"Can I have a new manager? Someone younger and female, preferably," Maverick requested Noah after they discussed the stipulations for his contract renewal at RTA.

Regal Talents was a renowned talent agency in the Philippines. Noah's uncle, Mark, solely built and managed the agency for twenty years; he launched many local celebrities, some of whom became internationally famous models.

Mark sold RTA to his nephews at a cheap price when he met Leo, a European fashion designer based in Milan. The two were married and were just traveling around the world. The current managers of RTA were Noah and his cousin, Raffy. Raffy's twin brother, Cade, was the agency's official photographer.

"Don't you like Anton anymore?" Noah asked the model. "He's been with you from the very start."

"He's getting older and crankier. I think he needs to retire."

"He's only fifty years old. You just don't like him because he's strict with you. You can't get any women when you're with him."

Maverick laughed. "Man, getting women is the least of my problems. They're always coming to me," he boasted.

Maverick Morgan's maternal grandfather was American, but he was born in the Philippines, so he could still speak Filipino fluently. He was AT's most successful talent. He was among the famous supermodels worldwide and an endorser of luxury designer brands for clothing, shoes, and perfumes.

"Anyway, how are you doing? Cade told me your sister's getting married. When are you next?" Maverick changed the topic.

Noah replied dryly. "I don't know, I don't have a girlfriend."

"No one yet?" Maverick exclaimed exaggeratedly, even though he actually expected that answer.

"Why, do you have one?" Noah countered. "And, just to remind you, you're three years older than me."

"At least I have a reason. I'm busy with my career, so I can't handle being tied down in a serious relationship. What's your reason?"

Noah shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe I'm just not picky."

"Maybe you're still looking for your dream girl, Maria Clara."

He gave him a dirty look. Why did everyone have this stupid notion about him that he preferred reserved and old-fashioned women? He never set standards when it came to women. But he wasn't the type of guy who immediately jumped at the chance when beautiful women approached him. He could count the women he had dated on his fingers.

"I'm not particularly looking for a virgin woman, okay?"

"Ah, you prefer the experienced ones? Well, that's better, you don't have to teach them-"

"Mav, can we stop talking about sex?"

Maverick snorted. "Sorry, you just can't relate."

Noah restrained himself from swearing in front of the food. When he was already sexually frustrated, and then he was being teased with nonsense... He wanted to punch him.

His friend continued. "It's hard with you, you're so aloof and stiff; you always play by the rules. Try to loosen up and have a good time. You don't need to have a girlfriend or a date to get laid. Hook up with a stranger, go to an orgy club. Life is short, you gotta get dirty sometimes."

"Nope. I'm not giving you a new manager. End of discussion."

_____________________________

INGRID AND Pat had discussed her moving into her boyfriend's house several times, and yet his cousin's worry wouldn't go away.

"Pat, I'm okay, I told you," Ingrid said while in the passenger seat of his car, which he was driving to work. "You want me to be totally independent, right? Here it is. I'll be alone in the apartment, going to work alone."

"If Dan's house wasn't so far away, you could still hitch a ride with me."

Her father hadn't been an obstacle to her closeness with Pat. Her father didn't like him, saying he was a bad influence on her. But Pat didn't really do anything wrong; he didn't have any vices, he was also intelligent and always an honor student back then. He wasn't flamboyant or effeminate. But her father didn't want her to hang out with Pat just because he was gay. She wasn't surprised by her father's animosity towards him because Pat's own father was also ashamed of him because of his sexual orientation.

She patted him on the shoulder. "It's okay, I said. If anything, I'm actually excited. It's the first time I'll be alone, how fun would that be?"

Honestly, she secretly enjoyed the solitude when Pat wasn't at their place, when he was out with Raffy for a few days. But of course, she didn't want to tell her cousin that because he might be offended.

Pat laughed. "I'm happy for you, cuz. You're not the same Ingrid I used to pick up crying at the bus terminal."

She covered her face. "Oh, you reminded me again!"

She was really a crybaby. It was the only thing she knew how to do when she was sad, scared, or hurt. She was sad when she left home, but her determination to leave was enough to overcome that sadness. Even though she cried throughout the entire journey to Manila, she was determined to leave the province.

Until they heard the strange sound of Pat's car engine.

"Oh, shit!" he cursed as the car suddenly slowed down.

"Is it broken again?"

"I really need to replace this. I've been using it for five years, I've spent so much on repairs," Pat said, managing to park the car on the side of the road before the engine died completely.

"Just get a new car loan. You can afford it."

"Cuz, go ahead and go to work. I'll call a repair shop."

Ingrid hurriedly got out of the car and frowned when she had been there for a few minutes and all the passing taxis were full. She ended up riding a jeepney.

In her haste to sit down, her skirt was lifted when she put her bag on her thighs. She wouldn't have known it if it weren't for the man sitting next to her who discreetly touched the side of her thigh.

She froze in fear. She didn't know what to do, she was scared and panicked. She looked at the other passengers, but they seemed to have seen nothing. Or maybe the man didn't mean to touch her thigh?

Her question was answered when she felt his hand on her skin again, lingering there. That's when she mustered the courage to confront him, and that's when she moved and pulled down her black knee-length gathered skirt.

"What the hell? Why are you touching me?" she snarled at the man who looked over forty and had a backpack in his lap.

"W-what touching?" he feigned ignorance.

"You touched my thigh!" she almost cried.

The man didn't answer, but she heard him mutter a curse before moving away from her. She also didn't get any reaction from the passengers, they probably weren't aware of what the man did to her, or they just didn't care.

But an old woman discreetly sneered at her after looking her up and down.

The jeepney stopped in traffic, and Ingrid took advantage of it to get off. Her heart was pounding as she walked away until she found a taxi.

She was really unlucky that day because the taxi she was riding in got stuck in traffic several times. She didn't wait for it to reach the front of the building where she worked, she got off about fifty meters away.

She was breathless as she caught up to the closing elevator. And, yes. She believed she was unlucky today because out of all the people she could have met in the elevator, it had to be her boss. And that wasn't all...

In her panic and haste, she tripped and lost her balance.

She would have fallen if he hadn't caught her.

"I-I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Sir!"

Ingrid said, embarrassed, as Noah helped her stand up straight.

My God! Of all the parts of her body he could have caught, it had to be her breasts?!

"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

She nodded and straightened up.

"Y-yes, Sir. Sorry about that. I was late, so I was in a hurry. Sorry for being late-"

"It's alright, you don't need to apologize, Ingrid."

"O-okay. Thank you, Sir."