I gripped the steering wheel tightly, my jaw locked as I trailed behind Eloise’s car. She was chasing after Matthew, and like a damn fool, I was chasing after her. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. The roads blurred past me, headlights flashing in the dark as we weaved through the streets. I kept my distance, watching as Eloise’s car sped up, refusing to lose sight of Matthew’s vehicle ahead. Where the hell was he going? Then, I recognized the familiar road leading to Uncle Sandro’s house. Damn it. Matthew’s car skidded to a stop in the driveway, and before his engine even fully died, he was out, slamming the door shut. Eloise parked next, practically throwing her car door open. I pulled up right after, stepping out and slamming my own door shut as my eyes locked onto them. “Matthew!” Eloise called, her voice cracking with urgency as she hurried after him. He didn’t stop. He pushed the door open and stepped inside Uncle Sandro’s house, his movements stiff
I grew up with Matthew. Deep inside, I always had a feeling about his true identity, but I pushed it away. Because no matter what, he was still my brother.Maybe I was too focused on Eloise back then that I failed to notice even the slightest thing between Matthew and Noel.When Matthew came out of the closet to Dad, he was furious—disappointed. I couldn't even name all the emotions he showed that day. But one thing was clear: from that moment on, Dad's treatment of Matthew started to change.He put more effort into me, teaching me how to handle business, how to be the perfect heir—the son he could proudly present to the world. But with Matthew… it was different. Dad distanced himself, his disappointment manifesting in subtle ways at first—longer business trips, missed birthdays, colder stares.Matthew was always the type to seek approval, to crave validation—especially from our father. So when Dad started pulling away, treating him like a mere afterthought, Matthew did what he though
I sat across from Matthew in the private room of the restaurant, my fingers curled around the warm cup of tea the waiter had just placed in front of me. The man sitting across from me—my first husband—felt like a stranger. His aura was different now. Darker. He wasn’t the Matthew I used to know—the one who made me laugh, the one who always had a teasing smirk on his face. This Matthew was cold, unreadable. But still, I remained patient. I owed him that much. He leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping against the table. “You’re different,” he muttered, eyes scanning my face. “You’re calmer than I expected.” I offered him a small, tight-lipped smile. “I didn’t come here to fight, Matthew.” He chuckled, but there was no humor in it. “Then why did you come?” "To talk to you—”“About what?” Matthew cut me off, leaning forward with a smirk that didn’t reach his eyes. “About how happy you are with him? About how you moved on so easily while I spent years in hell?” I exhaled s
Elisse was kneeling beside the stretcher, her fingers trembling as they brushed over her father’s hand. Her eyes were swollen, red, distant.“They found him by the shore,” she said, her voice barely holding itself together. “His body drifted for hours… They said he fell from a cliff.”“Fell?” I asked, stepping closer. “Or was pushed?”She laughed bitterly, shaking her head. “You think my father would just trip and fall off a damn cliff, Elijah? You know him. He wouldn’t even get near the edge. Someone did this.”“Who was the last person with him?”She swallowed hard, eyes drifting back to her father’s lifeless form. “He’s a fisherman, Elijah. The sea was his home. He knew the cliffs like the back of his hand. He wouldn’t just slip. No way.”I stepped closer, lowering my voice. “Do you have someone in mind, Elisse? Anyone who might’ve wanted him gone?”“My father is a good man, he doesn't have any beef with anyone,” she said, voice cracking as tears welled again. “Everyone in the villa
The night before we left the country, I stood in my study, eyes scanning the documents I was about to hand over.Rafael leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, his usual sharp gaze softer tonight. He didn’t say anything at first—he didn’t have to. We’d known each other too long. He knew what I was thinking, and I knew he was waiting for the moment I’d say it out loud.“I’m trusting all of this to you,” I finally said, holding out the envelope. “Business operations, legal matters, security around Elisse… even the situation with Noel. You handle everything while I’m gone.”Rafael stepped forward and took the envelope. “You really going off the grid?”“For a while,” I nodded. “Just a week or two. I need this time with my family, Raf. No calls unless it’s life or death. I want to give Eloise and the kids what they deserve. Peace.”He glanced down at the envelope before tucking it inside his coat. “You know I got you,” he said firmly. “Go be a husband and a father. I’ll take care of ev
I kissed her—Eloise—like I needed her to breathe. Her lips were soft, trembling beneath mine, but she didn’t push me away. She kissed me back.God, she tasted like longing and sadness all at once. But then— “Fuck…” A sharp pain shot through my lower lip. I pulled away, blinking, and reached up to touch the sting. Blood. She bit me.“Oh my God! I'm so sorry… I didn't mean it,” she panicked, dropping onto the edge of the bed like her world just caved in. I stared at her. She wasn’t looking at me—her eyes were somewhere far away. There was something… off. But my body was still buzzing, still aching from the way her mouth moved with mine. Her scent lingered on my skin, and pleasure drowned the alarm bells in my head. I should ask her. I should stop. But God—her lips were just on mine. And I didn’t want it to end. Not yet. “Hey, Eloise, I’m okay,” I said, trying to calm her down as I wiped the blood off my lip. I gave her a small smile. “It’s just a bite.” She didn’t
I stood on the terrace, phone in hand, staring out at the quiet view outside. Rafael was calling. I answered immediately."Any updates?" I asked, straight to the point."I don't know how to describe it. Elisse is still grieving. Matthew—your brother—he's moving fast," Rafael said cautiously."What now?" I asked, already sensing where this was going."He's hired a lawyer. One of those quiet but deadly types. He’s pushing to revisit the inheritance division—yours, Veronica’s, and his."I let out a quiet sigh, rubbing the back of my neck. "Let him. I don’t care about the inheritance.""I know," Rafael replied. "But he’s spinning it like you’ve disappeared, like you walked away from everything. He wants full control.""Then let him think that." My voice was calm, firm. "I didn’t walk away from everything. Just from the parts that never mattered to me."There was silence for a moment on his end."Alright," he finally said. "Just thought you should know.""Thanks," I murmured, glancing back
I've thought about this one. Clearly. Logically. Heartly...And it still hurts.What kind of wife and mother am I? I keep telling myself that I can handle everything—that I'm doing this for them, for their sake, because I love them. But who am I really fooling? This isn’t what love is. Love doesn’t leave quietly in the middle of the night without them knowing. I closed my eyes, gripping the suitcase tighter. I hated myself for doing this—for even thinking this was the right thing. I closed my eyes, gripping the suitcase tighter. I hated myself for doing this—for even thinking this was the right thing.Then my phone rang.I froze, heart pounding as I looked down at the screen.Matthew.I stared at his name for a moment, my thumb hovering. But I couldn’t answer—not now. Not when everything felt this fragile. Not when I wasn’t even sure who I was anymore.So I let it ring.And when it stopped, I slipped the phone back into my pocket and stepped out into the night.Just as I opened the
They say time heals all wounds. I used to think that was a lie we tell ourselves to make pain more bearable. But watching my family now… I know it’s not time that does the healing—it’s love.Life doesn’t go back to what it was. No—after everything that happened, it moves forward. Slowly. Quietly. And sometimes, beautifully.It’s been months since that chaotic morning when Eloah dropped that bomb during breakfast. Since then, things started changing around here. Not in the grand, dramatic way—but in small, healing ways.Eliana’s belly is growing now. She's finally smiling again. Some days are harder than others, but her strength reminds me of her mother. She spends most of her time with Eloise now—quiet conversations, warm hugs, even silent cries. It’s a bond they’re rebuilding, one I’m proud to watch from a distance. The moment I heard her scream from inside the delivery room, everything inside me stilled.Eliana—my daughter—my little girl, was about to become a mother.I was pacing
I needed air. I needed to get out of the house before I completely lost it.I found myself driving to Rafael’s place, the weight of everything pressing on me. I didn’t know why I ended up there, but I did. Maybe because he was the only one who could listen without offering judgment. Or maybe because I just needed to hear someone else’s voice that wasn’t full of disappointment or anger.Rafael answered the door, already holding a bottle of whiskey. No words were exchanged; he just handed me a glass and led me to the couch.“Talk,” he said, pouring his own drink.I sank into the couch, staring into my glass. “I don’t know what to do anymore, Raf. Eliana… she’s not the girl we raised. I thought we had a chance at fixing things, but I don’t know. She didn’t abort the baby, but she’s still a mess. I don’t understand what happened to her, to all of them.”Rafael didn’t interrupt, just took a swig of his drink, waiting for me to continue.“Everything I do feels like it’s wrong. Eloise and I,
I sat on the cold hospital couch, my hands clenched tightly in my lap as the ticking of the wall clock echoed in my ears. Elijah was pacing silently beside me, his jaw tense, arms crossed tightly over his chest.The door finally opened, and our family doctor—Dr. Ramirez—stepped in with a clipboard pressed to his chest, his expression unreadable.I stood immediately. “Doc? How is she?”Dr. Ramirez sighed, then gently closed the door behind him. “Eliana is stable now,” he began, voice calm. “She’s severely dehydrated and physically exhausted, but nothing that fluids and rest won’t fix.”Elijah exhaled sharply, relief flickering in his eyes—but only for a second.“There’s something else,” the doctor continued, shifting his weight. “She’s still pregnant.”My heart dropped.“What…?” I whispered.“She’s in her first trimester,” he said softly. “Roughly nine to ten weeks, based on her lab results and ultrasound. The bleeding wasn’t a miscarriage—it’s stress-induced. But the fetus is still th
The moment I heard Elijah's question, the moment I knew that his patience died.Between the two of us, Elijah was always the gentler one. The soft place to land. Especially when it came to our daughters, he always managed to calm the storm—even when I couldn’t. But hearing him now—his voice sharp, raw, filled with something close to rage—it scared the hell out of me.I took a shaky breath, stepping in fast, reaching for his arm. His shoulders were tense, fists clenched at his sides, and his eyes—God, his eyes were locked on Eliana like he didn’t recognize her.“Elijah... Hon, please...” I whispered, gripping his arm tightly. “That’s our daughter.”But he didn’t even look at me. He took another step forward, and Eliana flinched.“What did I hear, young woman?” he said, his voice low but thundering in the room. “You aborted—you killed your own child?”My chest tightened. I saw the tears pooling in Eliana’s eyes, her jaw trembling, but her pride still holding her back from crumbling. I c
I stood beside Eloise, both of us silent as we stared at the wall filled with framed photos. Six kids—but basically seven kids.God, time flew fast.Each photo captured a piece of our life—Eloah with his mischievous grin, Eliana's shy little smile, and the twins, Sandra and Matthew, always caught mid-laughter, Ezrah smiling naughtily, and Eliam proudly showing off his new set of teeth. Then there was Elisha, our youngest for now, her baby photo framed right at the center.I slid my arm around Eloise’s waist, pulling her closer. "If we have another one," I murmured against her hair, "we’re gonna need a bigger wall."She let out a soft laugh, and I felt it against my chest. I smiled too. This wall—it wasn't just filled with pictures. It was filled with life, with memories we built together, one kid, one moment at a time.I leaned down and kissed the side of her head, thinking…If we were given another blessing, I wouldn't hesitate.I'd fill all the walls if it meant more of her, more of
The blinding lights above me blurred through the tears in my eyes. My body shook, exhausted, every inch of me screaming in pain. I gripped the sides of the bed so hard my knuckles turned white."Push, Eloise! One more push!" the doctor said.I sucked in a breath and pushed with everything I had. My heart pounded in my ears, the world narrowing to nothing but the sound of my own strained breathing and the overwhelming need to meet my baby.Then — a cry.A loud, desperate cry that made my heart burst in my chest. Tears streamed down my face as I collapsed against the bed, gasping for air."It's a girl," the nurse said softly.A girl.Our girl.I screamed again, my body wracked with a new wave of pain. I thought it was over—but the doctor’s voice cut through the chaos."Another one! Keep pushing, Eloise!"My eyes widened in shock. Another one?I didn’t even have time to process it. Elijah and I had agreed not to do an ultrasound, wanting it to be a surprise... but we never imagined this.
"Won't you apologize for Matthew?"Those were the first words I said the moment I sat across from him. No anger. No shouting. Just a cold, tired question.Noel leaned back in his chair, chains clinking lazily, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Apologize?" he repeated, almost amused. "For what?""For everything," I said, voice flat. "For ruining him. For dragging all of us into your mess. For being the reason he's dead."Noel scoffed, shaking his head slowly like I was the one who didn’t understand. "Matthew made his own choices. Don’t put that on me.”"You robbed me of ten years with him—""Oh, come on, Eloise. Don’t act like what I did didn’t favor you. And don’t pretend you loved Matthew the way I loved him. It was Elijah you loved, not Matthew. So stop acting like you’re heartbroken just because Matthew died!”I stiffened, feeling the rage rise in my chest, but I forced myself to stay still. I wasn’t going to give Noel the satisfaction of seeing me crack."You’re right,"
The walls were white. Too white. Too clean. Too quiet.I sat on the hospital bed, my hands resting on my lap, fingers unmoving. My eyes stared ahead, but I wasn't really seeing anything. Everything felt distant. Muted. Like the world decided to move on without me.I could hear Elijah’s voice somewhere near the door, low and serious. He was speaking to a doctor, their words blurring together until I finally caught one thing clearly—“They’re both okay.”They were talking about me and the baby.I’m okay.The baby is okay.But why didn’t it feel like it?My chest felt hollow. Heavy. Like something had been scooped out of me and all that was left was the echo of his voice.Matthew…He died in my arms.I keep replaying it—his last words, his final breath, the way his eyes dimmed as if the light just flickered out of his soul. And I just kept crying, screaming his name, begging a God I wasn’t even sure I believed in anymore.I didn’t get to say sorry.I didn’t get to tell him that I truly lo
We arrived at the edge of the abandoned building, the air thick with tension and dust. The place was rotting, every window shattered, every wall covered in graffiti. But it was quiet—too quiet. The men we brought with us started to spread out, silently taking their positions, blending into the shadows. I felt the weight of every second pressing down on me. My jaw clenched. My fists itched. My heart pounded with one thing in mind—Eloise.I glanced at Matthew, who gave me a nod. Even now, even with everything he was carrying, he was calm. Focused. We didn’t exchange words. We didn’t need to. We were here for one thing. And nothing was going to stop us.We didn’t go in right away.The building loomed ahead like a sleeping beast, silent and dangerous. But I knew better. It wasn’t sleeping. It was waiting.Matthew came up beside me, crouched low behind the broken wall we were using for cover. "Two on the left," he murmured. "Three more near the back, guarding the exits."I nodded once.