Sergio's lips were firm, yet hesitant. The collision of our lips sent a jolt of mixed emotions through me— confusion, anger and a scorching wave of irritation. I was a tad confused be cause the action ignited a desire I hadn't anticipated. Angry and irritated because I was kissing the son of my enemy. He pulled back slightly; his eyes searching mine. "Sergio..." I whispered.. "I—" "Don't say anything," he demanded, cutting me off. "Not here. Let's talk inside. Someone might see." Why was he hiding? The question echoed in my mind. Walking further into the room, I took a seat on the edge of the bed, while Sergio's tall figure hovered over me. "This..that..." Sergio stammered, looking everywhere but her. "Wasn't supposed to happen." "What wasn't supposed to happen?" I asked, raising a brow questionably. There was no way I was going to allow him back out. The pace of the plan had already been set. "The kiss," he rasped. "Back in the hospital and," he pointed to the doorway. "Just
The sharp knock on the door sent a jolt through me for I wasn't expecting anyone that late at night. Just as I was about to ask whom it was, the masculine voice echoed in the room."Nicole!" it was Mr. Fernandez. "Are you awake? I want to speak to you." "Oh," I muttered to myself. Mr. Fernandez had returned. I was prepared to face him. "Just a minute, please," I yelled back and straightened my pajamas, making myself look a little more presentable before walking to the door and throwing it open. "I can see you've healed completely," he rasped before I even got the chance to speak. "Not really," I forced a smile. "but I'm healing fast. The wound doesn't hurt that much anymore. I will be completely fine in about a week or so." "That's great to hear," he nodded his head. "I wanted to visit you in the hospital but I didn't get the chance. I'm glad the bullet just scratched you, and also, I want to thank you specially for what you did. I didn't think you were bold enough to take a bulle
Weeks passed and the bond between me and the Fernandezes became stronger. True to his words, Mr. Fernandez started treating me as his own daughter. His wife was always checking up on me and making sure I was comfortable. Sergio, the tension between us whenever we were alone in a room seemed to get thicker every time. For some reason, he seemed to be holding back. But despite the hesitation, I could tell he had already fallen for my charms. I had made my moves. Now, I was only waiting for him to make his. Perhaps by leaving his credit card with me, he had began. Just maybe. So far, My plan was going smoothly. There was a little problem though. Not sure if it was a problem but it had become a thing of concern to me—Diego's attitude. Though he treated me nicely like everyone else, I'd sometimes catch him zoned out, looking at me or passing double edged remarks. It seemed he was the only one who was still a little cautious of me. Maybe it was a figment of my imagination or perhaps, me be
"Of course I was looking for you. Why else would I be here?" I swallowed, hoping he wouldnt see through my nervousness. "I was looking for you and I got lost. This house," I gestured vaguely around the hallway. "is like. castle." Diego's expression remained unconvinced. His gaze then flickered from my face to the ajar door, lingering a bit longer than longer. "A castle?" He hummed. "I guess you can say that." In an attempt to steady my breath, I heaved a sigh. "You don't believe me?" I asked, giving him a small smile. "I swear, I was not peeking in there for any other reason. I was looking for you. You can ask Sergio if you don't believe me. I told him about going to you but forgot to ask him where the room is." Diego seemed to believe my words. His brows straightened and his lips curved into a lopsided smile. "It's not to like there's a skeleton in there anyway." The barb flew out before I could stop it. "And how sure are you about that?" I blurted. Regret instantly washed over
I didn't know what to expect standing in front of the pulsating party room door with Diego. I felt a tad nervous and uncomfortable. Diego must have sensed my nervousness. His touch, a gentle nudge against my shoulder with his strong arm. "Hey! What's up?" "I don't know anyone," I confessed, my voice barely audible over the loud music. "You know me," he said, smugly. "you don't have to worry about anything. Just think of me as your social passport. Everyone in there is my friend. All you have to do is loosen up and have fun. Trust me, you need this." A hesitant smile tugged at my lips. "I guess." "Let's go?" I nodded. Walking into the party room, girls swarmed around us—Diego precisely, like a school of fish out of water. It was clear to me that he was popular amongst the girls, though a cynical voice in my head wondered if it was purely his charm or if they simply just wanted a share of his family's wealth. The piercing gaze from one of the girls made me squir
My heartbeat accelerated, and I mentally cringed at the thought of being found out. "Diego!" Caesar called, his voice laced with razor sharp menace. "What a delightful surprise. We meet again." Their gazes met in a silent duel. Bemused, my gaze flickered between the two of them. I recalled Caesar telling me he knew the Fernandez family but the animosity crackling in the air spoke of a deeper discord. They were like wolves circling each other. Diego ignored him and averted his gaze to me, a silent question hanging in the air. I swallowed a ball of nerves in my throat as I awaited the inevitable questioning. I was already thinking of an excuse to give but it seemed Diego wasn't interested after all. "Nicole, shall we get out of here?" "Wait a minute," Caesar stood in front of me like a protective shield. "Is this how you treat your acquaintances? Oh," he face palmed. "Of course, how could I forget?...that's who you are. And more importantly, where in the world do you know
Diego's brows furrowed. "To a party, where else?" "She just got discharged from the hospital!" Sergio rasped. "She doesn't need this right now. She's not all about that lifestyle." Diego scoffed, the sound sharp and dismissive. "Seriously, Sergio? It's not a big deal. I don't understand why you're blowing it way out of proportion. When I was leaving the house, I met Nicole in a bad mood and decided to invite her to join me. Just to uplift her mood. Nothing more." I titled my head to the side, a sly smile stretching my lips. I was enjoying the drama a little too much. It felt almost as if the two brothers were fighting for my attention. What an interesting twist. Sergio heaved a sigh, running his fingers through his hair in a gesture of frustration. "Look, Diego," he started, his voice strained. "I didn't mean to, you know..." He trailed off. "It's just... when I returned, she wasn't in her room. I got worried. She's my responsibility, after all." "I understand," Diego
THIRD PERSON Walking out of the room, Sergio puffed out his cheeks. He had no idea what Nicole was doing, but whatever it was, he couldn't deny the fact that she had an effect on him. Looking into her eyes, he could see the sincerity, the innocence and longing in them. It made him feel a tad sad because he knew he could never give her what she wanted... He wasn't in the position to anyway. Things were much more complicated than they seemed. Shaking his head to get rid of the thought, he made his way to Diego's room. He couldn't help but feel anxious. He wondered what Diego had to tell him for he looked and sounded very serious. It was atypical of him. Yes, Diego had always been a little too serious with outsiders, but never with family. "Diego," Sergio called before pushing open the door. Diego was standing by the window, staring blankly into space. Despite Sergio's arrival, he didn't turn to face him. "You've finally gotten my time." "What do you want to talk to me about?" S