Chapter 5

One night, it was already two in the morning. Lia was still awake because she was told to iron Felix’s clothes for the next day. The whole house was silent, until suddenly the main entrance door burst open with a loud crash.

BANG!

Lia was startled and stood up immediately. She saw Felix walking in, but he looked different. He was wearing light clothes stained with dirt and... blood. He was hunched over, holding his left arm, and struggling to walk.

His bodyguards rushed to help him, but he pushed them all away. “Get out! Leave me alone!” he shouted, his voice hoarse and filled with pain.

Lia almost hid in the shadows; she didn't want to be seen, she didn't want to interfere. But she saw Felix’s knees shaking and he almost collapsed onto the sofa.

Despite all the anger and hatred she felt, Lia’s body moved on its own. She ran towards him.

“Felix!” she called out, forgetting to call him “Sir”. “Anong nangyari sa’yo?!”

Felix faced her, his eyes still blazing with fury even though his face was already pale. “Get away from me! I said leave me alone!” he tried to shout, but his voice was weak. “Ayoko ng tulong mo! Wala akong kailangan sa’yo!”

“Tingnan mo nga ang sarili mo! Dugo ka na!” Lia shouted back, refusing to back down. “Buti ka pa galit na galit ka pa rin, ibig sabihin malakas ka pa! Pero kung hindi ka magpapagamot, mamamatay ka dyan! At ayokong mamatay ka dyan sa sofa dahil lang sa pride mo!”

“Wala kang pakialam!” Felix answered, as his body finally gave in and he slumped onto the sofa. “just go away...”

“Hindi ako aalis!” Lia said firmly. She grabbed the first aid kit from the cabinet and a basin of water. “Kahit gaano pa kita kamuhian, hindi ko kayang makita kang namamatay! Tanggapin mo na lang ang tulong ko, ang yabang mo masyado!”

While waiting for the doctor to arrive, Lia sat in front of him and gently took his arm. The wound was deep, clearly from a knife. His shirt was soaked in blood and it was still flowing.

When Lia’s hands touched Felix’s skin, he stiffened. She expected him to hurt her or shout, but instead, he let her be. Felix just stayed quiet, eyes closed, gritting his teeth to endure the pain.

“Masakit ba?” Lia asked as she carefully cleaned the wound with cotton and alcohol.

“Shut up... just clean it...” Felix whispered, sweat dripping down his forehead.

“Ang tigas talaga ng ulo mo. Sino ba naman kasing gumawa nito sa’yo? Away nanaman ba ‘to ng mga negosyo niyo?” Lia asked as she dressed and bandaged the wound. “Ang dami mong kaaway noh? Kasi ang sama ng ugali mo.”

Felix slowly opened his eyes. He stared at her. Being this close, he could see how soft her features really were. He saw the genuine concern in her eyes, even though they had been shouting at each other earlier.

“You really hate me that much?” Felix suddenly asked, his voice low and soft.

Lia paused for a moment and looked straight into his eyes. “Oo. Sobrang sama ng ugali mo. Arrogant, playboy, masungit. Araw-araw pinapahirapan mo ako. I despise you, Felix.”

“Then why are you here? Why are you helping me? You could have just wait for the doctor or let me bleed. You should be happy I might die.”

Lia sighed and continued wrapping the bandage around his arm. “Kasi... kahit ayaw kita, tao ka pa rin. At saka... paano ako makakabayad ng utang kung mamatay ka? Sino ang magsisingil sa akin kapag wala ka na?” she answered, trying to sound harsh, but Felix knew deep down that her concern was real.

“You are so brave, Lia...” Felix whispered, never taking his eyes off her. “You look so soft and innocent... yet you have the courage to talk back to me. Even if you are scared, you never show it.”

“Takot? Takot ako sa’yo oo,” Lia admitted. “Pero mas natatakot ako na baka mawalan ka ng dugo dyan at ako pa ang masisi. At saka... hindi ako natatakot sabihin sa’yo na mali ka.”

Felix continued to stare at her. That night, the hierarchy of the boss and servant vanished. The anger faded for a moment. All he saw was Lia the woman he always shouted at, the woman he claimed to hate, yet the only one who ran to him in his moment of weakness.

He was confused again. “I hate you, Lia. I really do. You make my blood boil. You make me angry every single day...” he stopped and swallowed hard. “But I realized... I don't want you gone. I don't want anyone else taking care of me. Just you. Even if I hate you.”

Lia was stunned. She looked at Felix’s face. He looked so vulnerable, so tired. There was no arrogance, no shouting.

“Naguguluhan ka na ba?” Lia asked softly. “Kasi ako rin. Galit na galit ako sa’yo, pero bakit ganito? Bakit concern ako?”

“Shut up and continue what you are doing,” Felix said, but his voice was no longer angry. He moved his face slightly closer to hers. “Just fix me up, Lia. And don't you dare leave my side tonight.”

“Ewan ko sa’yo,” Lia replied, but she didn't leave. She finished securing the bandage. “Tapos na. Kailangan mo magpahinga. At huwag ka na gagalaw-galaw.”

After she finished, Lia tried to stand up to leave, but Felix suddenly grabbed her hand. His grip was firm, but not painful.

“Stay here,” he ordered, but it sounded more like a plea. “Stay with me tonight. Don't go to your room.”

Lia looked at their intertwined hands. She looked at Felix’s face, which was now closed again, looking exhausted.

“Ang bossy mo talaga kahit may sakit,” Lia complained, but she sat back down beside him on the sofa. “Sige na nga. Mananatili ako dito. Pero huwag kang aasa na magugustuhan na kita dahil lang dito. Galit pa rin ako sa’yo.”

Felix smirked slightly, a small, tired smile. “I hate you too, Lia. So much. But right now... you are the only one I need.”

All night long, Lia stayed by his side. She watched him sleep. And as she looked at him, she realized that what they felt for each other was no longer simple. There was something else buried deep within – a connection that no matter how much they denied it, they couldn't hide.

Felix, who thought he only felt anger, was slowly realizing that he couldn't live without her. And Lia, who thought her feelings were only hatred, was starting to see the man behind the hard armor.