Oliver POV
"Is it enough?" I asked Raymond, he stopped stirring the strawberries and took the beater from my hand. He moved it around the batter and lifted it up."Okay, good." He gave me a thumbs up and I nodded while putting the bowl on the island."Why don't you ask Robert to cook for you or Julia?" I asked him. I don't understand why he wants to cook when his hand is injured."I want to make these pancakes." He smiled but it disappeared into a frown."Did you and Julia fight? Is that why you're making her special breakfast?""No, it's not like that." He furrowed his eyebrows. "Why do you assume I'm making this as an apology?""Because I know my little brother." I've been seeing him since he was born."How many times did I cook for you then?" He poured a scoop of batter in the pan and added swirls of strawberry sauce on the pancake."Maybe ten, I didn't include the cookies you made when you're sixteen which are as hard as stones." He laughed and I plucked a strawberry in my mouth with a smile."That's why you send me to college to study business." I nodded as he flipped the pancake. He didn't talk to me until I got him into culinary school."I didn't know you'd turned out to be a great chef then." I told him honestly. He chuckled."Well, I didn't regret going there. I need to thank you for that." He had a sad smile on his face. Something happened when he was there, he didn't tell me how many times I asked. Sometimes he cried in my arms. I don't know how to comfort him. I only saw him smiling again after Julia came into his life.Raymond poured more batter in the pan. I looked at the stack of pancakes on the plate. The smell is delicious. And these strawberry pancakes remind me of the special one in my life. The one who stole my heart.It's been five years since she left me. I saw her again a few days back. I didn't know she's Julia's friend. I was surprised to see her in their house.Maria. A common name. I didn't find it beautiful until I saw her.I shook my head, clearing my thoughts of her. I shouldn't think of her now. It always makes me angry and hurts me the most. My eyes drifted to the door and a small girl was peeking inside. Her eyes stayed on Raymond, she's watching his every move."Hi!" Her eyes turned to me startled. She looks like she was caught stealing a cookie. I chuckled at her. "Come here."She looked at Raymond and then at me before coming inside. I bent to her height and extended my hand."I'm Oliver." She shook my hand with her little ones."Su…" Her eyes drifted to Raymond for a second. "Mommy calls me Mara.""Well Mara, do you want strawberries?" She nodded excitedly. I lifted her in my arms. "Here!"She's so adorable. She is munching the strawberry holding it with two hands."Do you want to eat pancakes, Mara?" She nodded to Raymond who had a bright smile on his face."You're so adorable. Will you be my friend?" I asked her."Will you play with me?" She questioned with a cute face. Who can say no to that face?"Of course!" She squealed and threw her hand around my neck."Can I join too?" Raymond asked."But Mommy said no play when sick." She pointed at his injured hand with a pout. He frowned and I chuckled."We should let him play with us or else he'll cry." She gasped."Really? I don't want him to cry." Raymond made a face that he's about to cry."Then you let him play, right?" She nodded leaning towards him from my arms and gave him a kiss on the cheek."Yay!" Raymond squealed happily, making Mara laugh. He kissed her cheek and I'm sure she felt surprised. "Breakfast is ready, let's go."I put Mara down and held her hand. I saw someone talking with Julia and Robert. Her top matches with Mara's frock. She must be her mother. She turned around and I stopped in my tracks.Her smile turned into a frown. She looked up at me and I heard her gasp. She looked away from me and it hurts.What's she doing here? Julia didn't mention that she invited her."Mommy!" Mara left my hand and ran towards her. My heart stopped beating for a second. She has a daughter? "Mommy, come meet my new friend. His name is Oliver."I shift my gaze between the mother and daughter duo. Does she have Mara with the person she cheated on me?That thought alone made my blood boil. How can she do this? I love her so much that I want to kill the other person. No one should touch her the way I do."Raymond, I told you not to go into the kitchen." Julia yelled, bringing me out of thoughts."Sorry." He told her, he was not. They started bickering, making us chuckle. My smile disappeared as I saw Maria. She's smiling but I saw her wiping away the tears."Okay lovebirds, you can fight later. Let's eat now." Katherine ushered us to the dining table."Mommy, you love strawberry pancakes. Why are you not eating it?" Mara asked innocently. Maria placed her finger on her lips to silence her daughter. The little girl pouted and returned to her breakfast."Maria, pancakes?" Julia offered to serve her."No thanks, my plate is full." She gave her a tight smile. Her plate is only half filled."Raymond, are you okay?" I shifted my eyes to my brother and he looked upset. He held her hand and gave it a small squeeze. He smiled and nodded looking at me telling me that he's okay. I gave him a small smile. I don't want him to worry about me. Maria is a part of my life he doesn't know.Julia and Katherine talked mostly as everyone ate silently listening to them. And I barely touched the food. My thoughts have been occupied by the woman sitting in front me."Oliver, it seems like you're missing Scarlett. You didn't touch anything thinking about her." I looked at Julia when I heard my name and it took me some time to register what she said. "Don't worry, your fiance will be here in two to three days.""Excuse me." Maria excused herself and left the dining table with her daughter.I excused myself from the dining table. I couldn't stay there after hearing Oliver has a fiance. The image of him with his secretary in his lap flashed in front of eyes. It's been five years, I still couldn't imagine him with another woman. "Mommy, are you crying?" Mara asked with a pout. I wiped away the tears with the back of my hand and gave her a small smile. I lifted her up in my arms and climbed the stairs. "Papá made you cry?" "No sweetheart. I'm missing someone else." I told her honestly. I don't like lying to her but at the same time she can't understand the truth. "Papá hurt you." Her eyes teared. "No, don't say that. It's not his fault, he was hurt too." I don't want her to hate him. Even if she won't say it out I know she misses him. She needs her father in her life. "You didn't eat the pancakes he made." I wiped her tears. I know he made those pancakes for me as an apology. It's his habit. I smiled remembering the times he made pancakes for me. I just don't know ho
I'm still working in my room when Mara came tired after all the playing but had a bright smile on her face. No one will believe that she's tired. My smile flattened when I realised the reason behind her big smile. It's her first time, spending time with her father. I pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry, sweetheart." She pulled away and frowned. "Mommy, why are you sorry? Are you leaving me?" Tears formed in her eyes. I cupped her face with my hands."No sweetheart, I'm not leaving you. I'm sorry I didn't tell your father about you. You miss him a lot, don't you?" She shook her head. "It's not your fault, Mommy." She hugged me tightly. "I want to tell him." She pulled away and looked at me with excitement. "Really?" I nodded and kissed her forehead. "Elena, am I making the right decision?" I looked at Elena. She had a smile on her face. "Yes, he needs to know." I nodded and made Mara sit on my lap. "So, when are you going to tell him?" "Soon. I'll tell him soon." I sighed and she
"Mommy, wake up!" I groaned, pulling the blanket over my head. Please let me sleep for some more time. "Mommy, wake up! I'm hungry.""Isn't Elena here?" I asked groggily. I slept after four in the morning. I don't know who to blame, Oliver or Rafael? "No." I groaned and sat on the bed. I rubbed my eyes and pushed my hair back. "Mommy, you look like a zombie." I smiled and caught her shoulders, pulled her onto the bed. She giggled, struggling to get out of my grip. "I'm going to eat you." I tried to sound like a zombie. "No, don't eat me." She tried to get away from me while giggling. Before I bit her shoulders, someone knocked on the door. The door opened revealing Elena. "Woah! You look like dead." Elena exclaimed. Mara got out of my grip and sat in my lap. "Did you pack your overnight bag?" She raised her bag before putting it down. "Mommy, where are you going?" Mara looked at me with a pout. "Breakfast first. I'll tell you later." I put her down and I climbed out of bed too
Oliver POV"I love you." I pecked her lips and traced my fingers along her jaw. The movie playing on the TV is long forgotten. Who cares about the movie when I've a beautiful girlfriend to look at?"I love you more." She snaked her arms around me and pulled me into a kiss. I smiled into the kiss. She pulled away with a serious face. "You'll be responsible if I die." "What?" She laughed at my reaction. "Sometimes I feel like my heart is going to explode with your love." I chuckled, pulling her into my lap. I capture her lips once again. I pulled away with a smile. "Maria? I want to introduce you to my family." Her smile was gone as she pushed her hair behind her ear. "W..what?" She bit her lip nervously. I'm afraid she's going to say no. "I don't think I'm ready." "You already met my sister. She loves you. You don't have to be nervous about anything. They'll love you." I squeezed her hand. She looked at me and smiled. "When are we doing this?" I sighed in relief. I didn't know th
Sound of my phone buzzing woke me up. I searched the bed for my phone, my eyes still closed. I answered it without opening my eyes. “Hello?” My harsh sleepy voice is cringeworthy. “Maria, are you still sleeping?” He scolded me on the phone.“No, dancing.” I joked sitting up on my bed.“It’s three in the afternoon.” He sounded disappointed with me.“Come on, I've jet lag.” I frown, even though he can’t see me frowning. I looked around my room yawning, then I caught my reflection in the mirror on the side wall and cringed. If I go out like this everyone will think that the city is under zombie attack. My hair is so messy and I’m damn sure it’ll take an hour or more to make them free of knots.“Anyway, are you coming to the office tomorrow or not?” He asked, knowing well that he can’t make me come to the office today. I put my phone between my shoulder and ear. I ran my hands through my hair trying to free the knots.“What are you going to do, Billy? You know you can’t even fire me.” I
“Miss? We’re here.” The cab driver pulled me out of my thoughts. “Thank you.” I paid the driver and rushed inside the hospital. While I was in the cab, Elena sent a text to come to room 202. I was panting heavily. "Room 202?" I asked the blond receptionist. “Second floor, stairs on the right.” She directed me to the stairs. “Thank you!” I quickly went to the right. When I climbed on the stairs, I looked to my left and saw Mara and Elena sitting on the chairs outside a room. Mara was the first one who saw me.“Mommy!” She came running to me. I picked her up and kissed her, her cheeks, her forehead. She’s my life. I don’t know what I will do if anything happens to her.“You alright, baby?” She nodded. She had dried tears on her cheeks. I took her towards Elena. Elena is Mara’s babysitter, she’s with us since Mara was born. She didn’t have children, she takes care of Mara like her own. She’s in her late thirties, doctors told her that she can’t conceive. “Elena, are you okay? What h
“Raymond?” I was facing his back. He slowly turned around and his eyes were red. “It’s all your fault.” What!? He accused me. Out of everyone, he’s the one who accuses me. Tears flowed down my cheeks continuously. No, it’s not my fault. No, it's not.Is it?“It's not my fault. Raymond, listen to me. I want to tell you something.” I pleaded with him to listen to me. “No, I don’t want to listen to you. It’s all your bloody fault. I don't want to see you again.” He left the hospital room leaving me all alone. I sank to the floor crying. Why does he have to blame me? Why?Will he come back? He can't leave me all alone. I need him, more than ever. I can't do this alone. I can't raise Susan all alone. I need him. He has to be there for his daughter. I was pulled into a hug. He kneels beside me, rubbing my arms to comfort me. "It's okay." I know he's trying to control his emotions. I pulled away looking at him. "He left. He blames me." Rafael shakes his head with tears in his eyes.
I scrunch my nose when I feel someone pinch it. I opened my eyes and blinked away the sleep. "Good morning, Mommy." Mara greeted me with her bright smile. I pulled her to me and wrapped the blanket around her. She giggled trying to get out. I let her go and sat on the bed. She sat in my lap. I kissed her head. "Good morning, princess. Did you sleep well?" "Good, Mommy." My stomach grumbled and she poked my stomach with her little finger. "Mommy is hungry. I'm hungry too." "Okay sweetheart, why don't you wait for Mommy to get ready? We'll go and have breakfast, okay?" She nodded. "Can I play a game on your phone?" I raised my eyebrows, she's giving me her puppy eyes. "How about you select what to wear?" I suggested. She nodded excitedly and jumped off the bed. She opened the closet and started looking through my clothes. I chuckled, shaking my head and went into the bathroom. When I came out I saw blue jeans paired with a red top laid on the bed. Mara sat next to them wearing a