After the back and forth I had with Pedro earlier, I decided I was not going to share a room or spend another night in the same bed with him. I planned on telling him that his reason for this honeymoon needed to be reconsidered because I was beginning to feel sick to my stomach. Then I hear the door swing open, slamming on the wall with a loud bang. I jolted awake. I felt my eyes unconsciously twitch against the dim lighting, disoriented, my senses still heavy with sleep. The first thing I registered was the strong scent of cigarettes, and alcohol, definitely a whiskey smell—It was so potent that it drowned out the smell of the air fresheners. From the silheout I could make out in my head, it had to be Pedro. My body tensed as I sat up, gripping the blanket around me. He stepped inside, I could feel his aura instantly filling the room and strangely, it made me feel unsettled, Pedro had never smoked around me. He looked wrecked, his black shirt half-unbuttoned, and h
Did I just kill that man?My heart was pounding so loudly I could barely hear my own ragged breathing, everything had become hazy, fast and did not make any sense.My eyes were beginning to itch from the cigarette smoke.I stumbled into the bedroom, my hands shaking as I slammed the door shut behind me, twisting the lock so hard my fingers ached.That was not enough for what I had just done.And I knew it, that the locks wouldn’t hold.Frantic, I grabbed the nearest arm chair and shoved it under the doorknob. Then another. Then the bedside table. My movements were clumsy, my body betraying me as panic took over. The room spun, my breaths coming too fast as I struggled to catch them. I could feel my sweat soaking up the scanty piece of night wear I had on.A thousand thoughts raced through my mind, should I hide in the racks of clothes in the closet or should I find a phone and call the police? Or the ambulance? Or call home?Fuck did I just murder someone! I whimpered around the room.
Pedro exhaled slowly, wiping a hand across his face, smearing the blood even more.“You are scaring me, Pedro” I choked out.“And now?” His lips curled, his gaze dragging over my shaking form. “so you can be sacred but did not hesitate to remind me of how much of a spineless dingbat I was, cariño?”I couldn’t answer.Pedro sucked his tongue. “You act so brave when you’re throwing things. Running. Hiding.” He took another step closer. “But now I’m right in front of you?” He crouched, his voice dropping to a whisper. “You’re acting like a frightened little girl?.”Tears slipped down my face.“Please,” I tried again, my voice breaking.Pedro tilted his head. “Get up and strip those clothes! I want to see your body, the very one you have been hiding from me and giving to those low lives secretly!”.Then, suddenly—he laughed.“I said strip you fucking bitch!” He shouted, yanking me up by hair and slapping me into the bed.“Please! Pedro, please!” I begged weakly.I watched him roll down his
Don Pedro’s POVI woke with a crushing headache, it seemed as if the night’s excesses had conspired to rip apart every fibre of my being. I could feel my head splitting, and for a long moment, I lay in bed, barely aware of the world around me. I had a lot to drink with Natalia last night, it had me wondering if she was just as wasted.Then, as my eyes fluttered open, I saw chaos. The room was in disarray, I sat up slowly, my vision blurring at the sight before me.The bed sheets looked like a blood bath had happened, the lines were twisted and dishevelled, and, God help me, there were bright red stains on the bed. My pulse hammered in my ears as I struggled to clear my thoughts. I fumbled for the clock on the bedside table—past 10am. That meant I had overslept, and worse, I was not dressed at all. I was butt naked.I just knew my head was not clear yet. I swung my legs off the bed, and my eyes fell on the floor. A thin trail of blood snaked its way toward the bathroom.My hear
The nurse I had called quickly took over, speaking rapidly into her phone, while a doctor approached us.I wanted abrupt attendance, not this calm disposition on the doctor.Can they fucking move fast around here? I hovered at the edge of the commotion, everything seemed slow except the chaos in my mind.“What happened?” the doctor asked, his eyes meeting mine.I swallowed, struggling to find the words. “I… she was hurt. There’s blood everywhere…”He nodded, his expression turning serious as he examined Tessa. “We’ll take care of her,” he assured me. “Please Stay here.”I nodded, though I wasn’t sure I could stay. I paced outside the emergency room, my phone pressed tightly to my bare chest. I tried calling out to the nurses and wards for updates, but the line was busy, and the staff seemed too occupied with their own urgent tasks. I managed to sit on a cold bench, every minute felt like an eternity and I was drained from trying to recall every moment of the night in my head.
Don Pedro’s POVI felt the sweet ocean breeze tugging gently at my sleeves as I took a long drag from my blunt this cold Sunday morning. It felt so refreshing.The rhythmic sound of the waves splashing calmed my racking nerves, but my mind was miles away, deep in thought.Franco had informed me about business back home —one of our foremost plantations was experiencing a new rise of competitors—and it surprised me how all these happened in just how many weeks of being away. Franco stood beside me, his posture relaxed yet alert, his eyes scanning the horizon ahead. It was something I admired about Franco - His alertness.He was always alert and on the go!On the move whenever I said so.On very few occasions we shared a blunt together, I had to admit he was becoming more of a brother to me each passing day and I felt I could tell him anything. I did tell him everything.You see, this life we live can't go without at least trusting someone, even though I preach, trust nobody.“We must k
AUTHOR’S POVDon Pedro and Franco were still deep in conversation on the balcony of the beach house, they had been there for about an hour or more.They were laughing heartily and puffing smoke when trouble came knocking.Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by the sound of a guard’s heavy footsteps. The guard rushed toward them, breathless and wide-eyed. “Sir! Sir, you need to come quickly—there’s trouble in the back!”Pedro’s eyes flashed, and he straightened instantly, throwing his blunt away. “What sort of trouble?” he barked, turning to Franco.The guard, panting, reported, “Tessa… Miss Tessa has jumped into the water at the back of the house. She’s… she’s drowning!”The world seemed to speed up for Pedro. His heart pounded with sudden alarm as he exchanged a startled look with Franco. “What?” Pedro shouted, his voice roared with disbelief. “Bring me to her —now!”Within moments, Pedro and a few of his men sprang into action. Pedro rushed toward the back of the house,
Tessa’s POVI could hear Pedro’s voice from a distance, amid this surrounding of rumbling waters, I could barely make out his words over the wind and the violent waves. The water was cold, and each wave threatened to pull me under, but I welcomed it.And as much as I welcomed it, I unconsciously fought desperately against the current, my arms swinging wildly, but despair had settled in, and a part of me—broken, exhausted—whispered that it might just be better to let go.From the shore, I saw Pedro and the guards sprinting toward me. Their faces were gruff, I prayed the water currents swept them in different directions, and there was urgency in their bodily expressions. I could hear Pedro’s voice now, clear and desperate.“Tessa, please!”I struggled to keep my head above water, the salt stinging my eyes. The water was rough and harsh, and the exhaustion I was feeling was overwhelming. I would not lie a part of me wanted to shout, to beg them to save me. But I couldn't help the da
AUTHOR’S POV Tessa sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling as she counted in her head, how much time she had so she could go check on Regina. The silence in her room was too loud. The shadows cast by the bedside lamp stretched across the walls like silent watchers, the shadow reflection of other objects the room looked like they were whispering loudly, echoing the weight in her chest. Her mind kept replaying George’s words from earlier at the supermarket, and every time, they struck a nerve she’d tried so hard to numb. Her ringed finger throbbed with guilt. The blood diamond sparkled none the less. For a second she wondered who she was, questioned who she had become over the last few months that seemed to drag on forever. She used to be fierce and quick minded, how did she become so soggy? Could it be Aunt Norah’s absence? She thought. So what would become of me if she was actually no more? Become any mans puppet? Talk more of a man like pedro? Her pho
AUTHORS POVThe atmosphere inside Regina's room changed from the moment Dame Rossa stepped inside; it was almost suffocating. And for seconds that slipped into minutes, Regina tried all she could to hold herself together. The ancient of days clock ticked away loudly in the background; for Regina, it was a painful reminder that time was slipping through her fingers and she needed to tell Pablo her truth.Dame Rossa sat beside Regina, her eyes darted around the room, softened with concern."My dear," she said, reaching out to pat Regina’s hand gently, "Pablo told me you have not been taking his calls."Regina blinked, feeling a strange chill wash over her. Had she?It struck her then — the last few days and hours had been a haze. The pain, the shame, and the constant battle with herself had consumed her so much that she hadn’t noticed the persistent beeping of her phone. She had unknowingly, absentmindedly ignored him."I'm so sorry," Regina whispered, looking down at her lap, ashamed.
AUTHORS POVTessa walked briskly through the long corridor; she didn't even wait for Pedro despite the fact that he had told her to wait. She just wanted to get to Regina as fast as she could. Her heart felt heavy in her chest as she approached Regina’s room, like a gloomy pendant hung over her neck. She paused for a brief moment at the door, took a deep breath, then quietly turned the knob and stepped inside.The room was dimly lit, the curtains drawn shut. Regina was curled up in one corner of her bed, her small frame almost swallowed by the large, plush duvet. She looked so fragile, so unlike her usual lively self, that Tessa’s heart clenched painfully. The evil men do to women, she said in her mind.Tessa closed the door softly behind her and approached the bed. “Regina…” she called gently, sitting at the edge of the mattress. “Have you eaten anything today? Or at least had some vegetables? You need to keep yourself nourished, for your sake and the baby’s.”Regina stirred, her fac
AUTHORS POV Tessa hurried back from the supermarket, clutching her handbag tightly, it had begin to drizzle in trickles. She was glad to have made it back it time just as the rain began to fall in small drops. Her mind was still reeling from the conversation with George, but she forced herself to stay composed. She had barely stepped onto the steps of the office building when she spotted Pedro standing just outside the glass doors, deep in conversation with three well-dressed men. Her jaws dropped. They were all laughing, their expensive suits seemed unruffled under the soft evening breeze the rain brought with its fall. Tessa paused for a heartbeat, considering slipping around the side entrance to avoid them. But Pedro’s sharp eyes had already caught her. “Ah, here she is,” Pedro said with a proud smile, beckoning her over. Tessa swallowed her nerves and walked towards them, she hated the noise her heels made against the floor while she walked. As she got closer, she caught snipp
AUTHORS POVTessa was sorting through a pile of boring paperwork on her desk when her phone started vibrating loudly against her table and honestly, she didn’t want any more business related calls. It had been a long day and she just wanted to wrap up and leave, Camila and Jamie had already left together and Pedro had asked her to stay back so they can go together. After the phone had rung twice, She glanced at the screen and froze.It was Regina.She answered immediately. “Regina?”On the other end of the line, Regina was crying so hard that Tessa could barely make out her words.“You didn’t reply my message,” Regina sobbed, voice breaking in between hiccups. “I sent you a message and you didn’t reply… you left me all alone.”Tessa’s chest tightened with guilt. She pressed the phone closer to her ear, standing up from her chair.“I’m so sorry, Regina,” she said gently. “I wasn’t near my phone. I didn’t mean to ignore you, I swear.”Regina’s breathing was ragged, her words tumbling ou
AUTHORS POV Regina sat on the edge of her bed, her fingers twisted tightly in her lap. The late afternoon light streamed through the curtains, casting a golden glow over her room, but she felt none of its warmth as nervousness and anxiety painfully seeped through her. Her heart pounded heavily against her ribs. She had rehearsed this conversation a hundred times in her head, but now that Franco was standing in front of her, smirking lazily as if he already knew what she was about to say, the words tangled on her tongue. She took a deep breath and forced herself to meet his eyes. “You have been silent since you called me here, it leaves me wondering what’s going on in your mind” he said dryly, running his fingers through his hair. “I’m pregnant,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. For a moment, Franco said nothing. His face held no facial expressions, and Regina clung to a shred of hope that he might reach for her, smile, tell her it would all be alright. Instead,
AUTHORS POV The return to the office after lunch was a slow, dragging affair. The sun beat down on the building, the air was sticky, and the workers moved with a sluggishness that mirrored Tessa’s heavy steps as they made a beeline for their respective duty post. Shortly after Jamie leaves for his desk, Tessa and Camila had barely settled at their desks when a sharp knock sounded on the glass door of their section. It was Andrew, one of Don Pedro’s personal messengers, standing stiffly with a small notepad in his hand. “Camila,” he said, his voice very formal. “The boss wants to see you. Right away.” Camila, who was just booting up her computer, slightly frowned and looked at Tessa. Tessa’s heart skipped oddly. “Why?” Tessa asked before she could stop herself. Andrew shrugged. “No idea. He just said to bring her.” Camila gave Tessa a reassuring little smile, smoothed her blouse, and stood up. “It’s probably work-related,” she muttered. “No big deal.” But Tessa’s stomach twist
AUTHORS POVThe café was buzzing that warm Thursday afternoon, if not for anything but for the fact that Tessa loved the positive atmosphere the environment afforded her; she didn't want to go back to the office or back to the Lorenzo mansion. The clatter of cutlery and soft murmur of voice chatters weaving into a comforting background noise were the only things that reminded her that she wasn't in her comfort zone. Tessa sat at the table by the window with Camila and Jamie, a half-eaten sandwich limp in her hand. The sun outside painted the streets golden, but inside her head, it was cloudy and grey.Jamie leaned across the table, flashing his boyish grin. "Thanks again for the food the other night, Tessa. That food was something else. You didn’t have to, but I'm grateful."Tessa stared through him as if he wasn’t there, her gaze locked somewhere beyond the walls of the café. She didn't blink, didn’t smile, didn’t even twitch.Jamie frowned slightly, exchanging a quick look with Cami
AUTHORS POV The house was unusually quiet when Tessa returned from the shopping mall. She was tempted to kick off her shoes by the door, except for the fact that she was not in the comfort of the room she shared with Pedro. She sighed as the scent of grilled meat and garlic hit her nose, straying from the dining. Her body ached, and all she really wanted was a hot bath and to be left alone. But the silence in the air felt heavy—like something was waiting. She walked into the dining area and found Don Pedro seated at the head of the long glass table. The only sound in the room came from the clinking of his fork against the china plate. The light above him made his presence look even more imposing than usual. He looked up at her, chewing slowly, watching her. “You’re late,” he said flatly, setting his cutlery down. “Join me for dinner.” Tessa forced a polite smile. “I’m not hungry. It’s been a long day. I’d rather go upstairs and rest.” Pedro’s jaw twitched as though he wanted to s