Magic Moment

Magic Moment is the twelfth book of the Kristine series. It picks up just a few months after events in Wild Rose telling the story of Dominic 'Nick' Gascon and Alaina de Lara.

The book begins with Nick and Jenny on a third date that the young woman was doubting of the purpose. Nick insisted that he was courting Jenny while the latter laughed saying that they both know they are as good as siblings growing up so close together.

Nick admitted to himself that he loves Jenny but only as a sister however his father Jerome insisted that he court the Navarro princess. Once more, the inner desire to please his father forced Nick to obey. As he got home after dropping Jenny off he heard his parents arguing. Nick was intrigued to hear his name and his mother arguing back with his father and was lured to eavesdrop.

Monica was begging Jerome to not force Nick in pursuing Jenny, pointing that the two are almost siblings. The argument grew worst as Jerome listed the many reasons why he is hell bent in destroying Franco even to use his own son. Jerome revealed that he knows Nick is not his son as he is infertile and that Monica should not go against him for he had saved her from shame. Jerome became suspicious of Monica's desperation for Nick to not marry Jenny and realized that Nick's father is Franco. Enraged, Jerome went to Franco's office with Monica in pursuit.

Jerome was about to shoot Franco but Monica took the bullet for him and a security guard shot Jerome killing the man on the spot. Monica was taken to the hospital and was in critical condition. Monica spoke to Nick asking for forgiveness as she explained what happened in the past. Monica confessed of falling in love with Franco the first time she saw him and that he intentionally made him drunk that day when the two had sex. Monica then spoke with Bea and Franco before dying soon after.

The Navarro family was devastated. Bea had stopped talking with her husband and said she'll only forgive Franco when he was able to bring Nick back. Nick had resigned from FNC and had secluded himself in Sto. Cristo at the Montano's ancestral home. Nick had turned into drinking himself into stupor everyday and one day on a drunken state had sex with Alaina.

Alaina was the daughter of the former field manager of the Montano's. When her parents both passed away, she was taken cared off by the old servant couple of the main mansion where she met the young Nick.

Alaina who nursed a young love for Nick was unable to resist the latter but was severely hurt when Nick uttered another woman's name, Laney, at his climax before falling asleep. Alaina was woken by sounds of Franco's arrival who was furious at finding her and the sleeping Nick naked. Franco paid Alaina to leave town. Shamed and afraid, the young Alaina left Sto. Cristo to look for the last known relative in Manila.

When Nick woke up, he found Franco at his home and the two argued. Franco confessed that he was glad to find out that Nick was his son. He urged Nick to return back with him but the younger man refused to obey anything from Franco. The old Navarro left in frustration.

Nick went looking for Alaina unsure whether he just dreamed of having sex with the young woman but was unable to find her. He was told that Alaina was picked up by her aunt and that she left no address to contact her with.

Nick found out that Jerome had sold the controlling shares of Gascon Industries and that the company was now owned by Bernard Fortalejo. Bernard made Nick a VP of the company to run the day to day business of the company a fact that frustrated Franco. But Nick was stubborn and forced himself to work even harder than before earning Bernard's respect and friendship. Nick also started a relationship with Sandra Montejo. Sandra hinted at the decline of Bernard and Diana's relationship.

Franco one day went to see Nick at his office and once more asked Nick what he could do to make Nick forgive him. Franco said that he knows none of them can blame Monica for what had happened and he is now taking all the blame because he's the one alive but he asked Nick until when he'd let the past take a hold of all of them. Franco asked Nick if the latter never felt his love all through the years.

Months passed and Nick's relationship with Sandra continued. He was visited by Jenny at his home telling him of what is happening with the Navarro family. Bea had apparently moved to Alta Tierra, Lance refused to speak with Franco, and that Alvaro and Kristine refused to have their wedding without the whole family. Jenny also told him that Franco was hospitalized because of stress and was refusing to let her tell Beatriz. Nick despite his anger still felt worry for the old man. Sandra who was then visiting Nick saw the intimate conversation of the two was furious and jealous not knowing that the two were siblings. In anger, Sandra slept with Ryan who was officially divorced.

Over a year had passed since the tragedy and Nick was finally able to forgive Franco. He decided to quit working under Bernard to return to FNC. While talking with Bernard, outside the office Alaina arrived and it was revealed that the aunt she went to look for was Andrea de Lara, the secretary and the one called Little Boss at Kristine Group of Companies.

Nick was surprised to hear Alaina's name being mentioned and was even more surprised to see the young woman entering Bernard's office. Alaina herself was shocked and had clumsily excused herself from the two men. Nick asked Bernard how he knew Alaina and Bernard shared that Emerald had hired Alaina to take photos for the articles she writes for magazines. The two men reminisced women in their past that are almost felt like dreams. Bernard was said to still have Jewel in his heart causing much friction between him and his wife.

It was revealed that Alaina's mother Ellen and Andrea are sisters and Jacinto was Andrea's husband. Ellen and Jacinto fell in love and eloped when they ended up working for the Montanos. But Andrea said despite her initial anger had learned to forgive as she had also fallen in love with someone else, with Leon Fortalejo. Alaina was taken in by Andrea and started working for Bernard as a photographer.

Nick was able to get Alaina's address from Andrea and went to visit her. Nick asked Alaina left which Alaina tried to brush off as a casual affair already in the past. When Nick confirmed that the sex really happened he was determined to woo Alaina. He invited Alaina to a party hosted by Emerald and Marco for their anniversary. Alaina refused using her impending exams in university as an excuse remembering however that Zandro had also invited her to the party as the latter's date.

After Nick left, it was revealed that Alaina gave birth to a baby and Nick was the father. Andrea arrived, she told Alaina she had mistakenly gave Nick the address to Alaina's studio which was a duplex to their actual residence. Andrea also realized that Nick and Alaina were from the same town and deduced that Alaina's abrupt departure from the office suspect deduced that Nick is the father of Alaina's baby, Monique. Andrea insisted that Alaina tell Nick sooner rather than later despite the former's reluctance to do so.

The night of the party, Nick arrived with Jenny Navarro. Diana was seen being possessive of Bernard constantly seen by his side the whole night. The rumours of Nick's parentage was confirmed at the party. While everyone was having fun, a phone call from a crying Ana was received by Marco telling him that someone woke up and someone recovered. Marco was seen about ready to collapse in shock.

Nick was furious with jealousy upon seeing Alaina arrive at the arms of Zandro. He bribed his younger sister to distract Zandro away from Alaina. However, Alaina was not receptive of his attention and left with Zandro soon after. Nick left the party to follow Alaina but found no one home and waited outside of the house until early morning and was furious believing that Alaina was with Zandro the whole night.

Alaina was at her studio when Nick showed up confronting her about her relationship with Zandro. Their argument turned heated and the two had sex. Nick noticed a scar on Alaina's tummy. After the sex, Alaina explained that she was home the whole night and that the place Nick thought as her house was actually the studio and she lived next door. Nick had wanted to take their copulating to Alaina's room when Monique showed up with her nanny. It was evident right away to Nick who the baby was as Monique looked like his mother Monica.

Lust turned to anger, Nick took Monique away with him to his home. Monique was inconsolable without her mother and Nick had to call Beatriz who came with Franco and Jenny. Franco was doubtful of Monique's parentage but Nick was adamant that he is the father. He declared that he will use all the connections he has to ensure that his daughter stays with him.

When Monique would not stop crying till the following day, Nick called Alaina who had been crying the whole day much like her daughter. Nick insisted that Alaina come see the child. When Alaina arrived however, Sandra had just came in and was playing with Monique near the pool with Nick a sight that Alaina thought looked much like a happy family. She was about to leave when Nick saw her. Jealousy made Alaina vow that she will take Nick to court for custody which Nick countered that he will use all his resources to make sure Monique stayed with him.

Alaina ridiculed Nick and the Navarro's for always using money on everything revealing how Franco had paid her to make her leave. Just after Alaina left, Sandra came and apparently left baby Monique on her own by the pool and Nick saw the baby crawl to the edge and fell to the water.

Monique was taken to the hospital and was declared safe soon after. Nick then confronted Franco for what the latter had done to Alaina. Franco explained that he did what was best for the family at that time, protecting them from the press who were hounding the whole family after the death of Monica and Jerome. Franco declared that Nick as his son is bound to his rule, to only marry an honourable woman.

Sandra visited Monique at the hospital and Alaina was hostile against her. Sandra made up lies telling Alaina to not trap Nick into marriage just because of the baby but before she could say more Nick arrived threatening Sandra with a quiet stare.

Nick confessed to Alaina that he loves her and that he wanted Alaina and Monique in his life but Alaina refused to believe him. Alaina said that he can spend time with Monique but that she will not let him take their daughter away. As she was about to step of the room, Nick called after her, calling her Laney. It was made clear that Nick was calling Alaina with a nickname which was Laney and thus was really saying Alaina's name when they first had sex. Nick told Alaina that he'd had a crush on her since she was 15 and that crush had bloomed into love as the years went by. Finally, Alaina accepted Nick's love and confessed hers as well as their daughter woke up.