"Can you hear yourself, Mom?" I asked in disbelief. "It's okay because I will like him eventually? And for what? Because you want to gain more power? More connections? Are you that thirsty for those you are willing to sell your own daughter?"Mommy's eyes widened. She looked so much offended. He stepped closer to me, eyes angry."How dare you talk to me like that, Audrey!""It's true, Mommy! You're always dating a man, but did you hear anything from me? Daddy died but you had a man right away in less than two months, but I didn't say anything! You shoved Ate away, but I just stayed silent even I was so mad at you! But if you interfere with my life, I don't think I would just stay silent! You have no right– "A deafening slap stopped me. Tears pooled my eyes."How dare you disrespect me! You have no right to question what I'm doing! I'm just doing this for your sake! You can't afford to run all our businesses alone! Steve is capable enough to help you! He's the only one You should get

"Oh, all right. We still have cassava. I'll cook for you and you look thinner?""It's just a little bit," I chuckled.Tita Gracia is a very good mother, I can't help but admire her. If this is also our state, will Mommy have more time for our family? Will he also do everything Tita does? Are we still happy until now or are we still the same?My thoughts were washed away when I saw how Rustov looked at me when I entered their house. He was sitting on the sofa, with notebooks and books in front of him. Tita Gracia excused herself and went to the kitchen. He put his pen down. I smiled at him. As usual, the brute didn't return the smile."So studious ..." I chuckled.Her eyes widened. He craned his neck a bit and stared at me more. It's like we haven't seen each other in a long time."You were absent for days," he stated.I sniffed and sat down on the opposite sofa. He followed me with his gaze."I visited Ate. I helped her a bit. It's foundation week, anyway. There are no regular classes

"I'm busy with my studies. I'm sure I will learn that eventually," I said even though I didn't know if that was really the path I would take for myself."Ronaldo is waiting for you there, Audrey. You should at least show up, it won't take one night. A few hours would do."Going to that party means I'm open for the plan they want for us. So until the very end, I insisted on disagreeing. Mommy was too persuasive she said she will give me a few days to think about it.“I’m just at the library,” I told Janice during our vacant hour. He is with the group on a project. I said goodbye because he might look for me after them.I put my things on my usual table. I picked up the book to review in the exams next week. I'm not really a studious person. But I also study somehow."I don't get it, April. What am I missing, huh? I am an honor student, I am beautiful and rich. But he rejected me!"I stopped reading when I heard the conversation at a nearby table. This is a place for silence, why are th

I’m just thinking about what Rustov said that he would do the same just in case, it doesn’t seem right. Does he really think he can never love again after her?"That's nonsense," I said after a while."You can always open your heart for another person. What the man did was wrong. Losing his wife isn't the end of everything."He looked at me deeply. It was as if as much as he wanted to say, he just wanted to keep quiet. He ended up sighing."There are things you still don't understand, Audrey. You'll also understand at the right time," he said like talking to a child."No. I understand the situation, Rustov. If you say that he loves that woman so much that he can't live without it, then that idea is wrong! Anyone can have feelings for another person again. Romantic love isn't. t long lasting. It will only last for a while and will disappear eventually so if he doesn't commit suicide, I'm sure he will also forget his dead wife. "He sighed, became silent and stared at me even more. For

"Woah. Audrey dating? That's new! Isn't Kirk, Klyde's brother from Albeda?" Enzo as ifstill amazing today."Dating? No ..." I refused."But you're flirting? He told you a story on instagram, I just saw him. He had stolen shots of you while you were driving," he said on his phone, which Enzo immediately kidnapped from me."Do you know how to drive, Drey? I thought you were going to enroll in driving lessons?"My eyes drifted on Rustov. His lips pursed into a grim line. He wasn't looking at me anymore. He's seriously staring at the glass of liquor in front of him."Kirk visited. He just taught me a little bit to drive. We're not dating or having any sort of intimate relationship.""I thought you were mad there?" and Janice."Oh, I heard it's a playboy! Maybe it's just like his frantic brother," Enzo said."That was just nothing. He just passed by because Ate asked for something.""She's been flirting with you before, hasn't she?" Janice who still doesn't want to go away.Rustov looked