Lahat ng Kabanata ng Choosen : Kabanata 71 - Kabanata 80

Audrey surreptitiously glanced down at the hand intertwined with hers. Vren has been sweeter the past few days. He even canceled on important meetings to go with her doctor’s appointment. He insisted he comes with. It’s not that he was acting strange. He was constant in displaying a thoughtful gesture. It was crossing the thin line to romantic but she keeps that idea locked up in the back of her mind. It was almost like he was trying to win her over.“You know everyone here. And they know you.” He winks, a wry grin on his face.The pool splashed from the familiar faces clad in swim suits. Floats were on the pool, pink lemonades in every hand to balance the afternoon heat. The smell of barbecue made her stomach growled. Nathaniel Forester, one of the few people who skipped the swim suit, approaches them.“Hi. I’m glad you could make it.” He pushed his sunglasses up his head and gave Vren a manly hug before turning to her.“Happy birthday.” Audrey smiled.His

Stilettos clicking on a marbled floor was the sound Audrey grown accustomed to since moving to the city. It sounded more appealing to her ear when she was the one making the sound. High heels are power. And she traded sneakers for power. Her feet weren’t always clad in stilettos. She was once a doe-eyed girl who thought her purpose in life was as simple as her best friend Rachel’s was. However, the naiveté wears off when childhood faded in the background.The tapping of her heels halted as she waits for the elevator. She looks down her burgundy heels, smoothing her skirt. Her mother calling every night becomes bearable enough. Comforting her mother becomes easier after every call from Vren. For the first time in a very long time, she doesn’t feel entirely alone.It became a routine. Her mother calls prior to Vren. And then she falls asleep unceremoniously while listening to him ramble on the other line.Audrey steps in the elevator and pressed the floor to her offic

Vren makes her forget. He makes her light when she’s heavy from the grueling dilemmas she puts herself through. The one thing Audrey favors more is that he makes her feel. She would have been outrageous seeing that one woman transitioned to clichéd life of a novel heroine who has hearts for eyes. Right now, more than ever, she understands why women buys Sassy issue after issue as soon as it hits the stands. It was a beacon of hope to a less boring life.“I thought we all agreed this is just us girls.” Jessica indecisively browse the menu.Kathie’s cup of caramel macchiato clattered noisily on the saucer. “Jess, we don’t have men around. Audrey is just checking on her emails like she always does.”Jessica snorted, pointing a manicured finger her way. “I’ve seen her check emails. All those times ago, she never made that face.”Audrey darted her eyes away from her phone after sending a reply. “I’m not making any face.”They were at their usual hangout after a h

Vren pulled up in the hospital parking lot, slamming the car door shut behind him. He was on his car for four hours. Thanks to the adamant traffic. Kylie was at the entrance of the hospital, bags on both shoulders – one was Audrey’s. She was twiddling with her phone until she sees him approaching. There was relief in her smile as if she just saw an older brother coming in for a rescue.“Finally,” she sighed, typing away in her phone. She’s been updating him and he was more than grateful that her mother is out of the woods.“How is she?”“Her mom’s out of the woods. Audrey is doing okay. She handles herself like a pro,” she answers confidently.It was true. An always polished Audrey could handle almost anything. But she wasn’t a freaking machine. She might disregard that she’s human most of the time, but there’s not a trickling chance he would let her keep to herself now. He wanted her to need him. Almost like needing her to need him. And he’s working on that.

Having her mother discharged from the hospital was one thing but keeping her company was another. Audrey sent Kylie home with Vren. The latter was harder to convince, no surprise there. He didn’t go without a persistent request of allowing him to come back right when he sort some business matters out. And he wants his calls to be answered.Kylie had to handle a few things for her. She notified Christian she’ll be taking the sabbatical leave earlier than she had planned. He happily confirmed he will be taking Sassy under his wings with a subtle implication of amusement to seeing her assistant on a day to day basis. Kylie wouldn’t be pleased about that but it’s not something she can’t handle.Audrey self-consciously stopped by her mirror, her eyes scooting down the little bump that was starting to show. Her hand went over her belly. It’s grown a subconscious habit. The corners of her lips tugged upward into a little smile. It was the only time of the day she was slightly