Prologue

"Mimi!" My son keeps on patting my bare face early in the morning.

I groaned as I faced the wall beside me. "Let mimi take more rest. I need to sleep more."

"But mommy, can you please look outside? There's someone who wants to serenade you. I also want to sleep, but I can't since he asked me to tell this to you." By the tone of my son's voice, I looked up at him and saw how sleepy he was and his hair was still messy.

"Who is it, Jack?" I asked him in confusion as he laid his back on the bed while hugging a soft and comfortable pillow.

"Mimi, I am not against you having your boyfriend, but please don't forget your Jackson, okay?" He pouted his lips before getting his bottled milk above the bed-side table and got back to the bed.

I walked towards him and gave him a kiss on his forehead. "Of course, baby. How can I forget my life?'

He gave me a warm smile before getting himself under the blanket, the reason for me to have the chance to look at our balcony and see what's happening outside our house.

"Close your eyes, dry your tears… 'Cause when nothing seems clear, you'll be safe here… From the sheer weight of your doubts and fears… Weary heart, you'll be safe here, hmm…"

I heard some guitars being played in front of our gate, but I cannot fully see who's right there, having the guts of serenading someone early this morning!

"For Pete's sake it's just six o'clock in the morning!" I shouted as I was about to go back inside the room when I heard someone shout my name.

I froze. That's the voice I had been waiting to serenade me for years… the voice that I want to beg for forgiveness after what happened.

"Taliyah Naomi Simbillio."

I started taking one step at a time as I faced the balcony again.

Now, I could finally see him standing in front of our gate, holding a black fedora hat that suits his white barong tagalog and black slack pants—together with his loyal friends.

Even if I wanted to be happy for this day, because look who's back, but I can't. I am not happy to see this man standing in front of me out of nowhere, serenading me like he wants me back—for now. What about for tomorrow? The day after tomorrow? Next year? The year after next year and the upcoming years?

"What do you want, Tuan?" I asked, irritated by what he shows to me now. "Don't you have a fiancé and you have some time to sing for me?"

"Can we talk? I am now more than willing to risk everything for you," he said without removing his eyes on me. "I promise you not to do the same thing I did years ago."

I chuckled and shook my head in disbelief. "We don't have anything to tackle. Just go home and fix your upcoming wedding."

I… I finally had the courage to turn my back and walk inside the room and lay down beside my sleeping baby.

I'm mad at him for disturbing the sleep of my baby. "Sleep tight, my Jackson Ezekiel."

;

"Mimi, how's the man earlier?" He giggled. "Did he ask you if you'll allow him to court you?"

This boy is clearly teasing me into the man earlier; little did he know that it was his father.

I shook my head and he sighed in disbelief. "He looks good, Mimi."

"Do you like him for me?" I asked, confused by his words. "Do you know who he was?"

He pouted before eating the pancakes in front of him. "All I know is he wants to court you."

I just nodded at his answer as I stood up and made him a glass of milk.

"Mimi, can I play in the garden later?" He held his favorite Buzz robot while he looked at me straight in my eyes and little by little… he started showing me his brown eyes matching it with his pouting lips.

"We'll play later." I gave him a smile and kissed his cheeks before I proceeded on eating what's on my plate.

"Mimi, I have a father, right?" He asked out of the blue.

I nodded. "Why?"

"The man earlier… there's something in his appearance." He shrugged. "But I will not search for him. I'm already content with what I have now. I have Mimi, Buzz, and Crong, and that's what matters."

I felt my eyes watered, but all I feel now is that I am so loved by this little man in front of me.

Crong—his bulldog was still sleeping peacefully and I know that he will just be awake once we're not around.

"Mimi, we also need to buy Crong his food. Can we go to the pet shop if you don't have work today?" I could hope in his eyes, but as someone who needs to earn money for his future, I just smiled at him.

"Before I go to work, baby. Is that okay?" I asked before I stood up and helped him finish his food.

He nodded. "Sure, Mimi. Can I go with you and bring Buzz there?"

"Sure." I pinched his cheeks before giving it plenty of kisses. "Will you wait for Mommy to finish her schedule today?"

"Of course! We could bring Crong to Momo later so we can bond even if you're at work." He clapped his hands in excitement. "Are you going to your client's house later?"

I nodded. "I just need to meet them and have their wedding planned."

I work as an event planner. I could design the venue of weddings and/or birthdays, and where the ceremony would be held. I never encountered someone or a couple who did not like my service for them.

"Ohh, I see." He faced me before he wrapped his little arms around my neck. "I love you, Mimi. You're the best."

"I love you too, Jackson. You're the best gift I have ever received." I carried him into my lap and once again showered his face with my kisses.

;

Since we did not have enough time to play outside, we just rescheduled it and went to the pet shop to buy some treats and foods for Crong.

Crong chose what kind of treats he wanted to have and I just let him and Jackson do whatever they wanted to do.

My parent's house is just a few jogs from here, but Jackson said earlier that he doesn't want to leave the dog with my parents, so I decided that we should just take him into the house of my client.

"Mimi, this and this." He tip-toed and handed me the sachets before we proceeded into paying at the cashier.

He's holding Buzz in his left hand while the other hand is holding Crong's leash.

"Mimi, look how he behaves now." He chuckled and patted Crong's head. "Mimi will buy you treats, Crong. You must really behave."

I paid for it and we left the store with a smile on our faces—especially Crong.

;

We arrived earlier than the time at the place where my client wanted to see me.

"Am I late?" She asked before she sat down on her sofa. "Yaya, kindly give us some food here while we're waiting for Mark to arrive."

Their maid nodded in response and immediately prepared the food for us.

"Shall we wait for your fiancé to arrive?" I asked nervously.

I saw how she rolled her eyes on me. "Of course. I don't want to plan this wedding all by myself."

Is she the one Mark's going to get married with?

I did not know his standard became this low.

"JL, I'm canceling the wedding." A low baritone voice broke our silence, the reason for me and the client to look at the man who just entered the room.

"WHAT? WHY?" She sounded so furious. "Didn't we talk about this already? Why are you canceling our wedding?"

I stood up and sat beside my son who's looking at the man who just came.

"Mimi, he's the one who serenaded you earlier, right?"

That whisper took the attention of my client that is now looking so mad at me.

Oh, crap!

"You replaced me with an event planner? Really?" She started chuckling like a doll, insult is in her tone.

"I just met the two of you. How can you accuse me of such things?" I answered as I held my son's hand. "If you can't fix your relationship, don't get me involved with it. I am here to work for my son, not to be the cause of your problems." I sighed. "My business here is already done. Sorry for the inconvenience."

I looked down at my son and he just planted soft kisses on my hand before he pulled me out of the place.

I could hear Mark's voice stopping us from going, but we did not stop and the moment I felt his hands on my arm, I turned to him and gave him the slap that I had been wanting to give his face.