Chapter 7

“Then stop.” Mabilis na lumabas sa bibig ko ang salitang iyon.

I wasn’t even sure if I meant it.

Hindi gumalaw si Vladimir. Ramdam ko pa rin ang mainit niyang hininga sa tainga ko.

Nanatili lang siya roon, sobrang lapit, masyadong pamilyar ang amoy niya. Hindi ko siya malingon at nginig na nginig na ang mga tuhod ko, pero ramdam ko ang talim ng titig niya sa gilid ng mata ko.

Lumunok ako nang madiin. “If you’re going to stand there talking in riddles and acting like some dark, tortured hotel memory, then yes. Stop.”

Umayos siya nang tayo. He almost smirked bago bahagyang umatras.

Napatintin ako air conditioner niya. Nakabukas naman pero parang pinagpawisan ang sintido ko.

“Fine,” he said.

I stared. “Fine?”

“You wanted me to stop.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

His brow lifted slightly. “No?”

I folded my arms tighter and looked away first because wow. Because no. Nakatayo ako sa kwarto niya suot ang maid uniform ko matapos palitan ang bedsheets niya habang nalalaman kong ghinost ko pala siya after a one-night stand, at somehow ako pa rin ang natatalo sa usapan.

Just amazing.

Pagtingin ko ulit sa kanya, nasa gilid na siya ng desk, pinapanood ako.

Mas kalmado at relax ang postura niya.

“You want the simple version?” he asked.

“Yes,” sarkastikong sambit ko.

“You met me at the bar the night you caught Caleb cheating.”

That part I remembered. The humiliation. The anger. The way I had smiled too brightly and lied too easily tuwing may nagtatanong kung okay lang ba ako after. At ang pagka desperado kong kalimutan ang lahat tungkol sa gabing iyon. Iyong gabing ang tanga ko para mag-check in sa hotel kasama ang isang lalaking hindi ko naman kilala.

He kept going.

“You drank too much.”

“Noted.”

“You were furious.”

“I was hurt, Vladimir.”

A flicker passed through his face.

“You came back to the hotel with me,” dagdag niya.

Hindi agad ako nakapagsalita. Hearing it from him made it real in a way my own memories hadn’t.

Napababa ang tingin ko sa malinis na bedsheets sa gilid ko. “And in the morning I left.”

“Yes.” He crossed his arms. “And you left your necklace.”

I blinked. “I know. Now give it back.”

Bahagyang umangat ang isang sulok ng bibig niya at dahan-dahang lumapit sa ‘kin. “You also left a note.”

“I’ve noticed,” sarkastikong sambit ko. I looked away and dragged a hand through my hair. “So what now?”

His gaze stayed on me. “Now you know.”

Tumawa ako, dry and disbelieving. “Great.”

Tumingin siya sa kama, saka sa akin, tapos pabalik sa pinto.

“Go to sleep,” he said.

Napanganga ako. “That’s it?”

“Yes.”

“And the necklace.” Nilatag ko ang kamay ko sa harapan niya.

He smirked. “Later.”

I opened my mouth to ask what that meant, but before I could, nagsalita ulit siya.

“Go to your room.” His jaw shifted once.

“No.”

“Selene.”

“That tone is not helping.”

He looked at me for one long second, then said, “Tomorrow morning. Eight. You’ll report to my office.”

Sumimangot ako. “That sounds like a punishment.”

“That sounds like your schedule.”

I backed toward the door slowly. “This conversation is not over.”

“I know.”

Lumabas ako sa kwarto niya habang hindi pa rin mapakali ang tibok ng puso ko, at dumiretso sa sarili kong kwarto.

The second na sumara ang pinto sa likod ko, napasandal ako rito at tinakpan ang mukha ko gamit ang dalawang kamay.

Amazing.

I had ghosted Vladimir Del Fierro after a one-night stand.

He had kept my note.

He had kept my necklace.

At ngayon, gusto niya akong nasa office niya by eight in the morning na parang normal lang ang lahat ng ito.

Absolutely not

I did not sleep well.

How could I?

Sa tuwing ipinipikit ko ang mga mata ko, may kung anong nakakairitang piraso ng alaala na bumabalik, mas malinaw kaysa dati.

The bar lights.

The scent of whiskey and expensive cologne.

A low voice near my ear.

Hands at my waist.

Isang hotel room na ilang taon kong pinilit kalimutan dahil nangyari iyon right after one of the worst nights of my life.

Now suddenly, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Because that night hadn’t disappeared.

It had a face now.

His face.

By morning, I was in a terrible mood.

Which apparently did not stop Mrs. Alvarez from appearing at my door at exactly eight-thirty with her usual perfect posture.

“Miss Monteverde,” sambit niya, “Mr. Del Fierro is waiting.”

Tumingin ako sa orasan.

7:58.

Wow. That man really timed people for fun.

Tumayo ako at inayos ang medyo nalukot kong skirt.

Vladimir’s office door was already open when I got there.

Kumatok pa rin ako.

His voice came from inside. “Come in.”

Nakatayo siya sa may bintana, hawak ang phone niya, naka-dark slacks at white shirt, with his sleeves rolled up. Mukhang kanina pa siya gising.

He turned when I entered.

I folded my arms. “You wanted me here at eight like this was a hostage briefing.”

His smirked, looking amused. “Close the door.”

Well.

That was suspicious already.

I did it.

Pagtingin ko ulit, wala na siya sa may bintana at nasa desk na.

“There’s a breakfast meeting at ten,” he said. “You’re coming with me.”

I blinked. “I’m sorry, what?”

“You heard me.”

“No, I heard the words. I’m just trying to understand why.”

His gaze held mine. “Just follow the rules, Selene. You’ll be fine.”

Umirap ako bago umupo sa dulo ng mahabang mesa, pinili ang puwestong pinakamalayo sa kanya. “So what now?”

His brow lifted slightly. “Now what?”

“Now that I know.”

He leaned back in his chair. “Now you stop pretending the tension between us came from nowhere.”

The nerve.

The actual nerve.

I looked up so fast I almost gave myself whiplash. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

Sarkastiko akong tumawa. “You are unbelievably full of yourself. I was drunk,” diin ko.

The words came out quieter than I meant them to.

“I know.”

“And heartbroken.”

“I know.”

“And I left before morning because I barely knew what I was doing.”

Tumalim ang titig niya. “I know that too.”

Something in my chest tightened painfully.

He wasn’t mocking me.

He wasn’t using it against me.

He was just… answering.

Umiwas ako ng tingin. “Then stop acting like that night gives you some kind of advantage.”

His voice dropped lower. “It doesn’t.”

“Really.”

“No,” he said. “It gives me a weakness.”

My pulse stumbled.

Parang biglang tumahimik ang buong silid sa paligid namin, kahit may mga staff pa ring labas-pasok.

I looked back at him slowly.

Tahimik na ulit siya. Kalmado. Controlled. Like he hadn’t just said something that should have knocked the breath right out of me.

Thankfully, I was saved by my phone vibrating inside my pocket.

Cassandra.

I nearly answered out of reflex, but Vladimir’s gaze dropped immediately.

I pulled out my phone anyway.

Hindi siya nagsalita.

I shrugged and answered the call. “Hi.”

“Girl,” Cassandra said without preamble, “I need you to tell me right now if I should be happy or worried that I finally got a reply at two in the morning that only said ‘it’s worse.’”

I closed my eyes for one second.

Right.

That text.

I had sent that half asleep and fully spiraling.

Napatingin ako kay Vladimir. Kalmado lang siyang umiinom ng kape na parang hindi siya ang totoong dahilan ng emotional collapse ko.

“Both,” I said.

“That is not comforting.”

“When have I ever been comforting?”

She made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a snort. “Fair. Also, random update, Caleb texted me last night.”

I froze.

Across the table, Vladimir stilled.

Not obviously.

But I saw it.

Bahagya kong hininaan ang boses ko. “Why?”

“He wants to know if you’re okay.”

I laughed softly. “Now he cares?”

“Exactly my reaction.”

Napatingin ako sa malakinh bintana, suddenly too aware of Vladimir’s attention without even looking at him. “Ignore him.”

“Oh, I fully plan to. But also, he may show up.”

Umayos ako nang upo. “What?”

“I’m serious. He sounded weirdly determined.”

Tinapos ko ang tawag makalipas ang dalawang minuto with a promise to explain later and slid my phone back into my pocket.

When I looked up, Vladimir was watching me.

“What?” tanong ko.

His voice was calm. “Your ex.”

I narrowed my eyes. “What about him?”

“He still thinks he has the right to show up in your life.”

My pulse shifted.

I leaned back in my chair. “You sound irritated.”

His gaze held mine. “I am.”

I looked at him for a second too long. “You don’t get to be.”

He set his cup down. “No?”

“No.”

“Why?”

I gave him a sweet smile. “Because unlike some people in this house, Caleb is at least a familiar disappointment.”

Ngumiti siya. Small. Brief.

Bago pa ako makapagsalita ulit, Mrs. Alvarez appeared in the doorway.

“Sir, Mr. Valencia is at the gate.”

Napanganga ako. I thought Cassandra was just teasing me about Caleb coming here.

Tinignan ko si Vladimir at ibinalik ang tingin kay Mrs. Alvarez bago pa ko malunod sa sama ng tingin ni Vladimir.

Silence.

Vladimir’s expression went completely unreadable.

“Let him wait,” he said.