CHAPTER 5

LORENZO'S POV

Renzo wasn’t supposed to care.

It was supposed to be casual. Physical. Disposable.

Pero nitong mga huling araw, hindi siya mapakali. Something about her—Celestine—kept scratching at the back of his mind like an itch he couldn’t reach.

One afternoon, habang nasa garahe siya ng kaibigang mekaniko sa Pasig, he was scrolling mindlessly through his phone habang hinihintay ayusin ang motor niya. And then nakita nya sa I* feed nya ang mukha ni Celestine nakasandal sa sasakyan.

A black Lamborghini. Matte finish. Custom plates. Familiar curves.

Exactly like the one that—

He zoomed in.

And froze.

Because there, standing next to the car in the corner of the frame, hair blowing in the wind, wearing sunglasses and a half-smile—

Celestine.

He stared at the image like it would change.

Pero hindi nagbago.

It was her. The picture was taken 4 years ago. Lumabas lang sa feed nya dahil may nag comment nya friend nya sa I*.

“What the fuck…” bulong niya.

He swallowed hard. Chest tightening.

The car—that car—looked exactly like the one na tumakas matapos banggain ang motor ng kapatid niya apat na taon na ang nakalipas.

Walang plaka noon. Walang CCTV na malinaw. Pero ang hugis. Ang ilaw. Ang tunog ng makina.

It haunted him for years.

And now… here it was.

With her beside it.

He tapped the screen again. Another photo. This time, malinaw na kuha. She was stepping out of the driver’s seat. Smiling at someone.

The comments under the post confirmed it:

“Alvarado heiress spotted again. Can’t believe this girl still drives that beast.”

“Old money. She’s lowkey but scary rich.”

“Pretty sure that’s Celestine A. — daughter of Gov Rafael Alvarado, right?”

Renzo’s blood turned cold.

Alvarado.

That name. The same name he’d seen sa mga lumang news clipping ng mga kaso na binasura, mga negosyanteng tinakasan ang pananagutan.

He sat in the garage, the noise around him fading to static.

He thought she was just some quiet artist. Simple. Mysterious. A little lost.

But now… she was more than that.

She was hiding something.

And that car?

That could be the key to everything.

CELESTINE'S POV

Isang linggo matapos ang Batangas getaway nila ni Renzo, muling bumalik si Celestine sa ancestral house ng mga Alvarado sa Forbes Park. Ang bahay ay tila palasyo — tahimik, elegante, pero malamig sa pakiramdam. Isang mansyon na may sariling batas, sariling panuntunan, at sariling katahimikan.

Pagkapasok pa lang niya sa marble hallway, sinalubong na siya ng isang staff. "Ma’am Celle, nasa veranda po si Governor. Hinahanap ka."

Huminga siya nang malalim.

It had been days since she’d last seen Renzo — and even longer since she felt grounded. Parang may bagyong dumadaan sa loob niya, at ito ang unang pagkakataon na kailangan niyang harapin ang tunay na mundo pagkatapos ng mga gabi nilang puno ng init at lihim.

Sa veranda, naka-upo si Governor Rafael Alvarado. Nakasuot ng puting polo at slacks, hawak ang isang glass ng scotch kahit tanghali pa lang. Tumitig ito sa anak na tila may binabasa sa kaluluwa niya.

“Celestine,” his voice was calm, almost gentle — pero may laman.

“Papa,” bati niya, approaching slowly.

Tumango ito. “Sit down.”

Umupo siya, tahimik.

Ilang segundo ng katahimikan ang lumipas bago muling nagsalita ang ama niya.

“I’ve been hearing things,” simula nito. “And I don’t like them.”

Nagkibit-balikat si Celle. “Kung chismis lang ‘yan, hindi na bago—”

“This isn’t just gossip,” he cut her off. “There’s talk. About you. About a man. A... certain young businessman from a prominent family.”

Nanlamig ang dugo niya.

Hindi niya alam kung paano nalaman ng ama. Pero kung may isang bagay na alam niyang totoo sa mundong ginagalawan nila — walang lihim na nananatiling lihim habambuhay.

“I thought we raised you better than this,” dagdag pa nito. “Discretion, Celestine. That’s all I ask. You know how fragile our reputation is — especially now.”

Nag-iwas siya ng tingin. “Wala naman akong ginagawang masama.”

“Maybe not in your eyes,” sagot ni Governor Rafael, pa-simple pero matalim. “But you’re an Alvarado. And everything you do reflects back on this family.”

Bumuntong-hininga si Celle. “So anong gusto mong gawin ko? Magkunwaring wala akong nararamdaman? Hindi huminga?”

“Gusto ko lang,” sabi ng ama, “na kahit anong ginagawa mo sa pribado mong buhay — siguraduhin mong walang makakaamoy.”

Nanigas ang balikat niya. Hindi lang ito tungkol sa isang lalaking gusto niya. Hindi lang ito tungkol kay Renzo. Ito ay paalala na kahit kailan, hindi siya lubos na malaya.

Bago siya tumayo, muling nagsalita ang ama. Mas malamig na ang tono.

“One more thing,” he said. “If this man becomes a threat — I’ll handle it. Just like I’ve handled everything else.”

Hindi niya kailangang itanong kung anong ibig sabihin nun.

She already knew.

And suddenly, the secret between her legs… the memory of Renzo’s body, his voice, his eyes — everything she tried to protect — felt more dangerous than ever.

Pauwi na sana sya sa condo nya ng makatanggap sya ng message mula kay Renzo. Pinapapunta sya sa Condo nito. Hindi ko din maintindihan sa sarili ko kong bakit ako sumusunod sa lahat ng sinasabi nya.

Nasa hallway na ako ng condo nya nang bumukas ang pinto.

Celestine.

Standing there in a sundress, sun-kissed skin, at basang buhok. Parang wala siyang idea kung gaano siya kagandang tingnan — o kung gaano kasama ang nararamdaman ni Renzo ngayon.

“You came,” he said, voice low, flat.

Her eyes lit up — just for a second. “You said you wanted—”

“Yeah,” he cut her off. “I did.”

Tahimik.

Mainit ang hangin, pero mas mainit ang init sa dibdib niya. Naglalaban ang pagnanasa at galit, ang tanong at pagnanasa. She looked at him like she was waiting. Like she didn’t know.

She didn’t know.

And maybe, for now, he’d keep it that way.

Pero kailangan niyang ilabas. At ang tanging paraan?

Katawan.

“Funny,” bulong niya habang lumapit sa kanya, “na ilang linggo na tayong nagsesex, pero hindi mo pa rin nabanggit na anak ka pala ni Givernor Alvarado."

Namilog ang mata niya. “W-what? How did you—?”

“Does it matter?” Lumapit pa siya, hanggang halos magdikit na ang dibdib nila. “Ganoon ka ba kahusay magtago, Celestine? Hindi mo naisip sabihin sakin na ikaw pala si Prinsesa ng mga Alvarado?”

Hindi siya sumagot. Pero kita sa mukha niya — guilt, confusion, takot.

“You think I’d fuck you if I knew who you really were?” he snarled, grabbing her wrist and pinning her lightly sa wall.

But even as he said it, his hand was already trailing up her thigh.

She gasped. “Renzo…”

“No,” he growled, “I’m not done.”

Hinalikan niya siya — rough, raw, punong-puno ng tanong. His lips crushed hers, and she responded — surprised at first, then desperate, needy.

He lifted her, pressing her back against the hallway wall, habang gumapang ang kamay niya sa ilalim ng skirt nito.

“Wala ka bang panty?” he hissed against her neck.

She bit her lip. “Wala…”

“Fuck…” His fingers immediately found her wet — already soaked.

“You’re this wet kahit galit ako?”

She moaned as he shoved two fingers inside her — no warning. He curled them deep, ang hinlalaki niya ay paikot sa clit niya habang kinakalabit ang G-spot sa loob.

Napakapit siya sa balikat niya. “Renzo, wait—ah—”

“I’m not going to wait,” he growled. “You don’t get to lie to me and act innocent.”

Every stroke of his fingers was deep, brutal, controlled. She was gasping, writhing, crying out his name like she wanted to be punished for something.

“Tell me,” he whispered, licking the shell of her ear, “do they know? Do they know what you are doing? Na ganito ka kalibog?”

“No—ahh, fuck—Renzo, I’m close…”

He dropped to his knees.

“You don’t come until I taste it.”

Hinila niya ang dress pataas, binuka ang hita niya, and without hesitation, he buried his tongue in her pussy. Rough. Fast. Focused. Parang hayok na hayok — sinisipsip ang clit habang nilalabas-masok ang dila sa butas.

“Renzo...!” she cried out, her thighs shaking around his head.

He gripped her ass, held her steady, and sucked harder.

And she broke.

She came — loud, messy, dripping — at hindi siya tumigil. Sinimot niya lahat, until she had to push his head away.

“Renzo, please… I need you…”

He stood, wiping his mouth, then unbuckled his belt.

“You think I’m gonna stop now?”

Binaba niya ang pantalon, kinuha ang hita niya at iniangkla sa balakang niya.

Then, he slammed into her.

“Fuck!” she screamed.

“Yeah,” he growled, thrusting deep. “You like this, huh? Being taken like a liar in heat.”

Every thrust was punishing. Wall-slamming. Hip-snapping. Sweat dripped from his temple while he fucked her like it was the only way to survive.

She clawed at his back. “Renzo, please—don’t stop—fuck—”

He kissed her again — this time, emotional. Tongue to tongue. No anger. Just raw want.

His hands cradled her face even while he rammed into her.

“You feel so fucking good…” he moaned. “You ruin me.”

Their bodies slapped together, over and over, until she was gasping again.

“Renzo—I'm gonna—”

“Sabayan mo ako,” he growled. “Come now, baby. Fucking come.”

They climaxed at the same time — her body clenching around him, his warmth flooding inside her as he held her tight.

Tahimik.

Nakahawak pa rin siya sa kanya, nakasandal sa wall, habang ang hininga nila ay pareho pang habol.

He kissed her temple. Muli.

Hindi na galit.

Hindi na rin buo ang tiwala.

Pero nandoon pa rin siya.

“Don’t lie to me again,” bulong niya, mahina pero matalim.

Celestine nodded — not trusting herself to speak.

Because deep down… they both knew the lies had only just begun.