05. A Stranger, A Perv, and A Knight at the Bottom of the Stairs

SOFIA’s POV

The bell at the restaurant door jingled again. I barely looked up as I fumbled through my notepad, thinking it was just another hungry customer. Sliding my pencil behind my ear, I grabbed a menu and forced an excited smile. But as I approached the table, hesitation crept in. Something about him set me on edge.

The new customer sat unnaturally still, fingers laced together on the table like he was waiting for someone. His all-black outfit, which consisted of a black shirt, black leather jacket, and black gloves, looked intriguing enough. Despite my unease, I relaxed and acted professionally.

“Hi! What can I get you?”

His lips curved slightly, but the smile never reached his eyes. “No need for the menu, Miss Morales.”

I stiffened. My name tag only showed my first name. How the hell did he know my surname?

“Have we met?” I asked, my fingers fumbling with the pencil still tucked behind my ear. He tilted his head but didn’t answer. Instead, he pulled out a phone, tapped a few times, and turned the screen toward me.

My eyes widened. A familiar email stared back at me. A dinner invitation. Tonight. With a certain Rios Alcaraz. A slow, uneasy chill ran down my spine. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know him.” I took a step back. “I don’t do dinner dates with strangers unless—”

“It’s a job proposition.” The stranger cut me off. He pocketed the phone and sat back. “You should think about it. The boss doesn’t take no for an answer.”

I scoffed. I didn’t like the way he said that.

“Anyway,” the man continued, standing and leveling his gaze at me. “A package will arrive at your apartment later, and your schedule for the night has been cleared.”

“W-what?” I stammered, my pulse skipping in my wrist. “What do you mean?”

“Don’t worry, Miss Morales,” he replied with a shrug. “We’ve taken care of everything.”

A cold weight settled in my stomach upon hearing his mysterious response. We?

“Hey, you don’t get to decide my schedule,” I said, forcing my voice to stay steady.

“It’s already been decided.”

“Tell your boss I am not interested,” I replied, curling my fingers into a fist, nails pressing into my palm.

“It doesn’t work that way, Miss Morales. You’ll see.”

Without another word, he turned and walked out of the restaurant, the bell above the door ringing in his wake. I stood frozen, staring after him. How could they just step on my boundaries like that?

Shaking my head, I tried to dismiss the encounter and decided to shift my focus to my job. It’s got to be a prank. Lots of people do that nowadays.

Before I knew it, my shift ended at three in the afternoon. Unlike most days, when I would stop at the library, I decided to grab a taxi straight to my apartment.

Call me paranoid but I really felt weird the whole time I was at my shift. Even though I hadn’t seen the man again, it still felt like someone was watching me the whole time. Now, walking toward my apartment building, the feeling hadn’t left. I adjusted the strap of my bag, glancing over my shoulder. But there was nothing. Still, the unease crawled under my skin.

I quickened my pace. Maybe I was just overthinking. I then decided to dial my agent. “Hey, Ashley, I’m just checking in about the gig tonight?”

“Oh, hey, Sofia! Actually, you’ve been given the night off.”

I stopped walking. “What?”

“Yeah, uh… it was a last-minute thing. Your client pulled some strings. Don’t worry, you’ll still be paid.”

My fingers tightened around my phone. “Client? I don’t—”

“I’ve got to go, babes,” Ashley cut me off. “Enjoy the night.”

Then she was gone.

Strange. I never had clients powerful enough to change my schedule before. This was getting more and more bizarre by the second.

When I finally stepped onto my floor, I stopped cold. A huge box sat on my doorstep, waiting for me. My heartbeat quickened. The man’s words replayed in my head. “A package will arrive at your apartment later, and your schedule for the night has been cleared.”

So, this was it. I hesitated before crouching down. Exhaling a sigh, I lifted the box carefully. Surprisingly, it wasn’t heavy. I nudged open my door with my hip and set the box on my small table. For a moment, I just stared at it. My gut told me not to open it. But—what the hell!

Peeling the lid off, I blinked when I saw what was inside the box.

A simple yet elegant red dress lay inside. Its soft fabric felt smooth and expensive to the touch. The dress was obviously designed to look effortless but stunning. I could not help but run my fingers through the thin straps and the subtle neckline. And when I saw the pair of strappy nude-colored sandals, my ability to speak flew out the window. There was also a note tucked in the silk fabric: "I'll see you tonight wearing this. – R. E. A."

My face fell into a deep frown. Angrily, I crumpled the note in my fist. The audacity. The arrogance! This man—a complete stranger—was telling me what to wear and where to be. Seriously, what was his game?

I tossed the dress back into the box, gripping the edge of the table so hard my knuckles ached. First, he cleared my schedule without asking. Then, he sent his goon—or whoever the hell that was—to my workplace. Now, he sent me these clothes like I was a doll to be dressed up? Give me a break! I exhaled sharply, shoving the anger away. I then grabbed the box, shoved it into a corner, and turned my back on it.

Now that I had the night off, I could finally edit content for my TikTok mini vlogs. But first, a shower. My muscles ached from hours at the restaurant, and the sticky Manila humidity only made it worse.

Peeling off my blouse, I caught my reflection in the mirror, my skin glistening faintly with sweat, and my collarbones looked sharp beneath the dim bathroom light. I made a face and reached behind me, unclasping my bra and letting it drop carelessly onto the laundry pile. My toned stomach tensed as I stepped out of my jeans, the fabric clinging to my legs before pooling at my feet.

I wasn’t a stranger to my own beauty. I had curves in the right places, a waist that dipped smoothly, and legs that carried me through long shifts and even longer nights. I wasn’t delicate like the other girls but I was gorgeous. With a sigh, I twisted the shower handle, stepping under the cool stream as water cascaded down my bare skin. I tipped my head back, fingers running through my damp hair. The scent of strawberry body wash filled the air as I lathered my arms, my shoulders, and the slope of my neck.

But as the steam curled around me, my mind wandered back to the box… and back to the man who sent it. Rios Alcaraz. Who the hell did he think he was? I tried to shake the thought, but his name lingered. I imagined our first encounter; the way he moved, the way he spoke, the way he laughed at me. A slow heat curled in my stomach, realizing how hot he was at that moment. Suddenly, something tickled beneath me, and I felt aroused.

My eyes snapped open. What the hell was that?

Annoyed at myself, I ran a hand over my face, letting the water rinse away the ridiculous thought. Rios Alcaraz might be used to getting his way, but he sure as hell wasn’t getting into my head.

I grabbed a towel and wrapped it tightly around myself, pushing the thought and the lingering heat in my chest away. It took me a few more minutes before slipping into my most comfortable pajamas. With my hair still damp, I finally stepped out of the bathroom.

“Took you so long to be in the shower.”

I froze. Someone was sitting in my living room. Instinctively, I turned on the lights. And there, with his stinking face, my landlord sneered. My breath hitched as my grip tightened on the towel in my hand. What the hell is he doing here?

He sat casually, legs spread slightly, and hands resting on his knees. “You left your door unlocked, Sofia.”

His voice sounded calm. I slowly glanced at my door. It was shut. I knew I had locked it before stepping into the shower. A cold shiver crawled down my spine as I realized what was happening here. “That’s funny,” I said evenly. “Because I never leave it unlocked.”

A beat of silence passed between us. Then, a small, amused chuckle came out of his parched mouth. “Of course, I have a spare key. This is still my building.”

Without hesitation, I darted toward the door, knees shaking as I focused on getting out of the apartment. Donato’s voice followed, angrier now. "Rent’s due, Sofia."

But I didn’t stop. I wouldn’t give him the chance to corner me in that cramped apartment.

"I know. I—I just need more time."

"You always need more time," he sighed, sounding exasperated. "I could make arrangements," he added smoothly. "If money’s an issue."

A sick feeling curled in my stomach. “Nope. Not happening, Mr. Donato.”

My heart pounded as I walked down the hallway. He could never scare me this way. But I had barely reached the stairwell when he yanked my arm.

“You are very stubborn!”

I caught a whiff of his breath that always smelled like stale beer. "What do you want?" I snapped, spinning on him.

Donato smirked, eyes roaming over me. "You know what I want."

Disgust burned in my throat. "You perv!"

His smirk disappeared. "And you’re a slut!"

I slapped him hard. But Donato barely flinched. Instead, he shoved me aside, grabbing me.

“Stop! Help me—”

“No one’s going to help you, missy. You know that!”

I struggled as he dragged me back to my door. Several heads peeked from the windows of the rooms next to mine, but no one dared to help.

I thought it was the end of me. But just as we reached my doorstep, a vaguely familiar voice echoed.

"Let the woman go."

I spun my head toward the direction of the voice. Rios Alcaraz stood at the bottom of the stairs, watching us. And for the first time that night, Donato looked shaken.