SHAWNAThe smile on my face was so bright, there was no way I could have even contained it. A squeal wanted to escape my mouth but I had to control that.“Are you for real? This is a lot! I'll come over right now!" I exclaimed.“Yes, ma'am. He's awake. And we'll be expecting you." The nurse said.“Thank you so much," I said then ended the call.“What happened? Who just called?" Liam asked me and Damien looks like he wants to ask me the same question too.“Grandfather is awake. I just got off the phone with his nurse now who said she's waiting for me. I have to go over now. This is a good news!” I squealed this time around.I'm even happier talking about it than when the nurse called. It's so good to hear that he's now awake. I just hope he's okay and he doesn't go back to a coma again.“Are you both ready to leave too?" I asked them both with a voice of urgency and they both nodded at the question."Of course." They said simultaneously. At this point, I think they both have a lot more
DAMIENA small smile came up on my face as I entered the car. I hadn't expected her to allow me to hug her. But then again, it might have meant nothing to her while it meant something to me.“You can drive now," I told Roger. He was the one who brought the car for me, he did a thorough check to make sure we weren't being followed before he came.His eyes glanced at me from the mirror above his head, I must look foolish with this smile on my face right now. I tried so hard to control myself so I'll at least not look like a fool.“We aren't going to my house, go to my father's house instead," I told him when we joined the highway. Liam and Shawna already went the other way."Okay, noted.” He mumbled. It's been a while since I went out with Roger, he's always almost busy at the office while I run errands like this.We spoke a bit till we got to my parent's house. I just thought it would be realistic if I let them know about the wedding plans.I'm sorry, but I'm not also sorry for them. T
I don't think I've been this happy in s while, my grandfather is now back home with me. I had to bring him home with me, I couldn't leave him alone in his house.And I think it's better if he comes to the penthouse with me. That way, we'll watch after him while also bonding with him, he looked so happy to see everyone that I found myself smiling.“Hey little munchkins.", he greeted the triplets as we got in. They all looked at him with confusion etched on their faces, they sure didn't recognize him.“Who is this, Mom?” Phoebe asked me, her little eyes looking up at me.They've seen him once, but that was before he went deep into a coma. He has changed physically because of the number of days he hasn't been awake.If I didn't know him before, I might have recognized him too. I think it's the poisonous substance that was given to him too but he now looks older than he was.“This is your grandfather," I told them.“Grandfather Bryan?" Billy asked out loud, taking another look at him."Ye
SHAWNAWe both looked at each other as the phone rang, it was just the three of us as my mom and grandfather with the kids were in their world.“What do we do? Should we answer it?" Liam asked out loud and we all looked at one another with confused expressions on our faces.We were still contemplating till the phone stopped ringing. I sighed in relief when it stopped, it was as if it was a huge issue that was just a preferred solution."I guess I can leave now. Or is it better if the phone is in airplane mode? That way there'll be no distractions from it.” Liam asked.But before either Damien or I could reply to him, the phone started ringing again. Hearing it ring made my heart skip, I don't know if it's because I don't know what to expect about the call.What do we even do from here? And it's a strange number calling, there's no name on it.“Let me have that,” Damien said, taking the phone from Liam. He swiped right on the phone and picked up the call, my entire body was so anticipa
SHAWNAA coy smile came up on my face as I stood upright, I honestly didn't expect him to ask that question. But I think I'm ready to tell him the truth now.He should know about them, right? And we honestly don't have any beef, neither do I see anyone coming that'll make him want to take them away from me.“Maybe I'll tell you," I mumbled.“I can't wait then, let's just get Eugene over with then." He said.Now I know he'll want to do anything in his power to get rid of Eugene at this point. There's just something about his smile that draws me to him, I don't know what it is, but I'm entranced by it.Maybe it's the small dimple that pops out when he smiles or the way his eyes glint when he looks at me and then smiles.I didn't know when he stood up till I felt his finger on my jaw, he just steered my head to look in his direction very well.“You're beautiful." His deep voice that makes me so hot said to me. His voice alone can do anything to anyone, especially to me.Then when he said
KYLE“What's the meaning of what just happened? Why are you this troublesome?” My dad asked almost immediately after Damien left.I looked at him with anger bare in my eyes, did he just blame me without hearing both sides of the story? The anger I was feeling doubled.“You didn't even hear from both sides before concluding, how can you just conclude that I was the one at fault?" I asked him.“Because you're the one who causes trouble every time, Damien is calm and would never start a fight.” My mom butted in.Why are they both pointing fingers at me? I don't even know if it's possible for me to hate someone how I hate Damien right now, I loath him so much.He has always made our parents see me as the bad person, they've been choosing him over me for years now and he has been revelling in that since.“He started this one first, you both should always try to hear what happened before pointing fingers at me," I said."We've known you for years, Kyle. You're the one who can cause that fig
EUGENEMy heart missed a beat as he said those words. If what he just said is true, then we're in deep trouble. His phone truly has all our secrets and schemes, there's no way it can go missing right now.“Come with me." I took his hand and dragged him into the elevator.We got into the elevator and soon got to the floor, I couldn't say anything when we were in the elevator because we weren't alone.I badly wanted to talk from there but I knew I had to get him into my office first, no one must know what we're about to say, or else it'll start raising suspicions.The moment we got into my office, I locked the door behind us and faced him.“How did the phone go missing? Why are you so careless?" I asked him.“Why won't you hear what happened before jumping to a conclusion? Why's everyone just blaming me? Damien fought with me at my parents' house and took the phone when I wasn't watching.” He rasped, anger evident on his face.I looked at him with fury still thrumming through me. And no
LIAMI got to the house of the person who'll provide an answer to the questions we have about the phone. The guy is my friend from college and he helps me with things like these.I knocked on his door and he opened the door in no time.“Hey, you're here already." He said, looking shocked.“I told you how urgent this is, I can't afford to waste any more time."He stepped aside for me to get in and I did, this place is just like his house and office combined. He uses it for the two. He leads me into a room that has a lot of computers set up.“Where's the phone?" He asked and I handed over the phone to him.He assessed it for a while before connecting a cable from one of his computers to the phone, he then started pressing some things on the computer.“This is it, the information on the phone. Is there anything in particular on the phone that you'd like to know?” He asked. I moved closer to the computer and saw the things on the phone just there."The messaging app first, just go to the
RAMONI was dead tired by the time we finished the meeting at the company. My shirt clung to my back, and my head was pounding from all the numbers and back-to-back discussions. All I wanted was to check my phone and unwind, maybe see if Phoebe had texted.I reached into my pocket. Empty.My heart skipped.I checked the table, the chair, and even under the folder I’d used. Nothing.“Where the hell is my phone?” I muttered.My uncle, sitting across from me, raised an eyebrow. “Lose something?”“My phone. I had it before we came here.”He shrugged. “Maybe you dropped it at the house.”I didn’t like how quick he was to answer.Still, I forced a calm nod and stood up. “I’ll go check.”The ride back to his place felt like it took forever. My mind was racing. Phoebe. Had she called? Texted? What if something was wrong? My gut wouldn’t calm down.When I got to the house, I tore through every room I had been in earlier. The living room. The guest room. Even the damn kitchen. Nothing.My uncle
PHOEBEThe hotel was breathtaking, with marble floors, chandeliers sparkling like stars, a scent of roses, and money hanging in the air. My heels clicked softly as I followed the receptionist, who wore a perfectly polite smile. My coat was still wrapped tightly around me, hiding the dress Winnie helped me pick out. My heart fluttered with a mix of excitement and nerves.“He’ll be with you shortly,” the receptionist said sweetly, opening a suite door for me. “Please, get comfortable. There are refreshments inside. Make yourself at home.”I gave a shy nod. “Thank you.”The door shut behind me.The suite was luxurious, with soft couches, a large table with drinks and fruit, and dim romantic lighting. I let out a small breath. “Wow…”I walked slowly to the table, brushing my fingers along the glass rim of a wine glass. Red wine. A chill ran up my spine, and I shook it off. Maybe he asked them to pour it before he arrived. Maybe this was his way of setting the mood.I pulled out my phone.
PHOEBEI slammed the front door a little harder than I meant to when I got home.Winnie looked up from the couch, raising an eyebrow. "Whoa. Somebody’s in a mood. What's wrong, sunshine?"I dropped my bag by the door and flopped onto the armchair with a loud sigh. "It’s Ramon," I said, pouting like a child.Winnie immediately perked up. "Ramon? Spill. What happened?!"I buried my face in my hands for a second before looking up at her. "We kissed. Like... really kissed. It was amazing. He kissed me like he needed me to breathe or something."Winnie squealed, hugging a throw pillow. "Oh my God! Finally!""Yeah, it was incredible," I mumbled, my cheeks heating up. "But right after that, he got a call. Emergency at home. He had to leave. Just like that."Winnie’s face softened. "Oh, babe...""I know he had no choice," I said quickly, fiddling with a loose thread on the armrest. "But... it sucks. I’m losing my mind over him, Winnie. I’m slowly going crazy. I want him so bad it hurts."Winn
PHOEBERamon’s eyes burned into me like I was the only thing he could see. I felt my cheeks heat up under his stare, and I shifted awkwardly on my feet.“Phoebe,” he said, his voice low and rough, “I want all of you…every part of you. I’m not afraid of being with you. I’m just... trying to restrain myself.”My heart pounded so hard it hurt. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out at first. Then I swallowed hard and said, "I want all of you, too, Ramon. I’m not scared."Something snapped between us.Ramon closed the space in a single, hungry heartbeat, grabbing me again and crashing his mouth onto mine. This kiss wasn’t soft. It wasn’t sweet. It was rough, fierce, almost desperate, like he had been starving, and I was the only thing that could satisfy him.His lips crushed against mine, demanding and urgent. I could feel the heat pouring off his body as he kissed me like he needed me more than air. His hand slid up, fingers threading into the hair at the nape of my neck, then wrapping
RAMONI tossed and turned all night. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t sleep. My mind kept racing, full of everything Uncle Richard had said... and Phoebe. Always Phoebe.I was falling for her. Hard. It scared the hell out of me, but it also felt so right. I didn’t just like her, I needed her. Every smile, every look, every word she said stuck in my head like glue.When morning came, I dragged myself out of bed, showered, and dressed like a man on a mission. I didn’t even think twice. I was going to see her. I had to.No more running. No more hiding.When I got to the worksite, she was there already, sorting through some papers, looking so focused and beautiful that it made my heart twist. She looked up and blinked like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing."Ramon?" she said, her voice small but full of surprise. "I thought... I thought you weren’t going to be available anymore."I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling awkward and stupid all at once. "Yeah, about that. I’m
WINNIEWinnie stared at me like I had just grown two heads. "What do you mean you don't know if Ramon likes you enough to be intimate?" she asked, her eyes wide.I hugged my knees to my chest, feeling small and stupid. "I don’t know, Win. Maybe... maybe he’s just not that into me. Maybe he sees me like a kid or something."Winnie shook her head fast. "No way. Anyone with eyes can see Ramon is crazy about you, Phoebe. Seriously. He looks at you like you hung the moon!"I smiled a little, but it didn’t reach my heart. "Then why is he so hesitant? Why does he always back away when things get... close?"Winnie opened her mouth to say something, then paused. Her face changed slowly, like she was putting puzzle pieces together."Wait a second..." she said carefully. "Have you guys ever... you know... done it?"I looked down at my lap, my face burning. "No," I whispered.Winnie’s mouth fell open. "Wait. You mean... never?"I nodded, feeling like I was about to sink into the floor."And he kn
RAMONI stood in the garden, massaging my temples and trying to figure out what just happened. I hated seeing Phoebe hurt. I hated that I was the reason for that look in her eyes, the one that made my chest ache. I wanted to run after her, fix it, explain everything better.I had just taken a step toward the house when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned to see Billy and Jasper coming out. Great. Just what I needed right now.They stood there awkwardly for a second before Billy cleared his throat."Hey, man," he said, not meeting my eyes. "We, uh... we just wanted to say sorry."I blinked, surprised. "Sorry?"Jasper shoved his hands into his pockets. "Yeah. For looking down on you. We didn't know... well, we didn't know you were who you are."I sighed, not really wanting to have this conversation. "It's fine," I muttered, even though it really wasn't."But," Billy added quickly, "we still think you're hiding something. And honestly... we don’t think you're worthy of our sister."Tha
PHOEBEThe second everyone was distracted inside, I grabbed Ramon’s hand and tugged him gently toward the garden. I was buzzing with excitement, my heart beating way too fast. I needed a moment alone with him, away from all the heavy stares and questions."Come on," I said, smiling at him. "Let’s get some air."He smiled back, letting me pull him along. The night air was cool and smelled faintly of roses. The garden lights made everything look soft and dreamy.Once we were far enough from the house, I stopped and turned to him, crossing my arms playfully. "So..." I began, raising an eyebrow. "You’re secretly rich, huh?"Ramon chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess so.""You guess so?" I laughed, nudging him with my shoulder. "Why didn’t you tell me?"He shrugged, looking a little sheepish. "I was going to tell you... eventually. I just wanted you to like me for me, you know? Not for anything else."I looked at him, my heart softening even more. His voice sounded so honest, s
PHOEBEI felt like I’d been holding my breath the whole night, but when Uncle Richard finally gave his answer, it was like the air rushed back into my lungs.“Well,” he said with a small chuckle, wiping his mouth with his napkin, “the truth is, we’re a wealthy family. Very wealthy. Ramon chose to keep that hidden because he didn’t want gold-diggers. He wanted someone who’d love him for who he is, not what he has.”There was a beat of silence.Then Billy blinked. “Wait… you’re saying Ramon’s been pretending to be broke?”“Not broke,” Uncle Richard clarified with a grin. “Just… simple. Down-to-earth.”Everyone at the table was stunned. I couldn’t help it, I let out the tiniest giggle. Then a bigger one. And before long, laughter started to ripple around the table. Even Jasper cracked a smile. It was like the whole room finally exhaled.I glanced at Mom and made a small, sneaky wink. She caught it instantly. Her lips curved just slightly, and then she gave a quick nod.“Phoebe,” she said