They say every person has their own standards when it comes to love. It's funny that people set standards as to what kind of person they want to love. Acceptance of all the flaws and weaknesses of a person is another definition of love. Standards are just society's way of dealing with the pressure. We tend to set them so we have reasons to choose the person whom we wanted to spend our life with. But in reality, we eventually throw those standards out of the window the moment our hearts beat for a certain person.Fabian traced Gigi's jaw with his finger. The gentle rise and fall of her chest was so peaceful to watch. The serenity etched on her sleeping face made his heart swell. She may have a messy past, but there was something in her that always made Fabian comfortable. Even though he knew that she was only after his money, he closed his eyes to that reality. As long as she's with him, he doesn't care about money or reputation anymore.His fingers ran into the rim of her parted lips.
Happiness is something that money can't buy. From other people's perspectives, they see happiness as a reward for grinding oneself to work and have enough money in their pockets. While people may have different views on money, the point is the same: money is important in people's lives. That was Gigi's belief before she met Fabian.She often thought that money was the answer to all her problems. Money for her mother's medicine, money for her siblings' tuition, money for them to eat every day. Back then, that was all Gigi thought about, but it's different now.Gigi turned to Fabian with a smile as he lay on a sun lounger. He looked so handsome, shirtless, wearing only swimming trunks. He was wearing sunglasses while his hair hung just above his shoulders. Fabian's hair was one of his many assets. His beard and mustache added to his rugged and manly look.It was her first time riding a cruise ship, and she couldn't contain her excitement. She never thought Fabian would take her seriousl
The cruise ship docked at the ports of Greece after seven days of wandering in the sea. The crew was so accommodating she felt like she was special.During the seven days of sailing, Gigi enjoyed herself immensely. She got the chance to take pictures at every corner of the ship, and Fabian was very patient with her whims. They stayed at the pool deck most of the time, especially at night. She enjoyed stargazing with him.The food on the cruise was great, and she felt like she had gained weight over the past seven days. She ate so much all the time, and Fabian just let her eat whatever she wanted. He spoiled her so much that Gigi sometimes thought she didn't deserve this kind of attention from him.Fabian was both generous in bed and with material things. What would happen if he woke up to the reality that she was just a paid companion?What would she do if she fell head over heels for him and he decided that she wasn't right for him?Her insecurities sometimes got the best of her. She
Fairytales and dragons. Dwarfs and witches. Unicorns and cyborgs. There are things in this world that are hard to believe. There are things that we think are hard to achieve, seem impossible, but come true. Life here on earth is full of what ifs, questions that floated in our minds, and we never dare to find the answers, because once we know the truth, it will cut deep. We think it's impossible, so we settled for what we thought is real.Gigi let out a breath countless times. The knee-length peach dress lay elegantly on the edge of the bed. It was beautiful in Gigi's eyes, and she was sure it was expensive.She sat on the edge of the bed, reached for the dress, and caressed it gently. The fabric felt soft on her palms. Next to the dress was a box containing shoes. It was a simple silver open-toe shoe. The hotel staff brought them. To be honest, she didn't expect Fabian to do something like this, and it warmed her heart for a woman like her, a woman who didn't deserve to be valued. Gig
Fabian guided her to the beach area of the hotel. Along the way, flickering candles were scattered everywhere. They served as light in the dark part of the beach. The cold evening breeze brushed against Gigi’s skin. Under the moonlight, Fabian’s face was filled with joy and happiness. He had never done something special for a woman before—only for his mother.Fabian held her waist as they walked along a path lined with candles, with flower petals scattered on the sand. Gigi inhaled the sweet scent of the candles. One of Gigi’s arms was wrapped around his waist too.“I should’ve been waiting here for you to make it look more romantic,” he chuckled softly, “but I just couldn’t help myself earlier. I really wanted you to wear that necklace right away.” He pulled her closer to his side. One thing Gigi had noticed lately—Fabian had become more possessive and clingy, and she actually liked it.Gigi held his arm. “You didn’t have to go through all this trouble, Fabian. But to be honest, I’m
Gigi’s getaway with Fabian was one of the most unforgettable things that had ever happened to her; it made her happy in a way that nothing else ever had. But that happiness was never meant to last.A piece of terrible news welcomed Gigi when she returned to the country. Countless scenarios ran through her mind.Why is he looking for me just now? Why did he come back? What does he want from my family?And it wasn’t just one, but two problems waiting for her.Gigi closed her eyes, remembering the worried faces of her mother and siblings when she arrived. In just nearly two weeks of being away, she never imagined this would be the kind of homecoming she’d return to.She tightened her embrace around Pia, who was sitting on her lap. She had missed her terribly, and now worry consumed her about what was about to happen. No!She would not allow it. No matter what, she would never let that man destroy her family.Her mother sat on the other couch and looked at them with deep concern. Her wrin
There are things in the world that no matter what we do, we can’t control. It’s beyond our grasp and all we can do was just stare as fate takes over. We get hurt and we look for someone to blame. We choose to blame the people around us, the gods in heaven, or even ourselves. There's nothing else we can do but to cry over those things.Gigi suddenly sat up from her bed, jolted awake by a nightmare. She groaned as pain struck her. She held her head and stomach. They ached. Her womanhood was also throbbing in pain. Her body was in pain, a different kind of pain. She knew that pain, the pain of a violent intercourse. Her muscles screamed and her breasts were soft.The events that happened before she lost consciousness earlier came rushing back to her. Horror enveloped her whole being as realization hit her. No! I can’t be! This can’t be happening!She clutched her chest when she felt her heart pounding wildly. She didn’t want to accept the truth! But no matter how much her mind denied it,
The red liquid flickered against the firelight. She raised the goblet and scrutinized the crimson wine. Screaming Eagle Cabernet, the world’s most expensive red wine—a luxury only the wealthy could indulge in. She wanted to laugh at herself. Yeah, she’s rich. Beautiful. Educated. Those traits were supposed to elevate her, yet now they felt meaningless. She felt like a pitiful joke, utterly worthless.She took a swig from the goblet, then grabbed the bottle on the table and drank straight from it. She longed to drown herself in alcohol, hoping it might silence the questions raging in her mind.Elvira exhaled sharply and slammed the bottle onto the coffee table in her condo. Closing her eyes, she tried to steady herself. Her thoughts had spiraled for days, gnawed by insecurity—a weakness she despised herself for surrendering to.It had been a week since she’d rushed back from the States. Fabian had abandoned her there abruptly. She’d dismissed it as an emergency until an anonymous messa
A loud scream escaped Gigi's lips when she saw the burning figures in the middle of the building. They were unrecognizable now, but Gigi knew they were her beloved family. This was where she had last seen her siblings and mother. Her heart refused to accept it, but her mind knew it was them burning.She never thought it would be the last time she would look into their eyes. If only she had known, she wouldn't have gone with the demon who violated her. He was so evil! She did everything he told her in hopes of saving her family. He had just manipulated her. She would never forgive him!Anger, grief, and pain enveloped her whole being. She witnessed how her family members died in the fire. Their bodies were engulfed in flames. Her poor family! Gigi shouted like a madwoman as she tried to get near the burning bodies. The intense heat kept her from getting close."Pia! No! Pia! Mama! Help! Someone help us..." She cried harder. Like a crazed person, she lunged forward then retreated from t
Even though Gigi forced herself to move, her body wouldn’t cooperate. She felt weak and numb. Her arms felt like they were tied down, and her legs were pinned under something heavy. Her head was spinning, and her vision blurred from the thick smoke.Panic surged through her as she struggled to move. She had to get out—if she didn’t, she’d burn alive. She needed to find her mom and siblings.“Oh God…” she whispered, trying to sit up in bed. Her heart was pounding as the heat intensified. Her skin stung like it was being peeled off, and it felt like her lungs were about to explode. But Gigi didn’t give up.The room was already choked with smoke, making it harder to breathe, and the fire was quickly eating through the building.All she could think about was finding her family and getting them out. She had no idea where they were—if they had already escaped or were still trapped. Her only prayer was that they weren’t inside anymore. Maybe she could escape on her own, but if her family was
The man stood in front of her. His face was emotionless. If there was any emotion visible on his face, it was only lust. He was looking down at her while she begged for mercy. He found it satisfying to see her kneeling before him.The man walked into the room. He fished out a cigar from his pocket and lit it. He took a drag and exhaled the smoke while listening to the woman's pleas. He felt empowered listening to her cries and pleas."Please, release my family. I'm the only one Fabian wants revenge on, right? They know nothing about this, I promise I won't report anything to the police! I'll do anything if you just let them go, I'm begging you, please. Help me." Gigi knelt at the man's feet. If anything happened to them, she would never forgive herself.At that point, she would do anything to free her loved ones. Whatever these people wanted, she would comply without hesitation.The man stilled for a moment at what Gigi said. When he turned around, there was a big grin etched on his l
“Oh my God, sweetheart! What happened to you? Why do you look like that?” Aling Lena rushed to her daughter, alarmed by her appearance. She cupped Gigi’s swollen cheek gently. Gigi winced from the pain.“Alyana! Get some cotton and alcohol, now!” Aling Lena shouted to Gigi’s sister.Gigi gave her mother a sad smile. Her two younger siblings rushed over, gasping when they saw her face. Gigi’s cheeks were bruised, her lips swollen, and there were faint marks on her neck—clear signs she had been strangled. Her eyes were puffy from crying.Both siblings were shocked and heartbroken by her condition. Even little Pia, who was in Aling Lena’s arms, looked at Gigi with confusion.“Ate, what happened to you? Who did this to you?” Adrian asked, his tone serious, his jaw clenched. He didn’t like what he was seeing. Despite being young, he felt it was his duty to protect his family as the only boy among them.Gigi simply shook her head. She didn’t want to tell them the truth. As much as possible,
The woman was moaning like she was having the best time of her life. Her eyes were closed, lips parted. The pleasure was clearly written all over her face with every hard thrust of the man’s body.“Damn, you're still so tight,” the man groaned, clearly lost in the moment.He was thrusting into her roughly. Loud moans filled the room, matching the rhythm of their movements. They were both completely naked. You could clearly see how his thick length slid in and out of her. Every time he drove into her, she let out a soft moan.Fabian’s blood boiled in his veins, and his heart slammed wildly in his chest. It felt like it was going to burst from its cage. His breathing grew erratic, each breath heavier than the last. His entire body trembled—not just with rage, but with deep disgust and pain.The scene was unbearable. Every negative emotion settled into his heart, and it felt like his brain had stopped working. He still couldn't fully process what he just saw in the video, but his heart k
A hearty laugh echoed through the McIntosh mansion's garden. The old businessman couldn't stop chuckling as he was informed about what happened at the Crown Tower. He would have been even happier if he had witnessed Fabian Romano lose his composure. If he could have seen the man crumble, he would have gone there himself. The man wiped the tears from his eyes, still overcome with laughter. He couldn't believe that the mighty Fabian Romano had been tricked by a woman. "Just look at the irony, that woman was Lozano's... companion before she became Fabian's. What a small world, they were mortal enemies after all." He clapped the man who had been his eyes and ears inside Fabian's office. "I have to give you an award for being the best actor, son. You did a fantastic job. You fooled him so well." He praised the man. They were sitting in the garden's gazebo, wine glasses in hand. They were celebrating Fabian Romano's small downfall. Even though
Gigi clutched the pillow tightly as Fabian pounded her back violently. There was no gentleness in his every move. His hands were all over her body, gripping hard, slapping her skin until it turned red. Gigi whimpered as his movements became even more aggressive. He beat her mercilessly. Her sex felt sore and her body ached. His hands held her waist so tightly she felt like her skin would rip off. But she endured it all, knowing why he was acting this way. “You. Are. Mine.” Every word he said was filled with unspoken anger. His voice was thick with bitterness. Gigi could feel the emotions he was trying to hide from her. He was hurting, deeply. This action of his was just a defense against the pain that consumed his heart, and Gigi fully understood it. In fact, she wanted to be punished for being the reason for his misery. He released her waist and hugged her from behind. Their sweaty skin touched. He was leaning into her bac
Fabian gripped the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles almost turned white. The tight grip on the wheel was the only thing keeping control over his burning rage. His car sped through the dark road. It was almost midnight and the streets were empty. His eyes stayed fixed on the road as he drove aimlessly into the night.His heart wouldn't stop pounding. Her pictures kept flashing in his mind. He had already seen that child in the pictures Gigi had shown him on her phone. The similarities were too obvious, but he hadn’t thought it was her daughter. She had a child—and that bastard Lozano was the father! Fate was making a complete fool out of him. Or had this been his plan all along? Did he deliberately make him meet the girl, capture his heart, and then leave him? Were they still in a relationship? So many scenarios spun around in his head, he felt like he was going insane.That bastard couldn’t get the better of him! How dare that woman play with his he
Vira never felt this kind of rejection before. She was born and raised like a princess; she always had everyone’s attention. She got everything she wanted. All women were jealous of her, and men dreamed of having her. She was educated and smart, and she knew her worth as a woman.Fabian made her feel like she was nothing. No one had ever made her feel that way! How dare this man treat her like trash. She was a McIntosh princess—she always got what she wanted. And now, she wanted that whore out of Fabian’s life. She wouldn’t allow herself to be upstaged by a cheap woman.Instead of leaving the office, Vira took a deep breath to calm herself. With years of practice, she had mastered her emotions. No matter what, she had to keep her composure. Holding her head high, she turned to face Fabian.He had his back to her, leaning both arms against the edge of his desk. His eyes were closed, as though he was lost in deep thought.