The Mistress Of My Cousins

Chapter 1

"You know how much I loved you, Kai," I said these words with all my heart, even though it was difficult to speak because my voice had become hoarse from crying so much.

"Is that so? But why are you leaving me? Why are you abandoning me if you really love me? Isn't love supposed to mean fighting for someone? Why are you giving up?" he asked me like a child.

"Sometimes letting go is the right thing to do, Kai, especially when it's causing pain. At our point, Kai, so many people are hurting, especially your wife. She will be hurt if she finds out that her cousin is having an affair with her husband. I love you, but I don't want anyone to be hurt because of my love for you. That's why I'm letting you go. Go back to your wife and fix your marriage. I promise I'll be okay. I promise that in the next life, it will be us together. For now, let's free each other and let fate decide if we are truly meant to be." I tried to say these words despite the difficulty, then I approached him and kissed him for the last time because I knew it would be the last time I could do so. Sometimes letting go isn't easy, but it's the right thing to do, especially if there's pain involved. It's hard now, but I know that eventually, you will accept everything and move on. It takes a lot of time to move on, but just keep moving forward; don't stay stuck in the past because your world won't stop there. Many more opportunities await you.

It has been 5 years since our last conversation. I can honestly say that I have moved on. It was difficult at first, but I gradually trained myself to live without him. It's hard when you've defended yourself so much to one person. It took 2 years to completely forget him, and those 2 years were really tough. I cried every night because I wanted him with me so badly; I had become too accustomed to having him around. It's true that it takes time to heal the pain. The last news I heard from my parents was that they had reconciled. Good for them. I am currently dating someone I met here in Japan. I came to Japan not only to move on but also to pursue my passion for modeling and acting. I met Isaiah here; he's also a model. I met him at a modeling company, and we became partners. Now we are ambassadors for Dior, modeling all their new releases. Isaiah has been courting me for almost 2 years now; we have known each other for about 2 and a half years.

I am preparing myself today because I have a date with Isaiah and I plan to accept him today. I think 2 years is enough time for him to prove himself. He truly deserves to be accepted because, aside from being handsome, kind, and wealthy, he puts in a lot of effort. He's not the type of man who is arrogant. His parents know me; he's half Filipino and half Japanese but grew up in the Philippines, so he's not very accustomed to speaking Japanese. Aunt Jhanis prefers him to live in the Philippines, even though his relatives here in Japan want him to stay. Around 6 p.m., I finished getting ready, and Isaiah will pick me up at 6:30. He is truly a gentleman; he never fails to make me feel special. While waiting for Isaiah, my mom called me on Skype.

"Hi, Mom, what's with the sudden call?" I asked as soon as I answered her call.

"We just missed you, honey. How are things in Japan? Oh, you look fabulous in your dress, honey. Are you going somewhere?" my mom asked, and I immediately blushed at her compliment.

"Mom, you just called yesterday. Thank you. Yes, we have a date, and guess what?" My mom had just called me yesterday; she is very clingy and sweet. I'm not surprised that Dad liked her, not just because she's beautiful but also because she's very kind.

"Hmm, what's that, honey? Are you going to say yes to Isaiah?" Mom asked.

"You got it right, Mom. Later, we have a date, and I'm going to accept him. I can see how dedicated he is to getting my yes," I replied, smiling from ear to ear.

"But how about him?" Mom asked.

"Who's him, Mom?" I asked, even though I had an idea of whom she was referring to.

"You know him, Jea. Who else but Kai?" My smile faded when his name was mentioned. I had moved on a long time ago, but I still don't like hearing his name.

"Mom, you're really joking. We both know that we've moved on. We're both content with everything we have right now. We're happy in our own lives," I said to Mom.

"I have to go, Mom. Isaiah is here. Take care, Mom. Please send my regards to Dad, Uncle, and my cousins. I love you, Mom." We said our goodbyes as I heard Isaiah's car. I went outside as soon as I heard his horn. He got out with a smile and approached me to guide me to his car.

"You look so beautiful tonight, Jea. I don't know what I would do if someone else took you away from me," Isaiah said as he stopped in front of me.

"Only tonight?" I asked jokingly while pouting my lips.

"Of course not, honey. You are beautiful every day, but you look different tonight. Just like the stars above, you are dazzling and sparkling. I can't take my eyes off you; you really captured my heart. And one more thing, don't pout your lips-I might not be able to stop myself from kissing you," he said. He never failed to make me blush with his compliments and remarks. I don't know why I'm so affected by this man.

"Kiss? I haven't even accepted you yet," I joked.

"When will you accept me so I can kiss you? You always tempt me to kiss you; your lips are seducing me, so don't blame me if I can't stop myself from kissing you," he said. My gosh, he is too good to be true.

" Hmm, can you wait for 25 years?" I asked, testing whether he could wait for me no matter how long it takes.

"That's a long time. But if it's you, I'm more than willing to wait just to hear your sweet yes. You don't know how long I've been waiting just to be with you," he said, but I didn't catch the last part because it was too soft.

"What?" I asked him.

"Nothing, I just said how beautiful my future wife is," he said, which made me blush.

"You're calling me your wife even though I haven't said yes yet," I joked, rolling my eyes, but he just laughed.

"Let's go. Our destination is ready," he said, guiding me to his car and gently holding my head as if afraid I might bump it. Isaiah is really sweet. As soon as I sat in the passenger seat, he went around to the driver's side. Once he got in, he started the engine and began driving. While he was driving, he held my hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed it. It's his usual mannerism ever since he started courting me. He's so sweet, always bringing me flowers and chocolates. I even joke with him that I might get a cavity from all the chocolates he gives. He's always there when we have tapings, makes me feel special, and never fails to make me feel that way.

After 50 minutes, we arrived safely at a famous restaurant here in Japan. The restaurant is called Tapas Molecular Bar and is located in Chuo City, Tokyo. Isaiah got out of his car, a Bugatti La Voiture Noire-this guy is really wealthy, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised given his family's fortune. Even before we entered, there was a golden spoon waiting for us. Isaiah walked around to open the door for me, helped me out of the car, and then closed the door. He handed the car keys to the guard so he could park the car.

"Let's go," he said, inviting me. I looped my arm through his, and he smiled. The guard opened the door for us, and we both smiled at him.

"This place is so nice, Isaiah. I haven't been here before," I said, looking around the restaurant. It was clearly beautiful, very clean, and the food looked so delicious that you could tell just by looking.

"Yeah, I saw it on Instagram, so I decided we should eat here since neither of us has been here before," he said as we both sat down at an empty table.

To Be Continued...

Chapter 2

As soon as we arrived, people started staring at us. I'm used to it, so it didn't bother me. We called the waitress, and when she came over, she was all smiles and blushed even more when she saw Isaiah. Isaiah looked at the menu and ordered gunkan, nigiri, ushizushi, cigar, bonsai, bisque, and onsen tamago. The waitress asked if that was all we wanted, and he added some desserts and drinks. I didn't hear exactly what he said because I was focused on the waitress, who had been smitten and staring at him for a while, and he even smiled back at her. When the waitress left, he looked at me.

"Hey, what's with that look? You look like you're going to bite someone," he said, laughing slightly.

"Eat your face," I replied, sticking my tongue out at him.

"Hey, did I do something wrong to make you mad?" he asked, looking genuinely confused.

"Nothing much. Just ask that girl who was all giddy over you and whom you smiled at," he burst out laughing when he heard my response. I shot him a disapproving look, but he kept laughing, so I lightly hit him on the arm in frustration.

"Hmm, so my baby is jealous, huh?" I knew he was teasing me.

"Jealous? Lol, why would I be jealous when I could find someone else too?" I teased him back, but he suddenly became serious.

I don't know what I would do if you left me. I just smiled at her because I appreciate her hard work-nothing more, nothing less. You don't have to be jealous, Jea, because in my eyes and heart, it's only you. I can't see myself with other girls except you because, baby, you're the only exception. Even though you haven't answered me yet, I want you to be the one I grow old with; I see my future with you. "My gosh, how can I resist this guy? He's so honest; he's too good to be true."

"Okay, it was just a joke," I said to calm him down. After I said those words, he seemed to relax and breathe easily.

"Jea, even though you haven't answered me yet, I want to give you my love and assurance because you deserve it. I want you to know that no one can replace you because from the first moment I saw you, I wanted you. This is all I can give you, Jea, because you already have almost everything." I immediately blushed upon hearing those words. I wondered how many girls he must have made feel this way. But thinking about it made me a bit irritated.

"Isaiah, after we eat, I have something to tell you," I said as we started eating.

After we finished eating, he paid the bill. I insisted on paying, but he wouldn't agree, saying that as the man, he should be the one to pay. See, he's such a gentleman. Who wouldn't fall in love with an Isaiah Yoshida? He's a complete package: kind, respectful, family-oriented, rich, and handsome-he has it all. Only a fool wouldn't like him. After eating, we decided to take a walk.

"So... what's the thing you wanted to tell me? I'm nervous," he asked as we began walking. The cold wind gave me shivers. Isaiah took off his coat and draped it over my shoulders. As he did this, I couldn't help but gaze into his beautiful black eyes, which sparkled in the light. I don't know why I delayed accepting his courtship when I had wanted him from the start. You can clearly see his determination to win me over. Maybe it's because I wanted to be completely sure that if I said yes, he would be the only one in my heart since he deserves that. I want to give him my love and assurance because that's what he deserves, not just because I want to reciprocate his feelings, but because it's what I genuinely feel for him. I don't want to be with him out of pity; I want to be with him because that's what my heart and mind desire.

"Isaiah," I called him after he adjusted the coat he had put on me. He looked at me.

"Hmm? What's wrong? Is there something bothering you? Tell me," he asked in rapid succession.

"Stop courting me," I said. I could clearly see his shock as he seemed rooted to the spot, unable to move after hearing my words.

"Why? Did I do something wrong? Is it because of that waitress? Jea, I swear it was nothing; you're the only one I want. I can wait no matter how long it takes, just please don't make me stop courting you. I can't handle it, Jea, please?" I laughed at his words.

"Stop courting me; I've already accepted you," I said. He was stunned and speechless. When he finally came to, he suddenly hugged me tightly, which I returned. I was surprised when he pulled away, tears streaming down his face, so I quickly wiped them away.

"Hmm, my baby is crying, huh? Such a crybaby. Come here, let me hug my baby," I teased, causing him to blush immediately.

"Thank you, baby. I promise to give you everything you deserve. You deserve everything, Jea. You don't know how long I've waited for this day. I promise to do everything to make you happy. Thank you so much, Jea; you really made my day," he said, hugging me again while crying. I hugged him back and gently patted his back to comfort him.

"You deserve it, Isaiah. I saw how determined you are just to make me say yes to you. You don't have to spoil me with material things. You are enough. Just you is enough for me. I just want you to spoil me with love, time, and assurance," I said. He smiled as if these were the most beautiful words he had ever heard.

"Everything for my baby. I love you, Jea. Thank you for this day," he said.

"I love you too, Isaiah. Thank you for waiting for me," I said, and he hugged me for the third time. We went back to the restaurant to get his car and then left.

We arrived at the villa where I was staying. He drove to the front to open the door for me. How sweet. He offered his hand, which I took as I got out of the car. He closed the door and faced me. Now I could see how happy he was; his smile made his narrow eyes disappear. He took my hand and placed it on his lips, his mannerisms once again. He looked straight into my eyes while doing this.

"Jea," he said, continuing to kiss the back of my hand. He then used my hand to caress his face, and I could feel the softness of his cheeks. "Thank you for everything. Thank you for giving me the chance to prove how much I love you. You know I am deeply in love with you. I will be a good boyfriend to you; I won't do the things that your past boyfriends did. I won't promise it because promises are meant to be broken. I will prove it to you through my actions. Remember, once you said yes to me, you are mine, and no one can take you away from me." This was the first time I heard him say such words. He was usually sweet and clingy, and I didn't know he was this possessive. Well, it's not a big deal; we're the same in that regard-I don't want to share what's mine. "I want to be the only one who owns you. I know you're not a thing or a toy, but you're like a gem and a pearl that I need to treasure so no one can steal you. I want to protect you at all costs. I'm willing to fight for my love for you, Jea. I can kill for you." I smiled at his words. He's so cute when he's being possessive.

After that scene, he got into his car and left the villa. I smiled as I recalled what had happened earlier. I never thought Isaiah would be so possessive. I invited him inside my house, but he declined since it was already 11 PM when we got home, and it was too late for him to drive. I went inside the house and locked the door. Manang Linda was not around because she had gone back to the province. The people staying with me here are Filipinos. I went up to my room and removed my accessories and makeup. Afterward, I entered the bathroom to take a half bath. I added lavender oil and a bath bomb to the bathtub. After 30 minutes, I decided to clean myself in the shower and put on my bathrobe. I heard my phone ring, so I picked it up from the table. Isaiah's name flashed on my screen, so I immediately answered it.

"Hello?" I answered.

"I just got home safely," he updated me. How sweet of him. I wondered how many packs of sweets he must have eaten to be this sweet. "I wonder what my baby is doing right now." I blushed when I heard him call me "baby." His voice sounded so good when he called me "baby" and when he called me by my name. He has this deep voice that is incredibly pleasant to listen to.

To Be Continued...

Chapter 3

"I just finished taking a half bath, how about you?" I replied.

"Hmm... I'm here lying on my bed thinking about you. I still can't believe you're mine now. It feels like I'm dreaming. The girl I once dreamed of is finally mine. Is this for real? It feels like I'm living in a daydream." I chuckled slightly upon hearing those words.

"So you don't believe me that we're together now?" I teased.

"It's not like that, baby," he responded.

"Then tell me, my baby Isaiah," I teased him further.

"Oh, forget that baby thing, you're making me blush, baby." I laughed immediately when I heard him curse.

"Is that for real, my baby Isaiah?" I continued teasing him.

"Yes, mommy." I blushed when he called me "mommy." I was just teasing him, and I didn't expect him to tease me back. I couldn't speak because my face turned red upon hearing his very manly voice. "Got your tongue, mommy?" he continued. I faked a cough to clear my throat because I felt like I might stutter when I spoke.

"Um, stop with the 'mommy' thing, Isaiah. I'm not that old to be called 'mommy.' I'm just 26 years old," I said, trying to stop him because I could feel my cheeks heating up whenever I remembered him calling me "mommy."

"Since we've talked about your age... what are your plans for your birthday? I mean, in 5 months, you'll turn 27." It just occurred to me that I would indeed turn 27 soon. I was thinking about whether I should celebrate my birthday in the Philippines since it has been 6 years since I was last there. Well, as others say, you will always return to where you came from.

"Hmm... I'm thinking about celebrating in the Philippines with my family," I replied. I heard him hum.

"Can I go with you? I want to celebrate your birthday too. I want you by my side," he asked.

I woke up at 5 a.m. because of my alarm clock. I tidied up my bed, then went to the bathroom to shower. After 30 minutes, I came out wearing my bathrobe and went to my walk-in closet to get a pair of pants and a top. I planned to go jogging around the villa since it was still early. After that, I went downstairs and out of the house, making sure the door was locked before leaving. I wore my earpods while jogging. I passed by a coffee shop and decided to have breakfast there. I ordered a strawberry cheesecake and a matcha latte. I got home at 6:30 a.m., took another shower because of the sweat, then dressed in a white top and a mini skirt that reached halfway up my thighs. I also wore a coat that made my outfit look even better, paired with silver high heels with a 5-inch glittery design. I grabbed the Dior bag that Isaiah gave me when my movie with one of the most famous Japanese actors was a success. Just as I finished getting ready, Isaiah's car honked, so I went out to greet him. When I stepped outside, I saw him in front of his car, and his eyes went to my outfit. I walked up to him and kissed him on the cheek. He was surprised, and his ears turned slightly red.

"Do you think your outfit is too short?" he asked, trying to recover.

"Hmm, no? You're just not used to it. When we were partners in photoshoots, I wore even shorter outfits, remember the summer swimwear?" I replied.

"But baby, it's different now. You're my girlfriend, and I don't want anyone else seeing your body. I want you all to myself." He said, and I lightly pinched his cheek.

"It's just an outfit, baby," I pouted.

We chatted about random thoughts during our drive, and the conversation turned to marriage.

"Hmm... what kind of setup do you want for your wedding?" he asked, making me think about what would be a beautiful setup for my future wedding. I was considering whether a beach wedding at a famous resort or a church wedding, since it's one of the Filipino traditions.

"Well, I was thinking about either a beach wedding or a church wedding," I replied, glancing at him.

"What season do you want to get married in?" he asked again. I looked around and saw the cherry blossom trees starting to bloom.

"I want it to be when the cherry blossoms are falling so that it's memorable," I replied, still looking at the cherry blossom trees we were passing by. I noticed him glancing at me from the corner of my eye.

"Hmm..." he hummed as if he had an idea.

"Don't tell me you're planning to propose to me," I joked, accompanied by a laugh. He looked at me and smiled.

"Then I won't tell," he said, making me blush.

"You won't tell? I just answered you yesterday, and now you're already thinking about marriage," I responded.

"It's not about how long we've been together. When you feel it's right, whether it's a short or long time, you won't think about it anymore. And I want to be honest with you. The first time I saw you, I knew you were the one. I only felt that way with you. My world stopped when I saw you, and I didn't realize that as time went on, I was falling for you. Months later, when I confessed to you, even though I knew there was no certainty, I tried because I liked you so much, Jea. I get jealous whenever another guy approaches you. I want to marry you to make sure no one can take you away, but I won't rush you. I just want you to know how I feel," he admitted. I didn't respond but just smiled at him.

We arrived at the modeling agency where Isaiah and I work. He opened the car door for me, and we went inside together. We encountered Katerina. Katerina is half Filipino and half American. Katerina smiled when she saw Isaiah but her smile disappeared when she saw me with him. Nevertheless, she approached Isaiah.

"Good morning, Isaiah. We haven't seen each other for almost a week," she greeted as she got closer.

"Oh yeah, Jea and I took a one-week vacation because we've been so busy lately. We decided to spend some time together," he replied.

"Hmm, I see. Can I invite you to lunch? Just the two of us," she asked Isaiah, emphasizing the word "two" as if implying she didn't want me there. I already knew Katerina had feelings for Isaiah for a long time; Isaiah and Katerina have known each other for almost 10 years. They first met when Isaiah was paired with her in a swimwear shoot. I learned this from Isaiah; he tells me everything and hides nothing.

"Sorry, but I can't. Jea and I also have plans to have lunch later," he declined Katerina's offer. I could see the sadness in her eyes when Isaiah turned her down.

"Oh, I see. See you around," she said and left. After that scene at the entrance, Isaiah and I went to our office. Each ambassador of the company has their own office, and since Isaiah and I are ambassadors, it's normal for us to have separate offices. I checked my schedule for today and saw I was free all day. I remembered that I also needed to check my schedule for my birthday and saw that we only have a meeting with my manager in the morning about our next photoshoot with a famous publishing company.

As I looked at the cars below, I realized that it had been 6 years since I last returned to the Philippines and since our last conversation. I started to think about what if none of this had happened. Maybe people wouldn't recognize me, maybe I wouldn't know Isaiah, the man who loved and accepted me wholeheartedly. Maybe I would still be hurting, unable to recover from the pain I felt before. But thanks to Isaiah, he helped me move forward. He has always been there whenever I needed someone to confide in about my secrets and struggles. Thanks to him, I realized I didn't need to force myself on someone. He helped me rebuild myself during the times I struggled to overcome the pain I endured over the past 5 years. Because of him, I became brave. Because of him, I forgot Kai. He witnessed every tear that fell from my eyes when I remembered what happened between us. He has always been there to celebrate every achievement I received. He was always there to celebrate my birthday. I remember how he used to take me to family reunions and special gatherings, and we were even mistaken as a couple. His family is nice; they treat me as part of their family. Sometimes, when I'm with Isaiah at their special gatherings, they pull me around. His mother is so sweet; she always bakes me a strawberry cake. I just realized how lucky I am to have such a boyfriend.

To Be Continued...