LOGINFlora Amor gripped the edge of the dresser, her heart pounding so hard she thought she might collapse. The anger darkening Dixal’s face froze her where she stood. But instead of charging at her, he scooped Devon into his arms and strode out of the room. “I’ll let you taste Daddy’s special dish,” he told the boy, carrying both the child and a bag of fresh shrimp along with the ingredients for his honey garlic butter shrimp. She was about to follow them when a sharp pain shot through her chest, spreading to her head until her vision blurred. “D–Dixal…” she called weakly, but he was already gone with their son. The pain made her cry out, and in that instant, flashes of forgotten memories struck her like lightning. “You’re mine from now on, Amor. No one touches even your skin but me.” She saw him again—inside a car—while she was desperately trying to get out. “Dixal…” she whispered, her voice trembling, as if he could hear her from across time. Her chest tightened. Her h
Flora Amor didn’t realize she had fallen asleep, lying on her back beside Devon. She only stirred when her phone rang. Still half-asleep, she sat up at the edge of the bed, reached into the pocket of her slacks, and pulled out her phone. Before answering, her gaze flicked to the alarm clock on the small bedside table. Five o’clock. She blinked. They had only come home at noon. She’d been asleep for hours. Turning to her son, she saw him shift positions, still curled up on the mattress. “Flor, did you meet Joven already? He just called me—he’s on his way to your house,” Elaine said the moment she answered. “What? He’s visiting?” she blurted, instantly awake. They had only just seen each other earlier, and now he was already coming over? “Yes. He said he still remembers your address. In fact, he’s on his way there now,” Elaine replied. Flora Amor shot up from bed, startled. She hurriedly tried to make herself presentable. It would be mortifying if Joven arrived to find her dishevel
“Dixal, where are we going?” Flora Amor asked when she noticed the car turning toward EDSA instead of heading to Cavite. But instead of answering her, Dixal looked at the boy beside him. “Do you want to eat some delicious shrimp?” he asked, watching the child fight a yawn. “Yes, but I only like Mama’s cooking. I don’t like others’ food,” Devon murmured sleepily. “He doesn’t eat anyone else’s cooking except Mama's,” she explained softly, almost apologetic. She honestly didn’t know whom he got that from. Even earlier, he only took a single bite of the hamburger before pushing it aside and finishing his Zest-O instead. “Dixal, let’s just go home. I’m hungry,” the boy pleaded, tugging at the hem of Dixal’s shirt before closing his eyes. “Dixal, he won’t eat anything you buy outside,” she insisted when the man still didn’t make a turn. “Mama cooked before we left. Just take us home.” It was clear now—he had no intention of driving them back. Then his phone rang. Dixal pulled over
What happened next stunned everyone. Instead of moving on to the high school category, the organizers decided to pit the winners against the tertiary level contestants—just to appease the furious parents protesting earlier about Devon’s victory as Math Champion in the Elementary Division. Once again, the poor boy was called back to the stage, quietly taking the same seat he had occupied before. Flora Amor could barely stay still. Her thoughts raced wildly, pulling her between fear and guilt. First, she worried about her son—he might relapse from exhaustion, overthinking every question. Second, she could feel the tension between her and Dixal thickening like a storm cloud. Ever since she’d accidentally blurted out that Devon was her son, he hadn’t spoken a word to her. And whenever she tried to steal a glance at him, he was always frowning, clearly lost in heavy thought. Just as the quiz master was about to speak, her phone vibrated in her pocket. She’d put it on silent earlier t
The quiz bee had just begun when they returned to their seats. Thankfully, the first subject called was Makabayan, which didn’t include Devon yet. The father and son sat side by side while she took the seat between the boy and his teacher. “Ma’am, sir,” said the teacher softly. “The next subject will be Mathematics, and Devon will be participating. I’ll escort him to the stage.” Her gaze drifted toward the stage—it was decorated like a classroom. Instead of desks, there were long tables lined with three chairs each, spaced widely apart, likely to prevent any chance of cheating. Every student held an illustration board the size of a long bond paper, along with a piece of chalk and an eraser. Nervousness tightened in her chest. What if Devon threw a tantrum on stage if he couldn’t answer something? Knowing her son, he could burst into tears over the smallest things. But when she turned to him, Devon’s face was glowing with excitement. He clung tightly to Dixal’s arm, holding it as t
“OMG! Flor, is that you?” The man’s voice rang with disbelief, followed by a deep laugh and a disarming smile that carved two familiar dimples on his cheeks. “Oh my—Joven!” she exclaimed. Her brows, drawn in irritation moments ago, lifted in surprise as recognition struck. He looked even more handsome than she remembered—his collared shirt paired with a necktie that might have looked awkward on anyone else suited him perfectly. For a fleeting moment, she felt as if she had been swept back to her college years. Back then, among all the men she knew, he was the only one who had ever made her heart flutter—charming, funny, effortlessly likeable. But now, there was something more about him. The boyish charm had deepened into masculine poise, the kind that could draw attention without even trying. His presence alone seemed to fill the space, and she hated how her chest tightened at the thought of falling for him all over again. 'Get a grip,'Flor.' She tilted her head and silently scol







