Rosa Enid Cruz Roque

HER

PURPOSE

SUNSET BEACH SERIES

Her purpose

Christmas - BOOK 2

A Christian Christmas Romance Book

Acknowledgments

Written by

Rosa Enid Cruz Roque

English Edition

Amy Peace

Jovani Velazquez

Rosa Enid Cruz Roque

Cover Design and Format

Rosa Enid Cruz Roque

Translation in Spanish

Rosa Enid Cruz Roque

Copyright © 2024 by Rosa Enid Cruz Roque

All Rights Reserved

This is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and situations presented are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, unless otherwise specified. Any similarity to past and current events, places, or real people, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

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Introduction

Sunset Beach Series

Melinne Martin is a beautiful 32-year-old single lady. After her failed 10-year-old marriage, she decided that she was never going to fall in love again. She was going to dedicate her life to study, work, and achieve her goals. She knew that God had a perfect plan for her, and after her painful divorce, she did not believe that plan included a man in her life. She planned to work during the day and attend college classes in the late afternoons to get her medical degree.

Her decision to never fall in love again was suddenly challenged when she met her college professor, Michael Redson. Meeting Michael set her heart afire. He had the most beautiful baby blue eyes she had ever seen. When she looked into his eyes, she got lost in them in a way she never thought possible. Was she going to be able to resist the strong attraction to Professor Redson? Can she focus on her plans and ignore her professor's interest and very intense attraction?

Prologue

Melinne Martín

Why did Travis return? Why did he appear in her life again? What does he want? For her, their relationship was over, and Travis was just a bad memory. At that moment, she remembered the last words Travis said to her the day of her divorce. "This is not over; I love you, and you will always belong to me."

Chapter 1

Thanksgiving

Michael and Melinne

The restaurant fell silent as Maggie yelled at Travis. Instinctively, Melinne's brothers, her father, and Michael began approaching the chair where she was sitting. They all exhibited a remarkable level of great strength and agility. The atmosphere was tense, and somber. Michael, with his fluid and powerful movements, took a seat beside Melinne and enveloped her in a warm embrace.

The atmosphere was charged with a palpable feeling suggesting that the situation was about to spiral into an extremely unpleasant outcome.

It was as if an invisible force had surrounded the restaurant, tightening its grip on everyone present. Everyone was tense, waiting to see what was going to happen next. The silence was deafening, broken only by the anxious drumming of fingers on the tables. A sense of imminent doom filled the restaurant, leaving an unpleasant feeling for everyone there.

Maggie was a feisty friend, showing bravery and unwavering determination. Consumed by intense emotions, she found herself yelling at Travis. Driven by her anger, she stood up from her seat, intending to physically confront Travis, only to be stopped by Marianne and Liz.

"Don't even think about coming near me!" Travis warned Maggie in a threatening tone. Both had always despised each other. Maggie agreed to be the maid of honor at Melinne's wedding since she was Melinne's best friend, although Maggie knew Travis would cause problems. After Melinne and Travis married, he began to separate her from everyone she loved. While Melinne was married, Maggie realized that her best friend's ability to spend time with her was limited.

The situation intensified quickly like a storm brewing on the horizon. In an attempt to remove Travis from the restaurant, Sunset Beach Police Chief Roberto Díaz approached him, firmly grasped his arm and instructed Travis to accompany him.

"Don't touch me!" Travis yelled. "Who do you think you are? I'm an immensely influential person. Don't mess with me!"

"Who am I, Travis? As head of law enforcement at Sunset Beach, I order you to leave the premises immediately. If you don't comply, I will be forced to arrest you, and you will end up in jail. Luke, help me here." Roberto was trying to keep the situation under control, but Travis was upset. Disturbed and causing the situation to deteriorate, Travis was yelling and telling Melinne that she was still his wife.

"Melinne, come with me; you're mine, and I love you," Travis said. Travis fixed his eyes on Michael and angrily threatened him. "You, remember to keep your hands off what's mine or things are going to go very bad in your life!"

Michael became very angry and clenched his fists, but decided it was important to keep the peace. He raised a prayer to God in his mind, asking for help and breathing deeply, trying to calm down. He remembered the Bible verse in Matthew 5:9 where it says, Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. At that crucial moment, his priority was to offer unconditional support to Melinne, being by her side to give her the necessary strength to get through this situation. Despite feeling extremely angry, he understood the importance of bearing witness and maintaining control at that critical moment. He remembered Proverbs 14:29, which says, He who is patient shows great intelligence; he who is aggressive shows a lot of foolishness.

Since Alexander Henry met Melinne, he has always tried to protect her. He approached the table, turned to Travis, and said, "Melinne will not go with you anywhere under any circumstances. Roberto, please take Travis to jail. A restraining order has been issued against him, prohibiting him from being around Melinne."

Roberto looked at Travis with stern eyes and asked him. "Is that correct?"

"You can't take me to jail." He lied and said, "I didn't know that Melinne was here; I was invited to the restaurant by Sarah." Travis, an individual who did not consider or honor God, developed a pattern in his life where lying was common. Without knowledge of the teachings of the scriptures, he was unaware of the serious consequences of lying, as stated in Proverbs 19:5. The false witness will not go unpunished, and the one who tells lies will not escape.

With an intense gaze, Police Chief Roberto focused his attention on Sarah. "Sarah, did you invite Travis?" With tears in her eyes and deep pain in her heart, Sarah looked at Roberto.

"Yes, I extended an invitation to him. However, I was unaware of his true identity at the time. He deceived me." At that moment, Sarah looked at Melinne with her eyes full of tears and in agony. "I'm so sorry, Melinne!"

Sarah felt like her world was collapsing; she loved Travis. She began to run towards the door, desperately looking for a way out of that suffocating place where she felt she wasn't able to breathe. With her vision clouded by tears, she was so absorbed in her pain that she didn't notice anything around her until she suddenly collided with Melinne's brother Simon. He took her into his arms, and she began to sob uncontrollably upon his shoulder. Simon directed her to another part of the restaurant, away from the commotion and shockingly intense situation. Although he was worried about Melinne, he was certain that his sister was going to be fine because she was surrounded by her family and friends. He knew Sarah needed him at that moment.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you, Sarah." Despite his attraction to Sarah, Simon never approached her or asked her on a date because he was always on his music tours. He didn't have extra time due to the constant demands of his music career. This left him perpetually short of time. Simon is a very famous singer, and he didn't feel he could have a long distance relationship.

In an attempt to maintain composure and control over the situation, Luke and Alexander focused their efforts on calming Melinne's father and brothers. Melinne's father, Mark Martin, was retired from the US Marine Special Operations Forces. Even in his old age, he remained an extraordinarily strong man.

Roberto and Luke escorted Travis out of the restaurant, ensuring his departure from the town. When they returned, Melinne's family, Michael's family, and their friends had gathered around them.

Michael was furious, but with great effort he was able to remain calm. With a mixture of intensity and tenderness, he hugged Melinne tightly. As he held her in his arms, he whispered the words into her ear, "I love you, darling." She lovingly returned the hug, whispering,

"I love you too, Michael." Michael was so loving and kind. He was an exceptional boyfriend. She felt so blessed that God had placed such a wonderful man in her life.

Everyone felt tense and sad. Mark, Melinne's father, grabbed a microphone and began to speak, drawing the attention of everyone gathered in the restaurant. "Today, we have gathered here to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to God for all the blessings He has given us. Something unexpected has happened, and I know we are hurt and worried right now, but we must focus our thoughts on God's blessings. We must be grateful to God for His love, protection, provisions, and care. Let us gather in prayer, cherishing this precious moment as we come together with our families, a rare and special occasion that we shouldn't take for granted."

Mark began to pray. "Father, on this day we thank you for your love, your provision, and your protection. Thank you for all your daily blessings. We express our gratitude for the opportunity you have granted us to come together as a family and share meaningful moments with one another in this gathering. Help us to focus on You, Jehovah, and enjoy this day, because this is the day that You made for us, and we will rejoice and be glad in it. Even in the midst of difficult situations, we are sure that You are with us. We know our lives belong to You and are in your hands. We believe and trust You, God. We love You. I pray in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen."

"Simon and Sarah, can you come over and sit here with us?"

"Yes, Dad," Simon replied.

Sarah sat next to Marianne, and Marianne hugged her. Marianne stands out for her kind and motherly personality, which drives her to help others unconditionally. When she was a child, she was always drawn to toys related to nursing. Since then she has had a great love for medicine. She carried a stethoscope and played with her siblings, pretending to be a nurse and checking their hearts. Her father Mark, with love and admiration, often mentioned that she was going to be the family nurse.

"Simon, can you sing the song God Most High by Rosa Enid Cruz Roque?" With his guitar in hand, Simon began to sing.

Simon sang several songs, and after he finished singing, everyone gave thanks, honor, and glory to God for his abundant blessings. As a family, they engaged in a lively gathering. They shared humorous stories that brought forth laughter and savored delicious food. They moved gracefully to the rhythm of Christmas music, creating memorable, wonderful, and joyous experiences.