CHLOE'S POV
June 2021
23rd Street, New York, USA
"Chloe McIntyre! Wait!"
I stopped in my tracks when I heard his voice. Oliver James, my handsome boss and the CEO of the company where I've been working for a year.
Being one of the junior interior designers, it was my ladder to keep him close. This guy was the man of my dreams. Why the hell not? He was a perfect gentleman, wealthy, and had a good heart. Twenty per cent of his company's earnings were distributed to his chosen charities. He's just too good to be true, and… he's mine.
Wondering the possible reason, I stood beside my car and waited for him to come closer.
"Hey, Oliver!" I smiled at him.
He was almost catching his breath when he finally stood before me. "Going home already?"
"Ah, yeah," I said, tucking loose strands of hair behind my ear. "What's the matter? Do you need anything?"
"Well, I just wanna ask you something." He shrugged.
It felt like heaven as we exchanged glances. He seemed to be musing in his deep thoughts, so I took the chance to smize him all to my heart's content. Oliver was thirty-eight, while I am twenty-three. It's a fifteen-year age gap, yet it didn't matter. I believed he was mature enough to handle relationships, unlike others who were just after sex and everything that goes with it.
Then I remember Carly, my older sister. Since my sister graduated with flying colours, she had a handful of companies to work with. Nonetheless, New York had been our top priority to hustle with. This was our dream and to-go place since we were kids. We wanted to be free and live self-reliant lives, and we made it. When I finished college, I'd been with Carly. We're living independently here.
But six months ago, Carly's life turned upside down. I found her in bed, bathed in her pool of blood. Carly committed suicide, and the name and words written on the wall were 'Trace Dimagiba. I hate you!'
After that, Carly lived with my parents in California because she was diagnosed with severe depression. The reason? She fell in love with a douchebag. I knew nothing about her fucktard boyfriend, but I knew my sister well. My sister is very conservative, so I don't understand why Trace Dimagiba dropped her like a hot potato. Carly trusted him, but all she got was misery. I hate that man! Send him to the devil, and I would celebrate, sure. To this day, I cannot accept why that bastard hurt my sister. Carly was a respectable, exceptional woman with a heart for the less fortunate. My sister was a devoted volunteer for charities that helped orphans.
"Hey, um, are you free on Saturday?" Oliver disturbed my thoughts about Carly.
I gaped at Oliver. Oh, gee! How could I forget about him? Jeez! I nodded slowly and looked straight into his eyes. "Oh, I'm sorry, I spaced out."
"No worries," Oliver chuckled and added, "So, are you available? Saturday night, I mean."
"Sure. Saturday, then," I replied enthusiastically.
The butterflies in my stomach danced gloriously as I gazed at his dreamy, expressive eyes. He's obviously into me, just as I am into him. This was possibly my shot at his heart!
Saturday. That would be four days to wait. Cool! My flight was scheduled for next week, and if I could convince Oliver to accompany me, I would have the opportunity to introduce him to my parents. That would be great. We could take a plane back to New York on Monday.
"Is it alright if I ask you to please stop calling me 'sir,' Chloe?" Oliver asked me with a bright smile.
"Uh, well..." I was thrilled. "What should I call you then?"
"Just call me Oliver," he said. "I feel old every time you address me that way."
I smiled and bit the inner side of my lower lip. "A'ight! Oliver." I will not play hard-to-get. I can be with him, so I won't waste it.
"I will see you on Saturday night then," he said with a smile, and I nodded.
I was damn speechless for a second. And when I was about to tell Oliver my address, suddenly my phone rang. I excused myself as I saw the caller's ID on my phone. It was Mom.
"I will go now." Oliver bid me goodbye and didn't wait for my answer; he immediately left. It was disappointing that he left me, but I had to answer Mommy's call first.
"Mom."
"You need to come home. Carly needs you," she cried.
I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. Carly's depression was turning all our lives upside down.
"I will, Mom," I confirmed. "Let me settle everything in the office first. I need to file my LOA tomorrow, then I will be there on Sunday."
"Come home, Chloe," Mommy persisted. Her tone was not to be detested.
"But… Mom—"
"File a resignation and come home," Mommy said seriously.
I closed my eyes in despair. Resignation?! I love my job! And why now when Oliver was already starting his moves? Why now when I'm not invisible in his eyes anymore? Why the fuck, when he's making me feel special now?!
"Mom, I don't want to resign," I reasoned. "I love my job, and please... I'm twenty-three, and you said you'd support me no matter what work I crashed into."
"This is for Carly," Mommy said in between her sobs. "You need to quit your job and help your sister instead. We need to bring her to the Philippines and find the man. He needs to help us."
"No! Why do we need to do that?!"
We shouldn't be! And why does Mommy think that way? That's stupid!
"We need to because Carly attempted suicide again! Chloe, please… just listen!"
After that, Mommy ended our call. I inhaled and exhaled several deep breaths. I was torn between my love for my sister and my dream of being in a relationship with Oliver.
"Trace Dimagiba, you asshole*!" I said while kicking the wheel of my car. I have no one else to blame but that man.
"I would pray every day and every night for you to die miserably!" I kept talking to myself until I got inside the car and started its engine. If I could see that man, he would surely curse the day we met. I will make sure of it! I promise!
****
Pasadena, California, USA
"Carly," I called my sister. Staring at her face, I sighed. Carly's health was deteriorating, and I wanted to cry. Last month, when I visited her, I noticed she had become thin and lost weight. But now... she was even thinner than before.
"Chloe..." Carly whispered my name when she gazed at me.
I turned to look at Mommy because she told me that Carly wasn't talking anymore. I noticed Mommy was smiling and hopeful when she looked at us. I managed to smile. Mommy finally smiled again, and I was happy about that.
I have just arrived at our house after a long drive. I travelled for almost two days. Oliver and I were supposed to have a date tonight, but I decided to drive my car home because I had already filed an immediate resignation.
It took me a long time to explain why I had to do it to the management. I also talked to a friend who was also an interior designer about replacing my position. Fortunately, Oliver understood and accepted my resignation, and he promised that when his schedule was free, he would visit me here in California.
And… I'm looking forward to it...
"Do you wanna help me?" Carly asked me, sobbing. "I need your help, Chloe."
I nodded while staring at her. I knew where this conversation was heading, but Carly was my favourite person. I have looked up to her since we were kids. And she needed my help, so I wouldn't let her down. I have no heart to decline her request.
Mommy raised us so close to each other. We're familiar with Filipino customs because of Mom. We know the Filipino language as our nannies were Filipinas. Even though Mom's been here in California for a long time, she still speaks Tagalog, and that's how she talks to Carly and me, mostly when she scolds and reprimands us. We can understand Tagalog, the leading Filipino language, but Carly and I couldn't speak it without sounding stupid because of our accents.
I removed the Filipino language from my thoughts and gazed at my sister's face. I smiled. Even though I wanted to cry because of how she looked now, I still smiled to make her feel normal. I would do my best for Carly. I won't stop until she's back to normal.
"I will help you, Carly. I want to see you smile again and live your life as it was before." I meant it; I truly am. For Carly, I could do everything.
"Then... then, Chloe, please help me find Trace," she begged. "I love him, Chloe. I want to see him. I wanna talk to him."
"Yeah…" I nodded though it was against my will. "I promise that I will, Carly. I'll find him for you." I wiped her tears.
That promise is true, for I should find Trace Dimagiba and ensure he regrets that he's still alive. Damn him!
TRACE'S POV June 2021 El Tierra City, Salvacion, Philippines "What did you do last night, Trace?!" My father, Governor Patricio Salvacion Dimagiba, Sr., angrily asked. I faced my father and grinned at his flushed face. He seemed like an overripe tomato in my eyes. He was an entertaining sight. The fuck! Then I cocked my head aside and wondered why it was late for them to hear about the shit I did. It seems like the people of Salvacion were slow to anticipate my scandals. Fuck! This is getting boring. I shrugged. Maybe they think I'm getting softer? Kinder? For fucks's sake, that won't happen. I was about to answer him when I was interrupted by the woman who suddenly approached him and held my father's arm. Wow! Fucking sweet! I smirked. The fucking she-devil was still here?! What the hell with this bitch? "Patrick, reporters are waiting for you outside." The slut, who was dressed smart-casually, informed my father. I scoffed and shot the woman with a malicious look. Louisiann
TRACE January 2018 Agrianthropos City My gaze darted around the room filled with five naked women. The three European women were part of the new ones who arrived on the island just yesterday. Jake sent them to Logan. They are models at Jake's modeling agency who aren't primarily modeling to make money. The other two, a Japanese and a Korean, are from Chase. Chase is one of the newly recruited members of our organization, and we, the founders, allowed him to have a casa here on the island; his main business is selling pussies. About Jake, he is one of the seven founders, which includes me, and has an agency. Jake's prostitution or pussy selling was concealed behind the modeling agency. Jake's bitches are all clean because Jake makes sure of that. What's the point of being a doctor if the femininity of his models can't be cleaned up at all? "Master," the blonde European said in a seductive whisper when she got close to me. The woman had an angelic appearance and a serene smile. She
TRACE "Stop killing people with nonsense, you short-tempered fucker." Logan shook his head in amusement. "Elliot has a hard time defending you most often, and members of Foedus are gonna start doubting us if you continue behaving like that." "If they questioned my mental capacity, feed them to Doze," I said boringly. "Simple solution." Doze is the group of my pets: lions, tigers, jaguars, cheetahs, leopards, and panthers. They are twelve because they are couples. I designed a mansion, the Manor, for their home because Lev was enraged when there was a time that three members were attacked by some of my cats. I forgot the three members' names. They are... yeah, right! The stupid professor, the idiot trillionaire, and the moron Yakuza one. Texas, Ohio, and Michigan were full for a day because of them. I am the only one who enjoyed playing with the Doze. I have two trusted men taking care of the Doze in the Manor, Simoun and Ibarra; those are not their actual names, but I nicknamed t
January 2018 NAIA, Pasay City, PHILIPPINES TRACE "Where's my car?" I immediately asked Franco, my executive assistant in all my legal businesses. The main office of my legal company is in Makati City, Philippines. I owned an 88-story building in Makati, which houses the principal office of the real estate company I founded shortly after passing the architecture licensure exam. I am an architect by profession and am well-known for my designs. Whatever negative or ugly image is connected to my personality because of my antics in Salvacion and wherever in the world I intend to be involved in is ignored by my clients. I even designed one of Dubai's commercial areas. I am famous for my architectural designs but infamous for my sex drive and anger issues. "Your car is in the parking lot, Sir Trace." Franco gave me the car keys after informing me of the location of my car. "Go back to the office. I need to find Paige first." I turned to leave him. I had already taken some steps when he
January 2018 Baguio City, PHILIPPINES TRACE Luckily, I could easily find the house address that Paige had texted me. I am now in front of the gate of a large house with two floors. I've been honking for a while, but no one is opening the gate. Hell! Should I blow up this gate?! Yes, I should. I backed the car up and was about to hit the gate when it suddenly opened, and Paige stepped out. Thanks to the devil, my brat sister appeared! "Kuya!" Paige happily called me. My sister is always bubbly and happy, sweet but often mischievous, and can't be trusted with her impulsiveness. Pissed off, I parked my car on the side of the road and rolled down the window. "Hop on!" I'm not in a good mood to sweet-talk this brat. "Wait!!! I will introduce you to my best friend first," she excitedly said. "Get in!" "Aren't you going to thank my BFF first for letting me stay here for three days?" She was trying to convince me. I didn't say a word. I'm getting annoyed with Paige's nonsense. I s
January 2018 Deversorium (Hotel-Resort), Agrianthropos City TRACE "I will leave the organization to you. I am now retiring as the head." I stopped having sex with the woman in our dog-style position when I heard Lev's statement. I gave him a look and laughed. Tangina! What is the drama of this Gurang now? "Retiring?" I asked and tapped the butt of my bitch to gesture that I wanted to change position; I wanted her on top. I lost my concentration a bit because of what Lev said. He had just barged into the suite, which was his opening line. I'm wondering now about Lev's drama. I noticed that he somehow changed but disregarded it, for maybe it's only because my best friend is getting older, and that is why some shitty things are going on while he is reflecting on his life. Life?! And what the fuck am I saying now?! But yeah, these are some random thoughts, yet it was the possible reason... getting old makes Lev think he wants to retire. Lev is just bored, and boredom made him let
January 2018 Deversorium, Agrianthropos City TRACE "Retirement?" I frowned. What the fuck Lev is talking about? "Yeah." I smirked. "Are you fucking into a shitty relationship too? Are you like Elliot and Logan now, who were fucking fuckers that in love with the concept of falling for their women?" I asked, and because I suddenly lost my appetite for the woman on top of me, I left her and let her please Lev. I went to the woman on a couch who was still pleasuring herself. I positioned her body to face the sofa and bent her as I wanted to continue doing doggy, now with her and no longer with the Bitch No. 5. I entered the woman and began thrusting in and out of her wet pussy. I kept pumping and withdrew immediately when I finally felt I was about to erupt. I continued the rhythm by using my hand to my length, sliding up and down, until I showered my semen on the back of Bitch No. 3. I boringly walked and sat on the single couch when another bitch came up to me and started giving me
January 2018 Alea, Agrianthropos City TRACE "I'm tired of you, Kuya Trace. For goodness' sake!" Paige said that made me turn my attention to her. I shook my head to get the teenager I met at the airport out of my mind. Tangina! She's becoming a pest, disturbing my thoughts. I glanced at Paige, who was now frowning at a painting displayed on the wall. I had already scared my sister, so I perfectly made my threat. Then I will focus on other things as I still have something to do, like the need to see Lev at his club, for we have something to discuss. Yeah, right. I need to send Paige back to the Deversorium first, for I have an exciting activity, aside from seeing Lev, that I need to do here at the casino before going to Lev. I can only spare fifteen minutes to do that. Fuck! Saving time is essential for someone like me as I have many things to prioritize. "Take Paige to the hotel," I ordered Hector, one of my henchmen, who had just entered the room. I know he's been waiting for