"Are you nervous?" That's what Lara asked her husband Joaquin after she fixed his tie. Joaquin sighed and then looked at her lovingly. "Mom, Dad, let's go?" Quin was the youngest of their two sons. "Okay, son," Lara said then looked up at her husband's handsome face again. "Come on and your daughter might think that you don't want to walk her to the altar," she joked to her husband who didn't even answer as she could see the still slightly sad on his face. It was the wedding day of their oldest daughter, Callie. She understands her husband's feelings because Callie is their only daughter. In over twenty years they have been blessed with two sons. Caleb and the youngest, Joaquin Antoni III, who looks just like his grandfather, Joaquin Sr. After the incident at the beach resort, just like Joaquin said, he fixed everything. Everyone who deserves to be punished has been punished. Robert and Selena were there, even the middleman Boying who really set the cottage on fire. Cortez wh
Lara released a deep sigh as she gazed at the tombstone of her departed mother, Edna. It had been over a year since her mother passed away due to a heart ailment, yet even now, she couldn’t fully come to terms with the fact that she was gone. Edna became pregnant at a very young age. According to her mother’s story when she was still alive, she used to work as a waitress in a bar. That’s where she met her father, one of her customers. Lara asked her mother about her father’s name, but her mother replied that with the many patrons she had back then, it was impossible to pinpoint which one of them was her father. Despite it all, she never harbored any resentment towards her mother. She couldn’t find it in her heart to feel that way because the truth was, she loved her mother dearly. Until now, her mother remained the driving force behind all her efforts. At the age of two, her mother was still working at that nightclub. She didn’t leave because she hoped her father would come back for
TWO DAYS LATER... “PAPA?” Lara couldn’t comprehend the sudden rush of intense fear that flooded her as she opened their front door and found her stepfather Rodolfo looking distressed. “Sweetheart, go hide; they might take you!” Rodolfo urgently pushed her into the house and drew her into her room. Lara’s fear deepened at his words. “W-What do you mean? W-Who will take me?” she stammered, her chest heavy with a mix of emotions. “Don’t ask too many questions, just listen to Papa, hurry up!” She had no choice but to obey. She concealed herself in her bedroom, seeking refuge behind an antique wardrobe. Despite her anxiety, she could still hear heated arguments and harsh words being exchanged, directed at her father. “Are you going to pay, or should I just kill you?” a man’s furious voice echoed. With trembling steps, Lara left her hiding spot and cautiously made her way towards the closed door, careful to avoid making any noise on the creaking wooden floor. Peeking through the smal
"Are you nervous, Venus?" the van driver, Delfin, asked Lara as they headed to the party. Delfin, an older man who seemed about the same age as her father, possessed a gentle demeanor that mirrored her Papa's. His kind tone resonated with genuine kindness. Lara nodded, stealing a quick glance at Delfin before turning her attention back to the passing scenery outside the window. "I-I don't know if I can go through with what they'll ask of me," her voice trembled as she spoke, though she held back her tears. Delfin's heavy sigh was audible. "That's for you to decide," he offered, giving her a meaningful look as their eyes met. "What do you mean?" Lara inquired. He simply shrugged. "Did you know that the police apprehended the three men who sold you here? Your father reported it right away," he shared, his gaze still fixed on her. She remained silent thereafter. The truth was she wasn't quite sure what Delfin was implying, but she had plans to escape after this ordeal anyway. Even
"Good morning, sir," the guard greeted Joaquin with a smile at the entrance of the tall building owned by him and his father, Joaquin Antonio, Sr. "Good morning," Joaquin replied, returning the smile. This was a daily routine in his life, starting his mornings in the office and ending them here. "Good morning, sir," Alma, his father's former secretary, greeted him. He now occupied the fifth floor, where his office was located. The Antonio Paper Corporation was the largest paper company in the Philippines. They distributed well-known imported paper brands as well. But their business wasn't limited to paper production. They also handled major brands of writing materials and art supplies, such as popular watercolors used for painting. This company was his father's legacy, and as the only child, he was obliged at an early age to learn the ins and outs of the business to eventually take over its management. He was only five years old when his mother died in a car accident. His father h
"You're always in such a hurry to go home; maybe once in a while in your very busy life, it wouldn't hurt to unwind," Cynthia commented after turning down Lara's offer to join her cousin's birthday celebration. Lara laughed softly and continued to fix her things. "Maybe it's really like this when you have a child. You're always excited to go home because you want to see your baby right away, who you know is eagerly waiting for you to arrive," she explained to Cynthia. "Oh, Lara Athena, you've been like that even before. It's a good thing I love my goddaughter; I have enough reason not to be angry with you anymore," Cynthia said, following her words with a weak laugh. Lara then approached Cynthia at her table and kissed her on the cheek. "Thanks, I have to go. I still need to buy something for my baby girl." "Okay, see you tomorrow," Cynthia said. Time flies so fast. It seemed like the biggest nightmare of her life had just happened. That was when she was forced and taken by three
From a deep sleep, Lara awoke quickly when she heard the bedroom door open and close. "I'm sorry if I woke you up," it was Joaquin who laughed softly. She just nodded then hugged herself. "Won't you let me leave yet?" Lara asked, glancing at the man sitting on the divan at the foot of the bed. That's when she saw the man glance at his wristwatch. "It's dangerous if I let you go now. If it's okay with you, you can spend the night here," he said kindly, then smiled at her. Lara was speechless at what the man said because he was right. It was late at night, and it would not be nice and safe for a woman like her to go out and travel at such a time. "I-It seems quiet outside?" that was what she commented when she noticed that the noise she had heard outside the room was gone. The man nodded. "Yes, wait, maybe you want to eat again. Do you want me to get you some food? I haven't even been able to celebrate my birthday with you yet," he said in a lively tone with a strange touch of sinc
LARA wasn't sure if it was because it was her first kiss, the taste of the wine in Joaquin's mouth, or the beer she drank, but she quickly felt very intoxicated because of the fury of that kiss. She couldn't say when or how, but she was surprised and seemed to come to her senses when she felt her back against the soft bed. Obviously, the man's kiss affected her so deeply. She didn't even know if he was married or had a girlfriend. But at that very moment, it seemed that everything was not important to her. Lara seemed to want to admit to herself that just like Joaquin had told her a while ago, he could get her in such a way that he didn't have to use force, because she herself would ask for more, for something she knew he could still give. "Joaquin," she whispered as her lips dropped to her neck. "Yes?" he questioned in response to her. "Maybe you're married already, don't do this to me just in case," she said. Lara heard the faint laugh that made its way down the man's throat.