Chapter 5: Mine to Claim

Chloe’s POV

Nakahiga ako sa kama, nakatitig sa puting kisame habang paulit-ulit na nagpa-flashback sa isip ko ang mga nangyari. Especially the way Leo Villafuerte looks at me—it’s dangerous. It's the kind of gaze that makes you forget your own name, a mixture of cold authority and a simmering heat that I can't quite categorize.

“Hindi pwede ‘to,” bulong ko sa sarili ko, closing my eyes tight. “Bawal ma-stress sa isang fake fiancé. Lalo na sa lalaking ubod ng sungit.”

Pero parang nananadya ang tadhana dahil biglang nag-vibrate ang phone ko. My heart dropped nang mabasa ko ang headlines na nagkalat online: “BILLIONAIRE LEO VILLAFUERTE ENGAGED TO MYSTERY TEACHER!” 

 I groaned and buried my face in my pillow, letting out a muffled scream. Ang OA ng internet, pero ito ang kapalit ng tulong niya para sa chemo ni Mama at para sa school projects ko. I have to remind myself every second: it’s strictly business. Walang personalan.

Nang mag-text si Alexa, I decided to meet her at Brew & Bliss Café para makahinga naman. Pero hindi lang kape at chismis ang sumalubong sa akin—nandoon din si Adrian, looking so worried.

“Chloe, sigurado ka ba rito?” Adrian asked, his voice laced with concern as he reached out to hold my hand. “Baka mahulog ka sa kanya, tapos sa dulo, maiwan ka lang na luhaan. He’s an 'Ice King' for a reason.”

“Strictly business lang ito, Adrian. Ninety days, then I'm out,” I reassured him, though my voice lacked the conviction I needed. Deep inside, naalala ko ang mga titig ni Leo—matalim, mainit, at nakakalunod.

Paglabas ko ng café, biglang tumigil ang tibok ng puso ko. Right there, parked at the curb, was Leo’s sleek black car. The tinted windows looked intimidating under the sun. The moment I stepped inside, the scent of expensive leather and citrus—his signature scent—filled my senses.

“Bakit ka nandito? You're not supposed to pick me up,” tanong ko, trying to sound firm even if my knees felt like jelly.

“Ayokong kasama mo ang lalaking ‘yon,” he answered bluntly, his eyes dark with an emotion I couldn't place. Possessive much?

“Kaibigan ko lang si Adrian! We were just hanging out,” depensa ko.

 Dahan-dahan siyang lumapit sa akin inside the cramped space of the luxury car. The heat of his body was pressing against mine, and suddenly, the world outside the window seemed to stop. Hinaplos niya ang pisngi ko pababa sa panga, his thumb grazing my skin in a way that made my breath hitch.

 “Alam ko kung paano siya tumingin sa’yo, Chloe,” he whispered, his voice deep and raspy, vibrating through my chest. “At ayoko ng ganun. Kahit peke lang ang lahat... sa akin lang dapat ang tingin mo.”

I couldn't breathe. Every touch felt like electricity, a dangerous current that I knew would eventually burn me.

The tension followed us all the way to Villafuerte Tower. Things got even more complicated when Sophia Cruz, his elegant woman, appeared out of nowhere. She challenged us, looking at me with disdain, asking if Leo had finally fallen into his own trap. 

I tried to stay out of it, acting like the quiet fiancée, but the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife.

Nang makaalis si Sophia, the silence in his massive office ay nakakabingi. Nakatayo si Leo sa harap ng floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the city lights like a king surveying his empire.

 “Ang gulo niyo,” bulong ko, hugging myself. This was supposed to be simple.

In an instant, he closed the distance between us. Before I could even react, he pulled me close, his hands firm on my waist. I could feel his heart racing—fast and erratic—against my chest, matching the rhythm of mine.

“Chloe,” he breathed out my name like a prayer, or maybe a confession.

He didn't wait for an answer. He claimed my lips in an intense, hungry kiss—full of desire and words we couldn't say out loud. It wasn't business anymore. It wasn't for the cameras or for Sophia.

It was an awakening. My walls, the ones I built to protect myself from men like him, crumbled with that one kiss.

As he pulled back, resting his forehead against mine, I realized that Sophia was right. This was a trap. But as I looked into Leo's eyes, I knew there was no turning back. Wala nang atrasan ‘to. 

The contract might say ninety days, but my heart was telling a completely different story. I was officially in trouble.