Chapter 3

Alexus Reyes sipped his cocktail. He was at a downtown bar where most of the customers are prominent and known people outside. It was a den for the rich and mighty.

"'Sup, handsome," a woman in thick make-up and fit dress greeted him as she sat down on an empty seat beside him. "Are you alone tonight?"

Alexus smirked at her. "I'm surprised that a beauty like you had time to greet me today. As for your question, I'm with the guys," he said, pointing to the group at a table near them.

The woman looked back at him. "What a bummer. You're really my type but it seems that you're uninterested."

"So you have morals?"

"Why would I force someone? It won't be fun if it's like that."

She twirled her glass half-filled with a red drink. Her black v-shaped dress exposed her sexy collar. Alexus couldn't help but stare at this attractive woman.

"What if I said that I'm interested?"

The woman's smile grew deeper and she leaned closer to him. Alexus could smell her cologne. A sweet smell of vanilla was escaping from her body.

He was about to kiss her but he saw a familiar person walking towards them.

"Kaliya?" he mumbled unknowingly and distanced himself from the woman.

True enough, it was Kaliya who arrived at the bar, sitting on the counter a couple seats away from him. It seems that she didn't even see him.

"Hmm? Who's she? Your girlfriend?" The woman, who followed his gaze, asked.

"Nothing, just someone I know."

"Good. Call me Vera from now on."

Vera climbed on his lap and started kissing him. It was a soft kiss that soon became messy.

Alexus, who couldn't focus on kissing, watched Kaliya as she ordered a tall glass of drink.

He stopped moving his lips. Vera, noticing him stop, made a frown.

"She's supposed to be just someone you know but I guess she's more important."

She wordlessly got down from his lap and went away.

'D*mn,' he cussed in his mind as she stood up and went to Kaliya.

He never had any memories of him having long conversations with her. Considering the fact that she studied abroad, there was hardly ever a time where they talked with each other.

"What are you doing here?" He asked as he eyed the on-disguised Kaliya.

Kaliya's eyes that shot up at him had a surprised look in them.

"Do you know me?"

Alexus frowned. "Aren't you my cousin?"

Kaliya shook her head. "You've got the wrong person, brat. I don't have a cousin like you?"

"Oh really?" Alexus grinned as he sat down on a seat beside her. "Your figure is so familiar that I thought you were my cousin."

Kaliya, who was in disguise to hide her identity, frowned.

"Tsk. And I thought my disguise was perfect."

"I hardly recognize you though. But you can't hide your figure with that."

By that, he meant the tight red dress that exposed all her curves.

"People won't just recognize me with that, Alexus," she said and drank a mouthful.

The cousin Alexus knows is totally different currently. Seeing her chug alcohol like water doubt his alcohol tolerance.

"What are you doing here anyway?" he asked again. Now that he thought about it, it was their first long conversation.

"What else should I do in a bar?" she replied sarcastically. "It's to drink, obviously."

"Wow. What a total flip of personality. Where's the obedient daughter gone now?"

Kaliya scoffed but didn't answer. She just emptied her glass and demanded another one. The bartender had a slight look of panic when he saw the empty glass.

"Sir, she just down a strong drink. You better stop her, sir." The bartender leaned and whispered.

Alexus raised a brow as he looked at his sober cousin.

"Just give her a light one then."

The bartender left and Kaliya glared at him, seemingly knowing that her alcohol was being limited.

"I'm not okay so I'm drinking," she said out of the blue.

Alexus had a conflicted face. "Why are you... Fine, drink. But don't complain to me about your hangover."

"Kaliya," he called her after a couple of drinks.

"I'm dizzy," she complained as she placed her head on the countertop.

The drinks finally had taken a toll on her. She was getting drowsy after getting drunk.

"Hah," Alexus sighed as he took his jacket and covered Kaliya. "I'm gonna take you back to the mansion."

"Don't. Anywhere but there,"

"What?"

"I don't want to get married..." She dozed off.

"What the, hey! Wake up!" He began shaking Kaliya but stopped when he saw that she was completely passed out.

"D*mn," he cussed again

Signaling the bartender to keep an eye on her, he went to a nearby place where his friends were drinking. But then came back. Taking off his jacket to cover Kaliya.

"Yo, Alexus," they said. "Lucky you for getting a hot chick. We're cheering for you."

They were obviously drunk. He came to take back his car keys to bring Kaliya out of here. On his way back to the table, he noticed someone sitting close to his cousin. Kaliya woke up and was having a conversation with him.

Quickening his pace, he stood in between him and Kaliya.

"Kaliya, let me get you home," he said, taking Kaliya's arms and dragging her up on her feet.

Kaliya, who nearly stumbled, took her arm back. "I said I'm not going back there."

"Fine, let's just leave."

"I don't want to."

The stranger stood up too, pulling Kaliya by her waist close to him. "I'm a friend of hers so I'll watch her for you. I also know her apartment address."

Alexus eyed the man who was holding her cousin. He was wearing a black hoodie so he couldn't fully see his face. He was taller than him too.

"Leaving her ro a sketchy man like you, do you think I'm a fool?!"

"Ugh, stop shouting. My head hurts," Kaliya complained, which made Alexus shut up. "And you," she turned to her cousin. "I can manage so I'm leaving."

"Then, let me drive you there."

"No," Kaliya stopped him. "I'm going with my 'friend'."

Alexus glared at the stranger who introduced himself as Kaliya's friend. He saw him smirking and it annoyed him.

The two left, Alexus followed them with his gaze. There was something fishy going on which he can't pinpoint. But then, Kaliya didn't seem to be lying. He was even confused with himself as to why he would be involved with Kaliya's business.

'But that man,' he thought. 'He was strangely familiar.’

The moon had already risen when Caleb finished his work. His employees must be happy, drinking and having fun since he had them organize a company dinner tonight after receiving a report that the rates doubled this month.

He felt that he too needed to drink and drove to a bar he knew. Changing into casual clothes, he entered the bar. There were quite a few people inside. Probably because it's late.

He headed to the counter and ordered a glass of whiskey. At his right, there was a sleeping woman covered with a jacket over her red tight dress.

His drink came and he felt a stare from his side.

The woman has woken up and is now looking at him.

"You," she suddenly said. "You're my type. What's your name?"

At the baffling question, Caleb grinned. "My name is Angel. Mr. Angel."

"Mr. Angel," she repeated. There was a blush on her face down to her neck and Caleb realized that she was drunk and spewing nonsense.

"Will you marry me?" she asked which completely amused Caleb. Aside from her brown hair and brown eyes, her face was familiar as if he saw them before.

'She's cute.'

Caleb was even surprised with his own thoughts. Contrary to being annoyed, Caleb felt like teasing her a bit more.

"What can you give me then?"

She frowned, seemingly lost in thought and then said, "I can give you money."

"I'm not in need of money."

"Then a house?"

"I already have one."

"A beautiful wife."

He laughed but wasn't convinced. "That certainly is a good catch but..." he trailed off. "It's tempting but no."

The woman stared at him, unsmiling. "Then my body?"

Caleb was a bit surprised but regained his composure quickly. "Do you want to give it to me?" he asked, leaning closer to her.

But then a random guy suddenly came between them and dragged the woman to her feet. He figured out that they are at least in a close relationship, considering the kinship they have.

But it also seemed that they were arguing. Unable to stop himself, he intervened.

"I'll take her home."

He even went as far as saying he knew where her apartment was. When the other guy didn't refute her after exchanging a few words with the woman, Caleb left, still holding her in her waist.

"Wow," she laughed. "We looked like a real couple. I guess I might be your type too."

He gave her a smile. "Only for you, darling."

He escorted her to his car and left the place.

"Mr. Angel, where are we going?"

"To my house," Caleb answered.

"As much as I said you were my type, isn't the development too fast?"

"Relax," he laughed. "I don't bite."

He said that but Caleb sighed as he eyed the sleeping woman in his passenger's seat. He had arrived at his house but the woman fell asleep on the road.

Picking her up, he muttered, 'I'm a good guy.' He planned to ask where she was staying and drive her there but she had fallen asleep before she even heard him ask.

Carrying her to his house, Caleb didn't notice a car stopped in front of the gate. But it left after a few seconds, along with a few shutter sounds from a camera.

Kaliya woke up with a throbbing headache. She instinctively reached to her bedside table for a bottle of water but realizing that she can't reach it no matter what, she sat upright.

An unfamiliar room greeted her. Bits of memories came back to her head but try as she might, she can't remember all of what happened.

She remembered having a conversation with her cousin but that was it. It seems like she collapsed after that.

Just then, a man holding a tray came in from the door without knocking.

"Awake now? Is your head hurting?"

She moved and noticed that she was wearing unfamiliar clothes. A sudden feeling of dread came to her.

"Seeing your reaction, you were thinking something happened, right?" the man asked and Kaliya silently nodded.

"Don't worry. I'm not the one who changed your dress."

The man stared at her, seemingly expecting an answer. So she finally let out the word, "Thank you."

Anyways, Kaliya was crazy. Drinking without any acquaintance was a very risky move. But her frustration won yesterday that she needed to wind up and drink.

The man grinned. "Your personality's different than yesterday. You probably don't even remember what you did the night before."

"What did I—" her words were cut off when the man suddenly sat down and leaned closely.

"So you are wearing contacts."

"... Please don't be too close."

"Caleb."

"Yes?"

"Caleb. That's my name."

"Ah, yes."

"I think it's time you say your name too," Caleb said with a grin.

Without thinking much, Kaliya can't help but say her name. "Kaliya."

"Then now that we know each other's name, shall we get married?"

As Kaliya was processing his words, Caleb's grin got deeper.

"Marry?" she asked, somehow dumbfounded. "I don't think so—"

"Do you think you're in a position to refuse, Kaliya Reyes?" Caleb cut her off, even calling her full name. "In the first place, it was you who proposed. So be responsible and marry me."