CHAPTER 3

Third Person’s Point of View

Lumipas ang halos dalawang linggo mula sa huling banggaan nila sa hallway. Sa panahong ‘yon, naging parang laro ng mata at distansya ang buhay nila sa opisina. Ayah did her best to avoid him—nakatago sa trabaho, nagtatago sa dami ng papeles at meetings. She made sure her emails were strictly professional, her tone clipped, her replies as formal as she could manage.

But Dave? Hindi siya nagpapatalo. Every boardroom meeting, he stole glances across the table, his smirk always there—parang paalala na hindi siya nakakaligtas. In the hallways, his presence lingered like heat; kahit simpleng “Good morning, Miss Cruz” lang, it carried a weight that made her pulse jump. To the rest of the company, he was the charismatic CEO, firm yet brilliant, the golden heir holding everything together. Sa lahat ng tao, siya ang leader na may vision. Pero kay Ayah, he was still the man who vanished when she needed him most… and the same man who made her body betray her every time his eyes found hers.

Mas lalo pang nahirapan si Ayah dahil ang opisina niya ay nasa parehong palapag ng CEO. Bilang event coordinator na nakikipag-coordinate din sa business partners ng kumpanya, natural na kasama ang office niya sa floor ng mga executives. Ibig sabihin, araw-araw, halos ilang hakbang lang ang pagitan nila ni Dave. Close enough na marinig niya minsan ang boses niya mula sa kabilang pinto, close enough na bawat labas-pasok niya ay may posibilidad na magkasalubong sila.

But their roles were clear, siya ang boss, at siya naman ang empleyado. Boundaries should have been unbreakable. Pero sa bawat araw na lumilipas, the tension tightened, invisible but undeniable. Like fire pressed under glass, waiting—just waiting—to explode.

“Miss Cruz.”

Ayah froze, muntik mabitawan ang ballpen sa mesa nang marinig ang boses na iyon—low, smug, familiar. She turned slowly, and there he was, leaning sa frame ng pintuan, arms crossed, ngiting nakakainis na parang siya lang ang may karapatang magpabagsak ng mundo niya.

“Seriously?” she muttered, rolling her eyes. “Wala ka bang empire na kailangan i-manage?”

Dave pushed off the doorframe, dahan-dahang lumapit, eyes locked on hers like a predator. “Empires can wait. Pero ikaw, hindi.”

“Unbelievable,” Ayah snapped, heart skipping despite herself.

He leaned closer, halos maramdaman niya ang init ng hininga niya. “And you,” bulong nito, “still smell the same.” then winked.

Napaatras si Ayah, palms pressing lightly against his chest. “Ian… No, I mean Dave, tumigil ka. Stop acting like—”

“Like what?” he cut in, smirk tugging at his lips. “Like it was ever serious? Come on, Solene. It was just a fling. No forever. No promises.”

Her jaw clenched, words stabbing sharper than she expected. “Then ano? Ano ba talaga ang gusto mo ngayon?”

“Simple.” His eyes gleamed. “No strings. No emotions. Just us.”

Ayah scoffed, pilit tinatago ang sakit sa dibdib. “Wow. Congrats. From playboy to certified basura.”

Dave chuckled softly, parang lalo siyang naiintriga sa bawat sagot niya. His hand brushed against hers—mabilis, halos aksidente, pero sapat para magpadala ng kuryente sa balat niya.

She jerked her hand away. “No.”

Pero hindi siya umatras. “Tell me you didn’t feel that,” he murmured.

Ayah opened her mouth, pero wala siyang masabi. Damn it. She did. Every brush, every stare, every whisper—lahat sumisigaw ng tukso.

At bigla niyang binitiwan. “Why fight it? Pwede naman tayong mag-enjoy. A secret. Just you and me.”

Her eyes widened, disbelief painted across her face. “Excuse me? Ano ‘to—gagawin mo lang akong side dish?”

Dave’s smirk deepened. “Not a side dish. Not hidden. Just… ours.”

Her chest rose and fell, galit, takot at tukso nagkasabay-sabay na. “You’re impossible,” she hissed, turning away.

But he was already at her back, his breath grazing her ear. “Say no all you want, Solene. Pero yung mata mo, they already said yes.”

Nanghina ang tuhod niya, grip tightening on her pen just to stay grounded. “Fine,” she muttered, voice hard kahit nanginginig. “Pero huwag mong iisipin na may ibig sabihin ‘to. Walang emotions. Walang label.”

Dave’s grin widened, victorious. “Exactly what I want.”

Pero sa likod ng matalim na boses ni Ayah, kumakabog ang dibdib niya. Hindi niya maintindihan kung bakit pumayag siya. Maybe it was the fire in his eyes, the pull she could never name. Maybe it was the memory of that night—the heat, the laughter, the way he made her feel alive again after years of emptiness.

Part of her hated him. For leaving. For disappearing noong panahong halos gumuho na siya. Pero may maliit na boses sa loob niya, halos bulong lang, asking—”What if he’s better now? What if the man standing in front of me is not the same Ian who once vanished?”

Ayah knew she was walking straight into danger. Araw-araw niyang pinapaalalahanan ang sarili na ito ay laro lang, na kaya niyang i-handle. But deep down, she also knew the truth, that she was saying yes not because she wanted to… but because despite everything, she still wanted to believe there was more to him than the arrogance he showed.

And just like that, nagsimula ang laro—sneaking glances, stolen touches, at mga kasinungalingang nakabalot sa delikadong init.

Ayah told herself, her heart was armor now. Pero sa bawat titig at ngisi ni Dave, she knew she was already standing at the edge of a fire she swore she’d never touch again.