(Red’s POV)“I’m sorry, Red. I didn’t mean to overstep again, but that was cool,” Aya shrugged her eyebrows before walking past me after we exited Mrs. Archer’s office.Mrs. Castelo left ahead of us, upset with how the meeting went. At first, she did not want to back down from what she had started, but after receiving a call from her husband, she didn’t seem to have a choice but to accept her defeat. Mike knew why I was in school today, but when I called and told him the situation, he promised he would handle the situation. I just had no idea how he did it, but it was not my concern now.I wanted to follow Aya immediately, but Cora’s message to read an urgent email made me stop walking, taking me a few seconds to read and reply to her. When I reached the parking lot, Dante was outside the car.“Where’s Aya?” I asked Dante and wondered why he had given me the car key.“She’s inside,” he answered. “Umm, Red, is it okay if I go to the restroom?”I nodded, pressing the remote key to unloc
(Red’s POV)The Sherrilyn news was not a joke because after Mike’s call, she reached for me, calling about my children’s ‘new mommy’. She wanted to meet her… more like to scrutinize her the way she said it.I was never afraid of Sherrilyn, not even when Scarlett and I eloped at the young age of eighteen. Cupid hit my heart with his arrow, that I didn’t let go of her when I met her at the party. It was love at first sight, a beautiful and should have been never-ending love, but she insisted on visiting her mother five months after she gave birth to our twins because she missed her. Scarlett promised me she would return immediately, but she never did. I could not deny that I blamed Sherrilyn because if she had given her time to visit, my wife would never think of going to her.The kids were all I had, and if Sherrilyn took them away from me, it was worse than taking my heart and tearing it into a million pieces. Three pairs of eyes from adults and five pairs from my children were gawkin
(Aya’s POV)“You did what?” Addie turned to me as if she heard me wrong.She peeked her head from the kitchen door, furrowing her forehead as if I had said incomprehensible words. Leslie could not stop laughing, almost falling from her chair as I told them how I got the job to the time I lost it and rehired this morning.My cousin went out of the kitchen with three cups of coffee on the tray, and I had to stand immediately from the couch to help her. Leslie is working on Addie’s tutorial center website at the dining table. I took the cups, gave one to her partner, got one for me, and placed the last cup on the table.“Why? Is it a mortal sin to tell them I was a lesbian?” I asked, pouting my lips.She pulled a chair, peered at the screen to see what Leslie was typing, and then looked at me. She shook her head.“You’re just crazy! A disgrace in the family,” she rolled her eyes and smirked at me.I scoffed, pulling my feet up on the chair and hugging my knees. “Because I lied?”“Because
(Aya’s POV)“Come on, Red! Answer the phone!” I grunted as I bit my thumb.If Addie’s apartment floor could speak, it would probably scream and tell me to stop pacing. I wondered how many calories I had burned from moving, but unless Red answered the phone, only then could my soul rest.After almost an hour of crying, Violet had finally fallen asleep and was now on the couch. Addie had to sit on the loveseat to watch her, making sure that the child would not fall to the floor, and Leslie had stopped working and helped me call Ariana, but none of them answered the phone.I tried again, and this time, I got lucky. He finally got my call.“Aya, this is not the best time to talk. Violet’s missing and -”“I know!” I growled but pressed my lips tighter when Addie glared at me. “I know,” I whispered this time. “She’s here.”“What do you mean she’s there?” He asked frantically.“She’s here… We’re here in Addie’s, and she’s finally asleep, thanks, God. What on earth happened?”“We’re coming to
(Aya’s POV)If Red were not holding Violet in his arms, I would not care that he was my employer. My blood boiled and exploded, shooting every part of my body, and when a portion of it hit my heart, the small organ inside my chest hammered my ribcage. I had never been this mad before that I balled my hands into a fist, ready to punch him in the face.Red seemed not satisfied with humiliating me. He turned around and smiled at me, blinking his eyes like he was trying to look cute. He was not slightly drunk, but a man intoxicated with the alcohol he drank that he was losing his control and sanity altogether.“Aya, will you marry me?” He asked.“God, I knew this would happen, but this is not how I imagine him doing this,” Leslie chuckled and nudged Addie. “Get Violet,” she said.I didn’t know what got into my cousin’s head, but she followed Leslie and took Violet from his arms. To my surprise, Red gave his daughter to her, and my insane boss knelt on one knee.He panicked, groping someth
(Aya’s POV)At six in the morning, Red was still sleeping, snoring lightly on the couch. Addie had convinced Liam and Mike that leaving their cousin in their apartment was okay and would call them immediately as soon as Violet and Red were awake. I must have knocked him out that much because until now, he was still asleep when Ariana assured me he was an early riser.This might be my punishment for being harsh to him last night. I should have understood his situation and that he was too drunk to think sanely, proposing to me like an idiot because of his cousins’ stupid idea. Addie did not allow me to go home and told me it was my fault my boss couldn’t leave, so I had to watch him for the night until he woke up.It was crazy because sleep had evaded me, punishing me as well. I had to push him back whenever he tried to move or roll to his side. Every time I had to close my eyes, he would murmur or cry in his sleep, calling the name of his beloved dead wife.I got up and sat on the love
(Red’s POV)“Aunt?” I mouthed angrily at Liam and Mike.“Reinforcement,” Liam chuckled quietly and sat beside me.We watched my kids hug and charm their instant aunts. Addie and Leslie were easy prey because, like Aya, they seemed to like children a lot. When Leslie asked who wanted to make pancakes, my children excitedly volunteered and joined them in the kitchen. Aya panicked and followed them while Violet went to her siblings, sensing Liam and I needed to talk.“Why on earth are you pushing Aya on this?” I snarled at him. “And why’s my cheekbone hurting?” I asked impatiently as I raised my hand to touch my face.“You really don’t remember a thing?” Mike laughed, moving his head closer to check on his cheekbone.When their eyes met, the two guffawed heartily, but I could hardly understand what was funny about it.“Man, that girl could punch!” Mike muttered, holding his belly as he tried to stop laughing.I smirked, shaking my head as I thought I must have done something stupid last
(Red’s POV)“Don’t cry, Daddy,” Onyx raised her hands, wiping the tears about to roll my cheeks. “We made you some, too.”I chuckled and sniffled, kissing my little boy on his head. “You say hi to Aya’s daughter, Katie, and her father, Dean.”Katie ran behind Aya but peered at my kids, her eyes wide as she looked at them. Although Katie wasn’t her biological daughter, their resemblance was visible. She looked at her mother, and though Aya said it was okay, she shook her head and hid again.Dean was surprised when my kids dashed to him, calling him grandpa, but chuckled as each of my children hugged him and kissed his cheek. He laughed when they began to tell him about their pancake experience and how much they liked Aya.“Umm… Grandpa?” Sapphire moved her pursed lips and glanced at Katie.“Yes?” Dean asked, following the direction of her eyes.“Can Katie come and play with us sometimes?” she asked shyly, then furrowed her forehead like she had changed her mind. “Can Katie live with us