Riele stood by the kitchen sink, staring blankly out the window at the swaying trees in the garden. She had replayed the scene with Jane more times than she cared to admit—her eyes, her voice, that almost mocking smile when she asked Riele to call off the wedding. There had been no clear reason, no explanation, just a demand wrapped in veiled hostility. It left a sour taste in Riele's mouth and a heaviness in her chest that wouldn’t go away.She wiped her hands and picked up her phone. Her thumb hovered over Charlotte’s name for a moment. She had already told Kim about Jane’s visit, but he had only looked confused and a bit concerned. Riele hadn’t told him everything—not the exact words Jane had used, not how her presence had chilled the room. She needed someone who could help her think clearly, someone who wouldn’t immediately rush into protective action.She needed Charlotte.Without overthinking it, Riele grabbed her keys, slipped into a light cardigan, and headed out the door.The
The feeling of waking up on Monday mornings can be very traumatizing.Riele thought as she got up from bed.Life has decided to cheat on her over everything.Her mom is being hospitalized after the incident that happened a few years ago.All she has now is her younger brother- Harry. A ten-year-old vibrant boy with glowing bronze eyes and shiny black hair that was believed he got from his dad.Riele never really knew who her father was or what he looked like.Her mom-Esmeralda had been the one taking care of them.Anytime Riele brings up the topic of her dad, her mom always dodges the topic and she didn't understand why.But she didn't mind because Esmeralda made sure her children weren't lacking anything at all.Riele checked her time, it was just 7:45am which meant she had fifteen minutes to prepare herself for work, or the company bus would leave without her.She entered the bathroom, did all she needed to, and in the next ten minutes, she was out.She opened her wardrobe and scanne
Charlotte could tell something was wrong when Riele came out of her office. "Don't tell me you're retiring too," she asked as Riele gave her a confused look. Riele didn't reply as she slammed the file she received from Mr. Owen on her desk scaring the shit out of Charlotte. "Are you going to talk or should I go and report Mr. Owen for sexual harassment?" Riele burst into laughter. "You are out of your mind, Charlotte." Riele sighed before she passed the file to her friend. Charlotte took the file from her and flipped through the pages. "I don't understand. All can see is this handsome guy who looks hot and sexy. Is Mr. Owen trying to set you up on a date with his son?" "What son?" Riele asked. "Mr. Owen doesn't have any son." "Who knows, he might have a secret son." Riele quickly collected the file from her friend before she starts to make weird assumptions. "He is the new CEO. The one that will replace Mr. Owen," Riele explained Charlotte's eyes widened in shock and exciteme
After a strenuous day at work, Riele got home feeling so tired. It was surprising she didn't receive any calls from the hospital yet. It's been five years since her mom was hospitalized. She had refused to response to external stimuli. I doubt she's ever going to wake up. Riele thought as went to her room. Riele's mother had a car accident five years ago that led to a brain tumor. She went out to buy things for her children. Unknown to her that a moving vehicle was coming and before she could try to escape, the car hit one side of her body pushing her straight to the pavement where she hit her head. Good thing she was rushed to the hospital. Riele was just sixteen and her brother was five. It was a sad news. She was having her school party when she got a call from the hospital. It was the worst day of her life. Riele lay on her bed trying to get some sleep when her phone rang. She knew there was only one person who dared to call her. She picked up the call without looking at th
Kim Huxley arrived at John F Kennedy International airport where he awaits his PA to come to pick him up. He wore a white shirt that was nicely tucked inside his black trouser. He wore shiny black shoes and he had his suitcase with him. Everyone that saw him knew him, especially his fans that had been waiting for him since yesterday. "Kim! I love you," some girls screamed. "I love you!" Kim waved at them with a cute smile on his face. He was glad there were officers there to keep them in place. He checked his time it was 8 am and whoever was going to pick him wasn't there yet. He dialed Mr. Owen's number, but unfortunately, it was switched off. He was already losing his patient. If he had known such would happen, he would have come with some of his brothers. **++** Riele woke up late only for her to check her phone and see twenty missed calls. She quickly showered, brushed her teeth, and put on her jumpsuit and canvas. She packed her curly hair in a Ponytail. She took a white
Charlotte and Riele were discussing when Riele heard her name. "Riele Grants!" Mr. Owen called. Charlotte looked at her. "What did you do this time?" She asked, but Riele shrugged. "Don't look at me like that, I did absolutely nothing." "Did you pick him up at the supposed time?" Charlotte folded her arms while waiting for Riele to lie. "Um, I woke up late," Riele answered softly. "I just hope you are not in big trouble." "I guess we are about to find out," Riele said as she walked to the office. Riele exhaled and inhaled for thirty seconds. Affter she had gotten her boldness, she knocked. "Come in," she heard Mr. Owen say as she unlocked the door and entered inside. The first eyes that met hers were those of Kim. She tried to keep her beating heart in check. "Um...you called me?" She asked Mr. Owen. "Yes. Please have a seat," he gestured for her to sit next to Kim. Riele couldn't count how many times she almost tripped. This is what you get when you have a stunning and hand
Riele tried her best to convince Kim Huxley that Kim Utter was a bad figure for the company, but he didn't pay attention to her. "Do as you are told, young lady!" He glanced through the files in his hand. Riele had been battling with Mr. Handsome, trying to get him to change his mind, but every word she said went into one ear and came out of the other. "There are other models out there, why not choose among them? why does it have to be Utter?" "The same reason why it has to be you." Kim walked up to her. Riele stared into his eyes. There was no way she was going to back down so easily. "Was he voted in or is this just an irrational decision made by you?" "Do you think I make decisions without thinking it through?" "Obviously," Riele muttered. Kim sighed as he went back to his desk. "Get me the model I want Riele and we are not debating on this issue." "But..." He lifted his hand to shun her. "Also, I need a beautiful female model. You should find the right one," he told her wi
The phone ringing loudly woke Riele. She checked the caller and it was Charlotte. She glance at the clock, it was 9 am. She didn't need to be told what to do. She took her bath and came out in less than ten minutes. She searched for a gown to wear and she picked a flowery sleeveless gown. She wore her heels to go with it. She had to board a taxi to get to work because she knew the bus had left and she had to find her way to work. "I guess I was exhausted after last night," she told herself when Charlotte called again. She picked up the call and the voice that welcomed her was Charlotte screaming her name and asking her where she is. "I will be right there, it will just take a second," Riele explained. "A second uh? Well, just for your information, Mr. Handsome is angry. So I will advise you to start preparing the speech you are going to give to him," Charlotte warned. "Thanks, girlfriend." She hung up as she thought of the speech to give Kim. ****++**** "So you are saying it's
Riele stood by the kitchen sink, staring blankly out the window at the swaying trees in the garden. She had replayed the scene with Jane more times than she cared to admit—her eyes, her voice, that almost mocking smile when she asked Riele to call off the wedding. There had been no clear reason, no explanation, just a demand wrapped in veiled hostility. It left a sour taste in Riele's mouth and a heaviness in her chest that wouldn’t go away.She wiped her hands and picked up her phone. Her thumb hovered over Charlotte’s name for a moment. She had already told Kim about Jane’s visit, but he had only looked confused and a bit concerned. Riele hadn’t told him everything—not the exact words Jane had used, not how her presence had chilled the room. She needed someone who could help her think clearly, someone who wouldn’t immediately rush into protective action.She needed Charlotte.Without overthinking it, Riele grabbed her keys, slipped into a light cardigan, and headed out the door.The
The soft scent of freshly brewed tea wafted through Riele’s living room, mingling with the distant hum of a playlist Charlotte had picked—gentle acoustic love songs that filled the silence between conversations. The coffee table was buried beneath magazines, color swatches, and a notepad scribbled with names and ideas. Riele sat cross-legged on the couch, flipping through a bridal catalogue, while Charlotte and Kim debated the merits of an outdoor ceremony versus an indoor one. Utter leaned back in the armchair, half-involved, half amused, nursing a glass of juice like he’d been roped into something way beyond his understanding. Hope was sleeping soundly beside them. “It has to be outside,” Charlotte said, pointing to a photo of a vineyard-style wedding with twinkling fairy lights. “You and Kim under a canopy of stars? That’s poetry.”“It rains in spring,” Kim said, folding his arms. “A surprise downpour isn’t romantic. It’s soggy.”“That’s why tents exist,” Charlotte shot back.Riel
The breeze was gentle that afternoon, rustling the bare branches as though whispering secrets only the trees could understand. Riele stepped carefully between the headstones, her fingers interlocked with Harry's as they made their way toward the familiar spot. It had been three months—three quiet, aching months since they last stood here together. Time had softened the sharpness of their grief, but the ache still lived somewhere inside them, persistent and tender.Their mother’s grave was just as they remembered. A simple marble headstone with her name etched in gold: Esmeralda Grants, Beloved Mother, Eternal Light. Harry bent to brush away the leaves that had gathered at its base while Riele knelt, her hand smoothing over the cold stone."Hey, Mom," Riele whispered. Her voice was steady, but her chest quivered with the familiar ache. "We came to visit you. It's been a while, I know."Harry crouched beside her, setting down the small bouquet of wildflowers he’d picked up on the way. H
Charlotte was pacing the length of her living room, her newborn daughter nestled against her chest in a soft carrier. Utter was lounging on the sofa, half-watching her, half-focused on the bottle he was warming for Hope. Harry sat on the floor, his back against the couch, absentmindedly shaking a rattle and making faces at his niece who, despite her tiny size, already had a gaze sharp enough to quiet a room.The door creaked open and Riele stepped inside, cheeks pink from the cold outside and something else—something warmer.“I have news,” she said, pulling off her scarf and hanging it carefully by the door. “Big news.”Charlotte turned immediately. “What kind of news? Don’t tell me you’re leaving town again.”“Not that kind of news,” Riele said with a soft laugh, her voice unsteady with anticipation. She moved toward them slowly, like someone holding a secret she’d been dying to share but afraid to say out loud.Harry raised an eyebrow. “You’re not pregnant, are you?”“No,” she said
The sun had barely risen when Charlotte felt the first real pang. It wasn't like the false alarms she'd had over the last few days. This was different—heavier, deeper, a pressure that curled from her back to the pit of her stomach with the force of something ancient and inevitable. She’d always imagined that when this moment came, she’d be frantic or afraid. But she wasn’t. She was just... ready.Utter drove them to the hospital, one hand on the wheel, the other gripping Charlotte’s with all the quiet reassurance of a man who had grown into his role more than he ever expected. Riele sat beside Charlotte, holding her other hand, whispering encouragement and trying not to cry.“You’ve got this,” Riele kept saying, her voice soft, steady. “You’re stronger than you think.”Hours passed. The waiting room filled and emptied, nurses moved like angels in scrubs, and finally, when Charlotte thought she couldn’t take one more breath, one more push.A cry filled the room.And just like that, she
The hospital was bathed in soft white light, the air tinged with antiseptic and quiet murmurs. Riele shifted on the waiting bench just outside the maternity ward, her hands gripping the edge of her coat tightly. Harry sat beside her, fidgeting with his phone but not really looking at it. It was past noon, and Charlotte had been inside for over an hour now."She’s strong," Harry murmured, breaking the silence. "She’ll be okay."Riele nodded slowly. "I know. She’s been preparing for this day for months. I’m just... nervous."Harry reached over and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "She’s lucky to have you here."Before Riele could respond, the elevator doors chimed, and a familiar figure stepped out, arms filled with baby bags, blankets, and a soft-looking teddy bear. Utter.His eyes found Riele first, then Harry. He gave a small nod and approached, his steps hesitant but determined."I heard... she went into labor," he said, his voice slightly breathless. "I wanted to bring a few things.
Jay hadn't traveled this far in months. The jet hummed beneath him, a steady sound that failed to drown out the noise in his thoughts. He sat by the window, staring out at the endless sky, a tablet balanced on his lap. Every few seconds, he'd glance at the screen showing his destination time—still hours ahead. His mother had summoned him. No one summoned Jay unless it was urgent.He had a rough idea why. The last time they spoke, she hinted at her desire for grandchildren, her voice laced with nostalgia and a touch of disappointment. “You're not getting younger,” she had said. “And neither am I.”Jay had brushed it off then, more concerned about Riele, about the tension growing between her and Kim. But now, with Riele emotionally distant and Kim hovering uncertainly between guilt and silence, Jay had found no excuse to delay this meeting.When the jet touched down, the staff ushered him into a sleek car that took him straight to the estate. His mother’s home was a sprawling villa tuck
Kim stepped into his apartment and leaned against the door as it clicked shut behind him. The silence was a relief. No condolences, no murmured apologies, no lingering eyes studying his every reaction at the burial. Just silence. But it didn't soothe him. If anything, the emptiness felt heavier.He dropped his coat on the couch and sat down, resting his head in his hands. Esmeralda’s burial had drained something in him. Riele’s tear-streaked face haunted his thoughts. There were still unspoken words between them, too many, and the distance that had crept in after the incident with Jane was still there, even though they’d tried to move past it.A soft knock interrupted the stillness. Kim stood slowly, frowning, not expecting anyone.When he opened the door, Jane stood there with a sad smile and a bottle of wine in hand."Hey," she said gently. "I just wanted to check on you. Is this a bad time?"Kim hesitated. "You shouldn't be here, Jane." Everything about her felt wrong. But exhaust
The sun filtered softly through the half-closed curtains, casting muted light across the quiet living room. The house was still, save for the occasional sound of footsteps or the clinking of tea cups. The burial was over, but the silence it left behind felt heavier than before.Riele sat on the couch beside Harry, their bodies leaning slightly toward each other, connected by grief and the exhaustion that always came after loss. A few relatives and friends still moved about quietly, offering small comforts, squeezes on the hand, hushed condolences. But most people had already left.Among the few who remained were Kim and Jay.Jay was speaking with Harry near the hallway, his arm lightly around his friend’s shoulders. They were murmuring something that only the two of them could hear. Whatever it was, it made Harry chuckle faintly, a rare sound in the past few days.Riele glanced at them and then turned her eyes to Kim. He was standing quietly near the window, hands in his pockets, gaze