Chapter 1

"Come and take a look of my house, Marcha. From now on, this is your house too, okay?" Attorney Manilou said with a smile on her face as she toured me around the house.

"Thank you very much for letting me to stay in your house, attorney,"

"Don't mention it. Your mom and I are very close friends before. By the way, I'm so sorry for your loss," she said empathetically.

My mother just died last week and I have nowhere to go because I don’t have any other relatives.

"It's fine," I smiled at her.

"Come on, maybe you're hungry.." She pulled me into the kitchen.

There, I saw a man who I thought older than me.

I'm 21 and I’m a graduating student.

The handsome man in the kitchen who I think Attorney's son looked at me.

"You're here Rod," attorney said in surprise. Is his name Rod?

We looked into each other's eyes. I was slightly surprised and taken aback by the way he looked at me.

"How's your work?" attorney asked him.

"Dad is so stiff. He wanted me to take over his company.”

"Well, you’re his only heir so that’s inevitable. Anyway, this is March Yana.. From now on she will live here,”

He looked at me from head to toe and I suddenly felt shivers to his stares.

"Come on Marcha, let's join Rod to eat—ah yes, he's my only son, Rodie James Chavez."

I respectfully bowed before him and sat next to Atty.Manilou. I could hardly look at Rod because I could feel his distaste for my presence.

After we ate—I don't know if I actually ate, the maid took me to my room to stay. I was momentarily dumbfounded in the room while not knowing what to do.

I wonder, if I leave, where will I live? If I get an apartment, I don't have any money.

I sighed.

I lay down on the bed and took a nap. When I woke up, I went out to drink water. It was late at night and the whole house was dark.

When I entered the kitchen, I found Rod on the chair with a cigarette in his hand and a bottle of wine in front of him. I swallowed and immediately turned back.

"Stop and sit beside me," he said calmly but I was about to pass out from nervousness.

I sat next to him. I hesitated to smile but he just looked at me seriously as if he didn't like my presence at all.

"Where the hell are you from?"

"In Salay," I live in Salay.

"That’s far from here," he said while grinning. I looked down.

"How long have you known my mother?"

"Just this past month sir," I said nervously.

"Why are you calling me sir?" he said and blew smoke from his cigarette at me. I scratched my nose and held my breath so I wouldn't inhale the smoke.

“March Yana is really your name?”

I nodded.

"How old are you?"

"21,"

I saw him put his on the ashtray and drink some alcohol. When he looked at me, my heart suddenly beat faster.

I was almost deafened by the force of its beating. I don't know what's happening to me.

"I hate you," he said.

I swallowed. Why?

"Go away," he said coldly. I nodded and turned and hurried to leave. I don’t understand myself but I don’t understand him even more why he doesn't like me.

The next day, I took a shower before going downstairs. I saw attorney leaving with her suit case.

"Good morning Marcha, I’ll go ahead first. Don't worry, your brother Rod will stay here." She said and smiled at me.

I nodded and walk with her into the garage.

Now that Rod and I were the only ones left, I was suddenly nervous again.

When I entered the house, I was surprised to see Rod on the sofa, sitting while the maid who was his age was sitting on his lap and they were kissing and errr—lapping.

I gasped so they stopped and looked at me. Rod smirked. I turned around suddenly.

"Has mom left yet?" he asked.

"Y-Yes," I said nervously.

Such indecent. How could he—argh nevermind. I've seen that in the movie, I couldn’t believe that I could witness that in person.

"I'm just in the room," I was about to leave when he suddenly spoke.

"Let's eat," he said. I swallowed hard and wanted to protest. I don't think I can eat while thinking about what they did earlier.

But Rod's voice was scary, so I followed him into the kitchen.

I was like a hostage in front of him. I was really nervous. I can't look him in the eye.

"You have a boyfriend?" I shook my head.

"N-Nothing,"

"So you haven't gotten kiss yet?" he asked. Why? Is it required to be kissed?

I didn't answer but I knew from the look on my face that he already knew the answer to his question.

"Anyway, mom will surely come home tomorrow since she’s busy," he said.

"What?" I said nervously.

"Yes. She will go home tomorrow and all the maids here will leave too because they all have a rest day and that means…” he purposely cut off what he was going to say.

I was horrified by his gaze and voice. I don't want to hear what he has to say next.

“That means.. the only ones left here is …me and you.”

I saw him flash a silly smile before he stood up and left me dumbfounded and nervous. I looked at his plate that he barely touched.

I just hurried the food because I plan to lock myself in my room all day and all night.

In the evening, what Rod said was true because attorney called me saying she couldn't go home and those maids went home already at five o'clock.

It's seven o'clock in the evening. One of the maid told me to wait for Rod to come home because no one would open the gate for him.

I just nodded. I don’t have a choice anyway.

I looked out the window and saw the loud thunder and lightning in the sky.

I turned off the TV and quietly waited for Rod to arrive.

After a while, the car honked loudly and I rushed out to open the gate.

I opened the gate and he went in.

I was about to pass his car when he called me.

"Hey!" I frowned. I'm sure his mom introduced me to him.

"I'm drunk.. Help me get inside the house," he said while leaning on his car.

I saw his grinning eyes and from where I was standing I could smell the alcohol. I went back to his side and took his hand to walk with me.

"Hmm.. Smell so nice," I shivered after he said that. He didn't put his nose close to me but I was still taken aback by his comment.

"Damn.. my head hurts," he complained as we fell on the couch.

I was about to leave to get water when he held my hand.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"To get a glass of water," I said.

He nodded and his eyes twinkled. "You wanna take care of me?" he said smiling. Fvck! Why is my heart like this? It's crazy. I should take this note. ‘Don't come near him.’