Diane’s P.O.V.
“Claire, can we talk?” A familiar voice asked.
“Oh! It’s just you, Leandro. You’ve startled me.” I smiled… half-anxious, and half-surprised. Even Leandro did not know my real name, and I had no intention of revealing that to him.
Although I didn’t like him, I still tried to be nice to him as much as possible. For me, he was still a friend that I had to properly deal with. After all, we had been friends for two years. But I couldn’t deny the fact that it was awkward for him to just grab me without a word and pulled me into this dark corner.
“When will you give your ‘yes’ to me?” He asked me straight to the point and as if his eyes were glued at me.
My forehead creased into a furrow. Wait, what?
That made me avert my gaze because I did not know how to look at him. In the first place, I never allowed him to court me. Right from the start, I already made it clear that all I wanted to do with him was entirely friendship—nothing more and nothing less.
But why would he bother to ask such a question when he already knew the answer?
Leandro was only making it hard for me because he was very enthusiastic and persistent in pursuing me as if giving up would never be an option. That alone made me feel sick about him.
Suddenly, my head hurt so I closed my eyes and heaved a deep sigh. This was one of his qualities I truly disliked about him. He always had this manipulative attitude that was not easy to get along with. He was undoubtedly possessive, and there was no question to that.
He was almost perfect, but what made him a major turn-off was his obsession and controlling attitude that suffocated me whenever I was with him. He was choking me, and if it was already the worst part, how much more if he already became my boyfriend? He might lock me up in the house.
And the way how he was grasping me right now? He looked like someone who would never accept any defeat. He seemed to be owning me when I didn’t want to be owned by anybody. For Leandro, everything he liked was something he could surely own, and no one could ever take that away from him. I wasn’t a thing he could possess anytime he wanted.
“Wait, Leandro…” I appealed.
As I gently removed my hand from him because it quite hurts due to the intensity of his grip, I sweated with fear. He would like to hold me again, but I backed away from him.
“Right from the start, haven’t I declared that you don’t have to expect anything from me? I don’t want to be rude, but what I could only give you was entirely friendship. I’m sorry,” I apologetically told him.
There was a hint of sadness in his eyes, but his ego was screaming more. Besides, it would be better for me to slap him with the truth than for him to expect a lie. I didn’t want him to rely on something that would never happen. I didn’t want him to assume that what we have was mutual understanding because it wasn’t.
“I’ll go ahead. I have to time out early,” I bade him goodbye.
I turned around and started to step away from him, but I felt that he still followed me until he grabbed my left arm—causing me to face him again. It was a bit tighter compared to the previous one, and with my rosy-white skin, I was sure that my arm would turn red from his grip. It made me bite my lower lip.
“Leandro!” I fidgeted. He was almost crushing my bones.
“Why don’t you like me, Claire? What is it that you dislike about me, and I will soon change it? I just don’t get it. You know what? There are so many girls out there who are prettier and more professional than you, but I only want you. I could date lawyers and even the highest-paid celebrities, but I still keep on thinking about you. It was still you.”
He seemed to swallow a lump on his throat as his Adam’s apple went up and down before he continued, “Please, Claire… please! Allow me to be your boyfriend, and I will take you out of this club right now. I will support you financially to the point that you no longer need to work your ass just to earn money. I will pay for your siblings’ tuition fees and even for your Mom’s medication needs. I promise to do anything, Claire. I will love you until the end, just say yes!” He pleaded with frowns all over his forehead.
But the way he said those words was telling me that he commands more than he pleads.
I shook my head out of frustration. “It’s not that easy, Leandro… and I especially do not have to depend on anyone for me to put food on the table. I don’t need someone who will pay for my family’s needs because it was indeed my responsibility. So please, just let me go.” I tried to be at ease as much as possible.
Trying to pull my arm away from him, he did not even want to loosen his clutch on it. My legs were wobbly with fear about what he was doing to me, but I couldn’t show him my fragility.
So, I used that as an opportunity to continue what I wanted to tell him even though it might break him in the end. “What you are doing to me right now makes me want to hate you, Leandro. For the umpteenth time, I’ll tell you this—I only liked you as a friend.”
“And just like what you have said, you’re right! Many girls outside this club are way much prettier, sexier, more educated, and some were even rich like you. So why me, Leandro? Why bother to waste your time with a dancer like me when you can have a lawyer girlfriend in just a snap of your fingers? You can even choose between an actress and an elite businesswoman—the kind of girlfriend that you can be proud of in front of everyone! So please, let me go… you’re hurting me,” I said the last three words meekly.
As I begged for him, he finally let go of my arm. I worriedly looked at it because I was sure that it became reddish, even though I could not see it clearly due to the darkness lurking around this place.
Leandro fixed his necktie first, then looked at me straight in the eyes. “I will try to kill my feelings for you, Claire… but I can’t promise not to follow you ever again. I have eyes and ears everywhere. That way, I’m going to protect you whether you like it or not!” Those were his last words before he turned around and finally left.
What is he talking about? So, he follows me wherever I go?
Dread crept me up as my heart hammered inside my chest. I could not help but become nervous about the last words he declared. Leandro had been my friend for two years that I had been working here at Lucy’s Club, and I didn’t want that friendship to go to waste just because of his one-sided feelings.
Treating him as a friend, I let him see my face underneath the mask and also shared with him some personal matter about me. It includes how I was working damn real hard in order to provide for my family’s needs. He was nice and understanding at first, but he was a lot different now. I couldn’t imagine how his selfish love, or should I say, his obsession made him such a monster. He had his own definition of love and affection, which was far from the true meaning of those words.
Ever since he realized that he doesn’t only think of me as a friend, the realization also hit me that I was no longer comfortable every time I was with him. It would sometimes make me think about what he was capable of doing, especially when we were just the two of us together.
Well, I quite didn’t know the meaning of his last words, and I didn’t want to give a big deal out of his actions, but his words just gave me the creeps. I just closed my eyes trying to dismiss everything that he confessed to me.
Not in the mood to take away the mask on my face, I still removed it. I was on my way to the corridor where the dressing room could be found when suddenly, my attention was caught by the mysterious shadow of a man who seemed to be looking in my direction.
I
narrowed my eyes trying to figure out who that man was.“Leandro?”
Leandro’s P.O.V. She became the love of my life ever since I laid my eyes on her. Realizations soon hit me that I did not have to say those words to Claire or better known as Diane. I did not mean to scare her or anything, I just wanted her to know that I would be always here for her—guarding her silently. Giving up on her was never an option, and I would not accept any defeat no matter what. I would never give her up, and I was willing to fight with anyone who would block my way to get her heart. I would always protect her in ways I knew, and I would never leave her alone. Other people would not understand me, but I adored Diane so much as if she was on a pedestal. Yes. I already knew her name right from the start. Dayanara Clariz Rivera. But I just chose to ride on whatever trip she had—whether she wanted to use a fake name or not—because even if I turned the world upside down, I knew in my heart
Leandro’s P.O.V.“Miss, I’m so sorry.” I apologized. I reached out to her and immediately offered her my handkerchief. I always put perfumes all over my hanky to make sure it would smell good.God, she looks more exquisite up close! My brain could not help but shriek. My heart started beating faster because, at this moment, I just wanted to press my lips on hers.She did not speak. She looked at me for a second, but it was obvious that she was just holding herself back from getting angry. Instead of accepting my hanky, she opened her bag, picked what I thought were tissues, and turned around while wiping the wet part of her chest. Then, she began to walk away.“Miss, you were drenched. Are you sure you want to go home like that? You know what, I can offer you a ride. I can even take you h
Leandro’s P.O.V.“I don’t want anybody else aside from her, you hear me? I will triple the price. Or do you want quadruple? Just tell me! Name your damn fucking price… or you want to deal with one million pesos?” I told her. I tried to calm my voice, but my dominant attitude seemed to come out. I had very short patience that I wanted to bark.What Leandro wants, Leandro gets! And I cannot wait for another moment because I want Diane right away.Lucy immediately complied with my amends, and we went out of her office. She went to Diane who was still wearing her mask and was now laughing with the female bartender over the counter. She then whispered to her about what I wanted to happen—to table her.It took a long time before Diane looked in my direction. It was obvious from her actio
Diane’s P.O.V.“P-Please… d-don’t do this. I beg you!” My voice was shaking while pleading for him—silently praying that he would realize some sense not to continue the mortal sin that he was about to do. I could feel nothing but blind terror. I ended up hoping that everything was not actually happening and was only a cruel joke.He did not speak and just removed the remaining cloth that covered my breasts. It seemed like nothing could stop him from sucking my right peak while his palm was doing its job to ravage the left.As his sticky tongue licked every part of me, I didn’t have any choice but to shed tears and sob. He was full of lust and with my condition now, I could do nothing to fight back. So tonight, it was all the end for me. This stranger would get the most valued treasure that might lead me into a bot
Diane’s P.O.V.He made a series of deep thrusts and later on, all I could feel was him, stretching my nerves while pleasingly stabbing my body. My tears kept on rolling that I couldn’t control them. What he was doing kept on shaking my whole being and cruelly ending my dreams.He continued pounding on top of me while letting out a few moans of satisfaction and relief. I didn’t want to hear him with my eyes closed and my head slouched. I couldn’t look at him overpowering with lust even though the surrounding was so dark. I had been trapped under his bulky body too many times. His pleasure increased and so his grip on me, making him reach the peak of his desire.It really hurts me physically, emotionally, and mentally. I was totally drained. I guessed it would ruin my entire life. After this, I would never want to live again. I would
Diane’s P.O.V.“Hey, sis! Can you stop it?” David whined while fixing his hair that I slightly ruined. I smelled my right hand, and my nose creased upon smelling that the hair wax he used seemed to be stuck on it.“Why? What about it? Can I no longer caress my brother? Hmpft! It was about time to sleep, so do you still need to fix your hair like that?” I wanted to laugh, but I chose to pout my lips to signify that I was quite fretting over his reaction. “Please be honest to me, David. Are you courting someone?” I asked after.Denise unexpectedly appeared out of nowhere and interfered with our conversation. “Big bro already has a girlfriend, big sis! Believe me, he even went to that girl’s house,” she divulged to me while her round eyes seemed to dilate and grow much bigger than usual.Then, I threw David some menacing stares
Unknown Person’s P.O.V.It had been three years already, but I still could not stop thinking about her. Three years had passed, yet I still could not find the woman I had been searching for.She was probably a minor by that time so, she might have looked different by now. But one thing was for sure—that she might have looked even better. She might have bloomed into a much prettier and sexier woman, but where could I find her? Where in the earth she could ever be found?I was willing to pay for any amount if I could find her sooner. For me, she was more than an ounce of gold. I wished that we could start all over again too—far from how we had met each other. I would trade everything for a single chance of being with her and make up for that one horrible mistake I did before.Smoldered with deep regrets from what had already happened, I would like to spare this one&md
Unknown Person’s P.O.V.Because I was not used to drinking too much, I didn’t know if I would consume all of it. I could drink in a shot glass, but what they were giving me right now was a huge beer glass, and the wine content already reached more than its half. “Of course, bro! Well, it should be bottom’s up and no excuse at all. It is your birthday today, and you will suit yourself with just a shot glass? Hell, there’s no fucking way! You have to drink hard. We will surely get drunk here later, so we will not allow you to end up sober! But anyway, this is just a glass of red wine. You will not get sloshed here,” Gabriel intruded. Jude and Daniel laughed as well.“Alright! I’m going to drink this, okay? But you, guys, have to promise me first that you will take this beautiful woman to her home safe and soun