Lahat ng Kabanata ng HORNY BOSS: Kabanata 101 - Kabanata 110

VERA'S POVTwo months ago, I thought Jack was being ridiculous. He kept saying Monica might still be alive, even though we went to her funeral and laid flowers at her grave. I figured the man he hired was just out to scam him, taking advantage of his desperation. I didn't believe a word of it.Now? I'm shaking even though the weather isn't cold. If someone else had claimed they saw Monica, I would have called them crazy. I would have argued with facts, reminded them of her death certificate and the burial. But I saw her with my own eyes. It wasn’t a ghost or a lookalike. It was Monica. Real, breathing, and with a look in her eyes that wasn’t from the other side, it was full of bitterness, jealousy, and fire. She’s alive, and she’s angry.What am I supposed to believe now? That she faked her death just to come back and haunt me? That she wanted us to drop our guard so she could reappear and strike when we least expected? That everything she showed us in her final days was a lie?"What

WRITER'S POVJack threw on his clothes and kissed Vera softly on the forehead before slipping out of their bedroom. She murmured something in her sleep behind him, but he didn’t stop or look back. He had no idea if she would wake up right after, and frankly, he couldn't afford to wait, he needed to check on the boys before heading out.It was still early. The living room looked like a storm had passed through: empty drink bottles rolling under the coffee table, food containers and wrappers littering every corner, wine glasses left on window sills, and the remains of a night full of people and noise. So much for a new home. Jack ignored it all and headed for the front door.He stepped outside into the cold. Light raindrops pattered on the carport’s canopy. He pulled his hoodie over his head and looked around. He wondered if Hannah’s family, or Nathan and Jessica, had left last night or crashed in the guest rooms.Still, none of them were on his mind. Only one person was: Reverend Israe

JACK'S POVIt was time to have a real conversation with Vera. We hadn’t really talked since that day in the garden, even though we promised to always be honest with each other. After our guests left, the house got quiet. We were alone in the kitchen, washing the dishes. Malone had downed a cup of coffee and gone upstairs. Timothy had left with Hannah’s family. He was already best friends with Tasha.Half an hour later, as I rinsed the last plate, I finally answered the question Vera had asked earlier. "I went to see Monica’s father to confirm something. You won’t believe what he told me."She leaned on the sink, arms crossed. "I was worried, Jack. You shouldn't leave like that without telling me."I placed the last plate in the rack, dried my hands with the small blue towel, and hung it back up. "You didn’t even ask me what I found out. And you don’t seem surprised."She looked away. "I saw Monica last night. She’s back in our lives, and I get it, you want to fix things with her. Even

JACK’S POVI felt Vera shiver beside me, and when I turned to check her face, it was clear, she looked scared and confused. Slowly, I looked back at Maureen, who was now standing and blowing cigarette smoke into the air.“What are you talking about? I’ve always known Monica. I never even heard of you. I used to visit her dorm, and her roommate was a guy. A gay guy, to be exact,” I said, confused, my forehead wrinkled as I tried to remember everything clearly.“We met at our school parking lot,” Maureen started calmly. “You tried to park your white pickup truck and hit my black BMW. You kept apologizing and promised to fix it. But I was having a terrible day, so instead, I slashed your tires.”She turned around now, facing us while her back touched the window glass. A soft smile pulled at her lips.“And I told you, ‘Now we’re even, so no hard feelings.’ Then we both laughed like crazy. We had our cars towed to a nearby repair shop, and while waiting, we shared pizza and ice cream. That

VERA'S POVIt was a cool evening when she was laid to rest. I stood quietly beside her grave, not really sure how I felt. She hadn’t been the best mother, but she still said "bless you" when someone sneezed. That had to mean something. Still, I never understood how she could watch me suffer at the hands of her boyfriend. It made me doubt if I was ever truly her daughter. But even with all that, I never wished death on her. Not this soon.We were slowly becoming friends, trying to fix things between us. She really cared about Jessica, even though she stayed distant. She hadn’t been sick, and she wasn't the type to take her own life. Yet, she died so quietly. According to Jessica, she lay down beside her one night and didn't wake up the next morning.Thanks to Jack, we had gotten the chance to make peace. But I thought she'd do more. Maybe say sorry. Maybe try to be a better mother. I thought she would at least try to be present, to make up for all the time lost. Instead, she chose eter