The party had already begun. But according to his assistant, his wife hadn't arrived yet."Didn't she say she would attend the party?" Migo asked his assistant beside him. Hindi pa siya bumababa sa ballroom ng five star hotel kung saan nila dinaraos ang founding anniversary ng kumpanya. But he was joining them in a little while. "Yes, Sir. Do you want me to call her?" Jaxen answered. "Find out where she's at." Tinalikuran niya ito at dinampot ang black-silver venetian half mask niya at isinuot iyon. His upper face was completely hidden save for his eyes. While opting for a full face mask would have done the job to hide his face better, the half mask wasn't a bad choice either. Kung hindi naman siya kilala, hindi na rin siya makikilala. There's no deeper reason to his choice of anonymity. Or rather, to his decision of keeping a low key profile. He just wanted a private life. A life away from people who would do everything to destroy him. Just like what happened seventeen years a

Akala ni Lara ay matatapos ang gabi nang hindi sila nagkakausap ni Miguel. Akala rin niya, malaya na siyang makakauwi matapos ang sayaw nila ni Reed Villareal. Pero ang hindi niya inasahan, on a surprise dance opportunity with the CEO, Lara would be picked to dance with him. Higit sa hiyawan, mga inggit na bulungan, mga tahasang panghuhusga, ay ang malakas na kabog ng dibdib ni Lara nang marinig ang pagtawag sa pangalan niya. Was that just a coincidence? Ayaw humakbang ng mga paa niya at pakiramdam niya nanlamig siya. Kaya si Migo na lang ang lumapit at naglahad ng palad nito sa kanya. "May I have this dance?" he asked, his eyes fixed on hers like a whirlpool ready to suck her to the depths of the sea. Wala sa loob na tinanggap niya ang kamay nito. Her eyes were wide as saucers as she felt that electric current again at the touch of his skin. "Why are you so surprised? Did you think I would let this night pass without dancing with my wife?" he whispered as they stopped in the c

Tanghali na nakauwi si Lara kinabukasan. Dinaig pa niya ang may hang over sa tindi ng sakit ng ulo niya. May dalawang rason kung bakit. Una, dahil maga pa rin ang pisngi niya. Yari yata sa bakal ang palad ni Wendy that almost twelve hours later, mahapdi pa rin ang sampal nito sa kanya. Nagkukulay violet na nga ang pisngi niya. Pangalawa at mas nagpapasakit sa ulo niya kaysa sa una, nagising siya kanina na nakayakap kay Migo. Mabuti sana kung tulog pa ito. Pero bukod sa hindi niya alam na natulog siyang katabi ito, Miguel was already wide awake and already doing business in his phone. Hindi raw ito gumalaw para hindi siya magising. Kaya nagtiyaga ito sa maliit na screen ng phone nito habang nakahiga dahil ang braso niya ay nakayakap sa dibdib nito banda. Dinaig pa niya ang nakainom ng isang pitsel ng purong kape sa kagyat na pagkagising ng diwa niya. Kung may mas i-aw-awkward pa bukod sa violet niyang mukhang nahaluan ng pamumula at buhok niyang mahihiya ang pugad ng ibon sa gulo,

"Tasya, kausapin mo 'tong si Lara. Napakawirdo niya nitong mga nakaraang mga araw," sabi ni Chester habang kumakain sila sa isang restaurant. She went out with her friends para alisin sa isipan niya si Miguel. At dahil treat niya, hindi siya pumayag na sa bar sila magkita. "Why so?" Nagdikit ang mga kilay ni Tasya. "Is it still because you've already seen your guardian, Lara?" Nasamid siya bigla sa kinakain niya. She did tell Tasya about it, pero kay Chester hindi. How could she forget? Ah, malala na siya! Nagpunta nga pala siya kay Tasya noon pagkatapos ng unang pagkikita nila ni Miguel and she mentioned the partial truth to her. But over the confused days that followed na si Chester ang available na hingahan niya ng sama ng loob while concealing the truth, na-mix up na rin niya ang mga detalye sa utak niya.At ngayon ay mukhang magigisa pa siya for not being fairly truthful to both of her best friends. "Nakita mo na si Mr. Villareal? Akala ko ba, nakakausap mo lang?" Gulat na t

Sabog ang utak ni Lara pagkatapos. Hindi niya maintindihan ang inasal ni Miguel. After he dragged her from the lift to his extravagant lavishly looking unit, bigla naman siya nitong binitawan, huminga nang malalim at nag-sorry sa kanya.Mukha pa rin itong galit. Pero hindi na katulad kanina. Lara, on the other hand, was still at a loss for words. Nakatingin lang siya kay Miguel na parang tulala."I'm sorry," ulit nito. "I didn't mean to scare you like that." Scare her? Hindi siya natakot. She just felt a little bit weird? Nang halos dumikit ang mukha nito sa mukha niya, she had the urge to close their distance. With a kiss, perhaps? So she wasn't scared… Nabigla pero hindi siya natakot.Sa naisip ay napahiya siya sa sarili niya. Why would she think of kissing him? "I lost it. I didn't—""Do you live here?" She asked, clearing her throat to change the awkward atmosphere. Not wanting to hear him say sorry further.All she wanted was to let him know it was okay. "I do.""It's beautif