Love, a glow that fills the heart. It makes you smile whenever it embraces you. The butterflies in your stomach begin to mingle. The shivers it gives you, the tingling it whispers are.
But, what if evil lurks in the shadow waiting for its chance to strike?"Chad, please stay by my side," Marlie pleaded, her eyes pleading like a puppy's."Endure with me, my stray cat. I need to tie up loose ends at the office. Do you not wish for my undivided attention? I promise to return swiftly," Chad endeavored to persuade Marlie."But Chad..." she began to protest, yet the reality remained that Chad had duties at the workplace alongside his friends who had been casting annoyed glances in Marlie's direction, especially Spark Winterfill."Your specialty of indulging her always is bearing a result, Chad!" Spark jabbed."Business matters demand attention. Ken and Gideon have responsibilities to tend to. And am sure Mark also has patients to tend to. We cannot linger here indefinitely just because she gave birth to my nephew and niece!" Spark's tone grew heated."TSH... so you know!" A scowl displayed on Marlie's face.Over thirty minutes elapsed yet Chad was still bidding farewell to Marlie. Tensions escalated, and Spark resolved to reason with both Chad and Marlie, yet his efforts yielded no fruit."She craves attention after we shifted focus to the twins!" Ken snapped sharply, pushing Marlie to her limit."You know what, why not seek partners of your own and cease pestering my husband? You are a constant thorn in my flesh!" Marlie retorted, her voice tinged with anger."Huh," Spark scoffed. "Have you forgotten, I am married too, you insolent brat!""I am aware. No need to boast excessively!" Marlie teased. "I eagerly await the tables turning in six months when Ingrid welcomes your child, jerk!"This revelation startled the group. Spark appears to never like his wife. But for this outcome and that too just 7months into their marriage?"Wait, what does that imply? Ingrid is..." Chad's voice trailed off, looking between Marlie's and Spark's faces. A joyous smile formed at the thought of his friend becoming a parent."Ah, his mood swings make sense now," Mark mused, earning a frosty glare from Spark."Spark..." Gideon began cautiously, anticipation evident in his expression. However, Spark opted to not say anything about that."You know what, I have more pressing matters than witnessing this drama. I'm leaving..."Though he used this excuse to gain a chance to leave, Ken wasn't one to overlook such statements."Hold on, weren't you the one who wasn't happy with your chosen wife? What changed? And all of this just in 7 months?" Ken inquired, prompting Spark to shoot him a glare."Whoa, that was quick," reacted Ken, surprised. "Dude, you are the man !" He gave Spark a thumbs up."Say another word and I'll ensure your head meets a bus!" Spark exclaimed amidst their laughter.As they laughed, a call came in. But the moment the call ended, Chad's expression turned solemn. The jovial atmosphere dissipated as they focused on Chad. They all wanted to know why his face looked gloomy. What was the call about?"It's Angelina," Chad explained.The room fell silent as the name Angelina spelled trouble for them. Marlie's heart skipped a beat. That crazy woman was sent to the asylum just a year ago. And their lives have been better with her, Sylvia, and Audrey out of their lives, including Uncle Sanchez. But the mention of that name alone brings a threat to their happiness.Spark and Chad exchanged a glance. They knew she would be shaking with fear if that woman was released under any circumstance but Chad was looking at his wife for another reason."The mental facility where she was... it caught fire and..." Chad hesitated, his attention fixed on Marlie.“And?” Spark’s inquiry pierced the heavy silence.They were all waiting for what Chad had to say. And after a moment of silence, Chad breaks the news.“No one made it out alive,”A somber mood settled over the group. The message was clear: Angelina had also met her demise within those burnt walls. Despite Angelina's tumultuous past, no one wished for her to end like that, especially Marlie.“I am to be blamed. I sent her there...” Marlie lamented, her expression reflecting profound regret. Chad noticed the waves of guilt washing over her features.“We were looking for what's best for her. No one knew this would happen,” Chad reassured, running his hand through Marlie’s hair and planting a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Don't blame yourself."“ Uncle Sanchez deserves to know about what happened to his daughter,” Chad informed Marlie, who acquiesced. The pain of losing a loved one was no easy burden to bear. Marlie had experienced it before, the shock and sorrow of losing her sister, Charlotte Anderson (Charlie), still fresh in her memory.“How will he cope?” Marlie pondered, feeling a pang of sympathy for Mr. Sanchez."You need not worry Marlie. You know you might have nightmares if you think about it too much. Gets some sleep. I will check on the kids before leaving" Mark assures Marlie and they all went out.One thing he said about her was right. She has nightmares anytime something bad happens.****NightmareComing out of the washroom, Marlie encountered an unexpected presence in her room. A figure cloaked in black stood before her, a veil of mystery shrouding her identity.“Can I assist you?” Marlie inquired, puzzled by the stranger’s silent stance.A surge of unease washed over Marlie as the figure refused to turn, prompting her to scrutinize the silhouette more closely. It was someone she knew, someone who spelled trouble.“An...An...Angelina?” Marlie stammered, the realization dawning on her.“So, you recognize me,” the figure’s chilling response elicited a shiver from Marlie.“You’re... you’re supposed to be dead!” Marlie’s voice trembled as she grappled with the surreal encounter.“Do you truly believe that? Well, I am here now, that means I'm not dead!" the figure retorted with a devilish smirk before slowly revealing her disfigured face.It was indeed Angelina, her features marred by fire. Marlie recoiled in terror at the sight of the wrathful, twisted version of Angelina before her.“I’ve come back to haunt you, Charlie(Marlie)!"Swiftly, Angelina lunged towards Marlie, attempting to strangle her, which caused Marlie to snap back to reality, and a gasp escaped her lips.******But one thing that goes hand in hand with her dreams is that they are always true.After gasping for air for a moment, Marlie realized she had been dreaming."It was all just a dream, Marlie. She isn't real. She is dead!" Marlie reassured herself.However, her reassurance proved futile the moment she lifted her gaze to the door, spotting a figure standing just outside.A woman draped in black, unkempt hair and a partly disfigured face, donning red eyes and a wicked grin, the same image in her dream."Angelina?...""An... An.... Angelina?"Panic seized Marlie as she found herself standing alone in the room, with Chad and the others having departed long ago. The sight of the woman with fierce, penetrating eyes sent shivers down her spine, compelling her to let out a piercing scream at the horrifying apparition before her."aaahhhhh.....!!!!"Her cries reverberated, prompting nurses to rush into the room to investigate the source of her distress."Mrs. Baristanas….." they repeated her name in an attempt to calm Marlie."Angelina is here, she's alive, she's here!!!"She pointed towards the door, persisting in her claim, yet the nurses searched the room and the doorway fruitlessly."I saw her... she was there... she was right there," Marlie explained. Despite her attempt, no one seemed inclined to believe her."Ma'am, you may have imagined it."The nurses were not intentionally dismissive; there was simply no one by the door."No, I saw her there...""Perhaps it was simply a dream, ma'am,"A male nu
18years laterAs she strolled through the school grounds, she found herself growing increasingly tired. Her mid-thigh skirt, paired with a blue shirt and a loose tie resting against her chest, made her stand out in the crowd.Clutching a map of the school in her hand, she was determined to familiarize herself with every nook and cranny of Westford High School.However, there seemed to be a disturbance in the school environment. Girls were yelling and dashing around aimlessly, creating chaos."Hey, transfer student! Why aren't you joining us? The wealthy boys have arrived." A girl extended her hand towards her before darting off in the direction where the crowd was heading.It was intriguing for her. She glanced back to see what kind of rich boys could captivate the attention of all the girls in the school in such a manner. Curiosity danced in her head, she decided to go and see for herself without any hesitation.As she approached the mob of excited students, she couldn't help but fee
"Welcome, Miss Rodriguez. Please come inside; your classroom awaits."With her textbooks in hand and bag slung over her shoulder, Angel entered the room."Good day, everyone." greeted the principal, "We have a new addition to our class. I will allow her to introduce herself," The principal declared, beckoning Angel forward with a welcoming smile.She pivoted herself in front of the class. The attention of the class turned to her."Hello, I am Angel Rodriguez, a scholarship student transferring here," she said, maintaining a constant smile on her face. The class welcomed her in unison, "Welcome Angel.""Wow, we have a beauty in our class.""Do you want to be my friend?""Scholarship? Then you must be brilliant!" Students murmured, impressed. The principal was done with her work and left Angel to her teacher."Any empty seat?" the teacher asked."Yes Miss Mandy, one is .... here" A girl from behind motioned with her hand, an empty seat at the back.However, silence fell over the class
Exactly 10 minutes later.A sleek SUV glided into the school's premises.Taking his time to get down, he appeared charming in his grey suit, his broad and sturdy shoulders commanding attention.His dark, slightly tousled hair, the hint of muscles underneath the coat, and his authoritative strides resonated through the school corridors. His stern expression belied a beauty not to be underestimated.Upon perceiving him, one might easily mistake him for a man in his twenties. The declaration of his true age, 43 years, would undoubtedly spark a debate. Perhaps his slender frame hindered the natural aging process, or perhaps his striking appearance bestowed upon him an air of immortality.He knew the principal's office and needed no guide. The hallway was empty, a suitable environment to address Evan's matters.As he entered the principal's office, Evan was already stationed, impatiently awaiting his arrival— or should we say, Chad Baristanas, as he calls it.The minute he locked a stare w
"The time has come"Angel vividly recalls her strategy. "It appears fate is finally on my side. Now he is in the school, I can't lose this chance" she heaved a heavy sigh. She also checks her uniform, adjusting it well.Confident in her decision yet, anxiety crept in. She glanced at her reflection once more in the washroom mirror, and her heart raced. She was prepared, but as the moment approached, her nervousness exceeded expectations, perhaps even fear. A sharp inhale escaped her lips. The question of whether it was going to work or not lingered in her head. "It has to work... no matter what, I have to meet Chad Baristanas today." She remembered her mother's words clearly. "You must make a lasting impression on him, so he won't forget you every time he sees you, or better yet, dream of holding you in his arms, my darling Angel."Seducing someone as distinguished as Chad Baristanas, a 47-year-old, was no trivial matter, especially for an 18-year-old girl like Angel Rodriguez. But
"So she was faking it?" Mark questioned inwardly. He turned to look at her properly and then he realized the loose shirt. Her pale skin was staring at the man. And her cleavage...?That was not too good a sight for Mark. His jaws tightened. He shut his eyes to shield him from what he was seeing. He had a choice to shove the girl away.But, Evan was also approaching. And Mark could feel the nervousness of the girl in his arms. She had no choice but to tug her face into his coat. "Who is she?" Evan didn't spare the chance to ask. Her face might be hidden but he was not dumb not to notice her features. It hadn't been long since they met each other."Her?... What the hell! " He scoffed irritably, "Of all people, how come she is here?" The displeasure on Evan's face was evident."Wait, you know her?" Mark inquired, surprised by the situation. While Mark was aware they attended the same school, Evan rarely acknowledged girls, let alone interacted with them more than once. He couldn't care
It seems the sun always sets in the south for Evan. He came out of his car with his usual 'I am an angry bird' mood! Home was not a better comfort to his annoying mood.Having had to control himself from confronting Angel in the day was making him angry not to mention the scowl he wore when a servant greeted him."Welcome, young master," said the servant. Evan merely adjusted his coat and ghosted past her into the mansion as if she were a spirit.Standing by the door was an old woman, Vien, in her 60s, waiting for his return. They had all been worried about Evan since they heard the incident that happened in the school. So when old Vien(Nanny) saw Evan through the plain glass door, she hurried her old legs to welcome him."Marlie, Marlie, your son is back." Vien's husky voice came out of the mansion as Evan walked in."Evan, my son," Marlie exclaimed. Evan's expression gave away his sour mood, a fact noticed first by Vien but not by his mother."Son, how are you feeling? What happened
Upon releasing her hands, he gently cradled her face and locked eyes with her."It appears that we have located her," Chad stated.Marlie was shocked at this revelation. She had waited for this day to come but she wasn't expecting this news all of a sudden. "H...h...how?...when.... how did this happen all of a sudden?" she managed to stammer."I chose to confirm it as a surprise, to spare you from any further distress. It was necessary to verify if she was truly our Evelyn.""And now...?" Marlie inquired.Chad nodded. "Indeed, she is. The DNA results are a match. We have finally found her."Tears of joy streamed down Marlie's face, her emotions overflowing. Vien, too, couldn't contain her happiness and shed tears of joy. After the mourning days, there is light for them to rejoice. Marlie fell into the embrace of Chad in tears."Hush, now... you can finally let go of the tears," he comforted while rubbing her back."I always believed my little princess was alive. I just knew it," Marl