchanged nces, looked away, and smiled secretly. We were like teenagers on our first date. Honestly, this was was my first time feeling so light and happy.


    I helped her clean the table when we finished eating. Then we sat on the bamboo chair facing the ocean. The sea was a little calmer this time. The moon has started to show up with its entire face shining down at us.


    ¡°Ohm, can I ask you something?¡± I said.


    ¡°Sure,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Do you live here  with your family?¡± I looked at her after. She was looking to her feet that touched the fine and white sand.


    She deeply sighed before she answered.¡±I live alone.¡±


    I furrowed my eyebrows. ¡°What! Why?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I lived with my granny and my mom, but they passed away already,¡± she answered hoarsely, still looking away.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡± I ced my hand above hers to offer herfort.


    ¡°No need to be sorry. We will all end up at that point. What matters most is how we live our lives while we are here.  And make a difference to other¡¯s life?¡± she said while looking straight into my eyes. ¡°Zach, life is short to focus on things that are not eternal.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± I asked, confused.


    ¡°When my mom died, I realized how precious life is. She loved to listen to the crashing waves and to watch the sunset. There are still many things that she wanted to do, but her time was limited, Zach,¡± Aleia said with tears in her eyes. She tried to hold it back, but she ended up crying. I moved closer to hug her. I tapped her back to lessen the pain.


    ¡°So that was why you chose to stay here, because of your mom.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Yupe! This is her home. Our home. She chose to spend herst days here. Anyway, let¡¯s change our topic. I  don¡¯t want you to think that I am a cry baby.¡± she said while wiping her tears.


    ¡°Tss! What¡¯s wrong with crying? We all cried like crazy when we were babies.¡±  I was shocked when she burst outughing. ¡°What¡¯s funny?¡± I asked, chuckling.


    ¡°Nothing. Just the baby thing. So may I ask if why you came here alone?¡±


    ¡°Looking for fun? I¡¯m a free spirit.¡± I shrugged off. I couldn¡¯t tell her that I was here to escape my engagement and that I was a CEO in mypany.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said, but she sounded unconvinced.  ¡°So, are you having fun?¡±


    I bit my lip while raking my hair upward.¡± So far-¡± I intended to cut what I was saying.¡±yes. Thanks to you. For not leaving a good for nothing man like me.¡± I¡¯ll see if she will still stay even If she saw me that way.


    ¡°Even a wild grass in the forest has its purpose. So you are, even if we are not as mighty as others, we should serve our purpose,¡± she said and stood up after. ¡°Let¡¯s go home,¡± she said and walked ahead of me.


    ¡°Are you not afraid of living alone?¡± I asked while we were walking on the way home.


    ¡°No. I got the whole vige. We¡¯re here.¡±


    I did not notice that we had reached my rest house already. ¡°Ale, I should drop you home.¡±


    Sheughed.¡±No need. I can take care of myself. Go in and rest.¡± She pushed me to the door. But I  pulled her closer to me.¡±Thanks for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the wonderful night. Wanna have coffee inside?¡± I asked while stroking her soft hair with my hand. She pushed me lightly, and weughed.


    ¡°Stop flirting with me, Zach. Remember, we still don¡¯t know each other yet-¡± I did not let her finish. I brushed my lips with hers. I was testing if she would push me away. When I noticed she was not resisting, I tried to im her lips, teasing, biting, and sucking them. As if it was food I needed to survive. As usual, she was responding to my kisses with the same energy.


    I felt like a force that we did not know existed was pulling us together as our lips were locked, moving in rhythm. I stopped for a moment, and I whispered, ¡°The hell I care with that, Aleia!¡± And I came back to her parted lips allowing me to enter and taste more. Moans escape from the innermost soul that made me even want to taste more of her.


    We were both catching our breath when we ended the kiss. I did wonder why Aleia allowed me to do it. Is she also attracted to me?


    ¡°Zach,¡± she said while gaining herposure.¡±I need to go.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± I insisted.


    ¡°It¡¯s alreadyte. You need to rest. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± I watched her leave and when she was out of sight. I walked inside.

 Chapter 14- Sweatd all over

    ALEIA


    When I reached home, I immediately looked for my diary. This is the diary that I have kept since I was ten.  Every inch of my feelings for Zach was written here since the first day that we met.


    I could still see the handwriting of a little girl. I smiled. Today was unexpected, but I think it was the best day. The man I loved came like a falling star in front of me. I never asked or expected it to happen, but I guess it is a sign that I should start fighting for what I want.


    Iy in bed thinking of everything that had happened today. I do not know what happened to Natalie and Zach. But I just followed what my heart wanted. I do not have regrets after all.


    Whatever the reason is, this time, I¡¯m sure I can¡¯t just let him go quickly. I need to get back on my ce and im what is mine. Not for the money but to have Zach. I need to gather my thoughts and think of a n. I have been hiding and giving them all the time they wanted. I gave way for Nathalie for so long already.  Maybe this is the time to get back what is mine. Zach is supposed to be engaged to me. I am the eldest heiress of the Grymes Empire. I was born first before them.


    ¡­


    When morning came, I woke up early to look for a signal. I needed to contact Chelo and ask her about what was happening back in the city.


    I put my hair on a messy bun and wear  my denim jacket and sneakers. If I run out of time, I¡¯ll go directly to the port area. I still need to run errands for Mrs. Wills and go to school after. I need to continue my routine for now.


    I parked Ryder beside the coffee shop where Zach and I had coffee yesterday. I dialed Chelo¡¯s number and smiled when I heard it ring on the other line. She must be awake now. She has a daily workout schedule every morning.


    ¡°Lei?¡± she immediately said upon hearing my voice.¡± How are you?¡± she asked excitedly. It has been a long time since thest time I called her.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Chelo? How¡¯s everything there?¡±


    ¡°Still the same except the chaos after Matthew runoff from his engagement. The two families are in big trouble, and the media are all ears to them now.¡±


    ¡°How about my dad and Nathalie?¡±


    ¡°Well.¡± She paused a bit. ¡°Your dad is surely stressed about it, Lei. And your bitchy sister is making a fuss out of it. We all knew how she adores that man.¡±Sheughed.¡±, Oh, well. I¡¯m sorry I forgot that you feel the same, too.


    I cleared my throat while looking at the wide vast ocean with its waves sshing to the shore.¡± I have something to tell you but promise me you won¡¯t tell anybody.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Matthew is here with me on the ind?¡±


    She was silent for a minute, and then she shouted. ¡°, What!? I mean, what is he doing there with you. They were looking for him anywhere.¡±


    ¡°That, I don¡¯t know. He arrived just yesterday alone. It has nothing to do with me. He doesn¡¯t know me, and I intend not to let him know for now.¡±


    Sheughed. ¡°What game are you trying to y? Is it the blind item game? Sooner orter, he will unravel the truth.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still not ready for now, especially that he is running away from something that is connected to me. What if he runs away again?¡±


    ¡°Gosh! Aleia! You are fond of ying hide and seek. So what¡¯s your next n? I know you have something in your mind.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna take back what is mine, Chelo,¡± I said firmly.


    ¡°That¡¯s is good. That¡¯s what I have been telling you before, Lei. So when are youing back?¡±


    I sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll call you again when the right timees. Chelo, I can¡¯t give up, Matt. You know how much I loved him ever since.¡±


    ¡°Go, girl! I¡¯ll support you all the way. Before anything, make sure you¡¯ll make him fall in love with you.¡±


    ¡°So, I need to end this call. I¡¯ll call you one of these days.¡± I said as I tried to take a nce at my watch. The fishing boats will arrive soon. I need to be there before theye.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°Okay, Lei. Bye for now. I¡¯ll wait for the real princess to return and sit on her throne.¡±


    I smiled.¡± I don¡¯t want to sit on the throne. I want to get the man I love. That¡¯s all.¡±


    After hanging up with Chelo, I buzzed off the port. But I was shocked to see Zach carrying buckets of fish to the truck. Topless. With sweats covering his body. I swallowed and watched him as he effortlessly transferred all the buckets to the delivery truck.


    His upper body is in full disy. I noticed that some of thedies in the vige were here too. I did not know if they still wanted some fish or the one carrying it.  I strolled closer to him.


    ¡°Zach,¡± I said, and he looked at me smiling. It melted my heart, and I felt like it made me fall in love even harder now. Now that he is here with me, just a meter away.


    ¡°Aleia,¡± he answered, trying to wipe the sweat in his body. I grabbed the towel inside my pocket and wiped his body with it. He was smiling like an idiot while watching the towel travel all over his chest.


    ¡°Zach, what are you trying to do?¡± He grabbed my hand and brought it to his chest. I can even feel his heart beating like a drum.


    ¡°See? My heart is doing good! I¡¯m just having a little bit of work-out here, and  Cleofe told me that you are supposed to do these things,¡± he said,¡± Aleia, you are a strong woman. I admire you for that. But can you refrain from doing all these things?¡±


    I sighed.¡± We can do your job, too.¡±


    ¡°No need to argue with me, Ale. I¡¯m just worried about you. It might affect your health in the future?¡±


    He continued what he was doing as the girls were drooling over him. The men were watching with jealousy, He looked like a Greek God that descends from the throne. A god that I will never let go of from now on.

 Chapter 15-It is you

    MATTHEW


    I can¡¯t stop myself from smiling. Everything is perfect right now. The ce where Inded and Aleia. This is the kind of life that every man wanted, but I know I can¡¯t stay here forever. I just need to buy some time, hoping that when Ie back, the engagement thing is gone.


    But I think I can¡¯t go on with my life without her. I wanted to take her with me. She is the perfect girl that I am looking for. in, simple, independent. But would she leave this ce just to be with me? This is her home.


    ¡°Zach, are youing with me tonight?¡± she asked while she was sitting beside me. I volunteered  to drive for her. This girl is doing a man¡¯s job. For God¡¯s sake.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± I asked and took a nce at her. She was looking outside, and then she looked at me.


    ¡°Jake¡¯s birthday,¡± she replied.


    The thought of that man irritated me. He was so intimidating, and I was somehow jealous   when she was with him.


    ¡°Not sure. Are you that close?¡± I asked


    ¡°Jake is one of my childhood friends when  we lived here-¡± She immediately stopped as if she realized she said something that is not supposed to be told.


    ¡°When you lived here? Why? Did you live somewhere? I thought you had been living here ever since you were born.¡±


    She cleared her throat and tried to manage herposure.¡± I mean, I went somewhere to study. I just got back a few years ago.¡±


    I nodded. Okay! But I was not convinced, though. ¡°Anyway, how much do you earn as a teacher that you still need to get another job? And take note -a heavy job.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°It is improper to ask for someone¡¯s ie. That is too personal,¡± she said while trying to fix her hair.¡± Stop staring, Zach. Just focus on the road,¡± she said, smiling.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re too pretty to ignore. Or are you even aware of that? About the ie thing, sorry for asking. I¡¯m just concerned about your health.¡±


    ¡°I earn nothing from that.¡±


    My jaw dropped. ¡°Howe?¡±


    ¡°I do it voluntarily for charity. I love kids because they remind me of my childhood. When I was young back then, I did not have the time to study, y, and have fun. My mother was sick, and I needed to take care of her.¡±


    ¡°And because you love them, you epted the job for free?¡± I said. I¡¯m not sure if I can get to her point-no one will do that in this practical time.


    ¡°Yes. Sometimes in life, there are times that we sacrifice ourselves for the people and the things that we love. Have you been in love before?¡± she asked.


    I shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    Love for me is aplicated thing. They¡¯ll make us believe that they love you when the truth is they only love your money.


    ¡°Have you?¡± I asked back.


    She nodded. I¡¯m not sure about how I was feeling. I was jealous for a moment. I don¡¯t have the right. I focussed on the road to divert my attention.


    ¡°I fell in love with him when I was ten, and I still love him until now. I thought  when love is not entertained, it will vanish like a cloud of smoke. But, hell, the fire just keeps on going. I love him even harder now.¡±


    With that, I looked at her without knowing that she was looking at me intensely. So sad I was not the one she was referring to. I¡¯ll bet my life; it was Jake. Since she mentioned  childhood friend and she has been in love with him since she was ten.


    ¡°Lucky man,¡± I smiled sarcastically.


    ¡°Yeah, he is fortunate indeed that I want to strangle his neck for making me suffer all these years. Though, it was not his fault.¡±


    Iughed a bit. Why would she do that to the man she loved?


    We remained silent after that conversation until we finished the delivery.  I was still in deep thought about what she said.


    ¡°Have you had breakfast?¡± she asked. We were on our way to the truck. We stopped near its doorway.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m not hungry.¡± I was startled when she held me in my waist and grabbed me somewhere. It made me happy, though.


    ¡± Where are we going?¡± I asked, smiling. We looked like a couple in quarrel, and I thought we looked cute.


    She paused for a while, catching her breath, with her hands on her waist. She sexily raked her falling her and pushed it upward. She even wet her lips, still grabbing for breath.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat some,¡± she said.


    ¡°But, why are we in a hurry? We could just stroll.¡± I asked and pulled her away. She looked even sexier with a bit of sweat on her face and neck. I swallowed. She¡¯s just an inches away from me. I could even smell her sweet, delicate scent like the breath of ocean mixed with the heat of the sun.¡± Can you forget about that man?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I can¡¯t. He¡¯s with me wherever I go.¡±


    I lowered my lips, ready to kiss her again. ¡°Just now. Forget him- just now,¡± I said almost in a whisper and imed her lips. It was soft and sweet as usual that I even bit it. I heard her moan, and that even intensified the fire inside me. After a few moments of intense kissing, I let go of her lips.


    ¡°If you love him, then why do you always kiss me like I am the man you love?¡± I asked to tease her.


    ¡°Because it is you,¡± she murmured something. I did not hear clearly. She walked ahead of me, and I followed her.


    We ended up at a small eatery where she ordered foods that were new to me. I was even hesitant at first to eat there. It was my first time- eating in that kind of ce. But I can¡¯tin. Aleia enjoyed her food, and I was mesmerized by just looking at her.


    Then, I realized that she was the perfect woman I was looking for. I have to make her mine.

 Chapter 16-Jealous

    Aleia


    I dropped by to buy a gift for Jake. Jake was one of my childhood friends here on the ind. We used to attend grade school. Not until dad brought me to the city again, he love surfing, so I bought a pair of surfing attire. He would indeed love it.


    But then I noticed a pair of summer attire. Zach¡¯s image came shing like a  movie clip. It would look great on him. It is a pair of white vests and board shorts. I decided to buy it for him even though it¡¯s not his birthday.


    ¡°Is that for him?¡±


    I turned around and saw Zach behind me. I was about to open the door when he came. I just gave him a slight nod.


    ¡°Come in,¡± I said after opening the door. He strolled as his eyes scanned the entire living room of my house.


    ¡°You have a nice house. It¡¯s quite big too.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Do you want anything? I mean coffee or tea?¡±


    I put the gifts I bought on the table. ¡°Just don¡¯t bother. I know that you still need to attend someone¡¯s birthday.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re noting with me?¡± I asked as I sat on the sofa beside the table. He was looking away from me and trying to avoid my gaze. He looked cute. He looked like a child in tantrums. So adorable in every angle. So lovely that my heart always races every time he is around.


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t want to disturb your quality time together,¡± he added. He stood up and walked to the door.


    ¡°Zach! Wait,¡± I shouted and held his hand before he could open the door. He sighed and looked back.¡± I¡­ I have something to give you.¡± His brows furrowed. ¡°Would you like to take a look?¡± I said, smiling.


    His face lit up as we walked back to the living room. I gave him the pair that I bought for him. He was hesitant at first.


    ¡°I thought you bought something for Jake,¡± he said.


    ¡± I did. But I also bought something for you.¡± I opened it and showed it to him.¡± Do you like this?¡±


    He snatched it from me.¡± Nice choice. How did you know that blue is my favorite color?¡±


    ¡± Ohm¡­ I just bought it randomly.¡± I replied. Of course, I spent many years loving him secretly.


    It made me discover things about him. I was like a stalker who was watching him from afar. I almost knew everything about him. One of those is his favorite color. That¡¯s why I bought it a while ago. I knew he would love it. I hope.


    ¡°Why did you give me this? It¡¯s not my birthday.¡±


    ¡°Do we need a reason to give someone a gift? I just thought it would look perfect on you.¡±


    Zach, we do not need a reason to love someone. Because love enough can justify everything.¡± I wanted to tell him. But I guess this is not the right time. Not yet.


    ¡°I think  I need to go. I know that you still need to prepare for his birthday.¡± He walked to the door. But before he could open it- he looked back. ¡°Ale, please take care of yourself. Have a good night. Enjoy!¡±


    I watched him vanish as he closed the door. But I could not just let him leave like that, in that state. I decided to follow him outside.


    I could not find him at first, and then I saw him standing near the shore. His hand holds the gift I gave him, and the other hand is raking his hair messed up by the air.


    I hugged him from behind, and I noticed that his body stiffened. I even felt him sigh and take a deep breath. As I also felt his hand holds mine.


    ¡°Zach, don¡¯t you want me toe there?¡± I said as I was carried away by my overflowing love, inhaling his manly scent and hugging him. I wish we could stay like this forever with no barricades and no hustles.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s a special day for him,  Ale. You shoulde.¡±


    We went home separately after that. I did what he told me. After a few minutes, I headed to Jake¡¯s house with Ryder. Jake has only few visitors. But most of them were men.


    ¡°Ale,¡± Jake mouthed as he saw meing.


    ¡°Happy birthday, Jake.¡± I hugged him and kissed him on his cheek. I even heard his friends scream and tease us. But Jake and I both know that we are just friends.


    ¡°Is that a gift for me?¡± I nodded and gave him my gift. ¡°Thank you. But you know that you being here tonight is already a gift. Come and sit with us.¡±


    Although they were all men, I knew all of them so dealing with them is not that hard. Jake sat beside me, andter on, he invited me to the buffet table to get some food.


    ¡°Where is our guest?¡± he asked. I scanned the foods on the table, and I chose to pick the grilled squid. I love grilled seafood. Eating them is like heaven to me. Though I knew it was not healthy. But being an ind girl made me love it.


    ¡°Not in a good mood, I think.¡±


    ¡°He likes you, Ale, and he is jealous of me. He doesn¡¯t know that I considered you one of the men.¡± We both burst outughing after that.


    ¡°You really know my favorites, Jake. Thanks for these.¡± I pouted at the food on my te.


    ¡°I made it for you. You are my best brother, though. But I guess you will be a full woman soon.¡± He then tapped my shoulder as we both walked back to the table.


    Our friends looked at us as if we were a tandem in a movie. I just smiled and shook my head to brush away whatever they thought.


    ¡± You two? Are you sure you are just friends? You look like a couple in love.¡± Kalvin said while looking at us intensely.


    I looked at Jake, who at that moment was also looking at me already. We both smiled at them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not doubt them, guys. They will reveal it sooner. Right, Jake?¡± It was Ivan.


    Jake justughed as he put his arms on my shoulder. I ughed with them.


    ¡°Okay, so Ale, our only princess. Why don¡¯t you give the celebrant a friendly kiss since you said that you¡¯re just friends.¡± Kalvin said while giggling.


    ¡°It¡¯s not necessary. Ale, you don¡¯t need to do it if you are notfortable,¡± Jake whispered. I squeezed his hand to give him a sign that it was okay.


    I looked and kissed him on the cheeks. His friends were screaming and tapping the table loudly. It was also when I noticed a male figure watching behind us.


    He was wearing the summer pair that I gave him. What was he doing here? I thought he was noting before other people could not see his presence- he walked away.


    I immediately stood to follow him. From my understanding, he did not like what he saw.

 Chapter 17- I want you

    Matthew


    I was about to go to sleep but I just couldn¡¯t close my eyes knowing that Ale was still out with Jake. Jealousy ate me until I decided to follow her. I won¡¯t meddle with their affairs, I just want to make sure that she would be safe tonight.


    How lucky that bastard is to be loved by her that much?


    I chose to wear the summer attire she gave mest time. I smiled while I was looking at the mirror. It fits perfectly fine to me. How did she manage to buy me such a cute gift? So sweet!


    I strolled in the darkness and  in the cold night. I was not sure where Jake¡¯s house was located. I was just strolling feeling the night mood on the shore. Then I thought of asking Cleofe and she even volunteered to drop me there.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    There were only a few visitors when I arrived. I just hid in the coconut tree nearby as I watched themugh, eat, and sing. Then, I saw Ale with a  group of men, with Jake. I guess they were teasing them. Theyughed so hard that it almost broke my eardrum. A few moments, I saw Ale kiss Jake on the cheeks as their friends were rooting for them.


    It was also the time that Ale nced in my direction as I stormed away like a hurricane trying not to cause any scene. I am just a stranger in this ce and I do not have the right to ruin their night. Even if mine was already ruined, never mind that.


    I walked as fast as I can. I was badly hurt and I was jealous. Damn! I do not have the right to feel this way, too.


    ¡± Zach!¡± Aleia shouted. I did not listen.¡± Wait for me!¡± she continued. When I looked back, I can see that she was trying to catch me. So, I decided to stop and to wait for her as I am also tired of walking away.


    ¡± Is the party over?¡± I asked when she was in front of me already. She was trying to gasp for air that she cannot even breathe properly.


    ¡± I thought you were noting but why are you here, alone? You could have told me,¡± she answered whilebing her hair with her hand.


    ¡± I just made sure you will be safe tonight, that¡¯s all. You can go back to the party, now.¡±


    She did not answer instead she looked at me from head to foot. She was grinning from ear to ear while looking at me.¡± What?¡± I asked smiling too.


    She just smiled and wet his lips. I swallowed hard. She looked so sexy with that gesture- that I always imagine myself biting that pouty lips of hers and making her feel how much I badly want her.


    ¡± You look good¡­ with these?¡± she said referring to the summer pair she bought for me.¡± That was an understatement. You look like a star. A star that we would just look up to. Unreachable to everyone.¡±


    I came closer to her and held her waist feeling her closer to my body, inhaling her addicting scent, stroking her hair .¡± I am beyond your reach now. You can hold me and touch me.¡±


    She smiled bitterly and traced my lips with her fingers. I silently gasped for air while staring intensely at her. Her hand moved upward caressing my cheek with his thumb.


    ¡± Until when Zach? You don¡¯t belong here with us. I knew you belong somewhere. One day, you¡¯re going to leave me,¡± she said. ¡°And I will be left with just the memory of you.¡±


    It¡¯s my turn to return the favor. I traced her lips with my finger as she was staring at me passionately. Her eyes piercing to  my soul. She looked familiar. I just don¡¯t know where I have seen her.


    ¡°You cane with me if you want, Ale. Be my girl,¡± I said, moving closer to her lips, ready to im and brand it as mine the moment she will say yes.


    ¡± How I wish life is as simple as that.¡± She looked away and walked ahead of me. I sighed and clenched my fist.


    ¡± Yeah, I know. You can¡¯t just leave him like that. You loved him that much, huh!¡±  I hissed as I grabbed her wrist.¡± Stop walking away from me.¡±


    She looked at me with much confusion.¡±  What are you saying? I don¡¯t know what are you trying to point out,¡± she said and grabbed her wrist.


    ¡°That man whom you loved secretly. Is it Jake? Is he the reason why you can¡¯te with me?¡±


    ¡°Hell, no! It¡¯s not Jake and I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t tell you who he is. Today is not the right time, yet. It¡¯s gettingte, let us go home.¡±


    ¡± You go ahead. I want to be alone,¡± I said and it was me who left her there. I walked without looking back! When I decided to look back, she was not there anymore. I shrugged. Then, maybe she went back to the party. Lucky man!


    I did not know how long I walked in the middle of the night. Alone! Then I remember something. What¡¯s the use of my money If I can¡¯t have the woman I want.


    The rain poured, making the thin fabric of my clothes soaked in rainwater. I even hugged myself due to  cold. Loneliness hit me! Yeah, I am rich but I have no one who¡¯s gonna stay by my side in a moment like this. Tsk!


    ¡°Zach! Zach!¡± I paused for a while to listen to the voice. It was not clear but I¡¯m sure it was Zach that I hear. The rain poured harder making everything blurry.


    ¡°Ale! Aleia!¡± I called back after realizing that no one knows me here except her. Then I saw her appear from somewhere, also wet because of the rain. Her shirt hugged her body and her hair is dripping wet. She ran towards me.¡± Why are you still here? I thought you went home already.¡±


    ¡°God, I was worried about you, Zach. Sorry, if I did not follow you. I went back to get Ryder and came here to pick you up,¡± she said while cupping my face.


    I was not able to control myself. I pulled her closer to me and imed her lips like a hungry predator as she was responding me with the same energy.


    ¡± Ale, I want you so bad.¡±

 Chapter 18- 2 Become 1

    Aleia


    Zach carried me like a bride in the middle of the rain. The moment he said he wanted me took out all the sanity I have. How can I endure the temptation- when all this time I have been in love with him?


    He immediately put me down when we reached his ce and even pulled me closer for a kiss. A more passionate one. He was kissing me like there was no tomorrow, as his hands were starting to roam around my body.


    I felt weak when he cupped my peak as his kisses went down to my nape and ear. He was breathing heavily until his mouth found my two proud peaks. His other hand pinching and his mouth sucking the other- doing it alternately as I was left in awe. He was praising my body and I love that tingling position.


    He stopped for a while to take off my dress and looked at me with so much desire and adoration. Only a small piece of cloth was left to cover my most precious part. He came closer, pressing his body to mine. He imed my lips again hungrily as heid me to bed.


    I can even feel his hardness down there. One moment, I saw him naked already with its glory and magnificence. He looked like a Greek God. I now knew why I adored him so much all this time. He is a beauty to behold. A gift worth waiting and a love worth fighting till the end.


    I arched my body and did shout his name when his hand found my precious pearl. I even clung to the sheets for more strength. His fingers were doing wonders inside me giving me that crazy feeling that made me crave and want for more.


    ¡°Zach!¡±  I was not able to control myself from moaning. Then I did not know what I did. Maybe it ignited everything- he crawled on top of me and started to make his way.  I bit my lip. It huts a lot-I felt something was about to be teared up inside. He paused for a moment then kissed me again while his hand is caressing my peak until the pain was slowly fading.


    He moved slowly till my body was used to it. he was moving smoothly on top of me. It was the best feeling ever. Him, on top of me-our body, bing one. After tonight, I know won¡¯t be having regrets. I gave myself to the man I loved.


    Zach was still sleeping when I woke up that morning. He was sleeping peacefully like a little child. I touched his face and kissed him on his forehead. If life is as beautiful as this, then I would do everything to live from now on.


    I got up from bed, picked up my dress. I guess this is the right time for me to im my ce and sit on the throne that was supposed to be mine from the very beginning.


    I left Zach and went home. I need to do something. I do not know if Chelo is awake already -her phone just kept on ringing.


    ¡°Hello!¡± she answeredzily.


    ¡°Chelo. How are you? Sorry if I wake you up?¡± I said.


    ¡°Lei, what¡¯s gotten into you! Your call time is getting earlier every time you called. Geez! I¡¯m still sleepy. So have you decided already?¡±


    This woman is a mind-reader, she knew it before I got to tell her what I want.


    ¡°Yupe! Can you help me book a flight as early as possible? It¡¯s now or never! How are they?¡±I  asked, referring to my dad and my beloved half-sisters? My sister stole everything from me including my dad. My dad managed to be happy and built his own family while my mother was dying. Now it¡¯s payback time, dad.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll call you as soon as it¡¯s ready. Shall I prepare a limo for the return of the princess? Ah, I¡¯ll book amodation for you in a hotel.¡±


    We bothughed at the thought. I was not used to a life like that. If only, I could keep Zach in my world, then I wanted him to stay here with me. But I know that he needed to return to his world and I need to fit in. After what happenedst night I knew I just could not let go of him easily.


    I went back to his ce after that call with Chelo and I found him sitting outside. He was topless and his hair was messy too. He was smiling sweetly at me as Ie closer to him. I blushed for sure, the memory ofst night was still fresh. I¡¯m kind of shy.


    ¡°Good morning, where have you been?¡± he said smiling. I sat beside him and we were both looking at the ocean.


    ¡°I did some stuff at home. Are you already hungry?¡± He just smiled and bit his lips sexily and looked at me.


    ¡°Kinda.¡± I thought knew what he was referring to.


    ¡°Zach!¡±I said in protest but he justughed at me. Hisugh even sounds nice.


    ¡°I am hungry, sweetheart. Why? What were you thinking? Were you thinking of-¡± I covered his mouth with my hand to stop him from talking. But to my surprise, he grabbed and kissed my hand. He sped both our hands. His hand was big and warm. It gave me the feeling that I am secured and loved.


    ¡°Last night was the best night of my life, Ale. You don¡¯t need to worry if ever I leave because I will take you with me. And I don¡¯t consider no for an answer,¡± he said while gripping my hand.


    I just smiled trying to absorb everything. This is the moment that I have been wishing for. To be with him and to be loved by him but I can see troubleing. All I need to do is to fight for it.


    Zach and I had breakfast after that convo. Then, we strolled and walked around still with our hands being sped. From time to time we would stop to kiss and hug each other like teenagers who were madly in love.


    No sweet and flowery words, no promises just actions were enough to show what we wanted to say. Finally, when we bid goodbye that day, I went home to pack some of my things. I need to put back everything in ce before anything else. I¡¯lle back  right away to tell Zach the truth and to be with him.

 Chapter 19-The Princess Returns

    Aleia


    It was still dawn, cold and dark outside when I decided to leave the ind for the city. I made sure to book an early flight so Zach could not see me leave. I did not want to leave him alone knowing that I am the only one he could rely on. But it was now or never.


    If everything turns out to be fine, I¡¯ll be back the soonest that I can and tell him everything about me. About how I met him when I was ten and how long I am in love with him. The truth will surprise him but I still hope that he would still ept me after I¡¯ll tell him everything.


    One hour after  the nended, the ambiance of the city enveloped me. That kind is so different from the ind. I was busy looking for Chelo when I heard her call my name.


    ¡°Lei!¡± She was smiling and waving at me. I called her and asked her to fetch me for a no-hassle ride knowing that I could not bring Ryder. Chelo left her morning routine for me. Ever since we became college buddies she never failed to amaze me with her undying support.


    I smiled back at her and then we hugged like sisters who don¡¯t see each other for a long time.


    ¡°Girl, I missed you a lot. You know our bondings,¡± she said smiling and eyed me from head to toe as if something has changed in me.¡± You look great and gorgeous, Aleia Reign. Life on the ind suits you or it is because the love of your life is there already. Nathalie would be furious if she¡¯ll see you plus the fact that you stole her fiance.¡±


    I smirked.¡± I did not steal him. I was an ocean away from all of them but he appeared right in front of me like a shooting star. Well, he used to be my star.¡± I said smiling, still can¡¯t believe that Zach is beyond my reach now.


    ¡°Well, you are the lucky one,¡± she said as we walked to the parking area.¡±You need to eat first before going home. I know you¡¯re tired and hungry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.  Instead, I¡¯m a bit nervous.¡± It has been a while since I came home. The people there are more strangers to me than a family, even my father. At least that¡¯s how I feel after he left l, my mom.


    Chelo and I went to have breakfast in her favorite diner. She ordered muffins and coffee while I have pancakes with a mouthful of vani syrup for topping and a ck sugar-free coffee.


    ¡°How was your life on the ind, Lei,¡± she asked in between munching her muffins.


    ¡°Peaceful and contented, not until-¡±


    ¡°Not until Matthew came like a parcel delivered at your doorstep, right?¡± she continued.


    ¡°That was what happened, exactly. I mean, it never crossed my mind that it would happen. I never wished for it,¡± I replied as kept on stirring my coffee not sipping even a single drop from it.


    ¡°Did he tell you why he was there?¡± Chelo asked leaning on her chair.


    I shook my head.¡± No, but he told me once he was out for an adventure. We never had a proper introduction. He just told me his name so did I. Just that.¡±


    ¡°Adventure his ass! His father is busy looking for him and so are your father and Nathalie. So you just pretended not to know him?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°And you even slept with him Lei, goodness!¡±


    A smile escaped from my lips. ¡°Sssh! It was embarrassing.¡±


    She was smiling ear to ear, trying to suppress augh, teasing me.¡±He will leave you heartbroken, Lei. He will end up marrying Nathalie,¡± Chelo said.¡± Anyhow, would he react if he will know that you are his fiance¡¯s sister?¡±


    ¡°Step-sister,¡± I corrected.¡± We were not born to the same mother and they never treated me as a member of that family


    ¡°It¡¯s the same, idiot!


    ¡°Zach will not marry Nathalie. I will do everything that I can to stop the wedding. If he needs to marry an heiress, then ha can marry me instead.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Chelo still gave me a ride home after breakfast, giving me her full support and all.


    ¡°Hey, are you ready to face them? It¡¯s been a decade since you showed up. Do you want me toe?¡±


    ¡°No, thanks. I¡¯ll just call youter. I can do this,¡± I said and stepped out of the car. I waved my hand before she drove away.


    It¡¯s still seven in the morning so I guess everyone is still home. Perfect for my n. I was about to knock when one of the maids saw me- so instead she opened the door for me. Speechless and shocked to see me, I guess.


    ¡°Is dad, still here?¡± I asked.


    She nodded and guided me to the dining room.  They are sites to behold. Aplete and happy family gathered for a meal. The family that is supposed to be mine if only mom was still here. They were busy talking about something so they did not recognize my presence.


    ¡°Good morning!¡± I broke the happy event as they all gazed at me. Surprised! They were all speechless when they saw me. ¡± Did I happen to surprise you all?¡± I said as I walked toward dad and kissed him on his cheek.¡±Hi dad!¡±


    Nathalie and Tita Noraine did not like my presence. Only Morraine was happy seeing me.


    ¡°AleiaI, what brings you here?¡± My stepmother asked. I sat in the chair beside Morraine and I can see how happy she was. I even pinched her cheek.


    ¡°What kind of question is that, Tita? Am I not allowed toe home? As far as I know, this is still my house. Right, dad?¡± Dad could not look me straight in the eye and did not say anything at all. I turned to Nathalie.¡±I came home because I heard about your wedding with Matthew.¡±


    Nathalie¡¯s brows furrowed.¡± So? Did I invite you?¡±


    ¡°No. But still, I have the right to attend, right? Where is your fiance now? I want to meet him.¡±


    I said. I grabbed a ss of water in front of me and drank it all.


    ¡°Eat with us,¡±  Morraine whispered.


    ¡°I am still full, Lil sis.¡±


    Dad and Tita Noraine we¡¯re having a conversation, maybe discussing how to throw me away. Again! Meanwhile, Nathalie was just staring at her te. I wonder what she sees in there.


    ¡± Ale, tell us what you want?¡± dad said.


    ¡± Just give me 100 million pesos and I¡¯ll vanish right away, dad.¡± I seriously said but I noticed that they stiffened a bit. Tita Noraine was giving me a dagger look. If only looks can kill.


    ¡± Are you, serious?¡± dad asked.


    I covered my mouth to stop myself fromughing but I ended upughing so hard from my joke. When did I ever need a big amount of money like that?


    ¡°It was a prank!¡± I saw them breathe after I spill the tea.¡± But I want something else. Something more than that. Dad, I want you to hold a press conference and tell everybody that I am your child, too. That I was your firstborn daughter with mom. I¡¯ve been hiding all my life like I don¡¯t belong to this family.¡± I firmly said and a tear escaped from my eye.


    ¡± What? Are you insane?¡± Nathalie said. ¡± Dad, you can¡¯t do it.¡±


    ¡°Why? Ah, because Matthew is supposed to marry the firstborn heiress of the family. That is me.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not gonna marry you. You are not his type, either.¡±


    But we made love the other night? How about you! Did you even get a chance to hold his hand? I wanted to tell her but I stayed low-key.


    I don¡¯t want to give them clues on where they could find my love.


    ¡°Dad, can you do it? Because if you can¡¯t, I can do it alone and spill our secret. That you got married while my mom was sick and that your wife treated me like a maid every time you are not around.¡±


    Dad looked at Tita Noraine.¡± Is that true?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she answered.¡± Liar!¡± she screamed.


    ¡°Not a good thing to do when we are in a meal. I¡¯ll give you time to think about it. Not so much time. I¡¯ll give you just today to decide, dad. I¡¯ll just rest in my room.¡±


    I stood and stormed away from them. I went directly to my room when Nathalie blocked my way.


    I just raised my brow to ask her what she wants.


    ¡°You¡¯re here again to steal what¡¯s mine? To ruin my life and my wedding.¡±


    ¡°I did not steal anything from you because it was all mine from the start. This house, this life was all mine. I just let you use it for a while. ¡°

 Chapter 20- Back With a Vengeance

    Matthew


    Everything still felt like a dream. From the very first day that I arrived on the ind up to the day that I decided to go back to the city. I knew I would be facing my father¡¯s anger but most of all facing the woman who deceived me, whom I thought was different from any other. Turns out to be a fake one.


    I thought that we had a chance after that hot and steamy night that we shared. But one day after it happened, she was gone. No goodbyes, no notes or letters. She was gone like a dream and a memory to hold on to. Cleofe said Ale would be back after a couple of days so I waited for her. I spent the days alone.


    After almost a week of waiting, I barged into her house hoping to find a clue about where she went. I found her diary instead. It was a very long story and it looked old. I was shocked when I read it, my name was all over the pages. What shocked me most was that she happened to be my fiancee¡¯s sister.


    The sister that was hidden like Rapunzel in the tower. She was not allowed to join the crowd. She wrote everything in perfect detail like she was writing an autobiography. From the day her parents had a divorce up to the day that we met on the ind.


    She narrated everything perfectly about me, like, how she first met me and how she fell in love with me up to now. Everything in that diary solved the mystery of why she looked familiar and how we got along easily on the first day that I arrived.


    It was very touching and enchanting to unravel someone¡¯s affection for me but I could not find the heart to feel its essence. I feel betrayed and deceived that I wanted to strangle her neck. How dare she deceive me like that? She pretended not to know me and yet she gave herself to me.


    I hate her and I promise to return the pain she gave me when we see each other again. After discovering Aleia¡¯s deception, I packed my things and traveled back to the city where she said I truly belong.


    I was still reluctant to go inside when I reach home. Just when I opened the door, I saw my brother Jared watching something on TV. He was surprised to see me.


    ¡°Matt! You are back?¡± he said smiling.


    I walked toward him ang tapped his shoulder.  I throw myself on the sofa beside him. I closed my eyes and think back to all the happy memories that we had. A dream that turned out to be a nightmare.


    ¡°What are you watching, bro?¡± I asked with my eyes still closed.


    ¡°The press conference of the Grymes. Are you aware that your fiancee has a half-sister?¡±


    I opened my eyes and I saw Aleia¡¯s face on the TV. She was more elegant and ssypared to how she usually looked on the ind. She was more beautiful than ever but I could not admire her. I hate her and I will make her pay for what she did to me.


    ¡°So how¡¯s dad?¡± I asked again.


    ¡°Mad about your runaway thing. You better watch out. He might even hit you,¡± he said grinning.


    ¡°I just went on a vacation to think about it. I need some space to think. But I¡¯ll fix everything.¡± A bright idea came into mind. It could be my way of getting back to that woman. I stood and fix myself.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Jared asked


    ¡°KTI,¡± I replied. I need to talk to dad about my n. I went to my room to change my outfit. I can¡¯t show up looking haggard.


    Everyone was surprised to see me, from the guards to our employees. They were all watching me as if I was a miracle. Even their greetings sounded awkward and I just nod as a response as I walked to my office to inform Yana about mye back.


    Yana was startled to see me. ¡± Sir, is that you? You¡¯re back?¡± she said.


    Yes, I¡¯m back with a vengeance.¡± Yes, Yana, I¡¯m back for good. Anyway, is dad is in his office right now?¡±


    ¡°I am not sure, Sir. Do you want me to call her assistant?¡±


    I shook my head.¡± There is no need for that, I¡¯ll just drop by his office. I need to discuss something with him.¡± I said as I walked away from Yana.


    My n could not wait any longer. I wanted to do it right away. Dad¡¯s assistant was also surprised to see me. I guess all of them were having the same feeling. She gestured for me toe inside so I did.


    Dad was reading something when I came in, still unaware of my presence.


    ¡°Dad,¡± I called. Dad immediately stood up when he saw me.


    Anger, frustration, and many more we¡¯re visible on his face. It was toote when his fist hit my face. Jared was right, dad hit me. I even tasted the blood on my lips.


    ¡°You, childish and irresponsible brat! How dare you vanish and just show up like this as if nothing happened?¡± he shouted as I wiped the blood on my lips.


    ¡°Well, you did not inform me in advance about that engagement to Nathalie. I needed some time to think it over,¡± I replied.


    ¡°So have you thought about it?¡±


    I sat on the chair in front of him and even tapped the table, creating a slow beat. My eyes are on my fingers while I was visualizing everything. I have given it a piece of consideration but it was the other way around.


    ¡°I am not marrying, Nathalie. Not now,  not ever,¡± I dered firmly.


    Dad¡¯s eyes widened in shock.¡± What?¡±


    ¡°You heard it right, dad. I¡¯m not gonna marry Nathalie but I have another offer. Just in case you are interested,¡± I said chuckling, and when dad did not say anything I continued.¡±Well at least to lessen the embarrassment that you had with the Gymes. Interested?¡±


    Dad sighed heavily.¡± Make sure it would be good news or else I will disown you, Matthew, and throw you somewhere.¡±


    I smiled. I never thought he is capable of doing that. But not a problem, I can survive wherever I am. I leaned closer to dad.


    ¡°Here is the thing. Instead of marrying Nathalie Gyrmes, I have decided to marry Aleia Grymes. The Grymes¡¯ first daughter from his first wife. How about it?¡±


    His brows furrowed.¡± How did u know about that woman?¡± Dad asked.


    ¡°I saw it on Tv. Jared was watching their press conference at home. So how was my offer?¡±


    There was silence for a while. Maybe dad was thinking about what I said so I stood and roam around his office. That woman will surely agree. It was her dream to be with me. I¡¯ll give her what she wanted and make her life a living hell at the same time. She deserved it for everything she did to me.


    ¡°What made you choose her instead of Nathalie? It was Nathalie who wanted to marry you and not Aleia, Matthew. I¡¯m not sure if it will work, either, ¡°Dad said.


    ¡°That Aleia is more interesting and besides you cannot force me to marry that brat, Nathalie.¡± I stood and was ready to leave when Dad spoke.


    ¡°Why are you making itplicated, Matthew? You are giving me a pain in the ass,¡± he said, scratching his forehead.


    That¡¯s what you got for dragging me into this trouble, dad. You did not even consult me about it.


    ¡°That¡¯s the least that I can do, dad. Take it or cancel your agreement with them. I¡¯ll give you time to think about it.¡±  I waved my hand and bid farewell when dad called me again.


    ¡°Matthew! Stop walking away from me. You idiot!¡±


    I stopped midway and turned back on him. I could not help myself from smiling. Just a little push and everything will be in my control.


    ¡°Are we doing it?¡± I asked.


    I saw dad clench his fist.¡± Fine! We¡¯ll talk to them tonight and we¡¯ll try to convince Aleia to do it.¡±


    That is easy. That woman is head over heels in love with me that she even painted a portrait of me. It would be a dreame true for her to marry the man she loves. A dream that I will make into a nightmare. I¡¯ll make her regret the day she met me. She is a cunning woman just like everyone I knew.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    I was good to her that I even fell for her charm. But it was all a facade. She was fake and she deceived me. She made her prince be a monster.


    I can¡¯t wait to see her and make her dream a nightmare!

 Chapter 21- Shotgun proposal

    Aleia


    I could not contain my happiness and excitement after gaining recognition from my father. I felt like I was on cloud nine and mom maybe is happy for me.


    Finally, I can already tell Zach about my real identity. It would be now up to him to pursue his marriage with Nathalie or either choose me. I have already prepared myself for whatever decisions that he woulde up with. But still, I am hoping that he would choose me.


    I was checking things when I heard a soft knock on the door. I have already packed my things and I. nmready to go back to the ind. Zach is waiting for me there.


    ¡°Miss Reign.¡± It was one of our nanny¡¯s voice. I walked to the door to check her.¡± Your dad wants to see you in the living room now.¡±


    ¡°Now? As in now?¡± I asked repeatedly.


    ¡°Yes, miss,¡± she responded and asked if she could go back to her work.


    What could be the reason for this urgent call? They knew that I would be living tonight. It is his wife¡¯s request for me to leave as soon as possible in exchange for the press conference that we had earlier. They wanted to eliminate me right away.


    I heard male voices as I was approaching the living room. I even wanted to run and hide when I heard Zach¡¯s voice. What is he doing here? He was on the ind when I left. I frozeand could not even think of an escape.


    This is not the right time to face him. Not in front of all these people. Does he already know about me?


    ¡°Reign,e here. They are waiting for you,¡± Dad said.


    After that, all  eyes were on me. But my eyesnded on Zach¡¯s- whose expressions I could not read. I even wanted to vanish but at the same time, I wanted to run to him and exin my side.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Zach smiled, but it was not the usual smile that he  often wears. It was different. It was sarcastic and dangerous. I managed to walk and sat on the sofa beside dad.


    ¡°Good evening, Aleia. Well, we are here tonight for a very important matter. I would like to apologize for its aftermath. It¡¯s just¡­ that my son, Matthew, has decided to cancel his engagement and marriage with Nathalie,¡± Zach¡¯s dad said.


    ¡°What?¡± Nathali eximed in disgust.¡± Dad!¡± She even clung to dad for help.


    ¡°Instead, he wants to marry Aleia,¡± his father continued.


    Everyone was surprised and startled that they were looking at me with such a questioning look. I was surprised, too. I could not  connect the dots. There may be a loophole in between.


    Yes, it was my dream to be with him ever since I fell in love with him. But it was so sudden and was out of the n.


    ¡°Matt, what made you change your mind? Everyone knows that you are bound to marry Nathalie. It would be a big shame to her if you reject her,¡± Dad said. Nathalie was now crying and was looking fiercely at me.


    Zach chuckled.¡± It was not me who chose Nathalie. It was all of you who arranged it without my permission and I never said that I would marry her. And, what¡¯s wrong with Aleia?  She is still your daughter. Besides, I think she is more fun to be with than her sister.¡±


    I did not know how to react to Zach¡¯s revtion. I felt that something is not right on it.


    ¡°Aleia, what is your stand with that?¡± Dad asked.¡± Wait! Have the two of you met before today? Did you n all of these?¡±


    Nathalie stood.  ¡°It was obvious, dad. She came home after hiding somewhere asking you to recognize her publicly. Then, hourster Matthew came to announce that shit! She came home to ruin my life.¡±


    This brat got a lot of nerves. How could she say that I wanted to ruin her life? It was them who ruined mine. It was them who stole my home, my father, and my family. Yet, I did not say anything like that. She wanted war, so I will give it to her.


    ¡°We did not meet before today and we did not n all these. It¡¯s just that.. I saw her on TV and find her more interesting so I decided to marry her,¡± Zach said while looking at me.


    On the other hand, I was expecting that he would tell everyone about our encounter on the ind. But he ended up denying it in front of me. Why did he do it? I need to talk to him.


    ¡°If your daughter will ept my proposal, then I wanted the wedding to happen as soon as possible. I have no time for dramas and more. I want it to be simple and private. Just call my dad or me if you finish sorting things out. Excuse me,¡± Zach said.


    He walked away from us so I followed him outside. He was walking highly like a Greek God. Every word he speaks conveys power and authority. A different side of him that I did not see on the ind yet I know is natural to him.


    ¡°Zach!¡± I called. He stopped walking so I strolled toward him.¡± Can we talk for a while?¡±


    Heughed softly but sexily.¡± What¡¯s there to talk about? Ah, you have decided to marry me, right? Well, I do not doubt that after you gave your body to me and after you scream my name over and over again.¡±


    I knew I blushed after hearing such words. But how could he say it like that- if I was a slut or a ve?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I left you there, alone. I just need toe home and fix some mess! But I do have a n to go back before you came here.¡±


    ¡°You wanted to be recognized by your father because you thought that it would be easier for me to ept you if you are rich, right?¡±


    ¡°No. It was not like that. It was a right that has been deprived from  me since he married my stepmom. I wanted to be recognized so that I can tell you who I am!¡± I exined. He was thinking the other way around.


    ¡°Yet, you pretended not to know me when the truth is you knew me all along. Holy shit, Aleia! You made a fool out of me. ! But still, I want to pursue marrying you,¡± he said firmly. But I did not see his sincerity from that.


    ¡°Why do you want to marry me, Zach?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°Didn¡¯t I answer that already? I would end up marrying one of you and I just chose someone who can satisfy my needs as a man. Are we clear?¡±


    Tears kept on rolling on my face after that. So, that was the reason why he chose me? I was having a little bit of hope that he did that because of love. But I was just a tool for his manly needs. Should I marry him?


    ¡°Anyway, Miss Grymes, you are not allowed to say no. I will set the schedule and you just need to appear on the wedding day. You also need to live with me after that,¡± he added and left me there.


    I just watched him leave. I could not figure out what to do. Yes, I wanted it to happen but not this way.


    Then, I did recall mom¡¯s word, that sometimes we choose to love someone even if we knew that it hurts.


    Now, I knew what it means, Mom. I knew it was dangerous but at the same time part of me wanted to be with him.

 Chapter 22- Rivalry

    Dear Readers- The following chapters will now use Third POV. Thanks


    Third Person¡¯s POV


    All of them were waiting for Aleia in the living room when she went back inside. A different kind of ambiance enveloped and surrounded the ce. There was unbearable silence, too, when Zach¡¯s father decided to break it.


    ¡°Aleia, I am sorry for this convenience. I do not know what has gotten into my son¡¯s mind. Nathalie, I¡¯m sorry for all this mess,¡± he said apologetically.


    Nobody answered. Everyone was waiting for the right time to talk but Aleia could feel the raging emotions of the people involved.


    ¡°Anyway, Aleia, what can you say about Zach¡¯s proposal? Do you consider marrying him?¡± he continued.


    ¡°No. I mean we still need to discuss this matter as family,¡± her dad responded.


    ¡®Aleia¡¯s mouth formed an Oh after hearing it. Family? Nice word! She was not informed that she had one,¡± she thought.


    All these years, they treated her like trash, and now they suddenly be a family. Miracles do exist.


    ¡°Sir, please tell your son that I am willing to marry him anytime and anywhere he wants,¡± Aleia dered.


    She knew that it was a tough decision because Zach was mad at her for deceiving and for leaving him on I del Fuego. But she was still having some sort of hope to work things out and earn his trust again.


    This is an offer that would not knock on her door every day. He hated her now but maybe he would learn to love her someday. That was why she still decided to marry him despite all the odds.


    ¡°No way! Are you insane? Matthew is supposed to marry me and not you,¡± Nathalie screamed in front of everyone, showing her true colors


    ¡°Nathalie, rx,¡± her dad came to rescue her beloved sister. What A beautiful scenario? She was deeply moved that she even wanted to cry.   Well? How about her?


    Zach¡¯s dad stood and bid goodbye.¡± I¡¯ll leave that matter to all of you. For now, I will leave to give you some time to think about it.¡±


    Her father escorted him outside so she was left with her stepmom and stepsister inside. Both were throwing her a death re.


    Somehow, she wanted them to feel the same thing when her dad chose them over her. That feeling when something is to be taken away from you and all you can do is weep and cry in an empty room.


    ¡°Aleia, don¡¯t you dare marry Matthew! I¡¯m warning you!¡± her stepmom said.


    She smiled sarcastically.¡± Why not? He is a good catch and besides it was him who proposed to me. Who am I to refuse him?¡±Aleia answered.


    Nathalie came to her and tried to p her but she caught her off guard and threw her hand away. But Nathalie was persistent to hurt her. She did her best to protect herself because nobody would do it for her.


    ¡°Instead of hurting me, why don¡¯t you beg, dear sister? Ops! Don¡¯t bother anyway. It won¡¯t work right now because my decision is final.¡±


    Her stepmom was trying to pull Nathalie away from her.¡± Nat, you should take care of your heart,¡± she said. She was even hugging Nathalie from behind. Nathalie stopped, sat on the sofa, and had difficulty breathing.


    Aleia was somewhat rmed. She did not want to cause any trouble especially when ites to her health.


    ¡°Water! A ss of water please¡±, her stepmom ordered the nannies. One of the nannies came running from the kitchen with a ss of water.


    Aleia came to help but her stepmother stopped her. She had no choice but to watch it as if it was a scene from a dramatic film.


    ¡°Nathalie!¡± her dad shouted from the door. He even ran that distance between them. ¡°What happened? Reign?¡±


    ¡°Why? What did I do? It was her who attacked me first like an idiot,¡± Aleia answered


    It was then that her stepmom pped her. His dad came in between to stop them. Aleia was not able to hold back her tears. It hurts like hell, not just the p but the whole scenario.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Go, bring Nathalie to her room. I¡¯ll talk to Reign,¡± her dad ordered her stepmom.


    She was waiting for her dad to say sorry and even tofort her. But none of that happened. He was just looking at her apologetically without any words. She stopped being her father a long time ago so why would he do it.


    ¡°Reign,¡± he started.¡± Of all people, only her dad called her that name. It even sounded like she was a princess. Maybe that was before when her mom was still alive.¡± I do not know where to start. I knew that I failed my duty to you as a father since you live with your mom. I don¡¯t have any right to ask any favor from you. But your sister is sick. I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t do good to her if you insist on marrying Matthew.¡±


    Aleia wiped her tears with her hand and smiled sadly. ¡± Do you want me to give up on him for your precious daughter, dad?¡±


    ¡°Can you do that for me?¡± he answered.¡± Nathalie loves her so much even when she was a kid. She can¡¯t take any of this. She will be badly hurt.¡±


    ¡°What about me, dad? Don¡¯t you care about my feelings? I love him.¡± She chuckled.¡± Of course, you knew nothing about it. You were so busy with your business and with your new family. You forgot that you still have me. You even threw me somewhere so that you could focus on them. Am I not your child? Isn¡¯t it enough that they have you. They have everything while I only have myself,¡± Aleia said while her tears are flowing like a river. It was their first time talking after a very long time.


    ¡°You love him?¡± he asked. Maybe for confirmation of that very shocking truth.


    ¡°Yes, dad. I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t give him up. I have been giving way to Nathalie since I came here. But not, now and not Matthew. It¡¯s like you asked me to give my heart to you and you ended up seeing me dead. Besides, this is the first time that I wanted to keep something to myself. Excuse me.¡±


    She went back to her room and wept silently. Alone, like the old times. During this time, she would always miss her mom. The only person who loved her truly.


    She was staring at the sky filled with stars, thinking one of those is her mom¡¯s. She once told her that when we die, we be a star to look out for the loved ones that we left behind.


    She wiped her tears and tried to fake a smile. She does not want to see her crying. She would be sad out there with no one to hold on to ¨C just like her.


    ¡°Am I doing the right thing, mom? You told me before to follow my heart and so I am doing it now,¡± she said.


    ¡°Sis! Can Ie in?¡±


    Her thoughts were interrupted by soft knocks on the door. She was even hesitant to open it. But it was Morraine, her little sister.


    Morraine was bringing a ss of water when she opened the door. ¡°I just thought maybe you need this. I saw you crying awhile ago,¡± she said shyly and handed a ss of water to her.


    She pursed her lips to control her emotions. She hugged her right and cried in her arms. Her sister was tapping her shoulder tofort her. How nice it is to have someone like her?


    ¡°I am sorry if you feel that way, sis. I thought you were just having some fun when you were not here. That¡¯s what they told me every time I look for you,¡± she said in between sobs. Morraine was crying too.


    Aleia looked at her sister. ¡°It was not your fault, dear. You were just trapped in between. You were still a baby when I first came here and you smiled at me ¨C  I fell in love with you since that day.¡± She hugged her again as they wept and cried together.


    Morraine stayed in her room after that.


    ¡°But you and Matt look good together, though.¡± Morraine said all of a sudden. They were sitting near the window that was facing the balcony.


    ¡°Really?¡± Aleia asked with a smile.


    ¡°Yupe! You two would make a good couple with cute babies,¡± she said giggling.


    ¡°Mmm. But she was mad at me.¡± Aleia covered her mouth. She almost tells her secret to Morraine.


    ¡°Why?¡± Morraine asked with pure innocence.


    ¡°Ah, maybe because I¡¯m not his type.¡± She lied.


    ¡°Says who? I noticed his secret nces at you. His eyes were sparkling at that time,¡±


    She smiled with the thought. She wished he offered marriage out of pure love.

 Chapter 23- The wedding

    Aleia was supposed to be happy because it was her wedding to the man she loves most. It was the wedding she always imagined though she never thought would happen.


    She was wearing a simple yet very ssy and elegant white gown matched with a pair of heels she never thought she¡¯ll be wearing until that day. Though she was notfortable with she still managed to pull it off. She did not want to be aughing stock in front of all the elites.


    She was known to be that badass type who indulged in jeans, shirts, and rubber shoes. But she came out from herfort zone to be a pleasing bride. She looked like a hidden goddess from a different world that everyone would stare at her the moment they will see her.


    Everything at the wedding was perfect. Her gown emphasized her well-toned and fit physique. The venue was well-decorated with beautiful ornaments that made her feel that she was in paradise. She could even live there longer than expected.


    Everyone was happy and excited about the union of two powerful families. Sadly, for the wealthy, marriage is a form of investment to expand their powers and influence. Amidst all the busy and happy people, there are two who were just going with the flow.


    It was her and none other than her husband, Matthew who could not even kiss her on the lips when they were told to kiss as husband and wife. Aleia could not find the reason to be happy because she knew Matthew was just faking everything. His smiles and sweet gestures were just a cover-up.


    She could not help but think about what kind of life awaited her after the ceremony. Why are they doing these if they will end up hurting each other? Because for her, marriage is a sacred thing that binds two hearts that beat as one.


    For other women, their marriage is the epilogue of their story. But for her, it was  just the beginning of a new chapter and she cannot foresee if it will end up happily.


    ¡°Reign, best wishes. Whatever happens, always remember that I am your father and I wanted you to be happy,¡± her father said when they were left alone at the matrimonial table.


    Her husband was busy entertaining their visitors and she was left out. She only knew a few of them.


    ¡°Thanks, dad. I hope you can forgive me soon for not giving up on him.¡± She smiled sadly and reached for his hand that was on hisp. Her dad squeezed her hand and kissed her palm.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t need to apologize. Soon, Nathalie would be able to cope with this. Anyway, I know that the party is not over yet but do you mind If I¡¯ll leave first?¡±


    Aleia gave a slight nod. She knew her father could not stay any longer because of Nathalie and her stepmom who did not even care to attend her wedding. It was impossible to happen though. Only her dad And Morraine came to attend the wedding.


    She walked with him to the parking lot where he even hugged and kissed her before he left. She was crying silently while watching her dad leave. That was the best gift that she could ever have. His hugs and kisses-the things she missed from him all these years. A father¡¯s love.


    ¡°Why is the beautiful bride crying in the dark? Alone?¡±


    She wiped all her tears with her hand when she heard that unfamiliar voice behind her. When she turned to see him- it was David, Matt¡¯s best friend.


    ¡°By the way, I¡¯m David,¡± he said and offered a handshake.


    She was about to reach for David¡¯s hand when Zach entered the scene with his cold expression. It was Zach who epted David¡¯s hand for a shake. David let out a softugh and looked away while Zach remained calm and nk.


    ¡°I thought you liked the other girl?¡± Zach asked David.


    David chuckled. ¡°Jealous, man? Jeez! Are you serious? I was just getting to know her since you two got married before anything else.¡±


    Aleia knew she blushed with the thought of Matt being jealous of his best friend. At the same time, she was curious about the other girl that they were talking to.


    ¡°I want to borrow my wife,¡± Zach said, grabbed her hand, and dragged her somewhere away from David. David was smiling sarcastically while looking at them.


    ¡°Why were you there, alone?¡± he coldly said while looking intensely at her.¡± Were you trying to catch someone¡¯s attention and y as a victim?¡±


    ¡°What? No!¡± She almost screamed. How could this man treat her this way? She did nothing wrong but love him with all herself.


    ¡°Who knows what¡¯s in your cunning mind right now? You were good at pretending and deceiving others like what you did to me!¡± Zach said and smiled devilishly as he came closer to her.


    He even pinned her to the wall and pressed himself closer to her with a little distance left between them. She could feel his breath fuming in her face.


    Aleia closed her eyes. She thought that he would kiss her but he didn¡¯t. Instead, he just traced the corner of her lips that made her breathless.


    ¡°Are you missing my kisses, my wife?¡± he said sarcastically. Aleia slowly opened her eyes and she saw different emotions ying in her husband¡¯s eyes. Lust, desire, anger, and disappointment. And love was never there.


    She heaved a sigh and pushed him away. He was not the man she loved ever since. He became stern, cold, and emotionless because of her. She never thought she would make a prince be a monster.


    ¡°Wife, you will go home with me after this. We will move to our new house this evening. I¡¯ll see youter,¡± he said and left her alone. She even saw him smile at some random guest.


    Aleia started to question if she did the right thing-if she could make things work? She does not want to end up broken. But can she endure his cold treatment when they will be leaving under one roof?


    ¡°Lei, we have been looking for you. Where have you been?¡±  Chelo asked her while her sister Morraine was eyeing her?


    She did not want the two to know how she was feeling so she faked a smile and looked away.


    ¡°I sent dad home. Are you enjoying the party?¡± she asked and guided them back inside.


    ¡°Course, but we noticed that the bride is not. Are you okay?¡± Chelo asked.


    Hiding her feelings from her was so difficult because Chelo knows her that much she could even read her.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡± I am. I¡¯m just nervous and maybe excited!¡± she lied because the truth is, she was scared of her husband who became a different person.


    Chelo giggled and bumped her.¡± Who wouldn¡¯t when you got a hot husband. Everyone was dreaming to tame him but you won the fight. But wait! Why are you going separately? You are newlyweds, you must entertain your guests together.


    ¡°I let him do his things. They are his guests and I barely knew them,¡± she answered but Chelo was not convinced. She dragged Aleia somewhere. Away from the crowd and from her sister who did not have any idea at all of what was happening.


    ¡°Now, tell me. Is there something wrong?¡± Chelo was persistent that she was not able to hold back her emotions. She cried and wept silently. ¡°Oh my God, Lei! What is happening? Why are you crying on your wedding day?¡± Chelo asked and reached for her hand.


    ¡°Chelo, he hates me because I did not tell him my real identity when we were on the ind. I¡¯ve exined everything to him but he was not interested to hear it.¡±


    ¡°Then why did he pursue marrying you?¡±


    Aleia shook her head.¡± I don¡¯t know. He just said that he needed me¡­ to fulfill her manly needs.¡± Her voice cracked.


    Chelo¡¯s eyes widened and she covered her mouth in disbelief.¡± Goodness! And you? Why did you agree to marry him when you knew it all along, Lei? Are you a martyr?¡± Chelo said with condemnation.


    ¡°I wanted to ask forgiveness and if this is the only way to do it- then I will. And, maybe I can work things out when we get there.¡±


    ¡°Lei, I know that you love him but love has no eyes to see what is right or wrong. But we are capable of doing it. Yet, you still chose to be with him even if you know will be hurt. Is that the kind of love you want?¡± Chelo asked her and when she was speechless she hugged her. ¡°Just let me know if you need help but I¡¯m telling you, you don¡¯t deserve all of these.


    Chelo has a point but there¡¯s no turning back. There¡¯s no escape route.

 Chapter 24- The Teasing Game

    The guests were cheering happily and vigorously to them- the moment Matthew announced that they will be leaving ahead. They were newlyweds, maybe they were expecting something romantic to happen.


    But Aleia knew that nothing special will take ce after the ceremony. Not after all the cold treatment that she got from him. Matthew was just going with the flow. Heughed and cheered with them not like her who cannot even afford to fake a smile.


    ¡°Hey, wife. Why don¡¯t you smile in front of them?¡± Matthew whispered with his hands caressing her waist at the back. When she looked at him, he was smiling devilishly. Her husband was such a great pretender. He can even win an award.


    Despite being nervous, Aleia managed to smile and thanked everyone foring. The guests in return wished them luck.


    ¡°Sir, how long are we expecting you toe to the office?¡± Aleia guessed that it was one of his employees who asked him. His friends excluding Davidughed hard at that question.


    ¡°Well, it depends on my wife. Right, sweetheart?¡±  Matthew asked her and eventually kissed her blushing cheek.¡± You¡¯re blushing!¡± he whispered again.


    Aleia felt ufortable with all the teasing, especially that oneing from her husband. His effect on her is not fading even though she knew that he was just acting. She could not help but wished everything was genuine.


    ¡°Can we leave now?¡± she softly asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that we will be leaving for now. My wife wants to have me alone,¡± he joked andughed sexily.


    While they were walking to the bridal car, Matthew was holding her hand but when they were alone, he let go of them. Aleia felt the coldness again. Well, she would not allow being treated this way. She needs to fight back for herself.


    Nobody would do it for her. Not even her husband.


    ¡°I¡¯m d that show was over so we can proceed to the real show,¡± Matthew said when they were already in the bridal car. He even left a distance in between as if they were strangers.


    ¡°Watch your mouth. Marriage is a sacred thing and not a show to entertain other people,¡± she answered without looking at him.


    ¡°Oh, sorry teacher. I forgot that my wife is a teacher. A deceiving one,¡± he murmured andughed softly.


    ¡°Zach, are we going to do this every day in our married life?¡±  she asked.


    Her eyes began to water again thinking that they would be repeating dialogues every day. That is not the life that she wants. Growing up in a broken family, she just wished for a simple  and happy home.


    ¡°It still depends on my mood, wife. Why? Are you tired and pissed off already? We have just started.¡±


    Aleia did not answer and chose to remain silent. She wanted peace at least at her wedding. Silence enveloped the car until they reached home.


    He did not even assist Aleia who was still wearing her gown when they got out of the car. She just silently followed him.


    Their new house was huge for just the two of them. I wonder how it feels to live there with his cold husband. But she must do something to soften his heart and forgive her. She could not stand every day of her life with that kind of treatment.


    ¡°Husband, why are you leaving me behind?¡± she walked fast to keep up with him. She is not the weak andme wife if that is what he is thinking right now. Well, if she needs to use her badass side to get him, then, she is willing to do it.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±  Matthew asked with her furrowed eyebrows while looking at her hand that was clung to his arms.


    ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong with this? We did this thing already. Well, more than this. Am I right or am I correct?¡± she asked smiling.


    She even saw Matthew swallow and breathe hard. There¡¯s no reason to hold back, they are legally married now. If he wants war, then she¡¯ll give it to him. She¡¯s not Aliea Reign for nothing and she was tired of letting other people hurt her. It¡¯s time to fight back.


    They went directly to their room to change.


    ¡°After you change your clothes, let¡¯s go to my study room. I need to discuss something,¡± Matthew said while taking off his suits.


    Aleia could not help but stare at her husband¡¯s glorious masculinity. When he noticed that she was staring at him, she immediately looked away pretending to do something. She was like a little child who was caught doing something not nice.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Matthew chuckled.¡± Do you like the view, wife? It¡¯s yours to see. You can even touch it if you want.¡± Heughed sexily after saying that.


    ¡°Assuming!¡± she murmured. She did not know if Matthew heard it or not.


    ¡°What did you say? Do you want me to prove it to you?¡± Aleia almost jumped upon hearing Matthew¡¯s voice.


    He whispered right behind her ears. His breath was fuming, sending shivers to her body. But she must hold back for now. She knew Matthew was just ying with her emotions. She does not want to bebeled as a whore.


    She turned back to face him and smiled cunningly even if her knees were trembling. She looked at him straight to his eyes and pushed him a little.


    ¡°Can you leave a little distance, husband? I want to take off my gown. I feel so hot,¡±  she said seductively and started to unzip her gown.


    ¡°Fine! Follow me to the study room,¡± he said and stormed out of the room. She was watching him leave. But just when the door was slightly opened-she called him again.


    ¡°Husband! Wait!¡± she shouted.


    ¡°What?¡± Matthew asked. Annoyance was visible. Aleia was fighting for herself not to smile. She was starting to love the war that they have. Not bad, indeed.


    ¡°Ah, can you help me unzip my gown to the tip? I can¡¯t do it alone. Please!¡± she said. Matthew. was hesitant at first butter on, he came to do it.


    She even heard him curse while unzipping her gown. Well, who wouldn¡¯t if underneath that gown was her soft and delicate skin that remained unbothered even if she was exposed to the sun?


    The moment that she felt that it was done- she turned to face him. She touched his face and traced the corner of his lips. She could feel the tension between them. But whoever gives up will end up a loser.


    ¡°Thank you so much. You may go ahead  and I¡¯ll followter.¡± She even nted a soft kiss on his cheeks and went to the other side of the bed to get some towels.


    ¡°Shit!¡± He cursed before he leave the room.


    Aleia could not stop herself from smiling when she was left alone in the room. She knew now how to win this battle. She was still smiling while looking at herself in the mirror.


    She did not know that she has this side. Naughty and seductive.


    She knocked twice before Matthew told her toe inside. The study room isrge and well-organized. She scanned the entire room before she noticed her husband that was sitting on his swivel chair, looking mighty even with just her undershirt and shorts.


    ¡°Have a seat, wife,¡± he ordered. Aleia obeyed and sat on the chair in front of the table.


    ¡°I wonder what are we going to discuss here when in fact we can do it in our room,¡± she said.


    Matthew scanned some papers ang handed a copy to her. Her eyes widened upon reading the title alone. House Rules.


    She even read it aloud.¡± House Rules? What?¡±


    ¡°Why are you shocked? It is important that we have this to prevent conflict in the future,¡± he calmly said.


    ¡°Are you crazy? I¡¯m your wife. I¡¯m not your tenant.¡± She thought Matthew was trying to piss her but when he remained calm and unbothered. She just thought, maybe she would just give on. ¡°Game!¡± she said even if the truth is she wants to break his neck. How dare he consider her as a tenant in their house.


    ¡°We will discuss them one by one. And if there are some that you want to add, then let me know so I can add them here. The first rule is, you are not allowed to bring male visitors without my permission especially if I do not know the guy.¡±


    ¡°So, it means that you are allowed to bring female guests? That¡¯s unfair. You should revise rule no. 1 this way. No bringing of visitors without permission from the other.¡±  Aleiained.


    ¡°Why? This is my house!¡±


    ¡°Our house. We are a couple, whether you like it or not.¡± She insisted.


    ¡°Of course, you love the idea. You were fantasizing about it a long time ago. Now, you win. Happy?¡±

 Chapter 25- House Rules

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Aleia asked. She could not contain her feelings. She could feel her blood boiling deep within after hearing what he said.


    Matthew cleared his throat and smiled. He opened her drawer ang grabbed something from there. #


    ¡°I have a present for you, wife, since today is our wedding. Hope you¡¯ll like it,¡± he said while giving it to her.


    Aleia¡¯s heart was beating erratically the moment that she recognized what Matthew was talking about. It was her diary. She was holding it so tight in his chest.


    ¡°I¡¯ve read everything that you have written there. And discovered that you were fantasizing about me since the first day you met me.¡± Matthew stood and was walking back and forth until he was right behind her, massaging her shoulders,bing her hair with his hands with a little force.


    ¡± Stop it,¡± she said while throwing his hands away but she just heard himugh. What happened to the man she loved?


    ¡°Why? This is what you want, right? Tss. I forgot, I already gave you more than this. I kind of miss that wife,¡± he chuckled.


    ¡°Is this the reason why you decided to marry me? Because you have read everything and you knew that¡­ I have feelings for.. you,¡± she stammered.


    ¡°Sort of. I wanted to be your fairy godfather and made  your wishe true, wife,¡±  he said and sat back to his chair again. Leaning like a tired man, raking his hair back and forth.


    Her defenses were getting weaker. How could she y with his game when he already knew her feelings for him.


    ¡°Why are you doing this to me, Zach? I did nothing wrong. I just did not tell you, cause it was not the right time,¡± she said with her eyes on the floor. Unaware that tears were starting to fall. She did not try to wipe them. It was useless, because her tears were unstoppable.


    ¡°Do what? Listen, wife. The Aleia, that I met on the ind was the perfect girl for me. Cool, independent, in and sweet. However, she turned out to be fake.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not, Zach. I was not faking myself. I am still that woman you met there. The only difference is the world that I live in,¡± she said, sobbing while looking at her emotionless husband.


    ¡°Then, why did you not tell me? Instead, you pretended to be a stranger when you knew me all along. You could just tell me. Hey, bud. I knew you. You re my sister¡¯s fiance right?¡±


    ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t believe it if I tell you. I¡¯m sorry. Excuse me.¡± Aleia stood and walked away. She almost caught her breath when Zach hugged her from behind.


    ¡°Was I too harsh? I¡¯m sorry. I should not have done that. We are supposed to be on our honeymoon and yet here we are, arguing.¡± He even kissed her nape and lobe.¡± Don¡¯t leave. We¡¯ll. continue to discuss the rules.¡± He guided him back to her chair.


    She sat back and remained silent. She had no strength to argue or fight back anymore. What she wanted to do was rest and get lost for a while.


    ¡°Shall we proceed?¡± he asked and she just gave him a light nod. He was reading all the rules but she absorbed nothing. She was drained to the point that she almost went nk. She was crying for a couple of times of today.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mom. This is not the lovestory that you wanted for me. I ended up as a crying bride,¡± she smiled sadly  with that thought while ying with her nails.


    ¡°Are you okay? Don¡¯t you want to add something?¡±Matthew asked.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we simplify the rules into one general rule. You can still do whatever you want and so am I. I will not interfere with whatever decisions you will have and you will do the same thing.¡± Matthew was dumbfounded and speechless.¡± If it¡¯s clear to you then excuse me. I really want to rest.¡± She signed the papers and gave it to him.¡± She walked closer to him and kissed him on his cheek. ¡°Good night.¡±


    Aleia left  him there but before she leave, she heard him curse and hit the table that it even created a noise. She immediately went to their room and covered herself with theforter, leaving a space for her mighty husband. It was just so sad that they have to share the same bed under this kind of circumstances.


    Few minutes after, she heard the door opened,  she closed her eyes and pretended asleep. She heard footstepsing near their bed. The other side of the bounced a little. Maybe, Matthewid there already beside her.


    Sh tried not move even her breathing was being controlled.


    ¡°Are you asleep alrady?¡± he asked. And when he got no response, he sighed.¡± Well, then, at least I can voice out how I really feel. All I know is that I hate you, Ale. My ego can¡¯t just ept what you did. I don¡¯t belive in love, but you almost made me believe it. I¡¯ve read your diary, everything on it. But I could not find the courage to be moved after everything.¡± She started to feel heavy as her tears also started to fall. She bit her  finger in order to supress her cry.¡± But, damn, wife. You are confusing me. No! You are driving me crazy. I want to punish you but your tears are tearing me apart. I want to ignore you but you are so irresistible that I want to im you mine every now and then.¡±


    Silence followed after that long monologue that Mathew had. She gasped for breath when she felt his hand on her belly. Hugging her from behind. She still did not move. All her efforts would be wasted if she dares to.


    ¡°Do you really love me, wife?¡± he asked and chuckled afer. ¡°Of course! How can you answer, you are sleeping already. But if you really do, thank you. I¡¯ve never felt that I was loved since my mom was gone.¡± He pressed his face to her nape and hugged her tightly.


    He was steady in that position until Aleia felt his heavy and slow breathing. He dozed off to sleep. She moved slowly in order not to disturb  him. She wanted to see his face. The face of the man she loved ever since.


    She wanted to say she loves him right to his face. That she could wait for him to forgive her and that she¡¯s willing to do everything for him. But she chose to keep it hidden somewhere because she believes that action speaks louder than words.


    She touched his face, from his hair that fell on his face and traced every corner of his handsome face. She stopped when she reached his lips. How much she wanted to kiss him, too?


    ¡°I love you so much. Even if it hurts, I will still choose you over and over again,¡± she said finally. She thought  she would explode if thise words remain to be hidden. She nted a kiss on his lips after.


    ¡°Mmm!¡± she heard him moan softly and pulled her closer to him. She could even feel his heartbeat but he was too tired to recognize what she did.


    She hugged him back and closed her eyes to sleep. His arms were the best and the safest ce she had known.

 Chapter 26- First Day

    Aleia opened her eyes from a deep sleep that morning because of that unfamiliar sound. The sound was like buzzing in her ears. It was her husband snoring beside her. She grabbed her phone from the side table.


    She was taken aback when she saw that it was already seven in the morning. Zach would bete for work. She stood and stormed away from the room to go to the kitchen and stopped. This is just a marriage of convenience so why would she worry about him. Butter on, she still did her duties as a wife.


    She scanned all the cabs to look for something to cook. Fortunately, the kitchen has a lot of cooking materials and equipment. Yes, her husband hates her but it is her responsibility to take good care of him.


    She toasted a few slices of bread and made an omelet. She also made two cups of brewed coffee for the two of them. But she paused midway. She did not know about Zach¡¯s preference for coffee. Whether he would want it with sugar or not. Worst, she had no courage to ask him after what happenedst night.


    ¡°Add a single pinch of sugar.¡±


    Aleia froze for a while. She did not know that he was watching butter on she did what he said. She put a single pinch of sugar into his coffee.


    But when she turned to bring it to him, she saw him leave the kitchen.


    ¡°Zach, you are not going to eat?¡± she asked sadly. He just waved his hand and did not bother to look at her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. Just eat all that.¡± Then Zach vanished like smoke.


    She bit her lip while looking at the foods she prepared. How can she eat all of that? She sat on her chair and tried to eat. Alone. Her husband left her on their first day as a married couple.


    She was sipping the coffee she made when her cellphone which was on top of the fridge rang.


    ¡°Chelou?¡± she said.


    ¡°Lei, how was your first night? Did you have st?¡± Her crazyugh followed after that it almost broke her eardrum.


    st? Yeah! A st of tears and arguments.


    She sighed.¡± What do you expect? He doesn¡¯t love me at all. He just wants to take revenge.¡±


    ¡°Lei, I¡¯m warning you. Don¡¯t let him treat you like trash just because you love him. So what are you doing now?¡± Chelou asked again.


    She looked at the table she set sadly and smiled. ¡°Eating breakfast¡­ alone.¡± Her voice almost cracked.


    She was living alone for quite a long time. She thought that when she would get married, she would have someone forpany, especially during a meal.


    ¡°Goodness! Get out of that house ande with me. You gotta file a divorce now.¡±


    She did not know but she burst outughing. Divorce. ¡± )Are you crazy? I can¡¯t do that. It is still early to do that, Chelou. I know he has feelings for me. He will learn to forgive me as time goes by?¡±


    ¡°Aish! I don¡¯t get you, sweetie. I asked for a leave today. I¡¯m meeting the guys, why don¡¯t youe with me. I¡¯m sure they will be happy to see you.¡±


    Her face lightened, the guys that Chelou mentioned are their friends who share the same interest with them. For short, they are the racing team that she belonged to a few years ago before she left for the province. She used to be a car and motorcycle racer that¡¯s why her dad gave Ryder as a gift.


    ¡°But I haven¡¯t raced for a while and I left Ryder on the ind,¡± she said.


    ¡°It is okay. I can let you borrow mine in the meantime. Let us go out and have fun. Yeah, girl.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be there.¡±


    After that call, Ale cleaned the table and washed the utensils. She also put the leftover in the fridge. It is such a waste to just throw some food. Then, she went back to their room.


    She saw Matthewes out of the bathroom with just a towel in the lower part, leaving the upper- topless. Her heart skipped a bit. He is devilishly handsome and gorgeous.


    Matthew picked another towel and dried his hair and Aleia tried to be busy fixing anything just to divert her attention.


    ¡°Are you going to work today?¡± She could feel the tension in the room.


    ¡°Mmm,¡± he answered. Matthew was walking towards her. Her heart is beating erratically while mesmerized by the godly beauty in front of her. She swallowed hard and tried to control her emotions.


    Matthew was just an inch away. She could even smell her manly scent. He was looking at her, then he smiled. She waited for what was next toe. Matthew leaned closer to her nape.


    ¡°Wife, you are blocking the closet. Please move a little. Is that okay?¡± he whispered and then Aleia felt that a ss of water was poured onto her. She felt like she woke up from a dream.


    She moved immediately while Matthew was grinning from ear to ear as if he won the lottery. She immediately looked away to hide the embarrassment.


    ¡°Just tell me if you want me, wife, cause I am all yours.¡±


    She turned back to see him and then looked away when she saw Matthew remove the towel. She went outside but before she opened the door, she heard Matthew mutter something.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to daydream like that, wife, I am hundred percent real,¡± he said with a softugh.


    Sh*t! Aleia cursed after she closed the door. She banged the door softly. Her husband was teasing him. She felt her cheeks be hot. She was blushing.


    There¡¯s no way that she would allow to lose in this game. She will y fairly until he would confess his feelings to her.


    ¡°Wife, are you there? I need to go.¡±


    Aleia moved so that Matthew could open the door. He was in his office attire already when he came out. She pretended to be unaffected by everything and tried to fix his tie. Her husband was looking at her intensely. So she got that chance to kiss him softly on his lips.


    ¡°See you around, hubby. Be safe always,¡± she said and tapped her shoulder. Matthew¡¯s lips parted in awe. She saw him blinked a couple of times


    ¡°Bye,¡± he said and then left.


    Loneliness struck Aleia again after her husband left to work. Usual couples would have spent a few days together after the wedding. Maybe in a faraway ce to have quality time together. But here shees, alone on the first day after she became a wife to her dream guy.


    A few hours after Matthew left, she also left to meet Chelou and their old buddies. Well, it is good that they signed an agreementst night. At least, she can still do whatever she wants. She could not stand to be in the house alone with nothing to do. She¡¯ll be insane before she knew it.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    She sent Chelou a message that she wasing.

 Chapter 27- Late

    All eyes were on Matthew when he entered the KTI building. Almost all of them were giving him a what are you doing here look? They were expecting that he¡¯ll spend a few days off for his honeymoon.


    But, here he is, reporting for duty after the night of his wedding. Nothing special happened except that he woke up with a new status this morning. He is now a married man.


    He did everything to tease his wife to give in and surrender to him, but knowing Aleia was strong like a rock. She even gave him a fair fight like they were ying tug of war.


    Aleia did not know how hard it was for him to control himself and not touch her. Especially, when her delicate skin touched his and when he got to smell her feminine fragrance. He could not stop to imagine himself ravishing her.


    He had all the right to im her but he chose not to ¨C not after all the arguments they had and not after seeing her cry for how many times. He wanted to get back to her but he could not deny that he has a special spot for his wife.


    His secretary was more surprised to see him when he entered the office. Yana froze for a while looking at her boss. Matthew smiled at her and even waved his hand in front of her.


    ¡± Sir!¡± Her eyebrows furrowed.¡± I thought-¡± But Matthew cut her off.


    ¡°Ssh! I know what you are thinking and I don¡¯t want to talk about it. Hmm?¡±


    Yana nodded, smiled, and zipped her mouth.


    He heard the door open but he didn¡¯t bother to look at who came in.


    ¡°Bro!¡±


    Matthew nced at David and saw the same expression that others had. David was smiling while looking at him. He just gave him a death re and David burst outughing.


    ¡°What are you doing here this early?¡± he asked as he continued to scan papers on his table.


    David sat on a chair in front of Matthew. ¡°I am a businessman so I¡¯m here for business. I thought that you were on your honeymoon. Anyway, sorry aboutst night. I just wanted to know her more. She is my best friend¡¯s wife,¡± David said smiling.


    Matthew looked at David with remorse. ¡°Huh! You wanted to know her. But you were looking at her like you wanted to eat her,¡± Matthew said firmly with gritting teeth. He started to feel heavy and something was choking him but he did not know why.


    David chuckled. ¡°What the? Are you jealous, bro? But you were using me of something. It was a foul, bro.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m warning you, David. Stay away from my wife. You like Nathalie, right? Then you can pursue her, now.¡±


    David leaned closer to the table. ¡°Now, you sound in love and concern to your wife. I remember you were just marrying her because you want to get even,¡± David said but he silenced him.


    ¡°Watch your words. Whatever issues we have at home should remain there. I don¡¯t want to humiliate my wife. She is still my wife.¡±


    Davidughed sarcastically. ¡°Indeed, the wife that you loved dearly but you just kept on denying your true feelings. Can I have dinner at your house tonight?¡±


    ¡°What? Why? No way! Are you insane?¡± Matthew hissed. ¡°I just told you to stay away from her, idiot,¡± he said and left David in his office for some appointments who wasughing like crazy. He sure loved to tease his friend.


    Matthew attended all meetings that were set beforehand. He thought of going home early to surprise Aleia and make it up to her for being so cold sometimes. He did not even touch the breakfast she made this morning.


    His employees teased him before he left. Telling him that he was excited to see his wife. He justughed with them. At some point, they were right. He kinda misses her.


    He dropped by a flower shop to buy flowers for her. But he was confused, he doesn¡¯t know what flowers does she like. It made him realize that there are still many things that he needs to know about her. They are still a stranger to each other, and he does not know even her favorite food.


    On the way home, he ordered food so that she won¡¯t need to cook. He also thought of hiring a maid for her so she won¡¯t be obliged to wake up early in the morning and prepare something for him. The thought of having a meal as a married couple made him excited. It would be their first meal as husband and wife.


    He felt excited to see her and he kept on smiling like an innocent child who longs for her mother. All this time, he wanted her to live in misery but howe he was thinking of making her life easier.


    The guard opened the gate for him when he arrived home.


    ¡°Is Aleia there?¡± he asked the guard after parking his car in their garage.


    ¡°No, sir. She went somewhere a few hours after you left this morning,¡± the guard replied.


    Matthew started to feel uneasy.¡± Where did she go? She never told me she¡¯ll be away.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°We also don¡¯t know, sir,¡± the guard answered and lowered his head. Guilt was visible on his face for not doing his job well.


    ¡°So, you just let her off without knowing where she was going? Unbelievable!¡±


    He left the guard as he ran immediately to their room upstairs to see if her things were still there.


    What if Aleia realized that she was not in love with him anymore after his treatment of her? What if she ran away and left him?


    He did not know why his heartbeat is abnormal. It beats slowly but painfully that he wanted to cry. A thorn was being removed when he saw her things still intact in her closet.


    He sat on the bed and tried to call her but she was out of reach. He kept on messing his hair, stood and sat again, walked back and forth, looked out the window, and repeated the same gesture.


    ¡°She¡¯lle back. She loves me. She loves me. Urgh! I¡¯m insane!¡± he reminded himself like a crazy man.


    Until he decided to go back downstairs to wait for her. The food he ordered on the way was delivered already. He lost the energy to set the table so he just put it there.


    He went back to the living room and pretended to watch something on TV to kill the time. He dozed off to sleep and when he woke up the show was already over. What¡¯s sad is that Aleia is not home yet.


    The house was still silent and twilight started to invade the day. He was sure that the food is now cold. He sighed and nced at his watch. It¡¯s 6 pm already and his wife is still nowhere to be found. His effort of going home early was a waste.


    He ran to the door when he heard a car stopped at their gate. His jaw dropped when he saw a man who opened the door for Aleia. He clenched his fist and wanted to punch that man.


    The two talked for a while and looked so happy that it broke his heart. He was jealous. His eyes widened in shock when he saw him kiss her on the cheek and Aleia was okay about it. She even tapped his shoulder before he went back to the car.


    Is she cheating on him in front of their house? Where has she been? She was wearing sports attire that matched a jacket and sports shoes?


    Aleia was not aware that he was at the door. She took off her jacket sexily while walking and was left was her sleeveless top that hugged and sculpted the perfect curve of her body.


    She also raked her hair and wiped her forehead. Matthew was like watching a celebritying near to him. Something deep inside him was awakened but the reality struck him.


    The fact that he waited for her for a couple of hours and caught her being kissed by someone else right in front of him.


    Aleia was shocked to see him standing there, waiting.

 Chapter 28 New Beginning

    Aleia froze for a while looking at Matthew who was standing at the doorway. His hands were in his pockets, his eyebrows were furrowed, and his expression was not that happy. She knew right at that moment that he was mad.


    But why? Is he waiting for her?¡± Aleia thought.


    Out of boredom, she left this morning after he left for work. It was not a big deal cause they have agreed not to meddle with each other¡¯s affairs. It was clear that they can still do everything they wanted.


    She tried to recover herposure after a few minutes of going nk. She was still tired. They had a good time with  Chelo and her other friends. They went out to race and ate in their favorite resto. She forgot how miserable her life was for a short period.


    But she has no one to me. She decided to marry him even though he loathes her. She clung to that ten percent of hope to soften his heart. But looking at his mad expression, she wonders if she is doing the right thing.


    She walked past and tried to ignore his presence. But Matthew grabbed her wrist making her turn to face him.


    ¡°Let go, please! It hurts,¡± she softly said and Matthew let go of her hand.


    ¡°Was that the proper way to greet your husband?¡± he said firmly while looking intently at her eyes.


    Aleia took a deep breath, stepped forward, and kissed him on his cheek. ¡°Am I doing it right, husband? Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me. I¡¯m thirsty.¡±


    Also strolled to the kitchen to get some water but Matthew was tailing her.


    ¡°We are not yet done, Aleia. Where have you been and why are you dressed like that?¡± he asked


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your¡­.-¡± She was not able to finish what she was about to say. She was looking at the food on the table, still unpacked and untouched. Then her gaze shifted to him.


    ¡°What is happening? What are all these?¡±


    Matthew smiled sadly. ¡°Ah, that. I ordered some ready-to-eat foods so you don¡¯t need to cook. But I was surprised when the guards said that you were out the whole day.¡±


    ¡°Is that a big deal to you?¡± she said while getting a bottle of water from the fridge, and drinking it in front of him. ¡± You left for work and I was left here.  Alone and bored on the first day after we got married. You did not eat the foods that I prepared for you. You just left like no one was here with you.¡± Aleia was trying her best not to cry. Not again. Right now, she wanted to go back to the province and cry in front of her mother¡¯s grave.


    ¡°You could have told me that you wanted to go out. I¡¯m your husband and I have the right to know your whereabouts. What if something happened to you?¡± he said and walked slowly to her.


    She felt nervous and her heart was beating drastically as Zach wasing closer to her. She tried to step back but she was trapped in the sink.


    ¡°You don¡¯t take me as your wife, Zach. I think you just want to get even. Am I right? I knew it from the very start but I still marry you. I can¡¯t me no one for that,¡± she stammered and pretended to be strong but deep inside she¡¯s bothered with different emotions.


    She was disappointed, nervous, and scared. Zach was just an inch away, she could smell his addicting and manly aroma that can take any woman¡¯s sanity. And maybe just sumb to his will.


    ¡°So that was why you let that man kiss you in front of our house? I¡¯m telling you, Aleia, I did not like it.¡± Aleia gasped for breath when he trailed her cheek softly, that it brought shivers to her spine.¡± I don¡¯t want anybody to touch you, my wife. You are mine alone.¡±


    Her eyes widened to his possessiveness, still bothered with his breath that was fuming in her face. ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree not to meddle with our lives? You made it clear.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m cutting it off, now. To hell with that agreement. You are my wife and I have every right on you.¡±


    Aleia chuckled and pushed him a bit.¡± As easy as that? That is how it works for a wealthy man like you. Why don¡¯t you ask me if I¡¯m okay with that?¡±


    Matthew smiled cunningly while ying with the tip of her hair. ¡± You can¡¯t handle -If I¡¯ll kiss someone in front of you. My pretty badass wife will surely burst out crying.¡±


    Alexa gritted her teeth in extreme frustration. ¡°Huh! How sure are you? You, arrogant man!¡±


    ¡°Then prove me wrong!¡± he said, cornered her with his arms and kissed her pouting lips. It was a light kiss that teases her lips. Aleia could not deny that she was somewhat affected by it. It made her want more.


    She felt a little shy when he let go of her lips and thought that it was the end.


    ¡°I think this is the right time for us to consummate our marriage. Oh, I forgot we did it before the wedding,¡± he said and imed her lips hungrily.


    He was teasing and biting it like it was the most delicious food on earth. His hands roamed all over her body until they found her proud peak. Zach was massaging it like it was dough, finding the perfect shape for his masterpiece.


    Aleia was not able to control her moans as she opened her mouth for more ess. And Zach took it as an opportunity to explore what¡¯s inside.


    ¡°You are still delectable with all these sweats, wife,¡± he said and carried her in bridal style. He was still kissing her passionately as they went upstairs. Alexa clung to his arms while his lips are still on hers.


    He brought her directly to their room and pinned her to the wall. Their lips still battled like there was a war. She almost screamed his name when she felt his tongue on her peak. She found his hair and grasped for strength. Zach kissed almost every part of her body and she submitted herself with no reservations. After all, he is still her husband.


    They were both quiet after that breathtaking and ecstatic ride. There were no words of promises and everything was just two souls who collided.


    Aleia¡¯s mind was clouded with many thoughts. What if she gets pregnant andter on Zach will leave her? She can¡¯t afford for her child to live a broken life like her. She can¡¯t take watching her child suffer and beg for his father¡¯s love.


    She silently wept with all of that in mind. She does not want it to happen to them. Not in this lifetime.


    ¡°Hey! Why are you crying?¡± Zach whispered as he hugged her. He kissed her cheek andy beside her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything, Ale. For making you cry over and over again.  Can you give me another chance?¡±


    Aleia turned to face him. They are still naked under the sheets.¡± What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°We will try to make this marriage work and live as a true couple. Do you want that?¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    She smiled and nodded though she was also teary-eyed. She did not hear him say he loves her but it would be a good start.


    ¡°Stop crying, wife. Wait! I know how to stop you from crying,¡± he said smiling and iming her lips again. They spent the night making love and making up for the times that they were not together. Until they drifted to sleep in each other¡¯s arms. Not wanting to let go.


    (Dear beloved readers, sorry for the dyed response. It was due to some health reason. If you happen to like this, please post yourment. Love lots).

 Chapter 29-Heart to Heart

    The following days were like heaven for the newlyweds. They spent most of their time cuddling and making each other feel special.


    Matthew asked for a few days¡¯ leave from work to spend time with Aleia. Aleia was so happy that she could not ask for more. It was the life she dreamed of ever since she met him.


    Aleia covered her face with one of her hands. Matthew was sitting on the edge of the bed. His face was so radiant. He was still on his boxer and still topless ¨C she could not help but adore his godly features.


    ¡°Morning, wife,¡± he bent down and kissed her forehead. She smiled and closed her eyes, still savoring the moment. She got up so fast only to see her body still naked. She forgot to put on her dress after another ecstatic ride of their livesst night.


    She blushed and grabbed the nket to cover her nudity while Matthew wasughing sexily. He picked up the dress that was scattered on the floor and gave it to her.


    ¡°You want me to put it into you?¡± he asked smiling. Trying tough. She silently grabbed it and put it fast.¡± Why are you shy, Ale? I¡¯ve seen, touched, and kissed every part of it,¡± he teased.


    ¡°Wooh!¡± Aleia screamed while hiding herself under the sheets.¡± Please, I don¡¯t want  to hear it.¡±


    The room was covered with Matthew¡¯s devilishugh. Then, she felt him pat her head.¡± Okay. Follow me to the kitchen. I prepared something for you,¡± he said.


    Aleia heard his footsteps and she waited for a few minutes before she got out of hiding. Yes, they did it many times already.  But she is shy to talk about it.


    The table was already set when she went to the kitchen. Matthew was smiling and was waiting for her.


    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to do this,¡± she said as she sat down in front of him.


    ¡°No problem. I feel like serving you as my queen. So let¡¯s eat.¡± She nodded and they started to eat. ¡°So what¡¯s your n now?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Mmm. What n?¡± Aleia asked back.


    ¡°What do you want to do? Do you want to be a full-time housewife or pursue something?¡± he responded.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t know. Sorry about that,¡± she said sadly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be sorry for that. You have lived a life so different from this and you have gotten used to it.¡± He smiled and ced his hand above hers. Aleia was delighted with her actions. This is the man that she used to love. He is back for real.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to work in KTI? I can find a ce for you so that you won¡¯t be bored here. Or if you have something in mind, let me know,¡±  he said and sipped his coffee.


    ¡°Is it okay if I work there? It would create some gossip.¡±


    Matthewughed softly.¡± Gossip? They won¡¯t dare to do that to my wife or else they would lose their job. How about working in your father¡¯spany?¡±


    She sighed. ¡°That would be more terrible. I don¡¯t want to ignite the fire between us. They can have it all if they want.¡±


    ¡°But you are his daughter and you have every right, Ale.¡±


    Aleia bit her lip. ¡°I¡¯ve been living away from them since I finished college. I want peace and I just want to live a simple life, Zach. I don¡¯t need any of his wealth. You are enough for me.  You¡¯re all I need, ¡°she whispered with her eyes on the ss of water that she was holding.


    She was not ready to see his reaction in case he heard it. It is enough that they are doing well and they are trying to live like a normal couple. She won¡¯t ask for more than that for now.


    She looked up when she heard him sigh.¡± We had a good start, Ale. We just got a little twist in the middle. But I hope we can fix it. I had some trust issues with women before. That includes my step-mom. Being in my position made me think, that women just chase me because I have money. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, Zach. I was in love with you at a very young age without knowing who you were at that time. Why would I chase you for money?¡± she answered while looking at him. She saw him smile.


    ¡°That was sweet.¡± He came closer and pinched her cheek. They continued to eat while talking.¡± Maybe it will be a good start for us to get to know each other. What happened to you and your dad?¡±


    Aleia leaned back in the chair as if she was trying to recall a very crucial chapter of her life.  She told him everything. From the very start- where they transferred to the province until her mom died. In the part where her dad took her back to the city and she was shocked to meet his new family.


    She was not able to control her tears. She wiped it up right away. They all thought she was okay but deep inside she is not. The pain was just hidden beneath.


    ¡°He married someone else while you were in the province?¡± Zach asked for confirmation.


    She nodded. ¡°I had a hard time epting that he was happy while my mom was dying slowly day by day. It would be easier to ept if we were okay. But we were not. I saw how my mom suffered without him.¡± She sobbed and cried hard. Finally, she has let go of that burden she carried for how many years?


    Zach stood up tofort her. ¡°Sorry about that.¡±


    She looked up to him and said, ¡± Zach we wed not because of love. But if one day, you¡¯ll find that woman that you will truly love- please tell me directly. Although, it will break me. But it would be better than to live in lies.¡±


    Zach knelt to meet her eyes and cupped her face. ¡± Who told you that I don¡¯t love you, sweetheart? I love you, my wife. The fact that I¡¯m making you a part of my life is proof of my love. Do not overthink, okay, ¡°he said sweetly and nted a soft kiss on her lips.


    It was the best day for Aleia after her husband confessed her feelings to her. She thought his arms would be the safest ce for her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want our children in the future to live a life like mine, Zach. I don¡¯t know If I can take it,¡± she said with tears in her eyes.


    ¡°We will do everything to keep this marriage working. It won¡¯t be easy but we will do it together.¡± He gave her a tight hug and then they continued to eat.


    ¡°Yana, my wife wille with me to the office,ter. I¡¯ll give her a tour and maybe if she wants to work with us,¡± Zach said to the other line.


    He called her in advance about his n. Aleia was still having a hard time choosing corporate attire for her first day of visit to KTI.¡±


    ¡°Sweetheart, just wear something that you arefortable with. We will just buy someter,¡± he said while looking at her who can¡¯t decide what to wear.


    ¡°Sir, is it a good time?¡± Yana asked.


    ¡± Why? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zach asked. His eyes are still on Aleia.


    ¡°Miss Aleia¡¯s father and sister are here. They are waiting for you.¡±


    Aleia just smiled at her. Though she heard him talking to his secretary. But she saw how his facial expressions changed while he took secret nces at her.

 Chapter 30 Face Off

    Aleia could still feel the tension and she knew deep within that something is bothering him. He kept on giving her secret nces while driving. He would even smile from time to time.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± she asked.


    Matthew sighed heavily and cleared his throat. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should tell you. But I guess I am right now.¡± She smiled and waited for him to continue talking.¡± Your dad and your sister are waiting for me in the office right now.¡± He paused and bit his lip.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry I won¡¯t bite them,¡± she said as a joke tofort him.


    ¡°I know. You¡¯re a good girl. But would that be okay with you?¡±


    She nodded and reached for his hand. ¡± Why not? I am with you,¡± she smiled.


    ¡°Obviously. You are so smitten with me!¡± he teased her back andughter echoed inside the car.


    Zach parked the car in the parking area, got out, and opened the door for her when they reached the KTI tower. She heard about it many times but it would be her first time entering a building as magnificent as her husband¡¯s.


    It looked great and mighty like its owner. Just one look and it will leave an impression on you. It speaks of power and wealth. She clung to his arms when they walked inside. She could not help but stare at every corner with awe.


    ¡°Amazing,¡± she said smiling.


    ¡°Ale, your father¡¯s empire is more amazing than KTI,¡± he said as he nodded and smiled at his staff who greeted them in the hallway.


    She could not help but admire them. They looked so cool in their corporate attire. They were so weing and warm.


    Aleia¡¯s thoughts were interrupted when they reached Zach¡¯s office. His secretary weed them. She even gave her a handshake.


    ¡°Good morning, Sir. Ma¡¯am, wee to KTI,¡± she said dly. She just gave her a slight nod as she felt awkward.


    ¡°Where are they?¡± Matthew asked as if she was so eager to meet them.


    ¡°They are in the receiving, area, Sir,¡± his secretary answered and walked ahead of them so they followed.


    Though, she has nothing to fear she could still feel her heartbeat racing. This would be the first time that she gets to see her so-called sister after she married Zach. Her sister¡¯s only great love happened to be her only love, too.


    It was Zach who opened the door of the receiving room. Then she saw her dad and sister inside. Nathalie¡¯s brows furrowed when she saw her. Maybe wondering what was she doing her. Well, it was her husband¡¯s second home and so was her.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Matt, Ryne, I¡¯m so d to meet you. How are you, now?¡± her dad asked and came closer. He even gave her a light kiss on the cheek. Just like the old times. That was before Nathalie came out of the view. Nathalie¡¯s eyes sparkled with jealousy. They kept on sharing the same interest.


    ¡°I¡¯m good, dad,¡± she said casually.


    ¡°That¡¯s nice to hear. Anyway, I¡¯m here for a business matter. I need to discuss this with you, Matt,¡± her dad said as his gaze shifted to Matthew.


    Aleia understood that maybe they need some private time. She has nothing to do with the business for now. So she held Zach¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait outside,¡± she said.


    ¡°Okay. It won¡¯t take long. Just wait for me at Yana¡¯s desk and tell her if you need something. ¡°he said.


    Aleia could not contain all the happiness. He was so thoughtful and it melts her heart even more. She came closer and whispered to him.


    ¡°You are all I need,¡± she murmured and pat his back and gestured to his dad that she would leave the room.


    Yana was not at her desk when Aleia got out. She was looking at some paintings and ques that were disyed. Some of these were awards from different sectors for the outstanding performance of KTI.


    ¡°So doing the wife thing? You do not belong here.¡±


    Aleia froze for a while. She recognized that voice right away. When she turned to face her, she was right. It was Nathalie. She looked so stunning in her corporate look.


    ¡°Were you talking to me?¡± she said.


    Nathalie smirked.¡± Who else, then? Pathetic! What are you doing here, Aleia? You know nothing about business. Don¡¯t tell me you are interested in it now,¡± Nathalie said sarcastically.


    Aleia sat at the table.¡± Kind of. I think I need to learn about it to help my husband. What do you think?¡± she said to tease her.


    She could feel the victory when Nathalie¡¯s eyes be dark with jealousy. Her sister is not yet over with him.


    ¡°You won¡¯tst for long. He does not love you.¡±


    ¡°And he does not love you also, Nathalie. So it¡¯s a tie,¡± she said smiling.¡± Please give up your fantasies. He is now married to me.¡±


    Nathalie smirked again.¡± Not yet. Why don¡¯t you give him up for me and I¡¯ll tell dad to give all my share to you.¡±


    Aleia was not able to control herugh. But she stopped when she noticed how serious she was. Did her sister make a bargain? Give up  Matt in exchange for wealth? She felt sorry for her to reach that point.


    ¡°Are you that desperate? What made you think that I will do it? I¡¯m not good in business but I know when to refuse a deal,¡± she said.


    ¡°So let¡¯s see what I can do, then. I¡¯ll make sure that you will get nothing and no one on your side. You stole, Matthew from me. I supposed to be his wife if only you did not seduce him.¡±


    Aleia clenched her fist for so many emotions that were awakened inside of her. Emotions that she was trying to win over and hide deep inside. Life was not good for her so she tried to be strong all this time.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we finish this outside?¡± She could feel her blood boiling at the same time as Natahalie¡¯s anger. It may lead them to a fight and she did not want to create chaos in her husband¡¯s territory.


    ¡°Are you afraid of people knowing who you are?¡±


    ¡°Please, this is not our ce. Stop it. Don¡¯t end up like your mom.¡± Aleia whispered as she came closer to her. But what happened next shocked her. Nathalie pped her hard and she almost went nk after.


    ¡°Nathalie!¡± Her dad screamed and run to her. It was a good thing that they are in a secured room so nobody can hear the ruckus inside.


    ¡°Ale, what happened? Why did you p her, Nathalie?¡± Matthew asked angrily as he was hugging her.


    Her dad was also hugging Nathalie from behind to control her from attacking her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever say something bad about my mom or else-¡± Nathalie


    ¡°Or else what? You will p me to my death? Scary! I did not say something bad, right? But I guess you know what I mean based on your childish reaction. Why don¡¯t you confirm it, with dad? Excuse me,¡± Aleia said firmly and walked out from all of them. Tears were flowing like a river.


    She even heard her dad say sorry for what happened before she left. She went to the washroom right away and continued weeping silently in one of the cubicles. When she felt it was a bit lighter, she got out of the cubicle and was shocked to see her husband leaning in the doorway.


    It was for the girls. Why was he here? He opened his arms as if waiting for her to hug him. She hugged him tightly and there she felt thefort, that nobody could give her except her mom and granny before. She was home now.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if  I was a bitte. I failed my duty as a husband to protect my wife.¡± He even pats her back lightly. ¡°I don¡¯t know if this is a good thing. But your dad came to tell me that Nathalie wants to work as the Gryme¡¯s rep.¡±


    Aleia was still stunned to hear it. So that¡¯s why Nathalie said to see what she can do. As far as she is concerned, her dad fulfilled her wish again even if he knows that it is not good.

 Chapter 31 Ride Home

    The past days were so stressful for Matthew as Nathalie works in KTI as the Gryme¡¯s Empire representative. Shees to the office now and then and even got her desk. Her father¡¯s influence is so enormous that his father can¡¯t refuse his request.


    Nathalie¡¯s father owns a big percentage of KTI stocks and even invested arge amount of money. Aleia refused to work in KTI to avoid some conflict with her sister. Her wife is always the one adjusting to her war freak and bitchy sister.


    He always gives her assurance not to be attached to Nathalie but as always her wife seems to have a very big heart. Her love for him was so genuine. She trusted him with all her heart.


    That morning, he called her as soon as he reached the office after the meeting. He wanted to know what was she doing.


    ¡°Hello!¡± Aleia answered.


    He smiled when he heard her sweet voice on the other line. ¡°Sweetheart, what are you up to now?¡±


    ¡°Ohm, I¡¯m at the mall to buy something. Are you in the office?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yeah-¡± He stopped when he saw Nathalie entering the office.


    ¡®What is she doing here? he thought. As far as he could remember he does not have any appointment with her.


    ¡°Zach! Are you okay?¡± Aleia asked again.


    He cleared his  throat.¡± Yes, Ale.¡± His heartbeat was racing as Nathalie was going near him. He did not want Aleia to be worried in Nathalie¡¯s presence.


    ¡°Matt, can I have lunch with you? I just want to have somepany while eating,¡± Nathalie said as she sat in the corner of his table. She was exposing some of her skin though to seduce him.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Zach, is that Nathalie?¡± Aleia asked again on the other line while Nathalie was listening to their conversation.


    ¡°Yes, sweet.¡± He runs out of words to say. He stood and walked away from Nathalie so he can talk freely with her wife on the phone.¡± Sorry, Ale. She is inevitable these days.¡± He heaved a sigh.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I trust you and that¡¯s normal because you work together. As long as you don¡¯t flirt with her.¡± Aleia said.


    Aleia knew that her husband needs to work with her professionally. Their families are business partners ever since and their fathers are best of friends.


    ¡°It won¡¯t happen, sweetheart.¡± He gave her assurance.


    ¡°I know. I¡¯ll see youter then. I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you too,¡± he responded.


    Since they confessed their feelings they have been also vocal and expressive to each other. It somewhat put their marriage to another level. His intention of getting even from deceiving him vanished. He saw how genuine is his wife and how much she loves him. He was her wife¡¯s, only love.


    ¡°Am I hearing it right?¡± Nathalie said at his back so he turned to face her. Nathalie was smiling sarcastically as if mocking him.


    ¡°Please, Nathalie stop bugging me. I¡¯m a married man now,¡± he said calmly.


    Nathalie bit her lip and chuckled. ¡± That¡¯s what made this hard, Matthew because you were supposed to marry me. I am supposed to marry you. I should have been your wife now but you shifted to my sister. Did she seduce you?¡±


    He did not want to hurt Nathalie but he guessed he needed to spill the bean on her. Maybe this was the only way to stop her from chasing him and bugging him around.


    ¡°Nat,¡± he said.¡± I don¡¯t like the idea of marrying you. I treated you as my sister ever since our paths crossed. And David likes you. He was so into you. There¡¯s no way it will happen. Please let¡¯s move on from here.¡±


    He was shocked to see tears. Nathalie was crying and he was so nervous. He knew Nathalie has a heart problem and her dad would kill him if something bad happens to her daughter.


    Nathalie reached out for his hand and squeezed it tightly. She was shaking and her hands were cold.


    ¡°Nat, please calm down. Stop crying,¡± he said while giving her a light pat on the back.


    ¡°Am I really hard to love? Why can¡¯t you even try? Instead of trying to love me, you shifted your attention to Aleia,¡± Nathalie said.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point. Why don¡¯t you sit for a while and I¡¯ll get a ss of water for you?.¡± He assisted Nathalie to sit and went out to get a ss of water.


    When he came back, Nathalie was just sitting silently while looking outside the window. She used to hate the bratty nature of this woman but looking at how desperate she was, he somewhat pities her.


    But we can¡¯t dictate whom our hearts should love. He sat in front of her and gave her the water.


    ¡°Here!¡± he said.


    She smiled a bit.¡± Thank you. Do you love¡­ love her now?  I mean your wife. She must be so lucky to have you.¡± She looked away after and wiped a fallen tear.


    Zach was silent for a while. He was the only one that her wife has after her father got married again.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry. I met Aleia on the ind when I ran away from our engagements. We got along really well. I fell in love with her at that time. But she did not mention your family. She pretended  not to know me  and acted like a stranger.¡±


    He wanted to add that he hated her after knowing that she deceived him and decided to marry her to get even. But he kept it inside. Things between him and Aleia are doing good. He did not want to ruin the good start that they have.


    Aleia is the perfect woman for her and the wife that every man would be d to have.


    ¡± Yet, you still love her even if she lied to you.¡±


    He sighed. ¡°I think that¡¯s the power of love. It can forgive and it can heal any wound. I also hope, Nathalie, that you can move on from this. You deserve a better man. a kind of man who will love you more than you love him.¡±


    Sheughed lightly and said.¡± I wonder if it will still happen. But anyway, do you mind if I would go home and rest? I am not feeling good. I want to rest.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡± He stood and assisted her.


    ¡°Thanks. Would you mind giving me a ride home? I think I can¡¯t drive right now.¡± Nathalie said as she clung g to his arms for strength.


    Matthew was stunned for a moment. Her wife would not love that idea. But Nathalie was on her territory and he needs to make sure that she would arrive safely.


    ¡°Okay, wait a moment. I¡¯ll just call Ale to let her know that.¡± He dialed her number but she was out of reach. She was not answering his call.


    Natalieughed a bit.¡± You are a very responsible husband, indeed.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said. He will just call herter and tell her that he¡¯ll just drop Nathalie home. He will just call Aleia to join her for lunch.

 Chapter 32 Secrets Revealed

    Aleia felt a sudden ache in her heart after knowing that Nathalie was just a meter away from her husband. She sighed heavily and forced a smile. Just right in time, she was in front of a mirror in the women¡¯s section. She shopped alone to buy some formal clothes in case she might need them in future events with Zach.


    She was looking at herself in the mirror and noticed some changes in her. She seemed to be gaining weight these days. She was not able to do some work- out routines. She always felt tired and dizzy. She was about to go to the men¡¯s section when she saw something in the reflection in the mirror.


    She turned around to see who passed by her. She was right, that was her stepmother. Her brows furrowed as she was with another man. She did not know why but she followed them secretly. She kept on thinking who is this man with her?


    Maybe, a friend or colleague. But her heart raced when she saw some suspicious moves from them. They looked so sweet. The two went out from there so she sneaked to still follow them. She pretended to be busy looking around with her eyes focussing on them.


    Until they ended up in a coffee shop. The two ordered coffee while she grabbed a magazine and pretended to read it. She was sitting at the table behind them. But she was facing the man and could see him exactly.


    ¡°So how¡¯s Nat?¡± the man asked with a smile.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine but still recovering after losing the man in her dreams because of Aleia,¡± her stepmother said. Unfortunately, she could not see her facial expression. But it¡¯s okay as long as she can hear their conversation.


    ¡°So when are we going to tell her the truth?¡± the man asked again and she saw how sad he was after that.


    It rings a bell. What kind of truth he was referring to? She could not afford to blink and her heart is pounding hard.


    ¡°When everything is ready and when we can make sure that Nathalie will get the inheritance from the Grymes. That Aleia will be getting nothing from her father,¡± her stepmother said.


    Although, she could not see her face. She can still imagine her bitchy expression. So that was their purpose, to make her crawl and suffer. But luckily, she still knew how to live even if she won¡¯t get a single penny from her dad.


    ¡°That is impossible. She has all the rights to his father¡¯s wealth,¡± the man said but her stepmother butted in.


    ¡°And so is Nathalie. She is a Gryme and she is his daughter, too,¡± her stepmother said firmly.


    ¡°Nathalie is my daughter and she is not a Gryme, we all knew that from the very beginning. You were pregnant with her already when you broke up with me,¡± the man said.


    Aleia froze for a while. She could not even blink. She was shaking and her heart was racing fast. Did she hear everything correctly? Her brain was still processing every single word. She suffered enough because of them. Did her father know this side of the story? Did they scam her dad intentionally?


    That exins why Nathalie and her could not go along well unlike Morraine who is so close to her.


    ¡°You are not allowed to say that Steven! Someone might hear you. We could not ruin our n,¡± her stepmother said while looking at both sides to make sure no one heard it.


    Aleia was also busy covering her face. When everything went back to normal, she decided to leave ahead of them. She went to the washroom and called her dad.


    ¡°Reign,¡± her dad answered.¡± How are you? Is everything okay?¡±


    She was speechless for a moment. Still reluctant to tell her father about what she heard a minute ago.


    ¡°Hi! I just missed you, dad. Are you getting enough rest these days? I wish to visit you,¡± Aleia said trying to control her emotions.


    She heard himugh on the other line. ¡°That¡¯s so sweet of you, princess. I might visit you one of these days at your house. Where are you now?¡±


    ¡°At.. the mall. Dad, I don¡¯t know if I should tell you this. I saw Tita Norraine with another man here a moment ago-¡± she paused to catch some air. Her other hand is squeezing her thigh.¡± Dad, I heard them talk. They mentioned  that Nathalie is not your daughter.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± her dad screamed. ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she answered.


    ¡°Let¡¯s meet in my office, Reign. Be safe.¡± The call ended and Aleiaposed herself again.


    But she was shocked to see her stepmother behind her when she was about to leave the washroom. She was looking fiercely at her.


    ¡°So, I am right. You were the woman behind us.   Did you hear everything?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No. Excuse me,¡± she said and left but stopped when her stepmother said something.


    ¡°I knew you heard something, Aleia. I¡¯m warning you to keep it to yourself. Your living a good life now so don¡¯t ruin ours.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Aleia chuckled. ¡°Good life? In which part? I grew up in a broken family. I grew up without a father on my side because he chose all of you instead of me. You betrayed  dad and you have to pay for it.¡±


    She left immediately and went to the parking. But before she could start the engine, her phone rang.


    ¡°Zach!¡± She answered.


    ¡°Oh! Hi, sis.¡±


    Her brows furrowed when she heard Natalie¡¯s voice. Why is she using her husband¡¯s phone?


    ¡°Nathalie?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Sorry to bother you, sis. I just wonder if you could pick him up at home. He is a little bit drunk. You know, I invited him for a drink after lunch. Ah, I forgot to tell you. He gave me a ride home. I was not feeling well.¡±


    She felt dizzy for everything that happened today.


    ¡°Sis, can you pick him up?¡±  Nathalie asked again after she became silent for a while.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ming,¡± Aleia said. She even heard Zach¡¯s voice. Her heart ached. Why did he choose to be there? Worst, he did not tell her about it.


    ¡°Nathalie! Who are you talking to?¡± Zach asked but Nathalie ended the call before she could speak to her husband.


    She spent a few minutes staring nkly outside before she decided to pick him up at his father¡¯s house. Why did he choose to give her a ride? Thepany has  lot of drivers. He could tell them to drop Nathalie at home.


    She felt heavy until a tear escaped from her eyes. She ended up weeping silently. Maybe tired of all the drama in her life. She wiped her tears up when her phone rang again. It was her dad who is calling.


    ¡°Dad?¡±


    ¡°Reign, where are you now? I¡¯m waiting for you.  Did you have lunch already?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Not yet, dad. Dad, can Iete? Nathalie called. Zach is drunk and I need to pick him up.  I¡¯lle to you after that.¡±


    ¡°Okay, princess. Be safe always. See you,ter.¡±


    ¡°Bye, dad. Dad, sorry if I was being hard on you the past years. But I love you so much, dad.¡±


    ¡°Reign, it made me want to hug you right now. Come to daddy very soon. I love you too, my child.¡±


    After she ended the call, Aleia went to pick Zach up. She did not know why, something seemed not right today.

 Chapter 33 Betrayal

    Matthew thought of calling Aleia to inform her that he gave Nathalie a ride home. He felt guilty for not informing her beforehand. Aleia did not say anything about working with Nathalie but he knew that deep inside she was worrying.


    He even doubted if Nathalie was not feeling well. She seemed to be fine and happy when they had lunch earlier. He thought that Nathalie was just trying to make some excuse to be with him. He even went to the balcony to catch some air. He did not know if he was doing the right thing.


    After a few minutes on the balcony, he went back inside to tell Nathalie that he would be going home. But she heard her talking to someone on the phone. He felt uneasy to see that she was using his phone. What the heck?


    ¡°Nathalie, who are you talking to?¡± he asked as he came closer to snatch the phone from her. His heart raced when he saw her wife¡¯s name in the register.¡± What did you tell her?¡± He clenched his fist. Still trying to control his emotions. Nathalie has a heart problem.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Matt, rx,¡± Nathalie said. She even held his hand and she was shaking a bit. Matthew tried to pull his hand but Nathalie held it so tightly. ¡°I just told her that you dropped me home. I know you were worried about it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going back to the office now. So let go of me,¡± he said as he pull his hand.


    ¡°No. Don¡¯t go yet. I prepared some wine for us, Matt.¡± She let go of his hand and hurried  to the center table to get the wine she prepared.


    ¡°What are you doing? I still have some works to do,¡± Matthew said.


    ¡°Please, Matt. I did not attend your wedding. I have not congratted you. Please drink that as my best wishes for you,¡± Nathalie said cunningly.


    Matthew was just staring at the ss of wine. He did not know if she was telling the truth. But somehow he  thought to just do what she said so he can go and get her wife wherever she was. And, it is just a ss of wine. He took a few sips of it while looking at her. She was smiling at him as if she had won a battle. He even shook his head, his imagination is going overboard. It is just a ss of wine. So he  drank all of it.


    He gave the ss to Nathalie. ¡°Am I free to go now?¡± Nathalie just nod so he turned to go when he noticed that something was not right. His vision became blurry and his head spun a bit. He tried to remain intact when Nathalie hugged her from behind. She pressed her body to his.


    ¡°Do you need help, Matt?¡± she said smiling.


    ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± he lied. Nathalie did put something on his wine to make him feel dizzy. He needed  to pretend that it doesn¡¯t affect him so he would not take advantage of the situation.


    ¡°I know you are not, my love. I put something to make you sleep. It won¡¯t affect you right away. But what if you doze off to sleep while driving? It¡¯s dangerous. So why not stay for a while,¡± she said seductively. She was also kissing his nape and touching his chest slowly.


    He tried to stop her and threw his hand.¡± Stop it, Nathalie. You nned all of this. I will leave now, he said and tried to walk away. But Nathalie blocked his way.


    ¡°I told you, it¡¯s not safe to drive after drinking the wine. Stay for a while. Give me the chance to let you feel how much I love you. I am all yours, Matt,¡± she said and came closer to kiss him. He tried to resist and push him away but she was very persistent.¡± Please, Matt, just one kiss and I won¡¯t bother you anymore.¡± She even begged and kissed him again.


    ¡°Fine. But promise me, after this, you won¡¯t bother us again. And you can quit working with me, too.¡± She just gave a light nod and continued kissing him. Matthew thought of giving what she wanted cause after all she would give him peace of mind after that.


    He kissed her back to her content and even felt her soft lips. But still, Aleia¡¯s lips are more delectable than hers. He noticed that Nathalie was touching his abs and was ying with her fingers there. He somewhat felt hot because of what she was doing. He did not know if it was because of what he drank or if it was male hormones that are reacting.


    He was not aware that he also deepened the kiss as he was trying to explore Nathalie¡¯s body. And Nathalie was delighted with it. She felt victorious and even took off his shirt. They were in the living room but nobody was home. She intentionally told the maids to go somewhere.


    Nathalie pushed him onto the sofa after stripping his shirt. He was aware it was wrong but he does not have the strength to stand. He felt tired and sleepy. His eyes are heavy. He even closed his eyes to sleep when he felt something heavy. Nathalie just sits on his manhood and grinds his body. Trying to create friction out of it.


    ¡°Shit!¡± he hissed.¡± What are you doing, bitch? I thought you just wanted a kiss. Stay away. This is wrong.¡± He kept on pushing her away but Nathalie kept on grinding.


    ¡°I was  wrong. I wanted more, Matt. Please,¡± she said as she lowered her body. She was also half-naked and started to kiss his neck.


    ¡°Stop it, Nathalie.¡±


    ¡°Hush! You are not a saint, Matt. You like it, your body is responding. Let me do the job. I know that you are sleepy,¡± she murmured then kissed him again on the lips.


    ¡°Nathalie! Zach!¡±


    Matthew opened his eyes immediately when he heard Aleia¡¯s voice. She was standing near the doorway. He tried to push Nathalie and stood. He paused for a while when his head started to spin again.


    ¡°Ale, sweetheart, please let me exin It is not what you think it is,¡± he said as he walked slowly to her.


    Aleiaughed while crying.¡± You were making out with her. What else do I need to hear?¡± she said. She wiped her tears while Nathalie was smiling vigorously.


    Matthew kneeled in front of her and grabbed her hand.¡± She put something in my wine. I feel so weak right now. She said she just wanted a kiss and will leave us alone after.¡± Matthew exined.


    ¡°Lame excuse! In the first ce, you should not be here. Thepany has a lot of drivers to give her a ride. But you choose to do it yourself. Zach, you are not a CEO for nothing. You should know when to refuse a deal.¡±


    ¡°You arrived earlier, sis. You missed the real show. I was preparing for a more entertaining one. Tsk,¡± Nathalie interrupted.


    ¡°Ale, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Matthew said. He hugged Aleia¡¯s waist.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me sister, Nathalie, because not even a single drop of blood is connecting us. You grew up from a lie.¡±


    Nathalie¡¯s eyes widened. She run to her to attack but Matthew hugged Aleia to protect her.


    ¡°What did you say, Aleia?¡±


    ¡°I am so tired, Nathalie. You can ask your mother about the truth.¡± She pushed Matthew away and run outside.


    Matthew tried to catch her up but Aleia left immediately. He just watched her car as it vanished from his sight.


    ¡°Matt, it¡¯s not safe for you to leave. You might doze off to sleep,¡± Nathalie said when he was about to start the engine.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m not safe here, either,¡± he answered and left.


    He tried to call her but  Aleia refused to answer. He went home directly hoping she went home after that. But she was not  at home yet.

 Chapter 34 Baby

    Matthew was still waiting for Aleia when he received a call. It was Aleia¡¯s father who called him and told him that Aleia was involved in a car ident. He felt his hands go numb after answering the call. He even dropped the phone. Instead of picking it up, he started at the phone for a moment.


    Aleia was supposed to meet her father after the incident at their house. But she met an ident on the way and was critically injured at the moment. His father-inw was so mad that even yelled at him on the phone. He did not know what to do also.


    He started ming himself. If only she refused to drop Nathalie home, or if only he did not tolerate her craziness-maybe her wife is safe in his arms. He was so weak as a man to waiver right away.


    His hands were shaking and his heart was racing so fast as he imagined Aleia¡¯s image that was covered by the blood. That was the time that he picked up his phone and stormed right away to the hospital.


    The nurse on the information told her about where to go. Aleia was still inside the operating room and her father was waiting outside walking back and forth. Matthew hesitated at first to approach him but he knew he needed to do it. He was willing to ept any punches from him for putting his daughter in this dangerous situation.


    But he noticed Matthew first. Matthew even saw him clench his fist.


    ¡°Dad.¡± His voice cracked and he needed to clear his throat. ¡°How is she?¡±


    Instead of answering his question. He just looked at him.¡±Maybe, I should be the one asking that. We agreed to meet to discuss something when she called me. She told me that she needed to pick you up at my house. Why were you there in the first ce?¡±


    Matthew heaved a sigh and was ready to exin everything when the doctor came out from the operating room.


    ¡°Doc, how is my daughter?¡± His father-inw asked. He even took some nces at the room to see her.


    ¡°She is still sleeping but we are done stitching her wounds-¡°The doctor paused for a while. Looked like  she still has something to say.¡± Are you the husband?¡± Matthew nodded. ¡°Were you aware that your wife is pregnant?¡±


    Matthew was speechless as he met his father-inw¡¯s questioning look. It never crossed his mind and Aleia did not mention pregnancy to him. It could be possible that she was also unaware that she was already pregnant. He could almost hear his heartbeat.


    ¡°No,¡± he answered.


    ¡°Wait! What?¡± His inw interrupted.¡± Aleia is pregnant.¡± And how¡¯s the baby?¡±


    The doctor shook his head in disbelief. ¡°She was three weeks pregnant. And the baby¡¯s heart was not beating anymore when they arrived here. We need you to sign the papers. We need to get the baby inside her.¡±


    ¡°Why! No. Maybe we could still save him.¡± He cried.


    ¡°It was toote already. All we can do is to get him out of her womb. We¡¯re very sorry. We did our best.¡± The doctor signaled the nurse toe nearer so that Matthew could sign the papers. Matthew¡¯s tears busted out while signing it. It felt like he killed his child.


    ¡°Maybe we can still do something.¡± He begged. But the doctor shook his head. The doctor went back inside after he signed the papers and all they did was wait.


    They were just sitting side by side without even talking. They were staring elsewhere and watching the medical staff pass by them. It was an environment of busy people, trying to save some lives but their world seemed to stop spinning for a while.


    He felt shocked and dumbfounded after everything he knew. His tears kept on flowing. Thest time he cried hard like this was when her mom passed away. And now, he lost another important person, their baby. He may lose his wife, too. Maybe he was destined to be alone.


    He knew all her wife¡¯s struggles but he added more to them. How can they tell her that she once had a baby and lost him before she gets to know him?


    ¡°Dad, I¡¯m so sorry. This is all my fault. I don¡¯t know how to break the news to her.¡± H bowed his head after saying sorry to him.¡± She saw me kissing Nathalie. Nathalie promised to get away from me if I kiss her, and so I did. But she framed us.¡±


    ¡°My goodness! I was not expecting this to happen. I treated Nathalie like my own child.¡±


    ¡®Yes, more than Aleia¡¯ Matthew would like to add but he kept it inside. ¡°What do you mean like your own, dad?¡± he said after realizing something.


    ¡°Yes. Aleia discovered the truth that¡¯s why she was supposed to meet me. But then she went home and caught you with Nathalie. My wife came to see me, too, knowing that Aleia discovered the truth.¡±


    Matthew covered his mouth in shock. It was all a lie. Aleia suffered a lot because of them. And worst, they lost their baby.


    ¡°I made a lot of mistakes, Matthew. Aleia became so aloof thinking that I love Nathalie more than anyone. I love them fairly. It was Nathalie and my cunning wife who took advantage.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°How are we going to tell her, dad? It would break her heart.¡± He messed his hair like a madman while crying.


    They sat there for almost an hour. Aleia was asleep during the operation. He was unconscious and they just went to the recovery room the moment the doctor told them that it was done.


    Hours passed, and she still did not wake up. They were patiently waiting and discussing how to tell her about the loss of the baby.


    ¡°Dad,¡± Aleia called. He opened her eyes slowly and scanned everyone in the room. When her eyes stopped on Matthew, she looked away. Matthew was hurt. That¡¯s not how she looked at him. She always looks at him with love and admiration. As if, he was the most beautiful thing on earth. He knew she was just holding back her tears. She kept on looking away.


    ¡°Reign, thanks, God. You are safe now,¡± her dad said. He leaned and kissed her forehead. Matthew was envious- he also wanted to do that.¡± How are you feeling now?¡±


    She smiled sadly.¡± I think I am good. But why do I feel something is not fine, dad,¡± she said, touching his abdomen. ¡°Did something else happen?¡±


    Matthew gazed at the floor.  It was the moment that they feared  most. They were all silent when the doctor broke it.


    ¡°She needs to know, though,¡± the doctor said looking at Matthew and his father-inw.


    ¡°Why, dad?¡± Aleia asked, confused. Matthew came closer to him and tried to hold her hand but she threw it away. Matthew withdrew like a soldier lost in a battle. He could not even utter a single word.


    ¡°Can you promise to calm down before I tell you?¡± the doctor asked her. It was her father who held her hand tightly.

 Chapter 35 Stars

    Aleia was holding her tears back when she saw Matthew. Mixed emotions invaded her and the heartbreaking scenario she witnessed at her dad¡¯s house kept on ying in her mind, like a movie trailer.


    She could not even dare look at him. Her heart ached the moment he tried to hold her hand but she pulled away. Her heart says otherwise and wanted to hold her tight but then she could not set aside everything that happened.


    She loved him so much but the thought of him with another woman is killing her inside. The tension was getting heavier and her heart started to pound louder when the doctor told her that she needs to know something.


    ¡®Like what? Are all these sufferings not enough?¡¯ she thought.


    She was fine for sure but why did she feel pain in her feminine and abdomen parts? She just thought it was an impact of the ident.


    Her instinct was telling her something more. She could not wait any longer.¡± Doc, what is it?¡± she asked. Her dad and Matthew could not look at her except the doctor.


    ¡°Were you aware before the ident that you were -¡± The doctor paused and took a deep breath.¡± Hugh! This is a tough one. Ma¡¯am, before the ident, did you know that you were pregnant?¡± The doctor continued.


    Aleia felt a cold air that passed by her. It seems that she was being transported to the day before she caught Nathalie and Matthew on that scene. She remembered she was feeling dizzy, tired, and nauseous. She just thought it was normal that she forgot to consult a doctor.


    Realization hit her, her monthly period skippedst month. Unaware that the baby is gone, she touched her belly. A different kind of joy surrounds her. The joy of bing a  mother.


    ¡°I¡¯m pregnant,¡± she said and chuckled.¡±I have a baby. Dad, I¡¯m going to be a mom.¡± She even cried,ughed, and smiled. She thought that it was the best moment in her life. She would never be alone from now because of her baby. She does not need to beg for love and attention.


    Meanwhile, her father burst out crying. And even Matthew but unlike her, it was because for different reasons. All of a sudden, she recalled that she went through an ident.


    ¡°Doc, is my baby okay?¡± she asked.


    The doctor gasped for some air to breathe.¡± We are very sorry you lost the baby because of the ident.¡±


    Aleia started to be uneasy.¡± What? No! Dad!¡± She cried for help.¡±That¡¯s not true.¡± She started sobbing. They even panicked because they could not calm her down.¡± Dad, tell me that this is just a dream.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Reign, my baby, I wish it is,¡± her dad said.


    Aleia screamed and punched the bed. Matthew came to the rescue to calm her but she kept on pushing her away.


    They just let her cry and weep. It is her right as a mother. Until she calmed down on her own to the point that she was just staring at the ceiling nkly. No more voice, just tears kept on flowing. She lost her precious child before she gets to know his existence.


    Matthew came closer to hold her hand but she avoided it. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Ale. Please forgive me.¡±


    Aleia turned to the other side. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk or to see you. I had enough. I want to rest,¡± she whispered.


    She did not know if Matthew left or stayed after that. All she knew was that she closed her doors to anyone. She refused to see any of them ¨C even her close friends. She did not want them to see her vulnerability as a woman. All she wanted was to grieve for her child.


    She went home directly to her dad¡¯s house when she was released from the hospital. Natalie and her stepmother were being kicked out of, there after all the trouble that they caused. Though, her father gave them enough money to start a new life after wrecking her own. Her sister, Morraine was left under her dad¡¯s custody as she is his legal daughter.


    Matthew kept oning back to see her. But she always refused to see anyone. The grieving period was not yet over for her. Matthew¡¯s routine kept on going for days.


    He would parke his car outside and wait for Aleia toe out. He would stay for a while. Then, he would drive home at around ten in the evening. Just when she would turn off the lights in her room. Without him knowing, she¡¯d turn it on after he left.


    Itsted for almost a month. But that day, she had finally woken up from a dream and sorted things out. She decided to talk to him. Maybe, they need it to have peace of mind.


    It was a starry and fine yet cold night. She put on her coat. She hugged herself after closing the main door of the house. She walked slowly and her shoulder-length hair was being blown by the wind.


    Her heart skipped a bit when she saw her husband, yes, it is still her husband, got out of the car. He met her halfway. That was the first time that she saw him after a month of grieving in her room.


    She could not even deny how much she missed him. She just loved him so dearly and that love made her decide to leave. Love was not enough to cover and ease the pain that was eating her alive. She wanted to heal herself so that she could give him a chance. There¡¯s no way she would give up on him.


    Aleia almost cried when saw him closely. He looked so miserable and gone was the man who looked like a Greek god. He looked thinner, his beards unshaven, and his hair uncut. She even wonders if he still eats on time.


    ¡°How are you now? I wish you are fine.¡± His voice cracked. He gripped his hand and smiled sadly.


    Aleia did not answer but gestured for him to follow her inside. It¡¯s not proper to talk outside since the weather is cold and it¡¯s alsote. She brought her to the dining room and asked the maid to prepare a meal.


    ¡°I know you haven¡¯t eaten yet. Please eat something before we talk,¡± she said.


    Matthew looked at the food in front of him. It has been a while since thest time he eats a decent and home-cooked meal. After dinner, they went to the living room. They were silent at first but it was Matthew who initiated the conversation.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where to start, Ale. I¡¯m sorry for everything. Pleasee home with me,¡± he said while looking at her. Aleia was watching the stars.


    ¡°Hush! Our baby is watching us from heaven.¡± She pointed out the stars and looked at him. ¡°They said that when we die we be stars to watch our loved ones who were left behind.¡± She was smiling and crying at the same time.


    ¡°It was all my fault that we lost him, sweetie.¡± He cried in his palm. Aleia patted his back andforted him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t me yourself. I never med you cause I know that our baby wouldn¡¯t like it. I want him to be happy wherever he is now. That¡¯s the least we can do for him as parents. But I hope you understand that it¡¯s not easy to pretend as if nothing happened-¡± She paused and wife his tears.¡± A part of me was gone. This is not me anymore. I feel so lost and I want to find myself.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Matthew asked.


    She held his hand. ¡°I¡¯m leaving¡­.. for a while.¡±


    Matthew blinked a couple of times. He knelt and started crying like a baby who is about to lose her mom.¡± No. Don¡¯t leave me please.¡± He even hugged her thighs.


    ¡°I won¡¯t leave you. I just need to find  and heal myself.¡± She helped him stand. Matthew found the chance to hug her. They cried in each other¡¯s arms.


    ¡°I love you so much, Ale. It is hard to let you go but always remember that I will wait for you. Huh.¡± He ced his forehead on hers.


    ¡°Maybe, we started it the wrong way and maybe we can correct it from the very beginning,¡± she said.


    Matthew nodded.¡± And I promised to be a better man that time,¡± he answered as his lips drew closer to her. He imed her lips when he saw no signs of resistance.


    They shared a very passionate kiss like there was no tomorrow. But after that, they parted ways.

 Epilogue

    Aleia couldn¡¯t stop her tears upon looking at the graves of the three most important people in her life- her mother, her grandmother, and her child. It was a very emotional reunion after she left three years ago. She did not want her baby to be alone so she buried him with them.


    She knelt to put the flowers she brought for them and her eyes were caught by another basket of flowers beside the grave. It was still fresh. Someone might havee hours before she came. She thought that maybe it was Cleofe¡¯s mom or her aunt. They were the only people near to visit them.


    ¡°Hi, mom! Hi, granny! Did you meet our baby there? I guess she¡¯s a bit older now since I left.   I just wonder how hisugh sounds or how sweet his smile is. Hi, baby! Sorry if I left you here. Mom needed to find and heal herself.¡± She paused to wipe her tears. ¡°Well, I¡¯m a bit okay now. I hope this will continue. Your two grandmas are there to look out for you. I spent a few years alone but I was never lonely because your presence is always with me. I am happy to be back now. Mom, I¡¯ve finally done the things that I neglected before.¡±


    Aleia spent hours with them and told them stories like the old times. She decided to leave and find a ce to eat when her stomach growled in hunger. She did not have any chance to eat when she arrives. She went to visit them and forgot to inform Jake and Cleofe¡¯s mom that she will be home that day.


    She bid goodbye to them and went back to where Ryder was parked and started strolling around. Memories clouded her especially that day when she saw Matthew on the ind. She smiled at the thought. She did not reach out to him since she left though she kept on receiving messages from him. He would text her every day even though she was not responding to him.


    The cold wind embraced her and she felt at home at that moment. The ind was a secret paradise. Her eyes caught a glimpse of a magnificent building near the shoreline. It was exactly where the native houses were built. She stopped and looked for parking as she was curious about it.


    ¡°Ale!¡± Someone screamed. She looked back to see who was it. She was looking intently at that youngdy who was running towards her.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Cleo?¡± She e covered her mouth. She could not believe that Cleofe is a grown-up now. That little child who kept on bugging her is now a youngdy. She even pinched her cheek. ¡± Wow, you look so pretty now. You have grown so fast,¡±  she said as they strolled around.


    ¡°That means you are a bit older now, Ale.¡± Theyughed together. She is still a bully and always will be one.


    ¡°How are you and your mom?¡±


    ¡°Still the same, Ale, except that there are some changes here,¡± Cleofe answered and pointed to that building. ¡°Are you okay now?¡±


    She paused for a while and closed her eyes, feeling the sea breeze. ¡°I¡¯m back for good,¡± she said.


    She had moved on from everything and she did everything to fulfill her mom¡¯s wish when she was still alive. She wanted to see her reach her dreams but she passed away earlier. She knew her mom would be delighted if she will reconcile with her dad, so she did. She took a business course to help him run the empire that her dad has built. She traveled and explored the world and also engaged herself in sports andmunity services


    She felt content with doing the things that she set aside before. She was busy hiding from the world and when she had the chance to get out, she found herself marrying the love of her life. But the timing was not right. They were destroyed even more and even caused some tragedies. Yet, she never had any regrets. She believed everything was nned by God with a purpose and that is to strengthen her and made her pursue the things that will give value to her.


    ¡°Wow, a five-star hotel on the ind?¡± Aleia said and looked around. Everything was grand and even the native houses were renovated.


    ¡°Yes, Ale. Thend was sold to a billionaire and he built it. He was so meticulous that he even built everything ording to his standard but made it affordable for everyone.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Aleia smiled. She did recall the first thing that Matthew was there. She can still imagine his disgusted face. Howe someone like him lived on that very simple way of living.¡±But your mom loved it here, why did she sell it?¡±


    Cleofe smiled.¡± Because he said, I mean the buyer said it was for his one great love. She wanted her to have a good life in the paradise she loves most.¡±


    ¡°He is so sweet and romantic! Can you join me for lunch? I¡¯m starving.¡± Aleia asked.


    ¡°Sure! The food in the hotel is superb. I want you to try it.¡± She grabbed Ale¡¯s hand and lead her there. The hotel was named-AZ Paradise.  The crew weed them as they got inside. They smiled warmly and even attended to them.


    ¡± Why are they so nice to us?¡± she whispered to Cleofe but Cleofe just shrugged her shoulders.


    ¡°You are our guest, that¡¯s why.¡± She was still leading the way to the resto. They found a ce and ordered some food.


    They were eating their dessert when one of the crew came to them and gave her a bouquet. She was stunned and speechless for a while.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, someone wants to meet you. Should I let hime here?¡± The crew asked her. She looked at Cleofe to ask for help but she just shook her head. She was so nervous, she did not know why.


    ¡°May I ask who?¡±


    ¡°Our boss. The owner of this hotel. Should I let here?¡±


    She felt a little bit at ease when she heard that it was the owner of the hotel. The ind was her home r and she was interested to know the story behind the making of this grand and beautiful hotel.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said. The crew left as soon as he got her approval.


    ¡°Ale, maybe I need to leave also so that you would have some privacy. ¡°Cleofe said and left before she could say no. She was left with the other diners there.


    Aleia was watching the man who just entered and her heart was racing so fast. She saw Zaching closer to her table with the crew, looking like a Greek God and catching some of the women¡¯s attention. She felt so d to see him better than thest time she saw him.


    After everything, her heart still feels the same way for him. Nothing changed and maybe it will never change. She stood to meet them.


    ¡°Hi, ma¡¯am.¡± The crew started and gazed at the man beside him . It was then that Aleia realized that her husband could be the owner of the hotel.¡± This is him. So,¡± he said, asking permission to leave and Matthew just gave a light nod.


    They were silent at first. But Matthew cleared his throat.¡± Hi! I am Zach Matthew Cline and you are?¡± He said and offered his hand to her.


    For a moment, Aleia was confused if what was happening. Did he have amnesia or what? Then she recalled thest conversation they had before she left.


    ¡®Maybe we can correct it from the very beginning. He wanted to start from there, maybe.


    She smiled and epted his hand.¡± I am Aleia Reign Grymes. Nice to meet you. Let¡¯s sit.¡±


    Matthew did what was told and sat there like a king.¡± So how¡¯s my wife now?¡± He asked sadly.


    ¡°I¡¯m good. How about you?¡±


    He came closer and reached for her hand. He was squeezing it tightly and kissing it lightlly.¡± I was a living mannequin for three years without you. I missed you so much and worst you were ignoring me. Can I count on you from now on?¡±


    Aleia chuckled. ¡°Why? I am still your wife.¡±


    ¡°But I never did that before and you never experienced that. I was your first and yourst so I want you to experience it. Did we agree to correct it from the very start?¡± he asked.


    She nodded and was not able to control her emotions. It was her who kissed her first that time and he responded passionately, not minding the people around them.


    ¡°I love you, Ale.¡±


    ¡°I love you, Zach.¡±


    The confetti exploded and a love song was yed. A banner to wee Aleia was being shown. It was indeed a very happy celebration.  Everything was set and nned ordingly. Ot was total surprise for her.


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