After attending the church service, Marius invited me to the mall. We decided to have coffee at a nearby coffee shop, where our conversation took a delightful turn."Why didn't we have coffee at your coffee shop?" he asked me.At that moment, I was enjoying the bibingka I had ordered, along with the black coffee in my cup. I shrugged my shoulders and took a sip of coffee before answering Marius's question."I just didn't want our employees to think we were on a store visit," I replied. "And besides, I wanted to taste their coffee and bibingka here, to get an idea of how we can compete with them," I added, intentionally lowering my voice so that no one else could hear.Marius laughed at my statement, and I must say, he became even more attractive in my eyes. Although it wasn't the first time I had heard his laughter, it always sounded like music to my ears."You really are a businesswoman," he replied, his eyes sparkling with amusement before he picked up his cup of coffee to take a si
"In the countless times I asked Marius to let me help him in the kitchen, he refused just as many times. I couldn't fathom why he was doing that. But I must admit, every rejection only added to the points he earned to win my heart."What do you think?" he asked as we sat facing each other, having lunch together.I first tasted the Chicken Tinola he cooked. Earlier, while we were grocery shopping, he asked me about my favorite Filipino dish. I told him the truth, and that was it. I couldn't help but be impressed when I tasted it. Then, I looked at him with a smile that I just couldn't wipe off my lips."In fairness, it's delicious," I replied, and it was the absolute truth.I saw Marius's eyes twinkle after I said that. I knew he was pleased, and I had no regrets about it. The truth was, I couldn't move on, and I couldn't believe his way of courting me. It was something I hadn't experienced with my previous boyfriends.Well, maybe that's just how it is. Perhaps Filipinos have a differe
I was awakened that night by the delightful aroma of the food Marius was cooking in the kitchen. A smile formed on my face as I realized the real pillow cradling my head. My sleep was truly blissful. I got up and glanced at my wristwatch. It was past six in the evening. I was taken aback at first. Four hours of sleep? I got up and headed towards the kitchen where the handsome man was busy preparing our meal. I noticed that Marius had already taken a shower. He was now wearing a simple white shirt that clung slightly to his well-built physique. For the bottom, he had on sweatpants. "Oh, you're already awake," he said, probably sensing my presence. He placed two plates on the table and then pulled out a chair, signaling me to sit. "Before I take you home, I want you to eat first. Okay?" he said, not wasting any time. Marius promptly attended to me, starting by putting rice on my plate. As I observed him, I remained silent and watched him work. "I reheated the remaining Chicken Tino
The following days were filled with excitement in Marius's company. This was despite the fact that he was still courting me, and I hadn't given him an answer yet. It wasn't the first and last time I visited Marius's condo unit. There were more visits. He enjoyed having me cook for him, and eventually, I found myself looking forward to it as well. Since his workplace was close to his home, it wasn't difficult for Marius to do that. "Tomorrow, come to the house because Andrew and Lana will be back." On a Friday night, just like before, Marius picked me up. This time, we agreed to have dinner at my office because of the workload I needed to finish. "Really? Can you believe that? I've been courting you for a month now," he chuckled afterward. I smiled and continued eating. "Are you getting impatient?" I asked him, looking directly into his eyes. Caught off guard by my question, Marius quickly lifted his head and met my gaze. "No way!" he denied rapidly. I smiled broadly. "I thought
The next morning, before lunchtime, I was already at Marius' office. Getting there wasn't a struggle at all, as the security guards recognized me from the moment I entered the building. I simply told them my name, following the instructions Marius had given me. "May I accompany you to Sir's office, ma'am?" the kind lady guard there offered. I nodded in agreement. I was led to the highest and sixth floors of the building, where Marius' office was located. In the lobby, I encountered a young man who appeared to be around twenty-one to twenty-two years old. At that moment, I thought it was fortunate to have a male assistant for Marius. Just in case, well. Back then, I couldn't help but smile as I remembered him referring to me as a jealous woman the first time he brought me to his unit. "Hello, good morning," I greeted, trying to capture the young man's attention, who seemed engrossed in front of his computer. "Ah, good morning. Are you Miss Samantha Scott?" he asked, rising from his
Only two weeks had passed, and the swift construction of Scott's Café's new branch in Baguio had already begun. Since Andrew entrusted me with the management, I was the first to go there. "Are you sure you don't need someone to accompany you?" Manang Sela asked me that morning as I prepared to leave. As expected, when Andrew and Lana returned from their honeymoon, their lives returned to normal, much like mine did. The house that Lana used to own, which my brother bought from our aunt, was now the residence of the couple along with Andrea. Meanwhile, Mama Cecille stayed at the townhouse in Mercedes Estate. "I'll be fine, Manang. I'm used to cooking anyway. Besides, I'm independent, so you don't have to worry about me," I replied as I closed my suitcase containing all the personal belongings I would need. "You should have Sonia get groceries for you," she added. Manang Sela was referring to the caretaker I had hired to clean the house once in a while. "What about Marius? When is h
I received a call from Marius a little past seven in the evening. It was earlier than I expected. He knew my home address because I had given it to him earlier. That's why he checked in at a hotel closer to my place. Well, that works better too. It's not far from the project site either, just as I mentioned to him before. The lot for the future branch of Scott's Café is right next to my rest house’s lot. "I missed you, you know?" That's what Marius greeted me with when we finally met. I just smiled, even though deep inside, I wanted to tell him that I felt the same. But since we're still not officially a couple, I held back. "Shall we eat? I know a great food place." That's how I responded to him instead. As Marius's smile widened, his eyes sparkled. "Really? Well, what are we waiting for then? Let's go!" he said, stepping towards the car, but I stopped him. "It's nearby. We don't need to take the car," I told him. Marius nodded with a smile before reaching out to hold my hand,
I woke up the next day, finding Marius absent from my side. But instead of feeling uneasy, I was more preoccupied with the ache between my thighs as I attempted to move. Afterward, a sweet and meaningful smile formed on my lips. Rather than getting up, I chose to remain lying down for a moment. I reached for the pillow Marius had used and hugged it tightly. I inhaled deeply, savoring his lingering scent. I was in that state when I heard the door creak open. Even though I knew exactly who it was, my heart still raced due to the sudden rush of nervousness. "Good morning, beautiful," Marius greeted me cheerfully as he entered with a tray of food. "Good morning," I quickly replied. I maintained my smile as I pulled the blanket up to cover the upper part of my body. "Breakfast in bed?" he asked, noticing I was okay now, and he placed the tray in front of me. A cup of coffee, toasted bread, fried eggs, bacon, ham, and a few slices of cut fruit were laid out. I knew that such a breakfast