It wasn't just an article that circulated with those pictures. Jackson couldn't believe his eyes. Why on earth would Natasha do that? There were several pictures of them flying around the internet, his eyes were shut close in the pictures but it revealed enough skin to make people misunderstand, and the worst of it? They were on his bed. Praying that Maria doesn't see it wouldn't stop anything, he knew she was going to, or maybe she already has and was currently cussing at him. He'd do the same too, if he looked at it from her point of view, pictures of your partner with another person whom she knew was interested in him never say anything good, it's only normal she'd doubt him, he needed to talk to her. Comments flew around in swarms, a reasonable amount of them negative, as expected. The ones who knew nothing of his story created their own illusions and conspiracies of how he only married Maria as a font so he could focus on who he truly loved behind the scenes, Natasha. He didn't c

"Last night was quite eventful," she raised a brow as she teased, "I got to learn why the moon wasn't red." Maris was sitting on a stool in the kitchen, waiting for the toaster to beep as it provided her the warm comfort of warm bread. His face flushed instantly but he kept dabbing the towel on his wet hair, he had just woken up and taken his bath. "I swear, I'd never drink again. Alcohol is my worst enemy. I wonder what else I said...or did." He walked aimlessly to the other end of the room, "my head fucking hurts, jeez." You begged me to stay, just like your brother did. And I have no intention of doing that in the way you want."Nah, it's fine, sit, I'd make you something to eat." She offered and he shook his head."I just want to go back to bed and feel sorry for myself for a little while. That's how I get back on my feet. By the way, why are you all dressed up? Do you have somewhere you have to be?" "Yeah, I figured I should talk to Sean myself, hopefully, I make up a bet

"Let me show you the truth, Maria. I'm in love with you."The words she wanted to hear, he spoke with ease, why then does it feel like torture? Maria took a few steps away from him, retreating uneasily from his touch as readiness rose from the pit of her stomach. His eyes were desperate for an answer, positive. That, she couldn't give. There was nothing positive about the damning pit in her, deep enough to swallow. Maria gulped, desperate for defense as it kept slipping through her cold fingers. Her heart had a voice of its own, it chanted yes, it was desperate to see what he supposedly wanted to show. Her mind, however, was too frail, too broken to admit a little part of her wanted to try again. How damaging.Finally, she spoke. "I'd see what there is to see, by myself...not by your feeble trial. If you don't mind." She walked past him, catching a glimpse of the childish mischievousness in his eyes, along with the shades of happiness his lips couldn't conceal. She hadn't said anythin

He was a step closer to reaching, turning the tables, and going back to where he already was. There was a coldness in her eyes as she talked, as she looked at him but if he just stared long enough, it was merely a tap hiding the field of warmth that rested there. He'd keep trying, 'cause...why not? It was that day of the week when he finally has to visit his mother, and he had informed Maria about it, she maintained her distance, although the right accommodation hadn't been provided for her and he didn't know where she currently stayed but the fact that she wouldn't be with him at the penthouse made his stomach. He was sure he loved his old house better. Jackson waddled into the bathroom to get prepared, as crazy as it sounds, he was more excited to see Maria than his mother. Does that make him a horrible person? Even if he was, his foolish heart wouldn't confirm it. He also knew how happy his mother would be to see her, it was hard living off sad excuses of Maria being busy, too

"Come on in, careful..." Jackson said as he helped his mother into his home. He quickly picked up some food wrappers he had miserably left to lie around during the worst few weeks of his life. Without her there, he hadn't felt the need to be a person, he merely just existed, surviving over pizza and his delusions of when things got better. Jackson hadn't realized how in bad shape the house was. And he even forgot to book an appointment with the cleaning services. Harry and Maria were the ones who cared about stuff like that. "Ah, we should have cleaned up before leaving," Maria turned to his mother after throwing Jackson a demeaning look, "we had visitors over earlier...some friends and colleagues, it was quite a party," she chuckled nervously, immediately arranging what she could. She mouthed "clean your house." to Jackson, and he returned a plain but embarrassed smile. "Jackson now has friends!?" Jackson assisted her in occupying the comfiest couch, "It's a miracle he met you,