"Grantt," I whispered, catching a glimpse of him lying in a hospital bed from my vantage point. Though his face and figure eluded clear sight, contentment filled me.We're going to have a baby, just as you wanted, Grantt. I understand the gravity of your words. Did you deliberately get me pregnant so I couldn't escape?Despite the pain, a smile crept across my face as the last question lingered in my mind."Keep on fighting, Grantt. Our baby will do the same. It will grow stronger for you," I whispered. "I'll do my best to keep our baby safe. So, please... stay alive, Grantt. I love you."Olga and Tristan are on watch now, so I approached without restraint. Sabrina tapped my shoulder as I wiped away my tears. It's time to go home and rest; it's already past 6:00 a.m."Thank you, Olga," I expressed. She smiled and stood up from her seat."Sorry for Mommy's behavior and words. You know she's an inborn over-reactor," Olga jokingly remarked."True," Judie immediately agreed."No offense,
["Yongsann Lim," a brusque voice said."W-Who are you?" I asked with emphasis."Don't touch Grantt...""Oh? It's too late," the genderless voice said, followed by a mocking laugh, then hung up. ]Judie, Lou, and Sabrina are here again in my condo, and we're currently listening to the recorded call conversation with the unknown caller from the night Grantt had the accident. It's been three days already."So, it wasn't just a random accident," Sabrina remarks, sighing. "Perhaps this is also the same stalker you and Grantt had whenever you were together. It's not just a paparazzi after Grantt; both of you are the targets," she adds."Wait, I've come to think about it now. The last thing I heard was Grantt mentioning Yongsann's name before he hurriedly left the bar," Lou shares with Sabrina. "It's like he read a message because I also saw him briefly staring at his cellphone.""I think the culprit threatened Grantt, making him believe he would harm Yong, when in fact, Grantt was the real
|•~15 MONTHS LATER~•|I jolted awake upon hearing Baby Graxylla's cry beside me. Our eyes met as her little eyes adjusted to the light, perhaps affected by the morning sun despite the curtain on our glass window."Sshhh, mommy's here, hmm? Sorry, mommy woke up late. Are you hungry?" I said gently, tapping her tiny arms to soothe her. She immediately stopped crying.Even though I was still sleepy, I quickly got out of bed and prepared her baby formula. Upon returning, I immediately fed her.I smiled as I gazed at her beautiful little face. She was a blend of Grantt and me. She's already 6 months old, but Grantt is still unaware of her existence. According to Doc Chaewon, his condition is improving every day, and he could wake up at any time.My belly wasn't too big when I was pregnant with Baby Xylla. I pretended to be on a 3-month vacation in the province to conceal my pregnancy from my formidable in-laws. The only ones on their side who knew were Ate Olga and Kuya Tristan, who occasi
Instead of responding, he simply turned away from me. It's evident that he's still struggling to move, but he did his best to ignore me.This guy's pride is still exceptionally high. I can't seem to break through to him."Move carefully, Grantt. I'm not going to devour you," I said with a sigh. "I waited for you to wake up for months, and then..." I sighed again. "I'm going home now. I can breathe freely and sleep well now that you're awake," I added.I don't know if he's paying attention to me or not. I want to check if he's awake or asleep, but I got no response.Just let him be, Yong. Be patient with him.I shook my head and sighed. I couldn't help but feel disappointed with what's happening. Before I could take a step out of the room, the door opened, and Mommy Gretchen came in. It's been a while since we crossed paths here."You've got some nerve, huh? After not showing up for months, you suddenly appear as if everything's okay?!" she immediately scolded me.Olga and I were alway
I left the three of them in the living room and retreated to the bedroom, feeling the weight on my shoulders.Good news and bad news always seem to come in pairs, don't they?The good news is that Grantt has awakened. The bad news, however, is that he can't remember anything. The good news is that the case is solved, but the bad news is that two siblings lost their lives due to Greel's disappearance. The situation is alarming.I discovered the two of them laughing heartily while playing with Graxylla. The child appeared to be making an effort to get along with them. If my daughter could talk, she might have cursed these two."Hi," I greeted wearily. They both immediately scrutinized me with their glances, and just from their looks, I knew unpleasant words were about to be spoken."What happened, gurl? It's like you came from a wake," Judie inquired, her eyes passing judgment."It's as if you lost big in gambling, Yongsann. Did you lose millions?" Lou criticized me.I sighed, changed m
"Your baby is adorable, Ma'am," complimented the nurse we encountered. Sabrina held Graxylla as we were about to leave the hospital."Oh, really? I think so too. Thank you," Sabrina added with a mischievous grin, seemingly pleased that they were mistaken for mother and child.They exchanged smiles with the nurse before we finally passed by her. Entering the elevator, we were fortunate to have it to ourselves."Did you hear that, Mrs. Gomez?" Sabrina bragged."I'm not deaf. Even if you whisper, I can hear your conversation."She burst into laughter, causing Graxylla to giggle too. Undoubtedly, she was feeling much better."My baby Llala is also delighted. She agreed to be my daughter...""I don't know about you," I said with a frown, making her laugh again. The elevator opened, signaling that we were on the ground floor."Mommy Yongsann is jealous, Llala. Well, is it our fault that we're both beautiful, right?" she continued to talk to the baby. "And please, don't mind her. Everyone he
"Oh? What's that expression?" Sabrina greeted me with a question. I couldn't hold back, and tears welled up as I began crying in front of my best friend once again. I sensed her concern, and she gently pulled me inside the house, locking the door."Hey, what happened? Did your tiger mother-in-law do something to you again?!" she asked angrily, tightening her grip on both my shoulders."G-Grantt doesn't want me anymore," I choked out. "He can't even tell his mom to stop pushing me away, and his first love is there too," I continued in a rushed manner. It felt like I was a child crying over a stolen lollipop."What?! Okay, cry it out first before you tell me what happened. And lower your voice; your kid might wake up."I stifled a sob at her last reminder. It took a few minutes before I calmed down. My tears were contained, but the heaviness and pain remained."Now, tell me. I'm listening," she returned to our conversation."His mother introduced me as his ex-wife to his first love.""F
When my alarm clock rang at 4:00 a.m., I promptly got up and headed straight to the shower for a quick bath.We've been staying at Sabrina's house for three days, and that day, our lives seemed relatively quiet. There were no signs that the entire Gomez family knew about Graxylla.I briefly chatted with Olga, and I'm sure she still has no idea that we've left Tagaytay. I didn't mention it because what's the point of hurrying to leave if I'll just tell her, right? I'll let her discover that we're no longer there. I also have no intention of revealing the address of our new haven with my daughter.After finishing up, I quickly dried my hair. I glanced at the grandmother and granddaughter, both still peacefully asleep. Mom probably got tired from the sudden trip here.I gave Graxylla a gentle kiss before heading downstairs to prepare breakfast."What's your plan now?" a female voice suddenly said from behind."Oh, my goodness!" I exclaimed in surprise, my heart pounding. I even placed a