"Upo ka muna, watch movies if you want. I'll just fix myself." I opened the television and browsed movies for him. 

"What do you want?" I asked while still browsing for movies. 

"I'm fine with anything. Just fix yourself." 

I left him on the living room because of what he said and starts cleaning myself. I took a bath and it takes an hour bago ako matapos. I entered my walk-in closet at inabot rin ako ng isang oras bago makalabas doon. Magmadali pa ako ng kaunti dahil naghihintay si Vynz sa labas. 

When I went out of my room, I saw Vynz standing in front of my condominium's door. Maliit lang ang bukas ng pinto kaya't hindi kita mula rito ang tao sa labas. I saw Dasher when I walked near the door. Para bang nagliwanag ang mga mata niya nang makita na nasa likod ako ni Vynz. 

Then I realized kung bakit ganoon na lang ang tuwa niya nang makita ako. "Milady! Ayaw ako papasukin." Aniya na parang bata na nagsumbong sa akin. There are times that he looks like a mother and sometimes he looks like a kid. Pero 'pag si Attorney ang kaharap ay akala mo kung sinong matino. 

"Let him in." I said when Vynz turned to my direction and our eyes met. Nilakihan naman niya ang bukas ng pinto para makapasok si Dash. 

When Dasher entered my condo ay nilingon niya ang buong paligid na para bang iniinspeksyon iyon. His eyes were full of questions. Lumapit siya sa akin at hinapit ang baywang ko kaya napadikit ako sa kanya. 

Nagtama ang tingin namin ni Vynz, his eyes were cold and I can see his jaw clenching. Inilapit ni Dash ang kanyang labi sa aking tainga. 

"Binabahay mo na pala, Milady." He whispered. Before I could react to what he said, I felt Vynz pulled me away from Dash. Vynz encircled his hand on my waist while giving Dash a cold stare. 

Bumaling ang tingin ko kay Dash. He has a playful smirk on his face then he looked at me na parang nangaasar. I'm sure aasarin niya ako sa mga susunod na araw. 

"Bakit ka nandito?" I asked. Ang kamay ni Vynz ay nakapalupot pa rin sa aking baywang. 

"Hihingi ako ng chocolate, yung kinakain ko nung nakaraan na bigay mo sakin." Napangiwi ako sa isinagot niya. Parang bata na naman siya. 

"Hindi ko binigay yon sayo, kusa kang kumuha." I rolled my eyes on him at napatawa naman siya. 

"Basta pahingi." He walked towards my refrigerator at kumuha ng ilang chocolate roon. 

"Thank you, Milady. See you later." He muttered before walking out of my condo unit. Bago siya lumabas ay binigyan niya si Devaughne ng isang mapangasar na ngiti. 

Pagalis ni Dash ay iginiya na ako ni Vynz palabas. Nang sumakay kami sa elevator ay walang nagsasalita sa amin. His hand's resting on my back like he's supporting it. 

He's driving his car while I was just seating on the passenger seat when he suddenly broke the defeaning silence between us. 

"Is he always like that?" 

Nakita niya siguro ang pagtataka sa aking mukha dahil hindi ko nakuha ang tanong niya so he continued.

Kumunot ang noo niya. "Doctor Alterio, going to your condo, asking for such things." He's eyes remained on the road while talking about Dash. 

"Actually, he is just a floor away from my condo." My condo unit is located on the fifteenth floor of the building while Dasher's condo is on the sixteenth. Vynz glanced at me because of my answer. 

"So he's always like that?" Lahat silang apat nila Archer. Ngunit hindi ko isinatinig iyon. They are my underbosses, and they are also my friends so I find it normal. Bata pa lang ay kaming lima na ang magkakasama, because of the training. Our families are all friends and we're enrolled on the same school. But we're on a different grade level because of our age. Astrid's the youngest. Archer is my classmate dahil magkaedad kami. Dash and Creed too are classmates. Noong college lang kami nagkahiwa hiwalay. 

"Yeah." 

Hindi na siya ulit nagsalita hanggang sa makarating kami sa mall to buy groceries. Siya ang nagtutulak ng push cart habang ako naman ang naghahanap ng lahat ng kailangan ko at nakasunod lang siya sa akin. 

We were on the meat section we he suddenly asked something. "You know how to cook?" Anong tingin niya sa akin hindi marunong magluto? 

"What kind of question is that? Of course I know how to cook... and bake." I proudly answered. 

"Cook for me then?" Is he challenging me? Cook for him? Why not? Then I'll put poison and you're dead. But I won't do that, 'wag muna ngayon. 

"Fine but not now. You see, I still have a hangover and headache."

"You take the medicine I gave you right?" He asked and I nodded. 

"Are you drugged last night?" He suddenly asked kaya't napaharap ako sa kanya at tinaasan siya ng kilay. There's a teasing smile on his face. I can't believed a mafia boss is teasing me. 

"You seemed different last night." He chuckled and I know he saw me flustered. Fuck! I remember what I did last night. 

"Are you making fun of me?" I actually don't know what happened to me last night but I remembered that there was a guy named Axel who gave me a drink. Now I understand why he's so persistent 'cause he is planning to drug me. 

"No, I was just asking you." I rolled my eyes on him. 

"Maybe." He turned to me like he never expected what I answered.

"You're drugged?" He asked. Seems like he can't believe what I've said. 

"A man gave me a drink last night. I have a high tolerance for alcohol and I think I was weird last night? Maybe the drink that he gave me contains drugs. That fucker!" I whispered the last words pero sa tingin ko ay narinig niya iyon.

"Next time don't accept drinks from strangers." He started pushing the cart again. 

Hinabol ko pa siya dahil ang bilis niya maglakad. "Nagpakilala naman siya so hindi siya stranger?" Katwiran ko.

"You know what I'm pointing, Mirae." Of course I know. I was just annoying him. 

I shrugged and I heard my phone ringing kaya hindi na ako nakasagot sa kanya. I answered the phone immediately. Tumigil si Vynz sa pagtulak ng cart at lumingon sa akin. 

"Wala ka sa condo, Love?" Tinignan ko kung sino ang tumatawag. 

"I'm buying groceries." I rolled my eyes, its Archer. 

He chuckles. "I can imagine you rolling your eyes." 

"Buti alam mo, bakit ka tumawag?"  

"I have a lot of news for you." I turned my gaze to Vynz, he's staring at me and I don't know if he's listening. 

"Is it good or bad?" 

"May good, may bad, pero majority yung bad. Kaya sinasabi ko na agad, mababadtrip ka." He chuckled again this time, louder. I don't know if he's serious or what because he keeps on chuckling. 

"Alright malapit na ako matapos. I'll go home." I ended the call and turned to Vynz. "How's the site in bulacan?" 

"Sinimulan na, last week lang." 

"I'll visit the site when I have time, maybe tomorrow? If maluwag ang schedule ko bukas." 

"Alright." 

Magbabayad na sana ako ng ilahad ni Vynz ang card niya sa cashier. "I'll pay for it." 

"No! That's my groceries." Hindi niya ako pinansin at bumaling lang sa cashier. 

"Here, Miss."

"Use my card." I grab his card on the girl's hand at ipinalit ang akin doon. "Akin yon kaya ako ang magbabayad." 

"I won't let-" I placed my forefinger on his lips to stop him. 

"Oh! shut up, Vynz." Binalik ko sa kanya ang card niya at wala na itong nagawa kung hindi ang marahang umiling. 

He drove me back to my condo. Hinatid niya pa ako sa mismong unit ko dahil sa dami ng groceries na pinamili. I invited him to eat inside but he rejected, he said next time na lang dahil may emergency daw. 

Pagkaalis niys ay agad akong nagpunta sa penthouse. The elevator opened at bumungad sa akin ang kabuuan ng penthouse. I saw a little kid running towards my direction. 

"Mommy!" I kneeled para magpantay kami. 

"I missed you, baby!" I hugged her so tight as I kissed her on his fat cheeks and lips.

"I missed you too, Mommy, ang tagal mo na hindi bumisita sakin. Last time, Tito Dash, Tito Archer and Mommy Astrid visited me, hindi ka kasama." She's pouting. 

"Sorry, Mommy's been so busy this past few weeks." 

"Busy sa bagong boylet ang Mommy mo." I frowned because of Dasher's words. 

"What kind of word is that, Dash? You sounds like a gay." I stood up and walked towards their direction and sat on a one seater sofa beside Dash. Inilibot ko ang tingin sa mga taong nasa penthouse. 

"Where is Astrid?" I asked nang hindi ko makita si Astrid. Archer's seating on the floor while playing with Crizzy. Creed's seating on the couch while Dasher's beside me.

"Magkasama kayo kagabi, hindi ba?" Creed asked and I frowned. "Wala siya sa condo niya?" 

"Pinuntahan ko kanina pero wala, out of coverage din ang phone." 

My pupils dilated. What? "Fuck!" I dialled Devaughne's number but he's not answering. I dialled it again pero ganoon pa rin. 

I massaged temples because of frustration. Muli kong sinubukan na tawagan si Vynz at muntik ko ng maibalibag ang phone ko nang hindi pa rin niya sagutin iyon. Then I remember, he said that there was an emergency, kaya siguro hindi niya magsagot ang tawag ko. 

"Astrid left with Hoax last night."

"Hoax Devaughne?" Napatigil si Archer sa pakikipaglaro kay Crizzy and Creed shifted on his position dahil sa tanong ni Arch. 

"Uhmm, yeah." Alanganing sagot ko. 

Archer uttered curses at sinaway naman ni Creed dahil naririnig siya ni Crizzy. 

"Then she's safe." I turned to Dash and gave him a questioning look but he just shrugged. 

Archer eyed Dash and frowned. "Anong safe? Baliw ka na ba, Dash?" Then he turned to me. "Ano punta na tayo sa Devaughne?" 

"Basta safe siya roon, hundred percent sure." Dash assured us but I can't calm down knowing that Astrid's with Hoax. Si Hoax na galit na galit sa Cosmos. 

"No way!" I was so drunk last night kaya hindi ko na napigilan ng umalis si Hoax kasama si Astrid. 

"Don't worry about her, Mirae she's safe." My brow rose up because of what Creed said. Looks like may alam sila ni Dash na hindi namin alam ni Archer. 

Humalukipkip ako at nilingon ang dalawa. "Anong meron kay Hoax at Astrid?" 

Dash was just smirking while Creed shrugged. 

"I'll try to call Vynz again later." 

"Wow! May number ng enemy! At first name basis!" I rolled my eyes. Sa paraan ng pagsasalita ni Dash ay parang hindi siya isang propesyunal na doctor. 

"Ano na yung news, Arch?" Nakita kong natigilan si Archer. He tried to chuckled pero nauwi lang iyon sa isang ngiwi. 

"Good news nandito si Crizzy! Kaya sigurado na hindi ka maghi-hysterical" Masiglang sabi niya. 

My brow shot up. "And then?" 

"Nung nakaraan sabi mo bigyan ng warning ang Stonesteel, okay na!" 

I nodded. 

"The bad news is, they ignored our warnings." Pinasigla nito ang boses. What do I expect? That Stonesteel! 

"Continue." 

"First, our shipments in Cebu were sabotaged. Nahuli ng pulis 'yong tauhan natin pero nailabas na naman yung nga lang yung shipments ano uhm alam mo na..." He gave me a knowing look. 

"Second, the weapons for export were delayed at muntik pang hindi makarating. Lahat 'yan dahil sa Stonesteel. Third is...." He stopped and whispered something to Creed pero rinig na rinig iyon. "Woy, ikaw na magsabi baka bugahan ako ng apoy." 

"Ano yon?" I asked at si Creed naman ang sumagot. 

"The mafia chart for this month, lumabas na, kagabi lang. Hindi mo pa ba nakikita?" Everything seemed so fast because of the monthly mafia chart. 

"Hindi, I was drunk last night. Why? Are we on the first place? Then that's a good news!" Dash burst into laughter while Archer, pigil na pigil sa tawa! 

"First place daw! Nananaginip ka, Milady?" His voice was full of sarcasm. 

"Good news ampotek!" Hindi na napigilan ni Archer ang tawa. He's laughing so hard with Dash. 

"Then what?!" Inis na tanong ko sa mga ito.

"We got the third spot." Creed said firmly. I turned to him and stared for a while to see if he was serious about what he had said. 

Bumuka ang bibig ko pero walang lumabas na salita roon. Natigil na rin ang tawanan ng dalawa. "That's bullshit." I whispered and chuckled. "Ano ulit?" Mahinahon at hindi makapaniwalang sabi ko. Ayaw tanggapin ng utak ko ang mga salitang sinabi niya. 

"We got the third spot on the mafia chart and Stonesteel's now on the second place." 

I rose up. "What the fuck!" We were aiming for the first spot at ito ang nangyari? Ngayon ay nasa pangatlo kami? It can't be. Fuck! 

"Mirae, may bata." Natauhan ako dahil sa sinabi ni Creed. Crizzy's now looking at me dahil sa lakas ng sigaw ko.

"Na triple kill tayo ng Stonesteel!" Sinamaan ko ng tingin si Dash. Itinaas niya ang dalawang kamay na para bang sumusuko. 

"Bumaba ang rate natin ganoon din ang sa Devaughne but they remained on their spot." Creed explained what happened. "Yung mga delayed transactions natin ay hindi agad natin nalaman kaya hindi nasolusyuhan at nalaman ko na dahil din iyon sa Stonesteel. Some transactions from Devaughne were also sabotaged, maybe it was still Stonesteel." He keeps on explaining. Ano yon, pampalubag loob na bumaba rin ang rate ng Devaughne? Damn. The point is Devaughne stayed on their place habang kami bumaba? 

I sighed and smirked. They don't want to play fair? Then I'll give them what they want. "I want a list of Stonesteel's clients, Creed." 

"I already have." He stood up and walked towards the second floor of our penthouse. Umakyat siya roon at ilang sandali lang ay bumalik siya at may hawak na papel sa kanya ng kamay. 

"Here." Iniabot niya sakin ang papel na naglalaman ng mga kliyente ng stonesteel. 

"Dash, I want a list of Stonesteel's future transactions. To whom, where and when." 

"Owkie, Milady!" 

"Archer, make sure na hindi na magagalaw ng Stonesteel ang mga transaction natin." 

"Copy, Sweetie!" 

I scanned the papers that Creed gave me at inisa isa ang naroon. "Kami na ang bahala ni Astrid dito. This people can be our clients." I smirked because of my plan. 

"I know that smirk, Sweetie, Don't risk your identity for that." I don't care. Fuck that secret identity. Sisiguraduhin ko na sa loob ng isang buwan ay babalik ang Stonesteel sa dapat nilang kalagyan. 

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