Kabanata 3

Masakit ang ulo ko.

Yung tipong parang may rock band na tumugtog sa loob ng bungo ko buong gabi.

I squinted as sunlight peeked through unfamiliar white curtains. Sandali… saan ako?

I tried to sit up but stopped mid-move.

Holy crap.

I was in a king-sized bed. White sheets. Silk. Sobrang lambot, parang ulap. Then it hit me.

I was not in my bed.

This was not my condo.

This wasn’t even a hotel room.

I froze.

Dahan-dahan kong tinignan ang sarili ko. I was wearing someone else’s oversized shirt. Wala akong memory bumili ng ganito. I looked around—elegant furniture, modern art on the walls, minimalist pero mukhang mamahalin.

Then, the scent.

Masculine. Clean. Expensive.

My pulse quickened.

Memories tried to piece themselves together but everything was fuzzy.

Wine. Music. A deep voice. That hand on my back. Eyes that looked at me like they saw straight through me.

Then..

Atticus. Yes, he told me his name.

Biglang bumukas ang pintuan.

I held my breath.

There he was, standing by the door in gray lounge pants and a white shirt, holding two mugs of coffee. Barefoot. Relaxed. Calm. But his eyes instantly locked on mine.

"You're awake," he said, voice still that same low timbre.

I opened my mouth pero walang lumabas.

He walked closer and handed me the mug. "Black, no sugar. Tama?"

I blinked. "H-How did you…?"

"You mentioned it. Last night," he said, sitting down on the chair across the bed.

I took the coffee, if only to have something to hold. My fingers were cold despite the mug’s warmth.

“W-What happened?” I finally asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He didn’t look away. “Nothing happened you didn’t want.”

My face flushed. “I mean… I don’t usually…” I trailed off, embarrassed, flustered.

“You don’t do one-night stands. You told me that too.”

I nodded slowly, still trying to breathe evenly. “But did we…”

He held my gaze. "Yes."

My heart stopped. Tumigil ang mundo ko sandali.

"But," he added, “I made sure you were okay. You were drunk, but you weren’t out of control. You knew what you wanted. I asked… you answered. Clearly.”

I looked down, my chest tightening. Ano ba ’tong ginawa ko…?

"I should go," I mumbled, setting the mug down shakily.

“You don’t have to rush.”

But I was already gathering my things. My heels. My bag. My pride, somewhere on the floor.

“I’m not like this,” I said, not even sure if I was talking to him or myself.

"I believe you," he said simply.

I forced a smile. “Thank you… for the coffee.”

As I headed toward the door, he said one last thing that made me stop.

“If ever you need anything… especially after this night—call me. Please.”

I didn’t turn back. I couldn’t.

Because at that moment, I didn’t know if I should be relieved……or terrified.

Because something told me, this wasn't the end.

It was just the beginning of a much bigger storm.

Pagpasok ko sa unit ko, bumungad agad ang katahimikan.

No loud voices. No judgment. Just me… and the pounding guilt that refused to go away.

I dropped my heels by the door and leaned against the wall. Pinikit ko ang mga mata ko sandali, trying to catch my breath — but how do you breathe normally after waking up in a stranger’s bed? Not just any stranger, but Poseidon Atticus Koznetzov.

The man you only hear about in whispers.

The man I slept with.

My head throbbed again. Ayan kasi, inom pa. Tanga.

I kicked off the oversized shirt and tossed it into the laundry. Bigla akong natigilan.

That shirt… It still smelled like him.

I took a long, cold shower. Scrubbed my skin like I could erase last night. Pero kahit gaano ko pa kuskusin, I couldn’t wash away the heat of his hands, the feel of his lips, the way he looked at me like I was something rare.

“Stop it,” I whispered to myself in the mirror. “Wala lang ‘yon. You were drunk. Curious. Desperate, maybe.”

And let’s be real — I wanted a child. Not a relationship. Not a man. I reminded myself of that again and again.

Anak lang. Hindi asawa.

I wrapped myself in a towel and sat on the edge of my bed. My phone lit up with notifications. Missed calls from my best friend. Messages from my eldest sister asking if I got home safe. And one unsaved number with a short message:

> “You left your earrings. I’ll have my driver return them. — Poseidon”

I stared at it for a while, not sure how to feel.

Bakit ba siya ang naiwan sa isip ko?

I shook my head and sighed deeply.

I wasn’t the type to fall easily. I’ve survived heartbreaks I never had. Built a life on my own. Became everything I dreamed of without needing someone to hold my hand.

This wasn’t going to change anything.

Last night was just a blip. A reckless, unexpected detour in my carefully planned map.

Or so I thought.