I was blinded by the flashes of the camera as I was smiling to all of them. Ilang media rin ang nagtangka na lumapit ngunit naharangan agad iyon ng mga bodyguard.

I was on a charity auction, wearing a floor-length gown. It was a black crossback plunging neckline satin gown that's emphasizing my body, I paired it with a black purse and heels. My hair was naturally straight but now its in a loose curl cascading down my shoulders.

I don't usually attend things like this, maliban nalang kung kailangan talaga. Now I'm here for Vynz Devaughne. I'll make sure that he'll notice me. Wala akong plano na sumali sa mga bidding depende na lang kung may magugustuhan ako. Dash is also here to protect me if something happens, though I can protect my self but he insists and we need to act like we didn't know each other.

I saw familiar faces around. I also saw some family friends, business partners and business competitors. Some will approached and greet me. Some will just ignore me like they didn't see me.

I saw Dasher walking towards my direction, holding a wineglass with champagne on both of his hands. "For the beautiful lady in black." Inabot niya sakin ang isa at nilagpasan na ako na tila walang nangyari.

Nakita ko na muling nagkagulo ang mga media sa entrance. There, I saw Vynz Devaughne giving them a blank stare. He looks intimidating in his formal black suit. There's a girl clinging on his arm, she's smiling widely like she won because Devaughne's with her. Huwag kang masyadong masaya dahil isang araw lang yan or worst hanggang entrance ka lang. I smirked because of my thoughts.

"Mirae, you're here!" I heard a familiar voice. Nabaling ang tingin ko sa kanya pinanggalingan ng boses na iyon at napangiti nang makilala ang kaharap.

"Aziel! Ang tagal kitang hindi nakita."

"Well, I need to move on because my girlfriend rejected to become my wife. Can I ask you why?" Biro niya. We are now good friends. He's a good man, if I marry him, he will be involved in Cosmos and it'll be dangerous for him. I don't want that. I can protect him pero alam kong darating ang pagkakataon na masasaktan siya dahil sa Cosmos kahit nasa tabi niya ako. Ayoko na may madamay na inosenteng tao dahil sa'kin. I know I kill mercilessly but I also have a heart for innocent people.

"Don't start, Aziel." I chuckled. He doesn't know why I rejected to marry him at wala akong balak ipaalam.

"Wala kang kasama?" He was asking the obvious.

"Wala pero-" He doesn't even let me finish and immediately cutted my words immediately.

"Then be my date, just for tonight. No buts, Mirae. Pagbigyan mo na 'ko." He smiled when he saw me rolling my eyes because he already knew its a yes. If we will meet again in different circumstances, hindi ako magdadalawang isip na pakasalan siya.

Ilang sandali lang ay nagumpisa na ang auction.

"For our first object, it is a hundred years old pocket watch." The auctioneer muttered a lot of things about that pocket watch and its fucking boring. Aziel beside me looks bored too.

"Ano nga pala ginagawa mo dito?" I asked to ease our boredom.

"Sinamahan ko lang si Lia." Casual na sagot nito bago sumimsim sa kanyang kopita.

"She's here? You didn't even tell me. Oh God, I miss your sister!" I was exhilarated.

He shot his brow up on me. "Hindi ka naman nagtanong, at aagawin ka niya sakin kapag nagkita kayo kaya hindi ko sinabi. Mamaya na kayo magkita 'pag pauwi na." He smirked. I can't believe this guy and his reasoning. I miss him, really.

I was back on sipping my wine dahil walang pang nakakakuha ng atensyon ko.

"Our last object is a pen swiss knife." The auctioneer described it more.

I looked at the screen and I saw a silver crystalline pen. It looks like a normal pen but when you twist it, it will reveal a long sharp knife.

"Let's start the bidding at five hundred dollars." The auctioneer said.

"Six hundred dollars." An old man bids.

"Seven hundred dollars." It was Devaughne. Napataas ang kilay ko roon, sa huli ay hindi napigilan ang pagngisi.

"Seven hundred and fifty dollars." It's still the old man.

"Nine hundred dollars," Devaughne said in a firm cold voice. Malapit lang si Vynz sa kinaroroonan ko at napansin ko na ibang babae na ang kasama niya.

"Nine hundred dollars, going once, going twi-" The auctioneers started counting.

"One thousand and three hundred dollars," I said shutting the auctioneer up. Almost everyone turned their heads on me, including Vynz. Aziel looked so shocked because I bid at sa isang kutsilyo pa. Kunot noong bumaling ito sa akin.

"A knife? Saan mo gagamitin yan? Sa akin? Masyado ka na bang nakukulitan sa'kin?" Biro niya.

I place one of my finger on his lips para patigilin siya. "Shh."

"One thousand and five hundred dollars," Devaughne muttered. Diretso ang tingin nito sa akin habang nagsasalita.

"Two thousand dollars," I smirked at Vynz.

"Two thousand dollars, going once, going twice.....sold to the lady in black." Alam ko na kayang lampasan ni Devaughne ang two thousand dollars pero hindi na niya ginawa. Hindi pa rin naaalis ang titig sa akin ni Vynz hanggang sa bumaling na ako kay Aziel.

The auction ended and the party started. Nagpaalam si Aziel para magrestroom. I was sipping my wine when I felt someone's arm on my waist. I'm planning to remove the filthy arm pero nang nakita ko kung sino iyon ay hindi ko ginawa.

"Two thousand dollars for a knife, huh?" Devaughne whispered on my ear. His nose lightly brushed through the side of my jaw.

"Do you want to go somewhere else?" He asked while sipping his wine, staring directly at me.

"Sure." Gone the cold and blank stares of Devaughne, it is now full of desire. I can't determine if his eyes are black or blue. Its too dark that it can be mistaken as black.

I felt sorry for leaving Aziel but this is the reason why I came here. I'll just send him a message later.

Kinuha ni Vynz ang wineglass ko at iniwan iyon sa nadaanan namin na table kasama ang kanya. We're heading to the parking lot of this hotel. Nasa likod ko ang kanyang kamay na para bang nakaalalay doon.

Isinandal niya ako sa isang itim na Maserati GranTurismo. I can see my car behind him. I don't know if it was a coincidence na magkatabi ang kotse namin or what pero mabuti na rin 'yon.

I was about to ask something when he leaned to kiss me. My eyes immediately shut closed because of his deep and rough kiss. Ang isang kamay niya ay nakahawak sa isang pisngi ko at ang isa naman ay nanatili sa aking baywang.

I kissed him back and made a soft moan. His kisses were intoxicating. His other hand were roaming around my body. His lips went down to my neck. Fuck! Huwag lang niya akong lalagyan ng hickeys.

I heard my phone ringing loudly. Bumalik ako sa katinuan dahil doon.

I slowly pushed him but he didn't even move. I pushed him harder at para namang natauhan siya.

I get my phone in my purse and answered the call.

"Fuck." I heard Vynz cursed. I can't help but smirk because of his reaction.

"Yes, babe?" Nakita ko ang madilim na tingin sa akin ni Vynz. This is our plan. Mas pinadali iyon ni Devaughne dahil siya na ang lumapit sa akin. The only thing I need to do is seduce him and leave like he is nothing. That way I think I can get his attention.

"Uwi na, Milady tama na yan." It was Dash.

"Uuwi na ako, bye, I love you." I heard him chuckled before I ended the call. I saw Devaughne's jaw clenched because of what he heard.

"I need to go home, Engineer Devaughne." I bid goodbye to Vynz as I walk towards my stratus white Aston Martin Vanquish. Muli akong bumaling sa kanya at nagbigay ng matamis na ngiti. "Have a good night."  Sambit ko bago tuluyang binuksan ang sasakyan.

Pipigilan sana niya ako pero hindi niya rin itinuloy. Hindi rin naman ako papapigil.

"We're not yet done, lady." That was the last word I heard from him before I enter my car.

I drove my car fast out of the parking lot, leaving him behind. The side of my lips rose up because of what happened.

"I can't wait for his next move," Sambit ko matapos kong ikwento sa kanila ang nangyari. We're on our penthouse eating our breakfast peacefully, or not? Ako ang nakaupo sa kabisera at nasa tabi ko ay si Creed at Astrid. Beside Creed was Dash, na katapat naman ni Archer.

"I was actually in my car when you two kissed. I was nervous when he kissed you and you closed your eyes 'cause I know you're fragile, Milady. Akala ko nakalimutan mo na ang plano mo." He said then he continued to eat his food.

"What fragile?" I frowned.

"Madaling mabasag. Marupok ganon!" He laughed so hard that I want to shoot him. Kung hindi lang kami kumakain ay ginawa ko na. Nakakapikon siya minsan.

I also heard Archer chuckled. Nakita ko na natigilan si Creed sa pagkain at bumaling sa akin. I was annoyed when he smirked at me. Astrid's bitting her lips to suppress a smile.

"The fuck?!" I hissed.

"And you know what Milady? I cringed when I heard you say I love you to me." Archer laughed so hard because of what Dasher said.

"Fuck you, Dash!" They love to see me annoyed.

"That's your plan? Make him notice you and then?" Creed asked, changing our topic.

"I don't know let's just see what will happen next. What happened to our shipments?" I asked.

"What shipments? The legal or illegal?" Napatingin ako sa kanya at napakurap.

"Both." I shrugged.

"The legal is now on-going and it's doing good and the other one was successfully shipped to Sicily last week. No one intervened and I already transferred some money to the charity." He replied.

"How about the sniper last time?"

"He's on the headquarters."

"What sniper?" Astrid asked. Napatigil din sa pagkain si Archer at Dash at itinuon ang pansin sa amin.

"When Creed went to my office, there's this dumb sniper who tried to shot Creed not knowing that the glass walls were bulletproof." I think Amherst na naman ang sniper na 'yon.

"How was Senator Ramirez doing?"

"Sumakabilang buhay kagabi lang," Dash said like it was a joke.

"Nabaril daw or more like binaril." Astrid shrugged. Maraming kalaban ang Ramirez na iyon kaya't hindi na ako nagtataka na namatay siya ngayon.

"What? Ang dami niyang utang sa Cosmos tapos mamamatay siya ng ganon lang? His debts to Cosmos was all illegal kaya't hindi natin pwede pabayaran 'yon sa pamilya niya." I groaned. Ang daming pagkakataon para mamatay, ngayon pa na may utang siya sa Cosmos.

"I thought you're concerned to our clients, yun pala sa utang nila," Dash smirked. Duh! Wala akong pakealam sa clients namin kahit pa mamatay sila, hindi naman kawalan. Mainam nga at mababawasan ang mga kriminal at corrupt na mga politiko.

"Why? Are you concerned with our clients? O sa attorney ng client?" I asked habang nakataas ang isang kilay. The smirk on his face faded slowly.

"Hindi ko alam ang sinasabi mo, Milady." He deniedans I slowly shook my head. You're doomed Dash.

"I'll make it looks like legal para mabayaran, baby." Archer was pertaining to unpaid debts of the late Senator Ramirez. Good thing Arch survived after being shot near his heart and it's now slowly healing 'cause if not and he died? I'll fucking declare war between Cosmos and Devaughne.

"Stop calling me baby. I'm not a baby for fuck sake." Namimilog ang mga matang sambit ko. He chuckled because of my response.

"How about the schedule of Devaughne, Astrid?"

Astrid stopped moving. "Shit! I forgot. Kukunin ko. Wait lang." She answered and started finishing her food.

I heard my phone making a sound. My brow rose up when I saw the caller ID.

Ibinaba ko ang kubyertos at sinagot iyon. "Mirae Lozano, speaking."

"Good morning, ma'am sorry for the call. Its Sunday today at hindi araw ng trabaho but this is about our project in Bulacan. DEAS Inc. sent me an email that they want to handle our project. The problem is Fabian Services & Co. was expecting that they will handle our project." I smirked. Looks like it's Devaughne's next move. Hanggang saan ka Vynz?

"Fabian's proposal still needs approval from the board members. Tell DEAS Inc. to prepare their proposal regarding our project. They need to present it to the board tomorrow then we'll see." I ordered. It should be DEAS Inc.

"Copy ma'am." She replied as I ended the call.

Bumaling ako kay Astrid na nagmamadaling kumain. "Nevermind Devaughne's sched. Hindi ko na kailangan yon."

She nodded as a response and asked. "A good news, huh?"

"Yeah." I answered as I turned to Creed. "DEAS Inc. wants to handle our project in Bulacan." I can't help but smirk.

Bahagya namang napailing sa akin si Creed.

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