Chapter 5: Her Hands on You

Ari sat in silence, wrapped in the white robe from Rainne’s suite, habang ang init ng katawan niya ay hindi pa rin nawawala.

The bed was a mess—wrinkled sheets, damp with sweat, traces of last night’s surrender.

Gulo rin ang puso niya.

Rainne was still asleep. Bare, peaceful, dangerously beautiful. Like nothing happened. Or maybe like everything happened.

Ari stared at the ceiling.

What the fuck did I just do?

Hindi ito dapat nangyari. She wasn’t supposed to feel that much. Hindi lang physical. The way he kissed her forehead after. The way he whispered, “Don’t go.” The way he looked like she was the only thing keeping him sane.

A weak part of her wanted to crawl back into his arms.

Instead, she slipped out of the robe, got dressed in silence, and left.

At the locker room, Ari scrubbed her skin like she was trying to erase him.

But no amount of soap could wash off the way his mouth claimed her. Or the way her thighs still ached in the most delicious, humiliating way.

She stared at her reflection.

“I don’t do love,” she repeated to herself, jaw tight.

Later that day, habang nag-uupdate siya ng reports sa nurse’s station, dumating ang message sa hospital email.

RE: Nurse-Patient Conduct Review

Ari’s heart dropped.

Nanginginig ang daliri niya habang binubuksan ang email. But it wasn’t about her.

It was about Rainne.

Apparently, a visitor was scheduled today to assess his behavioral progress—part of the insurance release protocol.

And worse?

The visitor was Vanessa Cruz.

Ari’s stomach turned.

Vanessa.

A fellow nurse. A walking red flag. At isa sa mga rumored ex-flings ni Rainne na binigyan ng hellish karma after he ghosted her.

She clenched her jaw.

By the time she returned to the therapy suite, gulong-gulo siya. She needs...Rainne.

Madly, they crash into each other—sabik na halik at mahinang ungol habang gumagapang ang mga kamay niya sa bawat parte ng katawan ni Ari, sinasabayan ng galaw ng kanyang balakang.

“Akin ka,” he growls, pinning her against the wall.

Ari buttons her blouse with shaking fingers.

“Hmm,” Vanessa purred. “This looks familiar.”

Rainne’s eyes widened a little—but his smirk stayed. “Vanessa.”

Ari stood frozen by the door.

Vanessa turned toward her slowly, her smile sugar-coated with venom.

“Oh! Ikaw pala si Ari. I've heard so much about you. Grabe, Nurse of the Month ka raw palagi. Ang sipag.”

Ari kept her expression blank.

“Pasensya na,” Vanessa continued, “Rainne and I go waaay back. Baka nga mas kilala ko pa ‘tong katawan niya kaysa sa x-ray niya.” She laughed.

Ari didn’t flinch. “I’m sure you think you do.”

Rainne shifted in his seat. “Vanessa—”

“So how are you now, baby?” she said, touching his knee, too familiar, too casual.

Ari’s throat tightened.

Rainne didn’t remove Vanessa’s hand.

He didn’t say a word.

And that was worse.

Ari stormed out. Heart racing. Face burning. Parang binuhusan siya ng malamig na tubig.

What did she expect?

That he’d claim her?

That she was different?

Rainne found her that night sa rooftop garden. She was sitting alone, shoulders stiff.

“Ari—”

“Don’t,” she said, standing. “Don’t even start.”

He took a breath. “Vanessa doesn’t mean anything.”

“Then why didn’t you say that kanina?” Tumama ang mga mata niya sa kanya, punong-puno ng sakit. “You just let her touch you. Talk about you like you were hers.”

“She was part of my past,” he said. “I didn’t want to cause a scene.”

“You let her humiliate me.”

Silence.

“You don’t get to act like you care when this is all just sex,” she added, voice breaking.

Rainne stepped closer. “I do care.”

Ari shook her head. “No. You just don’t want to be alone.”

“I don’t want to lose you.”

“We never had each other.”

Rainne’s jaw tightened. “Then why did you come back to my bed?”

Ari stepped back.

“Because I was weak.”

She left him standing there—frustrated, naked in the wind of his own choices.

But the damage had been done.

Ari didn’t show up for therapy the next day. Another nurse took over.

Rainne watched the clock all morning. Hoping. Dreading.

Then his phone buzzed.

Unknown number.

“You don’t know me, but I think you should know someone’s been asking questions about your nurse... Someone from the admin. I thought you deserved to know. They’re trying to find proof.”

Rainne’s breath stilled.

Proof?

Of them?

Later that night, Ari sat alone in the hospital chapel. Dim light. Quiet.

She tried to pray. But even her thoughts were noise.

Parang kasalanan ang magdasal.

Then footsteps echoed behind her.

She turned—and found Rainne standing there, envelope in hand.

“I need to talk to you,” he said.

She didn’t answer.

“Someone’s digging into your records,” he said. “The admin.”

Ari’s body went cold.

“They’re looking for proof about us.”

Her pulse pounded.

Rainne handed her the envelope. The check she never cashed.

“Destroy it,” he said. “Burn it. Kung kailangan, i-deny mo ako. But I won’t let you go down because of me.”

Ari’s eyes stung.

“You’re not the one who should burn,” she said softly.

Rainne stepped closer. “Ari…”

But she turned away. “Just go.”

That night, Ari cried for the first time in weeks.

And when she finally fell asleep, she dreamed of Rainne’s touch—not like a sinner this time, but like someone who might already be in too deep.