Novels by Kurdapya Fuentebella

The days passed like a long dream from which I could not wake up. Even until now, I am still staring blankly into space. After Freddie's cremation and quick burial, I was left with a deafening kind of silence—a silence that suffocates my system every single second. I often sit by the window of my room, staring at the vast garden that has been completely neglected since the housemaids all left. I long for Freddie. I miss his voice, his advice, and the protection he gave me even in the final moments of his life. He was the only one who knew my secret. But despite mourning my elderly husband, there is a part of my heart that cannot help but rebel. My confused heart, with every beat, screams nothing but Henry’s name.I want so badly to see him. I want to feel his presence, even if his eyes are cold or his words are full of insults and sarcasm. Maybe this is also due to my pregnancy, this intense longing for the father of the child I am carrying. These past few days have been incredibly di

Two more weeks passed, and I forced myself to bury the pain and jealousy I felt the night Henry brought Mathilda to the mansion. I shifted all my focus to my studies and the growing life inside my womb. I carried the heavy burden of a secret that only Freddie and I knew, a sacrifice my old husband made to protect me and keep the fragile peace of this family.I sat in the middle row, staring at the whiteboard with a pen in my hand. Henry stood at the front of the room. His face was serious as he explained a formula."In designing these structures, we must always calculate the maximum load. A single miscalculation can cause the whole foundation to crumble," he said seriously, completely focused on teaching. For a brief second, our eyes met. But just like it had been for the past month, he quickly looked away.I secretly touched my stomach under the desk."A single miscalculation can cause the whole foundation to crumble." He was right. If he found out the truth, everything would collapse

She was tall, fair-skinned, and slender. She wore a white, knee-length, fitted dress, while her long, wavy hair fell freely down her back. Even the simple smile on her lips seemed enough to make anyone turn their head.Henry approached the woman and gently assisted her as she stepped down. One of his hands remained on her back, as if ensuring she wouldn't slip."Henry!" Freddie called out cheerfully."Dad," Henry replied in a happy voice, and the two embraced as they reached each other."I'm glad you came.""Of course. I promised I'd visit."Then, Henry turned to the woman he was with. I wasn't surprised when he ignored me honestly, it was better that way."Dad, I'd like you to meet Mathilda."I felt a tight knot form in my chest. But I forced my face to remain calm, even though I desperately wanted to look away.The woman bowed politely."Good afternoon, Sir Freddie."A wide smile spread across my husband's face as he shook her hand."Welcome! Welcome! You are absolutely beautiful.

I woke up from a bad dream, but I can no longer remember it now. I immediately felt the soft fabric wrapped around my body and the coldness of the air conditioner kissing my skin. As I looked around, the ceiling of Henry’s faculty office greeted me. I didn't realize I had fallen into such a deep sleep.I moved, and my whole body didn't hurt as much anymore, especially my core, compared to earlier. I noticed a shadow quickly approaching where I was.It was Henry."You're awake," his voice drifted as he immediately sat beside me on the sofa and supported me right away."What time is it?" I asked. I scanned the surroundings and noticed the sun was already starting to set outside the window."It’s past three in the afternoon," he replied while fixing a few strands of hair blocking my face.My eyes widened. "What? I missed the rest of my classes!""Don't worry about that," he answered quickly, one of his hands remaining on my forehead. "I already got you excused. What matters is that your

I was on my way to the university, but I couldn't sit still in my seat. I couldn’t even bring myself to open the calculus and physics notes inside my bag. How could I focus when my mind was trapped in what had happened last night, compounded by the news from this morning? I didn't even know what to feel. I should have been happy that my husband would live a long life, but it felt as though my own heart had died. Upon arriving on campus, instead of heading straight to my classroom, I deliberately followed Henry because we needed to talk in private. I made my way to the Engineering Faculty Office. Fortunately, it was still early, so the room was empty. When I opened the door, I found Henry standing by the window, staring outside with a wine glass in his hand. It was barely morning, yet he was already drinking. Was he trying to drown his emotions?“Henry…” I called softly as I closed the door behind me.He slowly turned around. His face remained expressionless, but his eyes pierced str

I woke up feeling heavy all over. The first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes was the intense soreness and pain between my thighs. But before I could even move I felt the warmth of a large palm wrapped tightly around my stomach. I could feel Henry breathing behind me; he was sleeping so soundly that he was even snoring softly. I slowly removed his hand from my waist. My whole body really ached because Henry touched me all night long. Sometimes, I would just wake up because of his kisses. I could no longer count how many rounds we did, but I was sure of one thing: he let out all of his fluids inside me. I went into the bathroom and immediately turned on the shower. I could no longer stop my tears from flowing. I washed my body, trying hard to remove the smell and traces of Henry’s saliva, but I knew that no matter how hard I scrubbed, the stain on my conscience could never be erased. I committed treason. In the very room where my dying husband was, I gave myself up to his son. A