I opened my phone and checked the latest news. News about Bronc X virus infection was still the hottest, ruling the headlines for many days already. Its spread had become more extensive as it invaded more countries each day. All governments, local or nationwide, imposed several safety measures, including strict quarantines. Business operations, recreational and religious activities, and any gatherings were temporarily withheld to minimize the spread of infection.
Eric's name on the headline caught my attention, so I hurried to open the article about him. It stated that he went to Sama Island and organized a team to investigate the source of this infection. He gained praise and admiration from the netizens for his cooperation to prevent the widespread of the virus. However, an anonymous person uploaded a post and exposed his relationship with a woman from Sama Island. Of course, I knew it's Calla, but what sent goosebumps all over my body was the statement saying that this wom
I wandered through the cornfields, still lost in my thought. The height of each corn was still on my shoulder level, so I could always look out ahead of me and appreciate the rolling greeneries below. I just followed the path winding down the hill until I reached a somewhat forest-like place. All I could see was the dense and huge trees springing from the soil in congested rows. A wide plank hanging on a tree contained the words, "NO ENTRY".I sat down on one of the boulders I saw at the side, taking in the refreshing sceneries around me. Since birth, I have lived in the city, so I had never been to this kind of place. The gushing of fresh air, the drumming cicadas, and the chirping of the birds were like music in my ears. There were wild flowering plants all around, as well as tied goats, cows, and carabaos along the way. I had decided then that if ever I would need peace of mind, I would come back to this beautiful haven.I thought about my situation. Just a few minu
"Do you wish to die?"My feet tipped off from the log as a force tugged me backward. I screamed, thinking I wouldn't be able to walk anymore! But then, my back landed on a pair of strong arms halfway to the ground. My eyes dilated in fear, and the first thing I saw as I opened my eyes was the reddened face of a man in her forties.The man put my feet down on the ground, and as soon as I gained my balance, he threw me a scowl, followed by a growl. His eyes almost popped out, and the veins in his temples bulged."Why are you wandering in this dangerous place? And entering in this restricted territory is even not enough for you. You dared to open the lid. Do you know what's inside?"My knees were already trembling. I was both scared at this man's reaction and guilty of trespassing. I did not answer, but my eyes stayed on him, wanting to know who he was. The fact that he was furious that I touched that huge barrel was enough to tell me that he was relat
"What's wrong?" I squirmed free from Sean's grip on my face. The man's face was also close to me that I felt suffocated. "Am I going to die? What are those damn bugs out there?""And why in the hell you're here?" Sean snarled. I stiffened; never did I think that this man I considered perfect was now barking at me. I felt humiliated, but I saw drops of tears running down his flushed cheek when I looked up at him."Patrick, what are we going to do?" Sean growled again, and I noticed his quivering lips, which he concealed by brushing his hair away with his fingers a couple of times.I looked at the man, and I shuddered at his pale lips. Drops of sweats were trickling down his temples."Sean, I don't know. You know I have not discovered or developed an antidote yet."From their tone, I realized I was in danger. What kind of bugs were there in those barrels that this man had to create an antidote? And why in the hell would he grow those kinds of bugs whos
SEAN'S POV"Miss," I froze when I saw the person whom Red addressed. "Are you the third applicant?"Calla frowned after she shifted her gaze between Red and me. I knew she felt bad when she saw Red and me kissing."You are in the wrong office," I said, but my heart was already in my throat. This woman was indeed hard to turn down. "The HR office is on the left-wing, and you are in the right."I stepped back so Red couldn't see my facial expression. I placed Calla temporarily at the hotel while still thinking about the best thing to do. A few days later, I asked Philip to fetch her and bring her to my office. However, instead of bringing her directly there, Philip took her instead to the clinic. I almost choked to death when I saw her. I still didn't get the nerve to tell Red that Rya Sevilla was Calla.I pretended to show Calla the way to the HR office. I was glad I succeeded, but Calla's face twisted like a
SEAN'S POVSEAN'S POVI already foresaw that Calla's coming into my life again would create a problem between Red and me. Our relationship was still too young, and like a seedling, it didn't have any roots yet. I couldn't allow it to die; it's a commitment I couldn't afford to break.I applied for Red an indefinite leave and brought her to the only place I called my own. All that I have was not mine, though I spent my sweat and blood for it. When the right time comes--when Red would be able to move on completely from Eric--I would tell her my secrets. Eric was a greedy businessman, always hungry for more power and wealth, so how could I throw out Sir Thomas' legacy to an unworthy person? Red was never business-minded, and she would never be able to handle such massive conglomerates.We left early in the morning through the company's private plane. In just a few hours, my eyes were alre
SEAN'S POVI followed Patrick to the woods when he did not come back after about fifteen minutes. I got worried that his enemies might have already tracked him in this remote part of the country. One of the reasons I relocated the occupants of this place was that I did not want any trouble coming my way. I did not mind that I had no neighbors, as long as I had Patrick and his wife.To my horror, I saw Red crouching on the ground with her head buried on top of her pulled-up knees. I got even more horrified when she looked up with bloodshot eyes. I was afraid that Patrick might have suspected her as a spy and hurt her."She 0pened the lid of the Bronca breeders," Patrick informed me, his voice quivering in fear. "Sean, check her out."I freaked out when I saw that reddish mark of a Bronca bite in her cheek. Just a while ago, Patrick even boasted about how lethal its bite was. He tried it on the animals, and all of the
Sean's POVI am not a medical professional, but I could tell that her blood pressure was dropping. I got scared, and my knees were losing strength. The beeping of the monitor sounded like a call to the grave, and it drove me crazy.I looked at the doctor and saw he spoke to the nurses. I could not hear anything, but I knew he was giving orders. The nurses moved like bolts of lightning. My eyes couldn't follow them all. One of them picked up a vial, aspirated the content out of it through a syringe, then infused it in the bigger bottle. I guessed it was the medicine to address her dropping blood pressure. Soon, I saw it hanging on an IV stand, followed by other bottles.Someone approached me and took Red's history. Looking at the pin on her left upper chest, I understood that she was a post-graduate intern. I may not have known Red too well, but I was able to answer all her questions because I had Red's personal data even before I met he
SEAN'S POV"My beloved countrymen, this is my promise to all of you. I will do all it takes to stop the spread of this deadly Bronc X virus. I am commissioning a group of experts to conduct studies and research about the nature of this virus so that they can formulate drugs that would stop this malady. It had already affected not just our daily activities but also the country's economy. As of now, the best solution to this problem is to implement a strict quarantine to every district, city, municipality, and region."With my capacity as a scientist and founder of the drug that ended the plague in the past, I will impart all my knowledge to the research teams. As soon as possible, we should be able to come up with the best solution to our current suffering."The crowd gave a continuous round of applause. Bright flashes of the sea of cameras glittered inside the huge arena."God bless the president!""We love y