เข้าสู่ระบบMARKI spent most of the day having a meeting with some of my business associates and it wasn’t over until some hours later.“We are impressed with how you are handling the project, Mark Ronaldo,” the head of the team said.He had just flown in from a different city with his teammates to have this meeting, and because they were supposed to be flying back, we had to finish up everything we needed to do during the meeting. Anything else that was left could easily be sorted out from a distance and through mails.“We have been working with your company for years, and you have never given us anything short of excellence,” he added.“Regardless, I am glad that you find everything to your liking,” I told him.“Of course, I do,” he said with a smile. “Which is why our company wants to take a different approach,” he added carefully.“What approach is that?” I asked.“We are thinking of starting another project; a bigger one, and of course, with your company,” he said.And that warmed my heart.
IVY“It’s so good to finally hear from you,” I eventually responded.My eyes were still on the door.If Alexa ever found out that I was using her cell phone to speak with my mum, she might kick me out instantly, so I really needed to be careful.If only I had a cell phone of my own, but everything changed when I was forced into the mental home and stripped off everything I had.“Can I speak freely?” I had to ask.She hesitated for a few seconds before saying, “Mm-hmm.”“Isn’t she listening to our conversation?” I asked.“No, she isn’t. We do have some privacy here sometimes, and now that she has seen that I recognize you, she has left me alone,” she answered.“What about the calls being recorded?” I asked warily. “They did that in the mental home,” I added.“This isn’t the mental home,” she reminded me.“I know, but it’s not any different,” I countered calmly.Then we stayed silent for a millisecond again.“Is this your cell number?” She asked.Even from the distance, I could tell her
IVYAlexa’s hearty laughter rang all the way from the living room downstairs.The two young ladies who were here the other day, Shirley and Reyna, had come around to pay her a visit, and they had been talking and laughing since they got here, and from what I could tell, they would be on it for a while.“Alexa seems very happy,” I muttered to myself.She was quite different from the person I met when I returned.Alexa seemed lighter and happier now, and I noticed that it was right after the night Mark came around. After he eventually left that night; which was a relief because it didn’t seem like he was ever going to leave, and for my own good, it was best he never passed the night here, Alexa had walked back upstairs and to her bedroom like a lovesick puppy.Mark spending the night was way too risky for me.I definitely couldn’t let him find me here, and that was exactly one of the reasons I was upset that they were reconciling.Chances of Mark Ronaldo spending the night were high now
ALEXAI called Noelle in excitement and thankfully, she picked up on the first ring.“Hi, Noelle!” I said the moment she picked up the phone.“Oh, wow, you sound really excited, Alexa,” Noelle said.“Well, I have something else to tell you, but first, I need to tell you this,” I told Noelle.As I spoke to Noelle, I stood in front of the mirror and stared at my bare stomach. I noticed a slight bump and my heart leaped in excitement.Ironically, I never thought of paying attention to my growing stomach until after last night when I placed Mark’s hand over my stomach. The moment was something so special to me that I couldn’t get it off my mind.Each time I opened my eyes at night, I thought of it, and the same feeling of joy swept through me all over again.“I am eager to hear!” Noelle said, sounding equally excited.“Mark just sent me a ton of money!” I blurted out.Never did I think that something like this would excite me this much, considering how I felt about Mark Ronaldo some days
MARKI felt like a butterfly on my way back. I kept reminiscing on how I felt when my hand was right there on Alexa’s stomach.It was warm and very peaceful, as though the baby that was still forming was having a peaceful sleep.I was so overjoyed that I couldn’t wait any longer or keep it to myself.I called Vector.“Is there a problem?” Vector asked me as soon as he picked up.“Shouldn’t I be calling you?” I asked him.“It’s late, Mark, and we literally spent the evening together,” Vector reminded me.He sounded a little different.“Are you with someone?” I asked Vector suspiciously.Vector paused for a few seconds before he spoke again.“You sound very joyful, Mark,” Vector said, deflecting.I knew that he was doing it on purpose, but didn’t push with what I had asked him because I was really eager to talk about how I was feeling and what had happened more than the question I asked him.“Yes, I am,” I responded, giddy as a child.Thankfully, Cannon Dexter was driving me tonight, so
IVYI hid by the side of the stairs and watched them as jealousy bubbled inside of me, and for a moment, I thought they were going to kiss.As much as I hated it, they seemed perfect.“That should have been me,” I told myself as I watched them.All day, I had had to hide myself inside the damn room because coming out would mean risking being seen by that new chef that Alexa refused to get rid of. Now that I was certain that she had gone to bed, I sneaked out to get something to eat.I was famished beyond words.My stomach had been rumbling for hours now.Even right now, it was still rumbling. At first, I feared that Alexa and Mark would hear, but they didn’t. They were so engrossed with each other that it seemed impossible for them to hear anything. Even if I fell from the stairs, I doubted that they would see, hear, or notice.They kept staring at each other as Mark’s hand stayed gently placed on Alexa’s stomach.I ground my teeth in annoyance.Again, this should have been me and no
ALEXA“Are you okay, Alexa?” Mr. Gregory asked.Apparently, the feeling I was having deep inside was being displayed on my face.“Um, she had a little bit of a cold this morning, Mr. Gregory,” Mark quickly stepped in with a lie.And in an instant, his had went around my back supportively.“I am sor
ALEXAHad Mark been watching me the whole time?“What are you doing here?” I asked him again when he didn’t answer my question, trying not to sound as upset and shy as I was feeling inside.I didn’t know where Mark had gone, and I told myself that I shouldn’t care either, but there was nothing else
IVY“You are going to rot there, Ivy. I will make sure of it.”Those had been Donald Shell’s exact words before I returned the phone to the officer. The moment I heard his voice, I knew that he had called to taunt me.He had called to make mockery of me and to aggravate me, and I couldn’t take that
ALEXAMark and I looked at each other, the anticipation mingled with dread filling the atmosphere.“I am going to pick up now before it ends and put it on speaker,” Mark told me, his voice thick.I simply nodded because I couldn’t find my voice.Then, Mark picked up, and I held my breath, hoping fo







