Novels by FanFayre

[EPILOGUE]SAVINE’S POVNakatayo ako sa harap ng isang malaking salamin sa loob ng presidential suite ng isang sikat na hotel sa Tagaytay. Sa labas ng bintana, tanaw dito ang bulkang Taal.Huminga ako nang malalim. Tiningnan ko ang repleksyon na nasa harap ko. Suot ko ang isang masterpiece na gawa ng isang sikat rin na designer, isang bridal gown na kulay off-white, puno ng intricate na French lace at mga maliliit na dyamante na kumikinang sa bawat galaw ko.Hindi ko mapigilang mapangiti. This is every girl's dream wedding gown."Ate, stop moving! Baka masira ang pagkaka-ayos ng buhok mo." sita ni Vivian habang inaalalayan ang mga stylist koTumingin ako sa kaniya sa salamin. Si Vivian ang tumayong Maid of Honor ko. Suot niya ang isang silk gown na kulay dusty rose. "Kinakabahan ako, Viv." pag-amin ko"Normal lang yan, Ate. Pero look at you. You are the most beautiful bride this country has ever seen. And finally, you're marrying the man who never stopped looking for you." nakangitin

[34]SAVINE'S POVNapakabilis ng mga pangyayari. Isang linggo matapos ang sunod-sunod na revelation sa Malvaran. Heto ako ngayon, suot ang isang elegant champagne-colored dress na pinili mismo ni Vivian para sa akin. Habang nakatingin sa salamin, halos hindi ko makilala ang sarili ko. Parang hindi talaga bagay sakin ang mga ganitong mamahalin na damit.Ngayong gabi kasi, inimbitahan ako ng mga Lazaro sa isang dinner sa mansion nila. Hindi lang ito basta dinner, ito ang pormal na pagpapakilala sa amin ni Liovie sa buong angkan nila. Kasama ko si Mama, na kahit halatang kinakabahan at paulit-ulit na inaayos ang bestida niya. Narito rin ang mga magulang ko, sina Mr. and Mrs. Constantino, at si Vivian. Nakakatuwa nga kasi tuwing nagbobonding kami ay napapansin ko na mas binibigyan na nila ng atensyon si Vivian.Pagpasok pa lang namin sa malawak na living room, ang atensyon ng lahat ay agad na napunta sa katabi ko, si Liovie. Nakasuot siya ng blue na dress na may ribbon sa likod."Oh my

[33]SAVINE’S POVRamdam ko ang panginginig ng sarili kong mga tuhod habang nakatingin sa dalawang taong nakatayo sa harap namin. Sila ang mga Constantino. Ang mga taong madalas kong makita sa balita, isa sa mga pinakasikat na tao sa mundo ng negosyo. Si Belinda Constantino at Phillip Constantino.Pero ngayon, hindi sila mukhang bilyonaryo. Mukha silang normal na magulang na sa wakas ay nakita na ang anak nilang matagal na nawawala."Vienna..." wika ng babaeng nasa harap koParamg akong nakatitig sa sariling mata ko habang tinitingnan ko siya. May pagkakahawig kaming dalawa."My daughter, you're alive! You are really alive." naiiyak na dagdag niyaDahan-dahan silang lumapit. Kinakabahan ako, hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko. Yayakapin ko ba sila o ano? Hindi ko alam."Ah pasok po muna tayo sa loob." pag imbita ko sakanilaNapansin ko na nasa likod lang nila si Vivian na pirming nanonood lang samin.Naupo sila sa maliit naming sofa. Hindi naaalis ang tingin nila sakin. Paramg aabot

[32]SAVINE'S POVHindi ako nakatulog nang maayos pagkatapos ng lahat ng nangyari kagabi. Sino ba naman ang makakatulog kung ang lalaking limang taon mong pinagtataguan ang kayakap mo matulog.Madaling-araw na nang nakatulog kami ni Lionel dahil sa sobrang pagod at emosyon.Pero bago pa man tuluyang sumikat ang araw, narinig ko na ang kalansing ng mga kagamitan sa maliit naming kusina. Dahan-dahan akong bumangon, tinitiyak na hindi magigising si Liovie na mahimbing pa ang tulog sa tabi ko. Paglabas ko ng kwarto, ang amoy ng bacon at pancakes ang sumalubong. Doon ko nakita si Mama Emiliana. Nakatayo siya sa gilid ng kusina, tulala at parang hindi makapaniwala sa nakikita niya. Pinapanood niya si Lionel na seryosong-seryoso sa pagluluto.Lionel Soren Lazaro, ang bilyonaryong madalas makita sa mga business magazine, ay kasalukuyang nakasuot ng kaniyang lukot na polo mula kagabi. Nakatupi ang manggas hanggang siko, at seryoso siyang nagpiprito habang paminsan-minsan ay tinitingnan ang mg

[31]SAVINE’S POVNapatigil ang paghinga ko. Bumilis ang kabog ng puso ko.Dahan-dahan siyang humakbang papasok sa loob. At inilagay ang mug at pregnancy test sa center table nang hindi inaalis ang tingin sakin.Lionel looked broken. Totally shattered.Kitang-kita mo ang lungkot sa mata niya. "Lionel..." He looked at the mug, then at the pregnancy test, and pagkatapos ay tumingin siya sa akin. Namumula ang mga mata niya at nanginginig ang mga kamay."Why?" basag na ang boses niyaParang umurong ang dila ko habang nakatingin sakaniya. Wala akong maisagot. "Bakit ka nagtago? Limang taon, Elvi. Limang taon akong nagtatanong sa sarili ko kung may nagawa ba akong mali sayo. Kung anong nagawa ko para talikuran mo ako nang ganoon kadali. Araw-araw, gabi-gabi, iniisip ko kung may nasabi ba ako, kung may nagawa ba ako kaya ka umalis." tumulo na ang kanina ay nagbabadya niya lang na luhaUmiling ako, hindi ko na rin mapigilan ang pagtulo ng mga luha ko. Ang sakit para sakin na makita siyang

[30]SAVINE’S POV"Mommy, look! Tito Doc gave me another sticker! It's a gold star po because I ate all my veggies!"Masayang-masaya si Liovie habang ipinapakita ang sticker sa noo niya.Kasalukuyan kaming naghahapunan sa loob ng room na nirentahan namin. Maayos na ang pakiramdam ko, o sinusubukan kong ayusin. Pagkatapos ng pag-uusap namin ni Liovie kanina sa kwarto, pakiramdam ko ay gumaan ang dibdib ko kahit papaano. My daughter is so smart, and sometimes, her wisdom scares me."Kumain ka lang ng maraming veggies para mas maging healthy ka." wika ni Jace "Salamat, Jace ha. Naku, mas gumaan yung pakiramdam ko nung nalanghap ako ng amoy ng dagat. Kaso si Savine naman ang parang nawala sa mood." wika ni MamaNgumiti lang ako nang pilit. "Mama, okay lang po ako. Medyo napagod lang po siguro sa init ng araw kanina."Hindi ko masabi sa kanila ang totoo. Hindi ko masabi na parang sasabog na ang puso ko. Gusto ko na sabihin ang totoo kay Lionel. Pero habang tumitingin ako sa anak ko na m

Chapter 9 Time at the office passed quickly since I arrived this morning. After what happened between Lysander and me last night, I expected the air between us to be awkward, but I was wrong. Lysander remained professional, although he gave me stolen glances that only the two of us understood the meaning of. It was already twelve noon. I decided not to go down to the cafeteria for a while because I just wanted to be alone. I went to the pantry of the penthouse floor carrying my lunch box. The surroundings were quiet because the other employees were out or downstairs. I sat in a corner and started eating, but I had not even taken two bites when my phone suddenly rang. When I looked at the screen, my heart pounded. It was Mom. She rarely calls me if there is nothing important needed or if it is not about the family. I took a deep breath before I pressed the answer button. "Hello, Mom? Why did you call?" I asked, forcing my voice to be steady. "Primrose, where are you these days? You

When we returned to the office from the South Point site, the penthouse floor of the Castellano Group was wrapped in a kind of silence that was deafening. Only the soft hum of the air conditioning and the sound of Lysander tapping on his laptop could be heard. Lysander removed his coat and hung it on the back of his chair. This was followed by the loosening of his tie. I watched his every move, from the tightening of his shoulders to the opening of the first two buttons of his polo shirt, which revealed his fair and firm chest. "Ms. Zobel, I need those site reports finalized tonight. I cannot show unfinished work to the board tomorrow at eight o'clock," he ordered without looking at me. "Yes, Sir. But... haven't you noticed the time? It is almost eight o'clock in the evening," I replied as I slowly approached his desk. I intentionally dropped my bag on the floor to have an excuse to bend over in front of him. In that position, I knew he could clearly see the curves of my body in th

The afternoon arrived, and I had successfully finished organizing every single folder he had assigned to me. I felt a sense of relief wash over me, thinking that I could finally rest my mind and my body after hours of pretending to be overwhelmed by basic office tasks. "Get your things, Ms. Zobel. We’re heading to the South Park site. There is an issue with the structural alignment, and I need to see it personally," he ordered. He spoke without even looking in my direction, his eyes fixed on a digital blueprint on his tablet. "Structural... what? Sir, can’t Mr. Arnaldo just go instead?" I asked. I made sure to let my voice tremble slightly, acting as if the very idea of field work made me nervous and as if I had no idea what a construction site even entailed. "You are my secretary. You go where I go. And you need to learn how to monitor projects outside the office," he answered firmly while he started walking toward the door. I scrambled to gather my belongings. As I grabbed my ba

As the new secretary of Lysander Gray Castellano, I found myself entering a world that was entirely foreign to my artistic soul. He had agreed to keep me close to him, and I intended to make the most of every single second. Today was my very first day at the Castellano Group. As I stood in front of the giant mirror in my condominium, I carefully examined my reflection. I had chosen my outfit with great intention. I wore a cream-colored blouse with a neckline that was perhaps a bit deeper than standard office wear, paired with a black pencil skirt that hugged my hips tightly. This was not the typical corporate attire one would expect in a high-stakes boardroom, but it was exactly what I needed for my mission. I needed to be a distraction. I needed to be impossible to ignore. The building of the Castellano Group was significantly taller than any of the other structures surrounding it, standing like a monument to power in the heart of the city. With every step I took through the marbl

The night seemed to slow its rotation, matching every drop of rain falling outside the window of the restaurant located at the top of a penthouse in Greenwoods. Here, far from the noise of the street, the man I never expected to cross paths with again in this manner sat directly across from me.He was Lysander Gray Castellano.He leaned back in his chair. His white polo shirt had two buttons open, and the sleeves were neatly folded up to his elbows. Every movement he made carried authority, a kind of power that did not need to be shouted because everyone around him felt it naturally. He held a glass of scotch, slowly swirling the ice inside, while his sharp and dark eyes were fixed on me.Why did it have to be him? Of all the men in the world, why was it Xavier’s father I ended up with on that night full of mistakes? I needed to calm the shaking of my hands under the table. He could not be allowed to see that I was affected."You're five minutes early," he greeted. "I appreciate peop

One week had passed since the occurrence of that absolute, waking nightmare. During those seven long and lonely days, I did not permit myself to leave the confines of my condominium unit even once. I simply allowed the polished floor to be cluttered and covered with messy, discarded sketchpads and pieces of charcoal. I chose to focus all my remaining energy on the creation of more paintings, pouring every ounce of my frustration and heartbreak into the blank canvases until they were filled with color and pain. I decided to call my manager, Mr. Sanchez. I told him very clearly that I needed a new exhibit immediately. I did not want it to be held in the small, quaint gallery I had used previously for my past work. Instead, I wanted it at the prestigious Metropolitan Art Hall. That is the exclusive place where only the elite members of high society and the wealthiest patrons of the arts are allowed to enter. "Primrose, are you truly sure about this sudden decision? Don't you think you

Epilogue -Willow's POV- I stood in front of the tall, gold-framed mirror in my dressing room. I looked at my reflection for a long time. I was wearing my white wedding gown. It was a very beautiful dress made of fine lace and silk. Around my neck, I wore the diamond necklace that Silas Mercer’s mother had given to me as a gift. It felt cool against my skin. Today was the day I would finally become a wife in front of the whole world. I touched the fabric of the dress and I felt the small beads that were sewn into the lace. Everything felt very real and very calm. "Mommy, I am very sure that you are the most beautiful woman in the entire world today!" I looked away from the mirror and smiled at my son, Ace. He was sitting on a chair nearby. He was dressed in a small black suit that matched his father's suit exactly. He was watching Lily. Lily was busy fixing the final strands of my hair. Lily was working very hard to make sure every pin was in the right place so my hair would not m

Chapter 33 -Willow's POV- I felt very sad as I stood in front of the large glass window of my bedroom. I was watching the dry brown leaves fall from the trees and land on the green grass outside. The wind was blowing them around in circles. The sky was grey and it looked like it might rain soon. Elijah had chosen this house very carefully. It was located in a very quiet area far away from other people. He did this so that I could not shout for help or find a neighbor to rescue me. I felt very lonely looking at the empty road. I wondered how my son, Ace, was doing back at home. I wondered what Silas Mercer was doing at this exact moment. Was Silas angry with me for running away from our wedding? Was he looking for me in this big country? I missed them both so much that my chest felt heavy. I looked around the dark corners of the room. I realized that I could not just sit here and think sad thoughts all day. I had to do something to save myself. I had to find a way to escape this

Chapter 32 -Silas's POV- "He was a childhood friend of Ma'am Willow, President. That is the information I gathered from the local records and old school files. From what I have heard from people who knew them in the past, he seems to have developed a very deep and dangerous obsession over her. He is not just a regular person either. He is currently the boss of a large underground organization that operates in the shadows, he is very dangerous so it's better to be careful." Drake reported to me. I sat at my large mahogany desk and I washed my face with my hands. I felt a mix of exhaustion and a very sharp pain in my heart. Willow never told me anything about this man. She never mentioned a childhood friend or anyone who was obsessed with her. I began to think to myself. Is this the reason why she was so hesitant to make our relationship public in the beginning? Was she trying to protect me and our son from this man? The reasons for her secrets were not important anymore. The only t

Chapter 31-Silas’s POV- I could feel the cold sweat dripping down my forehead and neck. My fingers were shaking uncontrollably as I sat in the driver's seat of my car, staring at the laptop screen. I was trying to use every piece of software I had to locate Willow’s cellphone signal. The connection was weak and unstable. Based on the data I was seeing, it looked like it would take me several hours of manual tracking just to find her exact GPS coordinates. Every second that passed felt like an hour of torture. "Drake, call the police right now. Tell them it is an emergency kidnapping," I ordered Drake, who was standing outside the car window. "Tell them to send a tactical team. We need to bring several armed officers with us, just in case the people who took them are carrying weapons." Drake nodded quickly and pulled out his phone to make the call. "Yes, President Mercer. I am on it." I leaned my head against the steering wheel for a moment. I did not know what their motive was.

Chapter 30-Silas’ POV- She ran away?! I looked at Drake, and I felt a very strong surge of anger and confusion. My heart was pounding against my ribs so hard that it felt painful. "I am not in the mood for any jokes or pranks right now, Drake. This is a very serious day, and I need you to be honest with me. Tell me she is just around the corner," I said. I stared into his eyes, hoping he would tell me that Willow was just hiding in the car to surprise me or that she had simply forgotten something important at the house. But Drake shook his head quickly. He looked very tired, and he was breathing very hard because he had been running across the church parking lot. "I am telling the truth, President Silas! I am not joking! I called her name many times when I saw her running out of the house, but she did not stop. She did not even look back at me. She actually started to run even faster until she disappeared from the street! I tried to follow her, but she was gone in an instant!"

Chapter 29 -Willow’s POV- "I really hope that I can be as beautiful as you are when the day comes that I finally get married, Willow," Lily said. She was standing right next to the white vanity table and she was busy handing the various makeup brushes and tools to the professional makeup artist. She looked at me with wide, admiring eyes. I felt a small smile form on my face because of what she said to me. I was looking at my reflection in the large, gold-framed mirror of my dressing room. The light was bright, showing every detail of the cosmetics on my skin. "I also saw the church earlier today and I saw the place for the reception as well. It is so big and it is so grand! I think that even just one single serving of the food at that party will cost as much as my entire monthly salary. It is a very good thing that the food is free for us today because we are part of the team," Lily added as she continued to look at the train of my wedding gown. I could really relate to what Lil