The Two Way restaurant was a charming little place nestled on a cobblestone street, its warm lights spilling onto the sidewalk like golden honey.The faces of the people sitting at the tables glowed beautifully like they would under morning’s sunlight.“In the past, my friend Jane has made a list of potential suitors for me,” Rebecca said. “After much deliberation, I decided to give it a try. I met those men at a small cafe during weekends. I still remember it very vividly. The first guy’s name was Max, I believe. His shoes were brighter than his teeth. He probably rented those shoes and clothes somewhere.“And then there was a guy with such a big beard that I thought squirrels might be living in there. The more they talked, the less interested I felt. I didn’t click with any of them.”“Then what about me?” Benjamin asked.“You have a girlfriend, and you’re looking for another girl,” Rebecca said. “That’s a whole new level of craziness. How did you even think I would believe your word

“It must be hard for the mama to feed so many of her children,” Benjamin pitied the waterfowl. “Do you want to feed them?”“The mother knows how to feed her children. Why should we disturb it?” Rebecca blurted and kept walking.There were people who were taking pictures of the duck and the ducklings. Rebecca might have tried to feed it if she was alone, but she didn’t want any unnecessary attention.Benjamin knew how soft Rebecca was deep down. She was the woman who waited at the doorstep of the villa for hours for her mother to come home everyday.So, Benjamin tried to stir her up a little. “Look at those people. They are all taking pictures, but none of them are feeding those poor things. I guess the mama duck and her babies are going to go to sleep on a half or an empty stomach tonight.”Rebecca stopped after taking a few steps. “Tsk,” she looked through her handbag and found four dollar bills. She went to the nearby grocery store. Different types of bread were on the shelves. She

Shadow had long been locked up in a particular house and was told to read a large novel written in a language he didn’t know. He would be allowed to come out only after reading and understanding the said novel. This was a punishment that put his patience as well as his intelligence and faith to test.Shadow wasn’t the first to receive this sort of a punishment. Some others who received this punishment in the past were able to learn the language with their own intellect, but it had taken them months if not years to do it. And then there were others who were able to understand the foreign novel with the gift of the tongues, which they believed was given by God himself.Ryan and Galen came to greet him together. “How far have you come?”“I deciphered a bit of it,” Shadow replied, annoyed. “Are you guys really going to keep me here until I completely decode this language? Even if it takes a few years?”“When I came here last time, you were using the book as a pillow and was snoring like a

The moment Benjamin left the rooftop, Uzza came there and asked Rye nervously, “What did he say?”“You were probably eavesdropping, so why are you still asking such a question?” Rye asked her back.“Haaah…” Uzza exhaled audibly. “I told him I wouldn’t meddle in his affairs, and I broke my word. I want to correct my mistakes, too, if possible.”“Don’t do anything stupid, alright. Rebecca doesn’t deserve Benjamin. Let’s wait a few more weeks, and then we’ll go back to Sciocidad. All of us.”Uzza sighed. “I must give credit where credit is due. Most of the women will not bother to be with a poor man, much less marry him. But Rebecca married Benjamin when he was working as a pizza delivery guy, so she’s better in that regard.”“She married him out of spite, not out of love,” Rebecca retorted.“Still, she married a poor guy. That’s not something just anyone would do. Most women I see fall for guys who lie they’re rich and what not just like how women are falling for women with makeup, wigs

In the evening, fluffy clouds drifted lazily through the cerulean sky. The scent of honeysuckle hung sweet in the air.Rebecca was on the balcony after the wind turned cold.Veronica came to meet her. “Mom hasn’t slept since last morning. She’s working so hard to become the ruler of Aurora Hills.”“The more gold and silver she has in her pockets, the less sleep she will get,” Rebecca replied.“Even though you said that you don’t seem worried for her,” Veronica asked.“I’m worried, but I have got many more things I’m worried about, though worrying doesn’t help with anything,” Rebecca said. “My mind used to be sharp until a couple of months back, but now, it feels like it has become dull. I can’t think of new designs, or even the name of my company.”“Too much thinking can make you feel congested and crazy,” Veronica said. “So, you should take your mind off all the burdens for a couple of months.”“Easier said than done,” Rebecca sadly smiled. She didn’t want to tell her sister that she