Rome stood stiffly by the front door, arms crossed, her eyes fixed on the car parked just outside. It was already past six in the evening. The five minutes Cayson had promised had turned into an hour.
One whole hour before he finally came home.
And she was furious. Her entire body was trembling with frustration, and though she'd been wanting to lie down to calm her nerves, she held off. She needed to speak to Cayson before he faced the kids.
When he stepped out of the car, their eyes immediately locked. He offered her a soft smile as he shut the door and started walking toward her. As he got close enough to lean in for a kiss, she raised one hand and placed it firmly on his chest to stop him — keeping a careful, deliberate distance between them.
36 hours later.Cayson had just returned to the mansion from the hotel where his illegitimate son was staying when he received a phone call. The moment he saw his wife’s name flash on the screen, he dropped everything in his hands and immediately answered.“This is so frustrating, Rosenda Marie. You really let more than a day pass before calling me?”His voice brimmed with anger. He had waited two long days for this call. In desperation, he even tried reaching out through all of Rome’s social media accounts, but she remained silent. No replies, no updates. Cayson grew more anxious with every passing hour.Worried out of his mind, he eventually went to her parents, who were just as shocked to find out that Rome and the girls had left the country. They had no idea. Even
Rome was awakened that night by the subtle sound of their bedroom door opening and closing. She opened her eyes and listened closely. The room was dark and silent, the only audible noise was the soft hum of the AC system.She wasn’t the kind of person who easily woke up at every sound, but she couldn’t explain why her senses were suddenly alert, reacting to the faint creak of the door.Wait. The door opened and closed?She sat up in bed and instinctively looked to her side.Cayson wasn’t there.Her brows drew together in confusion as she glanced toward the bathroom. The door was open, but the lights were off. There was no way it was the bathroom door she heard.H
Rome stood stiffly by the front door, arms crossed, her eyes fixed on the car parked just outside. It was already past six in the evening. The five minutes Cayson had promised had turned into an hour.One whole hour before he finally came home.And she was furious. Her entire body was trembling with frustration, and though she'd been wanting to lie down to calm her nerves, she held off. She needed to speak to Cayson before he faced the kids.When he stepped out of the car, their eyes immediately locked. He offered her a soft smile as he shut the door and started walking toward her. As he got close enough to lean in for a kiss, she raised one hand and placed it firmly on his chest to stop him — keeping a careful, deliberate distance between them.
Special Chapters 001 to 006 were oginally only available on the book version of this novel. Hope you love them!***Rome had been glancing at her wristwatch repeatedly while seated on the garden set, watching her two daughters chase after their great-grandmother Althea Montemayor’s newly purchased puppy. It was a French bulldog. And while the kids tried to catch the little dog, their two-year-old Labrador Retriever, Dolly, was right behind them, happily joining the chase.It was past five in the afternoon. She had been waiting for her husband to arrive from work. He had promised to be home by 4:30 PM, as they were supposed to catch their flight to Bali — their favorite country to visit — just in time for the school break. The kids had a two-week vacation, and she thought it would be the perfect time for a family getaway.
Two months later, Rome and Cayson got married again; this time, in a church. Rome’s dream of walking down the aisle finally came true. She was a glowing bride, filled with joy, because everyone she loved was there to witness the ceremony, including all of her close friends.Even Jiggy was there, now fully accepted by Rome’s entire family. Her parents eventually realized that Jiggy was more than just a friend. She was like family. Ever since that day in the hospital when they first met, they had treated her as one of their own, especially since, aside from Cayson, Jiggy had been one of those who stayed up countless nights watching over Rome.She later learned that she had been unconscious for three days after her C-section. She had lost a significant amount of blood and was incredibly lucky to have survived. Her parents recounted what happened when she was discharged from the hospital; the doctors had warned the
"I've already explained everything about Precilla to the whole family, and I'm ready to explain it again in front of you now. So, I need you to listen, okay?"She nodded like a child—submissive, vulnerable. She was ready to hear every word of his explanation and to forgive him, even before he asked to be forgiven.Because why shouldn’t she?Wasn’t the worry she had seen etched into his features enough? The dark shadows under his eyes, his pale complexion—weren’t those proof that he had neglected himself because of her?And wasn’t his confession already enough?Cayson had just told her he loved her. And not only that—he said he loved her more than she loved him. And he had proved it.