After the confrontation, Stella and Fernand leave the room. Disappointment was seen in Fernand’s eyes, while there was a sly smirk on Stella’s lips when she turned around. The mother and daughter pair surely planned this all along. They make sure she can't retaliate against them.
Only Hazel and Lauren were left inside the room.Hazel smiles triumphantly. She slowly walked towards Lauren – who's crying right now. She even mimics Lauren's cry and acts as if she's wiping her tears.“Tsk. You really look pitiful right now.” A wicked smile clearly showed on her face. “You will never win against me. Don't you know that?"Lauren glared at her. "Are you happy now? You destroy my reputation in front of our father."“Duh, of course! Dad doesn’t even care and believe you anymore. And soon, you will be kicked out of this house! But too bad... you’re not yet destroyed to the point you can't stand on your feet." Hazel laughed, then grabbed Lauren's hair. “If you want to at least live here peacefully, you should know your place! This will be a simple warning for you. Enjoy while you're here… my dear sister." Hazel said, emphasizing the last three words before she storms out of the room.Lauren felt her knees lose their strength. She sat down and hugged her knees. She silently cries in her room – that looks like a total mess right now.She hates them.But…She hates herself even more.Why the hell did she cry over that matter? Isn’t she used to it? Since the day she takes a step inside this house, the mother and daughter pair keeps on making her life miserable. Even her father was oblivious to what they were doing to her. All he knew was that they have a harmonious family and only Lauren was the one that keeps on making trouble. Therefore, he doesn’t even know what the real situation in his house is and the truth behind their lies.Or maybe… maybe he was just pretending not to know. It was an act all along....Meanwhile in the Alvarez Residence.A manor in the West River Palace – a village where prominent families reside.A warm atmosphere will welcome you, with calming classical music being heard and played in the house.“Good morning, everyone!" Amara energetically greeted everyone in the dining hall.“Good morning, sweetheart!" Her mother greets her back. Amara kisses her parents' cheeks before she sits down. She put some pancakes and fruits on her plate. While the maid poured apple juice on her glass and some water on another glass.Amara looks at her father who’s busy reading the newspaper, then at his brother.Kaizer ignores her sister and just silently eats his meal, yet he can't concentrate because of Amara's gaze.He stops eating. He furrowed his brow and asked, “Do you need anything?"Amara shakes her head. But the truth is, she wants to ask her brother about something but doesn’t know how to start.She sliced the pancakes on her plate and started eating. The truth was, she’s focusing on her food because she’s thinking about how she can ask her brother about a certain topic.Their father faked a cough, then folded the newspaper. He sips his coffee.Emily put down her utensils and shifted her gaze on them. Kaizer felt that they wanted to ask something but was still hesitating. Therefore, he was the one who initiated the conversation.“Just ask what you want to ask." Kaizer nonchalantly said, then he averted his attention back in eating his breakfast.Amara gathered enough courage to say what's on her mind. “Brother, I’m just curious... Are you gay?" she innocently asks.Kaizer almost spit out the food in her mouth after hearing those ridiculous things.He also put down his utensils. But before speaking something, he first wipes his mouth with a serviette. “What did you say?" He glared at his sister. There’s even a hint of threat in his voice.“I asked if you are gay." Amara blinks her eyes as she bluntly repeats her questions. She even rolled her eyes before continuing to eat her food. She acts as if that topic is just a normal conversation they are having everyday.Emily joined in their conversation. “Well, in just a few years you will be 30, yet you don't have a girlfriend. You also don’t have any interest in girls. You kept on rejecting the girls I set up for your blind date. Kaizer, you don't have to hide it. We will understand you, it's just that we are worried about you."Of course, she only said that, but the truth was Emily wishes for her son to marry soon. She can’t wait to have grandchildren to hold. It's been years since Kaizer met and dated a girl. Emily thinks that Kaizer's last relationship was when he was in high school.“Where the hell did you hear this? You know that it's total nonsense! A baseless rumor."Kaizer got pissed off. He feels that his family was doubting his sexuality. Shouldn't they be the ones who know the truth and don't believe what they hear from other people?“Mom, I think… brother is in the denial stage. Maybe we need to arrange someone for him as soon as possible." Amara suggested.Amara needs to work hard from now on to find a suitable sister-in-law. All her mother’s candidates get rejected in a short amount of time. First, she needs to find out what type of girls he’s interested in.Kaizer scoffs at their words. “Why do you think I’m gay? Just because I don't have a girlfriend right now, means I'm gay. I know myself well, and you know that I’m not like that. I am happy with my life right now and I'm not planning to change anything at this moment. What I want to do in my life and whom I want to spend my life with is my right and my decision alone. I won't bat an eye just because there’s a false rumor spreading about me."“Then, you were saying you're not gay?" This time… the one who asked was his father.‘Was I’m not clear on my explanation?’ Kaizer grunted."Yes. Although I'm not seeing, nor dating any woman right now, that doesn’t mean I like or want to sleep with men. I won't look for a woman, because I need to. I won't date anyone that I'm not interested in or because you want me to. Don't worry, one day I will change myself because I want to, so you don't have to worry or force me anymore."“Well then, that's reassuring." His father sighed in relief. As a parent, they don't want their child to be alone in their life when they are gone.Because if there's a possibility that he didn’t marry, wouldn't their genes be a waste? And knowing his wife, Emily won’t stand still, not until Kaizer gets married or even after he gets married. She won’t be settled until she carries a grandchild in her arms.“I'm finished. I need to go to the company because I still have a meeting this morning.” Kaizer excuses himself.“I will be the one to visit here again when I'm not busy." His intention was clear. Don’t bother him again with those trivial matters. He's busy, for him to come over every day to the main house, and he has a villa where he can live, especially since it was near his workplace.Amara, who was still not finished eating, quickly swallowed her food.“Ah… brother, wait for me!" She drank some water and hurriedly followed her brother.“Goodbye Mom, Dad!"Emily shook her head and chuckled as she looked at the two figures walking away....“You have a car, why do you always need to hitchhike in my car?” Kaizer annoyingly asked when Amara got inside the car. She sat down in the passenger seat in front. Amara turned her head to see her brother’s furrowed face at the backseat, then answered his question. “Too lazy to drive.”“Hire a driver then.”“I don't have time.”“We have a family driver. Let him be your driver.”Amara shrugged. “Mom needs it when she's going somewhere.”Kaizer could only do a facepalm after hearing her answers. Meanwhile, Jason, Kaizer’s assistant slash driver kept quiet as the siblings argued. It was a family quarrel. It’s difficult to butt in, so it’s best to be silent. Since his job might be affected if he gets involved. Amara ignored her older brother’s displeasure.“Anyway, I want to ask what type of girls you prefer, so that I can introduce you to someone that might interest you this time.”Kaizer massages his temple. If he knew that his sister would insist on this topic, he wouldn’t give her a ride.As Amara kept on talking about girls, he distracts himself by looking at the reports on his laptop. It’s better to read business reports about their projects and focus on them rather than listen to his sister.Minutes have passed and all that's left in the room was Lauren. She’s still sitting and crying on the floor. She's used to that kind of scenario, but she doesn't know why the hell she is crying right now. Maybe because her father won't believe her anymore or is it because she realizes that from the very beginning, she doesn't have someone to rely on.Her stepmother and sister were always scheming behind her back and she always falls for it. She’s too weak to retaliate, and she’s too kind to plot and scheme back on them. Because above everything that they have done to her, Lauren is still believing that someday… they will change.Lauren sighs. It’s too late… too late for her to realize that it won’t happen.She stood up and composed herself. Why would you cry on something that is not worthy of your tears? She scolds herself for being weak at that moment.Lauren wiped her tears, then she looked around at that messy room. From today onwards, she’s goin
Theo turned around to face Hazel and held the girl's hands.Concern was written all over his face.Hazel bit her lower lip, she knows that Theo only cares for Lauren as a little sister, but she can't help it. Her sister is beautiful and she's jealous of Lauren. She's able to get the man's attention without exerting any effort.“We all know how hard-working Lauren is. Therefore Hazel, as her sister you should remind her to rest." Theo reminded her.“You know babe, I always talk to her about it, but she's hard-headed. She doesn't listen to me anymore. I don't know what to do with her. Our parents were also worried about her." Theo knows how worried Hazel is for her sister. "Maybe you need to talk to her again. Persuade her, maybe this time she will understand you. And if she's not still listening, I'm the one who will talk to her about it. I don't want you stressing yourself over a small thing." Theo hugged Hazel for her to calm down. She unconsciously tightens
Lauren was so focused on her work that she didn’t mind what was happening around her.The moment she looked at the entrance, shock was written on Lauren's face. It was Hazel. Greeting the other guest as she entered the venue.Lauren was nervous as hell! If her sister knows that she’s there, Hazel for sure would do anything to embarrass her. It’s because she loves seeing her have a hard time.They didn’t know that she was working and even if she was working or not… they don’t care. They assume that she’s living her best life, partying… going somewhere… and creating problems. But it is still different if her sister finds out that she’s working there.Thus, she was sure that if Hazel saw her right now, she would tell it to their parent. And if that happens, she might even lose her job. Like what she did a few years ago.Lauren quickly retreated, and because she was in a panic, she didn't notice the person at her back. She almost lost
Lauren makes a trip to the top deck after she finishes organizing the luggage to her designated cabin. She only brought a handbag and one suitcase that had enough clothes for her during a one-week trip on the cruise ship.Soon enough, the cruise ship set sail.Lauren tucked some stray hair behind her ears and stared at the sea. Watching the fiery sun moving towards the sea. The sky horizon turned into a brilliant blue, consisting of mixed colors of red, orange, and yellow. The breeze hummed in silence and in harmony with the waves that gently hit the cruise ship. The waters below reflect the breathtaking scenery.Lauren silently admires the scene as her hair sways as if it’s going with the flow of the wind. She felt a sudden ease in her mind and body. These past few days she felt empty inside, but as soon as she stepped on this ship… the exhaustion she felt was gone like a bubble that popped into the air. In contrast to what she felt in their house, the
The woman could only look at the couple who were whispering with each other in front of her. Her gaze trailed off to Kaizer’s hand that was holding Lauren’s waist. By looking at them you can see how well their chemistry was with each other. They suit each other. “I don’t even know you and I don’t want to meddle in your problem.” Lauren firmly said in a whisper. She took a vacation to get away from the problem even for a moment, but who would have thought that in less than a day… Seriously? She was only there for a few hours but there was already a problem. It seems luck wasn't in her life. “Just this one miss. I promise I will pay you back. Anything you want in return for your help." Kaizer whispered back to Lauren. Kaizer doesn't even want to ask for help from others, but in his current circumstances, he has no choice. He noticed a while ago that the woman has no interest in him and it was a sign for him to ask f
Kaizer breathed a sigh of relief after Lauren spoke. He thought something was going on with her. Instead of talking to Lauren to talk about the company, Kaizer shifted his attention to Jason. However, Jason stood quietly at the side and just waiting for his boss's order. "Prepare the food." Kaizer commands. Kaizer held Lauren’s hand then guided her to the dining area. He pulls a chair and lets Lauren sit there. She couldn't grasp what was happening. It felt that the information was still loading in her head. She remains speechless. While Lauren troubles herself about the information she finds out about the man. Kaizer who was in the opposite seat was just quietly reading the documents. Even in front of the meal he was still busy doing some work, Lauren's thought. “Anyway, who’s that girl earlier?” she curiously asks Kaizer. For sure she had the right to know who the woman was earlier. Somehow she had a part in
Lauren sighs when she sees what time it is. It's almost one in the afternoon. After eating breakfast earlier, she returned to her cabin since she was still sleepy. She only wants to take a nap, but it seems she slept for too long. How could she not sleep longer? The morning has arrived, but she's still wide awake. She rolled over on the bed multiple times, played some lullaby, and already started counting sheep, but nothing worked. Add to that her body clock, which causes her to wake up early even though she goes to bed late at night. Hence, if she hasn't felt her back aching, and her stomach didn't feel the hunger, she'll surely get up later. As soon as she got up from her bed, the first thing she did was some stretching. Then she went to the bathroom after that to take a shower. Lauren wears a pinstripe off-shoulder dress then matches it with a lace-up sandal. Lauren grabbed the pouch from the top of the bed before finally leaving her room. The picture of chocolate suddenly fl
Lauren had nothing else to do so she just stayed there for a while. She only had one week on the cruise ship. It would be a waste if she chose to stay inside her cabin. She heard that many events were prepared for the entire week. Aside from that, there are a lot of activities you can do onboard. Starting tonight, she will make sure that she will have fun. Kaizer went back to his business, while Lauren was listening to music and eating the snacks prepared for her. They were minding each other’s business. And even though there was a deafening silence between them, they were comfortable with each other. When Lauren saw how long she had been sitting there, she prepared to leave. She stands up and bids farewell to him. “I’m going first. I need to rest before going to battle.” She jokingly said. Kaizer laughed at what she had said then nodded The time Lauren left was also the time when Jason arrived. “Prepare a dress for Lauren that she can wear at the party tonight and assign someone