BLINDING darkness greeted Lucian when he opened the main door into the wide living room of their house.

He had just entered Villa Esmeralda earlier and he felt strange. Because all the lights in the whole house are off. There is also no guard guarding the gate. And now,even indoors and in the dark.

"Rivka? Luciana?" he called his mother and daughter. He waited for a few seconds but no one answered.

He was about to turn on the light switch behind him when the surroundings suddenly lit up.

"Happy birthday, Sir Lucian!" he heard loud shouting.

In front of him were all their helpers at the Villa as well as their staff at the restaurant they own in town - the LR-Kitchen.

"Happy Birthday, dad." He heard a small voice from the kitchen and immediately turned around.

Luciana, walking towards him while holding a round cake with a candle lit on top.

Luciana, her daughter is just 3 years old. Rivka, his wife, was by his side and also held the cake so that it would not fall from Luciana's small hands.

A wide smile drew on Lucian's lips and it reached his eyes as he looked at his mother and daughter happily walking in his direction.

That's why the two didn't even call him earlier while he was in Manila taking care of the new branch of LR-Kitchen that they are going to build in Metro.

They have another surprise for him, which happens every year. He also forgets his birthday every year, so it's an advantage to surprise him.

"Happy birthday, my handsome papa. Luciana loves you so much."

I think his heart fell when Luciana said that. It was looking at him with twinkling eyes.

Lucian quickly knelt down to match his daughter. Smiling, he took her palms and brought them to his lips.

"Thank you, my daughter. I love you too."

Luciana's eyes were brown like chocolate. She has these protruding eyes that she got from Rivka, and it was matched with her S-shaped brows.

Her pretty little mouth is now kissing the tip of his nose. Luciana kissed him like that. It actually brings the tip of his nose to his lips.

"Happy birthday, dear. I love you."

He felt Rivka's soft palm caressing his shoulder so he looked up at it. He loaded Luciana first before he faced his beautiful wife.

Rivka is wearing her simple yet expensive beige floral dress that is matched with her creamy skin.

His wife's white shoulders were out and her waist-length hair was loose.

She's looking at him with her sparkling beautiful brown eyes. His wife has a proud pointed nose, and her cupid bow lips are giving him a ravishing smile.

His wife's beauty is really alluring. For his eyes it was nothing like it.

"Thanks dear." He cupped Rivka's other cheek with one palm and kissed her sweetly on the lips.

He was about to wait for the two of them to kiss but he was bombarded by the shouts from the people close to them that he forgot he was just in front of them.

Lucian blew the candle after they sang a happy birthday song for him.

"Happy 29th birthday, Sir Lucian!" the people he considered family for the past four years shouted together again.

There were ten of his staff at LR-Kitchen - the restaurant he and Rivka set up after they got married. Three chefs and eight crew. Their three maids were also there in the villa, as well as the two guards Mang Noel and Mang Crisanto.

"Happy birthday, son. I pray that God will extend your life so that you can be with your family for a long time." He received a warm hug from his Aunt Esma.

"Thank you, aunt. I love you so much." He planted a kiss on the old man's head.

His aunt is the only family left on his mommy's side. His wife, Lusyo, was also found out, a year ago because of the pain that he had been suffering from for a long time.

They didn't even have children, that's why the aunt considers him a real child.

They went straight to the dining area after their guests greeted him.

There was a big letchon on the dining table and there was a lot ready even though they didn't have that much to eat.

"We will also distribute other foods to the people outside the villa, dear. We won't be able to use up all of that either," said Rivka who sat down next to him after taking care of their guests.

His wife is not only beautiful. It also has a soft heart.

They fit at the long dining table, and he was in the capital. He is carrying Luciana who is very enjoy eating fruits.

Okay, dear. It's up to you. Thanks, you bothered again".

“Oh, there can't be surprises when it comes to you, no. You never forget to surprise me and Luciana, as well as the rest of our loved ones. You deserve to receive such a surprise, dear."

Rivka belongs to those people who work with them.Because when someone's housemates or crew at LR-Kitchen have a birthday, he throws a party.

He wants to make the people close to him happy. They have always been there since they started building LR-Kitchen, so he is very grateful for them. Thanks to their staff, he and Rivka found a new family.

5 years ago was a nightmare to Lucian. His daddy left him forever, while he was only 18 years old when his mommy left them.

Nothing hurts like losing a parent. But he knows that because of his work with his daddy, their other feet are buried in the grave. They are both soldiers.

General Fred Wright - his father, was one of the Generals in the Philippine Army. He was a Sergeant in a platoon.

The respect he gets from other people is not because of his father's high rank.

He also worked hard for the respect he enjoys from other people and even from his fellow soldiers.

Lucian was a soldier who dedicated his life for serving the country and serving God. But that dedication suddenly disappeared from his hands when his father was brutally murdered.

His father was ambushed in the middle of the night, while he was on his way to their home in Manila.

His anger and self-loathing had mixed. How can he save other people? While his father was not.

He doesn't know what he's going through because he's focused on his own achievements, which he loves to show off to his daddy.

His father was so proud of him. But he wasn't proud of himself. For him, everything he does is for his father. Now that his father is gone, his dedication to work has suddenly disappeared.

Many of his colleagues in the Military objected when he resigned. But he didn't feel the slightest resistance from his heart. He will be put in silence while waiting for justice for the father.

Lucian left Manila and returned to San Agustin - the place where he grew up. He graduated from high school here, but when he went to college, he left the place completely.

His Aunt Esma, his mother's sister, was the one he found in the Villa that his Mommy Esmeralda had inherited from him.

Lucian came back to life as a normal person. No work, just eat and sleep. The loss of his father caused him to fall into sadness.

But his Aunt Esma didn't let him live so sadly. When he goes to sleep or drink again, he scolds him and orders him to at least leave the house and go for a walk.

Lucian followed his aunt.

San Agustin is a town near the ocean with several islands that are cared for.

He tried camping alone, fishing and surfing in different beach resorts doo.. He also did those things for a few months, until he met Rivka Suarez - a very beautiful lingerie model.

Rivka has it all - beauty and brains. She's sexy as hell, that's why his eyes seem to be glued to her slender body.

He's also a man, and he can't help but fantasize about the woman while watching her take photoshoots on the beach, wearing a skimpy bikini.

Annoyance suddenly arose in his heart when he saw that the other man who was also there, staring at that photoshoot, was almost drooling.

You know, girls, that shouldn't detract from beauty. Many Adams would go to hell looking at you, miss. Do you know what we think when we see women wearing something like you?"

He did well to approach the woman when she finished work. Rivka is beautiful. And he felt like someone was urging him to talk to her, before others could get ahead of him. It's a funny thing to say that he has a crush on her, but yeah, it seems like that.

Are you insulting, mister? Do you know I can call the police because you entered my cottage without permission? Are you a rapist? It's not obvious from your appearance. But if you are going to rape, say so, so I know when to shout."

Lucian laughed at the length of what he said. The other eyebrow is still raised which further refines its beauty. Obviously being looked at him.

No," he shook his head. "I'm not a rapist. I just came here to tell you, that's beautiful, can it be just for me?" He used his charm while talking to her.

He didn't waver anymore.

The word clumsy is not in his vocabulary.

This beautiful woman caught his attention on his lonely time, so he won't let him not meet her now.

Rivka pushes him away, but he is very insistent. He follows the girl wherever she goes.

He used his good looks to get close to this gay PA. It tells him the location of every photoshoot of Rivka, until he also gets the girl's number.

Lucian's heart seemed to revive when he met the grumpy Rivka. His Aunt Esma was also very happy to see the strange smile on his lips.

He kept on following Rivka. He even insisted on being her body guard until he was allowed to court.

There were women who passed through his life, but all of them were just flings. He didn't date anyone, only Rivka. And when he got 'Yes' it was also an achievement for him.

He found out that Rivka grew up alone, and that made him proud of her for being an independent woman.

He doesn't even have a sibling like him, and he doesn't even have parents. It is said that she has relatives but the girl is not close to them.

They cared and loved each other. Rivka willingly quit her job as a lingerie model just to take care of him, and he was always there when she needed him.

He didn't make everything last longer. He proposed to her and she said 'Yes'.

After the marriage, Lucian used the money his parents left for him to build a business.

He loves cooking and he got it from his dad. So he thought of having a restaurant.

Rivka supported him. God even blessed them with a beautiful angel, their daughter - Luciana.

Lucian had never been so contented like this before. His family now is the reason for him to continue in life.

He hugged his good wife with his other hand, while his child was in his other arm. Both his mother and daughter were in his arms.

They are already lying down and very sleepy. Their guests had already returned home.

Thank you for this, God. Thank you so much for the guidance, and for all the love you give." Lucian mumbled that prayer before closing his eyes.

That was the thing he never forgot to do after tiring days, to pray.

---------------------------------------

THE smell of a sweet yet strong aroma of his favorite coffee woke him up.

"Good morning my love."

Rivka's hands snaked around his waist and rested her head on his chest. This is how her wife wakes him up every morning. He is full of love.

"Our baby has taken a bath. Take a bath too, you'll take us to preschool," he said tenderly. He got up and hugged his wife tightly.

“Copy that, dear." He planted a quick kiss on her forehead.

"I need to be early as well. The business man who will build a resort in Isla Quevas will arrive at 10:00 am tonight. We will meet, because he wants us to build a restaurant inside his resort."

Isla Quevas is just around the corner from Villa Esmeralda. It is a ****** island that has not yet been visited by tourists and has a beauty that has not yet been discovered.

The Quevas family is said to have sold the island to businessman Greco Perez who owns famous Hotels, Restaurants and Resorts in various places in the Philippines.

“Wow! That's a good thing to know, dear. Maybe this is the right time for our LR-Kitchen to have a branch, right?" Rivka's voice was full of joy.

"I hope we can set up a branch in Metro Manila soon.

"Yeah, and we are doing this for Luciana, and our future children. We should build a strong future for them.

"Everything he does is really for his family. It's just their pleasure, and it's what makes him happy too.

They ended their conversation with a quick love making. His coffee was cold before he could drink it. Because his wife is so hot in the nighties she's wearing, he can't stop holding back.

After they had breakfast, he took his mother and daughter to preschool.

He also went straight to the restaurant which is not far from Luciana's school.He entered LR-Kitchen with a great smile on his lips. Their staff also greeted him with happy smiles on their faces.

Lucian only stayed at the restaurant for a few hours. He was called by Greco Perez's secretary who said he was on the island.

Lucian is in the middle of their meeting with Mr. Perez when Rivka called him. His phone was vibrating so it didn't make any noise.

He never wanted his wife to go wait, that's why he apologized to the other person just so he could talk to Rivka.

"Yes, dear? I'm still in a meeting---

"Hello, sir. This is a nurse from San Agustin Public Hospital. The owner of this cellphone had an accident, and I called you because you were the first on the contact list.

"Lucian seemed stunned at what he heard. He couldn't even move his body and his mouth was now agape in shock.

TO BE CONTINUED...

The sunlight is BRILLIANT. Rivka is currently waiting at the school where her three-year-old daughter - Luciana - studies. Just like Lucian, his son and wife are his happiness. His day is complete every time he sees the beautiful smile coming from their lips.

The students came out one by one and just like that, a smile appeared on her lips as she finally got to see her daughter. It was already shouting from far away.

"Mommy!" Luciana waved her hands as she called her attention.

Be careful, Luciana," she said worriedly. She immediately greeted her with a hug and a kiss as she got closer to her. "How was class? Did Mama's baby have a hard time?" she said to his daughter who returned the hug.

“It's okay, Mama. The teacher taught us a lot today. We also sang papa's favorite song,"Really?"

Luciana just nodded at Rivka with a smile, while she ruffled her hair." she told her with a smile.

"Mama, don't do my hair. I want to be beautiful like you," Luciana roared, reason for her to laugh.

"Okay."

Since becoming aware of her mind, she often makes her mother a model especially for being a fashionista. This is often the one who buys what she wears whenever the whole family goes out. So often the small child is also mistaken for an endorser.

From the shade of a fertile tree near the mother and daughter. Aireesha's shrinking eyes looked on. It can't let go of Rivka. Not as one of her most famous models, but as her relationship.

Aireesha is the owner of the famous brand brasiers and clothings. A 25 year old bachelorette woman. In her time in the industry, she has only been unable to let go of one woman. Even though she is married, she still doesn't lose her love for her. She was like her star that shone brighter in the night sky. Her enchanting smile that she couldn't erase from her mind, and became the cause of her sweakness.

Seeing that Rivka was laughing at her daughter, she thought that she must be the one making her laugh and make her smile now. She should be the reason for the light of her world but all that, lost because of the man with her now and the man who took her away.

You should be mine, Rivka. I should be the reason for your laughter. I should be the reason for your happiness," she whispered as she gazed intently at the mother and daughter.

She seemed to feel that someone was watching her. Rivka suddenly turned to where Aireesha was standing. There she saw the woman who had been watching them with her daughter.

Seeing that she has no other choice, Aireesha approached the two. Taking off the sunglasses that she is wearing. She smiled.

Rivka," she said the girl's name. "Can we talk?" she asked.

Luciana, who had been staring intently at the woman's face, was now looking at her.

"Mom, who is she?"

“Oh, you must be, Luciana?" the woman sat down to level herself in front of the girl. "I'm your mother's—"

“Luciana baby, you should be there next to your friends. Your Aunt Aireesha and I are just going to talk about something," Rivka interrupted what the woman wanted to say."

Okay, Mom." After saying this, she smiled at Aireesha and waved before running towards her friends who had gathered.

Why did you come, Reesha?" she asked promptly.

"Why? Do I no longer have the right to visit you?"

Rivka did not immediately answer. It was crippled in front of the previous relationship.

“It's not like that, it's just that,"

"So what? Do you hate me now?"she asked her directly.

“No! It's not what you think."

Reesha smiled. It stared into her eyes. She touched Rivka on the cheek but, she quickly avoided her face. "Come back to me, Rivka. Your life is better if you're with me," she said to her sleepy eyes.

"Reesha, didn't we already talk about this? I have a husband and a child. I also love Lucian and I have no reason to go back to you. I'm sorry. I'm happy with whatever I have now," explained Rivka.

Reesha's mouth is closed and her fists are clenched. She was hurt by the open rejection of the woman she love. It didn't stop her from tightening her grip on the stripped sunglasses, causing them to break and crack.

It did not escape Rivka's eyes and she felt pity for her.

I'm really sorry, Reesha. I can't fool myself. And I also don't want to hurt you with the wrong love. I know, you will find someone who deserves you. My daughter and I have to leave."

She smiled in response, "I understand. Be careful when your daughter goes home, Rivka."

Rivka just nodded and immediately approached her daughter to get out.

For the last time, she looked back at her former relationship. She also stared at her and their eyes met. She immediately noticed the blank expression on the girl's face.

Reesha's tears flowed completely when the former relationship disappeared from sight.

It turned and immediately left that place.

Continue...