Chapter 14

Rafael anxiously glanced at Michelle who was in the passenger seat.

Ever since he picked her up from the university, she has not spoken yet and she seems to be in deep thoughts. He took one of her hands and gently squeezed it so that he could get his girlfriend's attention and he did not fail.

From looking outside the car, she turned her attention to him. He glanced at her for a second then looked back at the road.

"You've been quiet for a while now. Is there a problem?" He asked her while his eye was still ahead.

Michelle gently squeezed his palm that was holding her hand then leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Nothing." She answered that it made her frown.

Her seemingly skeptical answer did not escape his hearing and senses. He knew something was wrong but he did not force her to speak anymore. Maybe he'll talk about it later when they get home.

After arriving at their destination, he immediately went down and opened the door for Michelle. She thanked him which he replied with a smile. There is something really strange about its behavior.

Holding Michelle's hand, they quietly made their way to one of the most important people in his life.

When they reached the place when the important person in his life was put to rest, a smile immediately appeared on his face.

He looked at Michelle lovingly then gently squeezed her hand he was holding before turning to the front.

"Hi, Mom. I'm here and I kept my promise to you. Didn't I say the last time I visited you that when I came back, I would be with the woman I love the most?" He turned to Michelle again and smiled lovingly at her, who smiled back at him. "Mom, meet Michelle, the love of my life. Angel, meet my mom. Anastacia Standford." He said while looking at the grave of his beloved mother.

Michelle's hands voluntarily slipped from his grip then she knelt in front of his mother's grave and gently stroked its name written on the stone tablet.

"Hello, ma'am. Nice to meet you." Michelle said with a smile on her lips. "Don't worry, I will take good care of your son, I will not neglect him and I will love him more than he loves me."

Rafael's heart almost jumped with joy at what Michelle had said. Is this what they call butterflies in the stomach?

He shook his head. He never thought he would feel this way. He thought that only women were affected by that feeling but now he has proven that even men can feel that, just like what is happening to him.

He stared at the young woman who was still talking to her mother. She said a lot just like when he offered her to be his bed warmer in exchange for helping her brother. "At first I was really scared of him. He was always serious as if he had a lot of problems he is carrying on his shoulder." She said while laughing. "But then everything changed when he opened up to me. I met the real Rafael Standford. The Rafael who is a mama's boy, the Rafael who loves children, the Rafael who can do everything for the people he loves," she turned to him and offered her hand towards him which he immediately accepted and they both knelt in front of his mother's grave. "I met the Rafael who had loved me for seven years from afar, the Rafael who is so into me." Michelle continued to laugh but he did not object to what she said. Indeed, he is so into her anyway. "I love your son." She said with sincerity while staring at the grave of his mother which made him happy again.

He gently stroked Michelle's cheek and kissed her on the lips. "I love you too, Angel. Mom would love it if you start calling her Mom too." He said that made Michelle smile.

"Mom," Michelle said while staring at the tombstone of her beloved mother.

They spent about an hour at the cemetery before they decided to leave. They went to a restaurant to take out food. Michelle wants the three of them to eat together.

When they got home, they happily had dinner together. Michael is very happy as they partake at the table which also makes him happy. Seeing the kid makes him happy. Michael loves him too.

He doesn't get along with the kid just because he is Michelle's brother but he loves and adores the kid. He also admires him.

The kid is so brave. At such a young age, he was able to live on the streets and now, he is battling his sickness and he knows that taking chemotherapy is not easy.

He knew how difficult and how painful it is so it is amazing how brave and resilient he is in life. Just like his sister.

When they finished dinner, Michael and he went to the sala and talked while they waited for Michelle to finish washing their dishes and he couldn't help but smile.

In hindsight, they looked like a happy family. He is the father, Michelle is the mother, and Michael is their son.

Imagining him and Michelle with their own family is making his heart swell in happiness. He knew that Michelle would be a good mother if ever they would have a child which is not impossible since they are not using protection every time they had sex.

He looked at Michelle who was smiling while washing the dishes. His gaze dropped to her sunken stomach.

What if there is already a life inside her?

It was already a month ago when they first did it and they did not use any protection. What if she's pregnant with their child?

Just thinking of those things excites him.

He knew Michelle was too young to be a mother and she is still studying but in case she was pregnant, he promised that he would take good care of her. He would treat her as his queen and once she gives birth, then he would let her go back to the university again. He does not want to be selfish, he knows how much Michelle wants to graduate and fulfill her dream of becoming a famous painter.

His thoughts only stopped when Michael, who was sitting next to him on the sofa, pinched him. He turned to Michelle's brother who he now also considered as his brother and then smiled at him. "What is it kiddo?" He asked.

The young boy smiled back at him then he took his hand and placed something in his palm.

When Michael let go of his hand, he looked at what he had placed. It was a silver necklace with the face of Jesus as a pendant.

He looked at Michael in wonder.

"Daddy gave it to me," Michael said while smiling. "Daddy told me to always wear that because Jesus always watches over me." He continued then he pointed at the pendant. "So I am giving it to you so that HE can always watch over you as well. So that you can always be safe. That necklace will also serve as my thank you for all your help to me and my sister."

He turned speechless. He was so touched by what Michael has said.

He knew the necklace is important to the child but he still gave it to him, hoping that it would keep him safe.

She felt like a warm hand caressing his heart at what the child had done.

"Please always take care of Michelle. Don't leave her." Michael said that made him laugh.

He messed up his hair which he was used to doing whenever he is happily talking to someone. "What are you talking about? Of course, it's both of us. We will both take care of her. We will not leave your sister, she is our queen, right?" He answered Michael with a smile on his face.

The boy just hugged him and then whispered, "We owe you everything that we have right now, Rafael so thank you. Thank you for everything."

Michael is a sweet kid. For an eleven-year-old boy like him, he is not shy to say what he wanted to say and that is one of the many things that he admired about the kid, besides his being brave.

Michael just broke away from him when someone chuckles behind them. He looked behind her and there he saw the woman that he loves, smiling sweetly while looking at them. When he looked at Michael, his cheek was red and he couldn't look at his older sister. He just laughed at its cute reaction then messed up his hair again. Michelle, on the other hand, sat on the armrest of the sofa, and just like him, she also messed up her younger brother's hair. "Aww! Our baby brother is so sweet." She said with a teasing tone.

Michael seemed to be even more embarrassed because he suddenly stood up and said, "Michelle!" and then hurried into his room which both Michelle and he laughed at.

When he heard the door of Michael's bedroom being locked, that's when he tenderly hugged his girlfriend on the waist and buried his face in the side of her waist. He smiled when he felt her gentle caress on his hair. He hugged her even tighter.

"You need to go home. It's already 8." Michelle said as it continued to caress his hair.

He groaned in disapproval. He still doesn't want to go home, he still wants to be with her for longer. If only he could live with her or maybe he would just ask Michelle and Michael to live in his mansion but he knew she would not allow it and he did not want to force it anymore.

"Rafael, go ahead. Go home. You still have to go to work tomorrow, right?" He pouted and looked up to meet Michelle's gaze with his chin on her legs.

"Can I just sleep here again?" He asked while pouting, trying to act cute, hoping that his charm will work on her.

He thought that it was working but he just sighed when Michelle shook her head.

Michelle stood up and then pulled him upright then she guided him towards the door. When they were in front of the door, she hugged her tenderly and kissed her softly on the lips. "I love you." She whispered.

He wanted to smile but he restrained himself by biting his lower lip. But then, he knew that when it comes to Michelle, he won't be able to restrain himself.

He grabbed her by the waist and kissed her on the lips. "I love you too, so much." He said that made the woman smile.

He would have kissed her again on the lips when she reached for the door lock then pulled it open before she gently pushed him out.

"Goodnight, Rafael. I love you!" Michelle said then closed the door.

He just shook his head at what she did while there was a big smile on his face before he finally left.

When he arrived at his mansion, Delia immediately met him. There was concern on its face.

"Is there a problem?"

Delia had been serving their family for a long time so he knew her well and by the expression on her face, he knew that something bad had happened or he had an unwanted visitor and he was right because even before the old lady could answer, someone had called his name.

"Rafael!" Siarra said with a very wide smile on her lips as she slowly walked towards him.

He winced when he looked at the woman's clothes.

She is wearing a dress that didn't even reach her knee with a neckline so low that he could already almost see her breasts.

He dismissed Delia and looked at Siarra without any emotions on his face.

The woman was about to hug him and kiss him on the lips but he immediately avoided her.

The woman's forehead furrowed as he avoided her but the smile on her face returned immediately. "I missed you!" She said happily and was about to cling to his arm but he avoided her again.

Siarra got mad about what he did. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" She asked in a mad tone while frowning and her hands were on both sides of her waist.

She still hasn't changed. Siarra has always been hot-tempered so he has already expected her reaction.

"Listen to me carefully, Siarra." He said with a blank expression on his face. Siarra raised an eyebrow at him. "I want you to stop this."

Siarra's forehead furrowed again. "Stop what?" She asked in a confused tone.

"This. I want you to stop this. Stop acting like my girlfriend. Siarra, we're already done. So please, stop acting like one. I don't want Michelle to misunderstand our relationship." He said, trying so hard to be patient with her.

Siarra laughed sarcastically. "So this is all because of that kid." She shook her head and sneered. "What did you see in that Michelle? For fuck's sake, Rafael! She is a nobody!"

"I love her!" He shouted angrily at her.

He can no longer control himself. What right does it have to interfere with his life? He is getting tired, he is getting tired of her trying to interfere with his personal affairs. If before, he would just let it go and forgive her no matter how shitty things she is doing but this time, it's different. He loves Michelle and he won't let anything or anyone ruin what they have now, even if it's Siarra, his best friend.

Apart from Ronan, Siarra is also his best friend. They met years ago in the US. She was also her ex-girlfriend.

He didn't love the woman. He was only forced to have a relationship with her because something happened to them and he thought that it was the right thing to do even though he is not sure if something happened between them. He doesn't even remember what happened. He just woke up next to the woman and both of them are naked. Also, there was a bloodstain on the mattress so somehow it convinced him that something had happened. But their relationship did not last long either. He was only able to be in a relationship with the woman for two months because he could no longer bear her possessiveness and jealousy. Add to that it's Michelle he truly loves.

Siarra's face was fuming in anger. Its eyes are glaring. "And I love you!" She screamed and he was no longer surprised.

He has always known that she hasn't moved on from him yet.

Even though they are no longer together, Siarra is still acting as if she is still his girlfriend and he can't just let her be like that anymore. He has Michelle now and he does not want to hurt her again just like when she saw Siarra kissing him.

"I am the one who's here Rafael. All these years, I'm the one who's here for you. I am the one who truly loves you. What does that woman have that I don't have? Is it the sex? Is she good? You know that I can do that too! I can make you happy in bed just like before!" Then she approached him again and forcibly grabbed his hand and forced him to touch her breasts. "Is this it? Is this what you need?" She angrily said while crying.

She is making him touch her breasts but he resisted until he accidentally pushed her and she fell on the floor.

He felt guilty and he wanted to help her stand up but he restrained himself because if he does, he knew she would start to hope again.

He let out a sigh to calm himself before she coldly stared at Siarra who was staring at him.

"Leave." He coldly told her then walked past her.

He was already walking away when Siarra spoke again. "I can't let you just end up with that girl. You are mine, Rafael and no one can take you away from me." She said in a serious tone but he did not bother to answer her anymore and he just continued walking away.