All Chapters of Falling For My PLAYBOY, Distant COUSIN (SSPG): Chapter 11 - Chapter 19

19 Chapters

(KABANATA) 10:

LORRAINE’S POV The moment the elevator doors closed behind me, I finally exhaled. Para bang sa loob nang mahabang panahon ay ngayon lang ulit ako nakahinga nang maayos. Aminado ako na naging magulo na lahat sa buhay ko ng magdesisyon ang mga magulang ko na ipakasal ako kay Brando. Lalo na nang ilantad niya ang kagustuhan niyang threes*me, kasama ang stepsister ko. Pero mas lalong naging magulo ang lahat ng sumulpot si Mark sa buhay ko. I massage my neck as I walked straight through the hallway of the executive floor, ignoring the polite greetings from my employees as I headed toward my office. “Good morning, ma’am.” “Good morning, Ms. Lorraine.” I answered them with small nods, forcing myself back into work mode. And the moment I entered my office, I immediately closed the door behind me and walked toward my desk. Large glass windows overlooked the city skyline. Elegant white walls. Minimalist gold accents. Everything inside this office was designed to feel con

(KABANATA) 11:

LORRAINE’S POV “I would willingly submit to you, Lorraine…” His voice was low. Steady. Dangerously calm against my skin. “I will let you control me,” dagdag niya habang nananatiling nakahawak sa aking panga. “Hahayaan kita sa kahit anong paraan na gusto mo.” My breath hitched. D*mn him!!! Nakakainis kasi ibang-iba ang tugon ng katawan ko sa mga salitang sinasabi niya. Para bang isang lason iyon na kumakapit sa aking buto...kalooban at balat ko. At mas lalong pang gumulo iyon dahil hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit hindi ko siya magawang itulak papalayo sa akin. I don't understand why I'm still standing there. Why my heart was beating too fast. Why my body was betraying me again. “Mark…” mahinang usal ko, ngunit hindi ko alam kung babala ba iyon o pagsusumamo. His eyes lowered briefly toward my lips. Akala ko ay hahalikan na niya ako, pero sa kalagitnaan ng unti-unti niyang paglapit sa akin...ay umalingawngaw ang sunod-sunod at malakas na katok mula sa labas

(KABANATA) 12:

MARK’S POV The moment I stepped out of Lorraine’s company building, the smirk on my face slowly faded. Not completely. Because despite how entertaining it was to tease her there was still something sitting heavily at the back of my mind. Something I couldn’t ignore. I loosened a breath as I unlocked my car and slid into the driver’s seat. Then a few seconds later, the engine roared to life. The city blurred past me quietly while one hand rested against the steering wheel. Traffic. Noise. Sunlight reflecting against glass buildings. Masyadong normal ang araw na ito sa isang katulad ko na sanay sa magulo at maingay na kapaligaran. Kasi ang salitang katahimikan ay nakakatakot kapag nasa militar ka. Pero ngayon ay iba...kasi tahimik nga ang paligid, pero hindi naman ang utak ko. I kept replaying Lorraine’s face inside that office. The way she looked at me when I cornered her against the wall. The way she froze when I told her I’d willingly submit to her instead. D

(KABANATA) 13:

MARK'S POV (... Continuation) I could still remember the sound of that explosion....it still lived somewhere inside my head no matter how many years passed. I blinked once before looking away from the pictures. Gabriel noticed me. “You’re thinking too loudly again,” he muttered while tossing me bottled water. I caught it easily. “Didn’t know that was possible.” “With you? Very impossible..." asar niya, ngumisi lamang ako. I twisted the bottle cap open before leaning against the kitchen counter. Then finally asked, “How have you been?” Gabriel shrugged once. “Therapy helps....bukod doon ay masyado ring makukulit ang mga inaanak mo kaya kahit papaano ay hindi ko na masyadong naiisip ang senaryong iyon," aniya, mababa ang boses ngunit may bahid ng ngiti sa kanyang labi. And that answer alone told me enough. PTSD never really disappeared. Not after Iraq. Not after losing the people who become a part of your life...your journey. You just learned how to carry it

(KABANATA) 14:

MARK’S POV By the time I got back to the house, it was already past 9:30 in the evening. I stepped out of the car and glanced toward the massive mansion standing beneath the dim outdoor lights. Usually, at this hour, I’d already hear something from inside. Pinaghalong halakhak ni Flora at Brando, kasama ang mga bisita nila. Pero ngayon ay masyadong tahimik ang paligid. I loosened a breath before walking toward the entrance and unlocking the door myself. And the moment I stepped inside, silence immediately greeted me. No footsteps. No conversation. No sound from the television. Even the living room lights were dimmed. My brows furrowed slightly. “Either they’re asleep…” bulong ko habang unti-unting hinuhubad ang relo ko. “Or doing something disgusting upstairs again.” Honestly, with Brando and Flora? Could be both. I tossed my car keys onto the center table before walking toward the staircase. A faint exhaustion sat heavily on my shoulders now. Visiting Gabri

(KABANATA) 15:

MARK’S POV The moment I stepped downstairs, the faint sound of movement immediately led me toward the kitchen. Soft lights illuminated the marble counters. And sitting casually on one of the stools near the island was Flora. Mag-isa lang siya roon at maya-maya pa ay unti-unti siyang napalingon sa akin ng mapansin niya ang presents ko. Then slowly...she smiled, sweetly at me. Kagaya ng kung paano niya nginingitian si Brando kapag nakikita niya ito. “Well…” mahina niyang sambit habang inilalapag ang wine glass na hawak niya. “Looks like I’m not the only one still awake.” I ignored the tone in her voice and walked straight toward the counter instead. Honestly, I wasn’t in the mood for her games tonight. I grabbed a glass from the shelf before pouring myself water. But before I could even take a sip, I suddenly felt movement beside me. Then warmth. Flora casually wrapped both hands around my arm and leaned against me without hesitation. Close enough that I could f

(KABANATA) 16:

LORRAINE’S POV The headache started before I even left the office. Maybe because of the meetings. Maybe because of the investors. Or maybe because Mark had successfully ruined my peace again earlier. I loosened a tired breath while gathering the last few documents on my desk before slipping them inside my bag. Outside the glass walls of my office, the city was already glowing beneath the evening lights. Habang nasa opisina ako...iniisip ko kung ano na naman ang maabutan ko mamaya sa bahay pag-uwi ko? kaya minsan talaga ay gusto ko na lamang rito manatili sa opisina, kaysa umuwi roon at mas lalo lang sasakit ang ulo ko. But eventually, I still found myself walking through the mansion doors nearly an hour later. The house was quiet again. And for some reason, that silence made me lower my guard slightly. I removed my heels near the entrance before rubbing my temple tiredly. God… I just wanted water. Then sleep. Nothing else. Without bothering to turn on more lights, I he

(KABANATA) 17:

Lorraine's POV "Hmmm, it's been a while, Lorraine. What about we do it again?" My eyes twitched. "Siraulo ka ba?!" mariing tanong ko sa kanya hindi siya kaagad sumagot at nginitian lamang ako. Ilang sandali pa ay umangat ang kamay niya, dahan-dahan iyong gumalaw hanggang sa tuluyan itong dumapo sa aking balikat na agad ko namang winaksi. "Lumabas ka, Mark..." utos ko. "Ayoko." "Sinabi ng lumabas ka!" pabulyaw kong pag-ulit at doon siya muling napangisi.Mula sa mga mata ko ay bumaba ang tingin niya patungo sa aking katawan. I saw him staring at my body, especially on my chest for seconds before he lifted his gaze up—back to my face."Paano ako lalabas kung ganito ka ganda ang tanawin rito sa loob?" banat niya sabay iminuwestro ang katawan ko. Hindi ko alam kung ano pa ang dapat kong sabihin para mapaalis niya...kaya bago pa man ako tuluyang masiraan ng bait at mabilis akong tumalikod sa kanya, dala-dala ang pajamas na kinuha ko sa closet at dumiretsyo sa loob ng banyo up

(KABANATA) 18:

Lorraine's Pov Kinabukasan... Hindi ako nakatulog nang maayos. Paulit-ulit na umiikot sa isip ko ang mga salitang binitiwan ni Mark kagabi. "Hindi kita kayang ituring na kapamilya..." "May nararamdaman ako para sa'yo..." Napabuntong-hininga ako habang nakatitig sa kisame. Ano ba ang nangyari sa kanya? At... bakit parang ako ang nahihirapang huminga matapos kong marinig ang mga iyon? Mabilis kong iniling ang ulo. Stop it, Lorraine. Hindi ito ang oras para isipin ang lalaking iyon. Bumangon ako, nag-ayos ng sarili, at bumaba sa dining area. Inilibot ko ang tingin aking tingin sa buong dining room. Pero kahit anino niya ay hindi ko mahagilap. Wala. Hindi ko nakita si Mark. Napansin ko ring wala ang paborito niyang upuan. Hindi ko alam kung bakit pero kusa akong napatingin sa orasan. Alas otso na. Hindi ba siya mahilig gumising nang maaga? "..." Saglit akong natigilan. Bakit ko ba hinahanap ang lalaking iyon? Bahagya kong pinisil ang sarili kong

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