“Sir?” A knock coming from his office door made Gustav to lifted his head from his papers.“Yes?”“You have a visitor.” Amber peered down, and have him an anxious smile. “And I believe it doesn’t matter whether you are expecting her or not, that’s what she said—”“Of course, my son knows that I don’t need any appointment, Miss.” Behind Amber, a woman pushed open the door.It shows a middle age aristocrat clad in a fancy dress. She looks to be about on her 50’w, but her face doesn’t look that old. She have a pale skin, a reddish lips and a soft features that match Gustav’s eyes and his nose. They look alike, but how can they not be, when it is no other than his own mother?Juliet Rexene Salvador.“Mom.” Gustav instantly frowns, while signalling Amber to leave the room. “What are you doing here?”“Aren’t you at least happy to see me here, my dear boy?” Juliet pursed her lips. “You know, I’ve travelled almost 6000 kilometres from State just so I could see you, and here you are, already s

"Don’t make me your enemy.”That’s what Lauren said before she let her go, and of course, her warning was futile. Mrs. Roswell was mad. Her fury made her face red as she drove home.“That bitch!” She spat out. “We made a deal, and now she thinks she can just order me around just like her men? Ha!”How can she just let things to run smoothly for her, but not for her family? She couldn’t just let Grace marry somebody poor. Eliot is no longer fits for her. He would just be a burden, but that doesn’t mean she was letting the Duke’s off the hook.Not this time. Lauren had pushed her limit, closer, when she owed her everything she have today.“Everything.” Mrs. Roswell clenched her jaw.For an instance, she was reminded of that day.“Lauren, what did you do?” Soleil felt fear crept on her chest.It was a midday of December, when her friend decided to meet her husband’s mistress. Lauren told her that it would be quick, but the noise that leads her inside, the screams and the furniture and br

“I—” Raquel gulps. The awkward air made the atmosphere between them thickens. Even with David, she had never been this nervous, only with Eliot. Only with this man, whom she always wonder—“Why?”“Why?” Eliot looked at her.“Why do you wanted to help me?” She was straightforward. “…so bad?”Raquel didn’t know, but Eliot was like a breathe of fresh air, away from the abuse. He was the same stranger. Always carefree. Always the risk-taker. He was full of freedom, while she’s not. And she will not drag someone to the same hell just because she was chained there.Elliot is just…too precious to be contaminated by her toxic family.“And I wasn’t blind, I don’t want to assume, but your action speaks of a pursuant man.” She bit her lips. “And you know…I am married, I am no longer free, Eliot.”“Raquel…” Eliot took a deep breathe, before looking at her. “Would your doubt be compensated, if I told you that I like you?”“Don’t give me that crap, Eliot.” With him around, Raquel felt free expressin

[WARNING for 18+: Triggering scenes ahead.]“Had you learn your lesson already, Raquel?” Geneva Roswell asked her eldest. She was calmly sitting opposite to her, while she sipped her morning tea.Raquel nodded her head.“I am, Ma.” Her voice is empty.She was motionless, while her mother smiled sweetly as if she didn’t do anything wrong.“Perfect!” Her mother clapped her hands together. “Now that you have, go change yourself, because you really stink! My God, what kind of filth had clings on you on that place, I could never imagine!”I could also never imagine that you would put me behind bars. Her grudge was unending.Raquel submissively stood up and went upstairs.Under the shower, she scrub her skin. Hard. Until it gets reddened, painful enough to made her sobs. It is not because she was scared anymore, but it was directed to another pain cause by somebody else.Eliot.“I was coming. Wait for me.”But he never did.Raquel waited, but no presence of him showed up until her mother de

“Are you following me?” When the two of them had gotten alone, Raquel couldn’t help herself, but be frank.“What made you think I am?” Eliot raised his eyebrows.“Because you are exactly on the same place, where I am supposed to be.” She squinted her eyes.“Then it wasn’t my fault, Mrs. Smith.” Eliot countered back, emphasizing the last word. “A coincidence can happen.”“Coincidence, my ass.” But Raquel isn’t backing down. “I know what you are doing. How many times do I have to tell you that I am not going to accept your help—”Only to get stopped, when the door to the kitchen was pushed open.Sister Eliza looked to the pair, “Is everything okay here?”“Well, yes, sister.” Her expression changes. She smiled softly at the nun. “We’re just uh…uh, right. We are trying to discuss what meal to prepare for the children.”“Oh, really?” Sister Eliza exclaimed with utter delight. “The children would be happy knowing that you two made it! Don’t worry, I’ll leave you two. Enjoy!”And then the d