Mandrod’s butler, Brizo, was in trouble. He’d messed up badly.  The planned breakfast was ruined, a meeting with Mr. Hamir’s daughter was canceled because of Brizo's wrong text messages, and a dinner meeting with Andes was also canceled—all Brizo's fault. Mandrod knew Brizo had a chance to fix things last night, but he didn't.

He blew out a frustrated breath, his gaze settling on Brizo with a chilling intensity.  How could he make such colossal mistakes? Ruining his plans wasn't fun; now he was dealing with the fallout.  The casual cruelty he felt towards Brizo was a reflection of his own simmering frustration. Brizo, ironically, was the one who needed rest and relaxation.  The irony wasn't lost on Mandrod.

"Where were you last night?" Mandrod asked, his tone a low, dangerous rumble that vibrated in the air between them.

Brizo lowered his head, worry etched on his face. He knew he'd been locked in the bathroom last night, a humiliating experience that fueled his desire to throttle Zero.  The fear in Brizo's eyes was a small victory for Mandrod. "I… I was wandering around, Your Highness," he lied weakly.

Mandrod’s gaze bored into Brizo, a silent challenge. He saw the lie in Brizo's eyes, and the subtle shift in Brizo's weight betrayed his nervousness.  He savored the moment of power, the knowledge that he held Brizo’s fate in his hands. "Really?"  The single word hung in the air, heavy with unspoken threat.

Brizo sighed, defeated.  The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife. "I lied. I was locked in the bathroom last night. I didn't get out until morning. But thankfully, someone let me out."

Mandrod shrugged, the gesture nonchalant, yet the effect was devastating. He picked up his phone and handed it to Brizo, the casual gesture belying the simmering anger beneath. "Call Nixxon and Zero. I want breakfast with them."  The command was laced with a subtle threat; his displeasure was evident, but he was choosing to control his rage for now.

Brizo dialed Nixxon's number, his hands trembling slightly. A moment later, the CEO answered, his voice sleepy and husky. The casualness of Nixxon's tone only fueled Mandrod's growing irritation. "Who is this?"

Brizo cleared his throat, Mandrod watching intently, a silent pressure that made Brizo's task even more difficult. "Good morning, Mr. Callahan. I apologize for disturbing your sleep," he said professionally. "King Mandrod would like you to join him for breakfast."

"Tell him to fuck off," Nixxon retorted before hanging up. The blatant disrespect was a spark igniting Mandrod's already simmering anger.

Brizo stared, dumbfounded. The call had been on speakerphone, and Mandrod had heard everything.  The silence that followed was charged with barely contained fury. Mandrod smirked, a predatory gleam in his eyes. "Send men to their condo. Drag them here if they refuse breakfast." The casual cruelty of his words was a deliberate attempt to unsettle Brizo further.

Brizo bowed, his body trembling slightly. "Certainly, Your Highness." He snapped his fingers, and four men followed him out, leaving Mandrod alone with his simmering rage.

After a few minutes, Nixxon arrived, his hair messy, wearing only sweatpants and a t-shirt. He looked angry. Zero, on the other hand, was smiling.

“Get your hands off me!” Nixxon said angrily. Mandrod signaled his men to leave.  It was just the four of them now, and the food was on the table.

Zero waited for Mandrod to sit first, but Nixxon sat down first. “You woke me up just so you wouldn’t eat alone?” Nixxon asked, annoyed, fixing his hair.

Mandrod grinned. “Of course. You should wake up early.”

Nixxon glared. “I slept well last night, and you ruined it!”

Mandrod smiled. He knew Nixxon had slept well. Was it because he had kissed him?

“I understand, Nixxon,” Mandrod said. “It’s nice to eat together.”

“Whatever,” Nixxon mumbled.

Nixxon was still grumpy as they ate. He frowned, his eyes narrowed.

“Delicious,” Mandrod said, licking his lips and watching Nixxon.

“It is,” Zero agreed.

Nixxon glared at Zero. “Really? You’re only drinking water.  You haven’t even eaten yet. You’re so fake.”

Zero chuckled. “Did I wake you up and make you this mad? Para kang pinagsakluban ng langit at lupa.”

Nixxon rolled his eyes at Mandrod. “It’s his fault.” He pointed at Mandrod, who was eating quietly.

Mandrod looked up. “What?”

“I’m talking to the air, Your Highness,” Nixxon said sarcastically.

Mandrod looked at Nixxon. “Do you have a problem with me?”

Nixxon glared. You kissed me last night. That’s my problem.

“Was it a big deal that I kissed you?”

Brizo and Zero almost choked on their drinks, staring at them.

Mandrod nibbled his lip. “Why? Was it your first kiss?”

Nixxon glared. “N-No.”

Brizo’s jaw dropped. They'd kissed?!

“Really? Forget about it then.”

Nixxon chuckled bitterly. “You’re such a jerk,” he said, looking away. This king is suspicious.

“You kissed him?” Brizo asked.

“Yes.”

“No.”

They both answered, denying it. Nixxon always denied that Mandrod had kissed him and stolen his first kiss.

“Someone’s blushing,” Zero whispered. “I am not!” Nixxon snapped.

Brizo cleared his throat. “So, you two kissed last night?”

Mandrod leaned back. “Just a kiss,” he said, looking at Nixxon. “It’s no big deal, right?”

Nixxon’s eyes narrowed.  No big deal?  For others, maybe, but not for me! He wanted to punch the king. But he stayed calm, smiling. He’d enjoy this resort even more if the king drowned.

“I want my company back when my vacation is over. You said you’d help, and there’s no turning back,” Nixxon said. You promised after you kissed me.

Mandrod sighed. “I will help you, Nixxon. Why the rush?”

Nixxon remembered begging his father for help. It had been painful. His father hadn’t wanted to help him get his company back.  Nixxon felt sad. He hadn’t seen his father in two days, but it felt like years.

His father didn’t care, but he was still his father. They didn’t think alike, but Nixxon still cared about his father’s health. He wouldn’t let his father be ashamed. He’d help him change, show him how much he cared.  Even if it took years, he’d wait. That’s all he wanted.

“Are you okay?” Zero asked, snapping Nixxon back to reality. Nixxon forced a smile. “Yeah, have fun. I’m leaving.” He stood and walked out.

All he wanted to do was call his father. He missed him, even though his father only caused him pain and problems.

He sighed. His life was a mess.

He hadn’t even reached his room when he saw Shaira outside the hotel. She was smoking a pipe, wearing a white sundress, no shoes, sunglasses, and a big hat.  She looked different.

He approached her. “Hindi kaba na iinitan sa lagay mong yan?”

She turned, exhaling smoke. “Would you believe this is my dream? Walking barefoot,” she said huskily.

He chuckled, looking at the vacationers. “Aren’t you going to see the king?”

She smiled creepily. She looked at the beach house. “Nah,” she said. That smile told him she had something unexpected planned.

Nixxon watched the beach house. A waitress approached and put a white box in front of Mandrod before leaving. Mandrod opened it—Nixxon’s eyes widened as a snake slithered out. He heard Shaira laugh.

“This is fun,” Shaira said, laughing at Mandrod.

Nixxon stared at her. What the hell?! This is her plan? Scary.

They watched Mandrod and Zero run away, the people on the beach screaming at the snake. 

“Anything else to do?” Shaira asked calmly. Nakatingin parin ito sa direksyon nila Mandrod, Brizo at Zero. Mukhang nag-eenjoy pa nga ito sa ginawa.

Tumango siya sabay sabing. “I was going to call my dad.”

Isang nakakalokang ngiti ang gumuhit sa mga labi ng dalagita bago ito lumingon sa kanya. “Okay. I’ll go now.” Shaira said.

Umalis na nga talaga ang dalaga at naiwan siyang nakatayo sa puwestong iyon, napalingon muli siya sa kinaruruonan ni Mandrod. Bakas sa mukha ni Mandrod ang galit at inis, napangisi si Nixxon dahil sa totoo lang ay nagustohan niya ang ginawa ni Shaira.

Yeah, you deserve that snake.

MANDROD’s jaw tightened in anger. He guessed Nixxon had done this to scare him.  It was humiliating. He’d been scared and screamed when he saw the snake. He hated that the snake was white—his least favorite color.

His face was angry.

Brizo approached. “Your Highness, are you alright?”

Mandrod didn’t answer. He looked at the people around them. Some laughed, others worried. Nixxon will pay. He was humiliated, and now people were laughing at him. He awkwardly walked away, Brizo helping Zero up. “Are you okay, idiot?”

Zero glared. “Who are you calling an idiot?”

Brizo smiled. “You. Get up.” He left them.

Mandrod strode to the hotel, taking the elevator to the 14th floor. He reached Nixxon’s room, but the door was locked. He didn’t have time for this. He kicked the door, breaking the knob. He searched the condo, but Nixxon was nowhere to be found. He was about to leave when he heard the shower running.

He grinned, going into the room he hadn’t checked. He saw clothes and shoes on the floor. He sat on the bed, waiting for Nixxon to finish showering.

After Nixxon washed, he rinsed off and let the water run over him. He looked up, closing his eyes, hands on his hips. He’d called his father earlier, but he hadn’t answered. He worried; was his father sick?

Whatever the reason, he worried. He just wanted to hear his father’s voice.

He turned off the shower, put on his robe, and went to the mirror. He ran his fingers through his hair, ruffling it. He looked sadly at his reflection. “A gorgeous mess,” he muttered.

He sighed and left the bathroom.

Mandrod was sitting on his bed, hands in his pockets. Nixxon swore. “What the fuck?!” He almost slipped, having just gotten out of the shower.

Mandrod didn’t seem surprised; his expression was unreadable. He stared emotionlessly.

“What are you doing here? How did you get in? I locked the door,” Nixxon said.

Mandrod looked him up and down. “Do you want to die?”

Nixxon was confused. Why would he want to die? He wanted to see his mother’s grave before he died. That was all. But the question was weird and scary.

“What kind of question is that?” Nixxon asked. Confused.

Mandrod stepped closer. Nixxon nervously backed away, but Mandrod kept coming until Nixxon was trapped.

His heart pounded. He gasped, they were so close. “W-What’s w-wrong?” he stammered.

“You think you can scare me with a snake?” Mandrod said, gritting his teeth.

Nixxon frowned. “Snake? Wait, what?”

“Yes. I know you ordered the waitress to give me the box with the snake,” Mandrod said sharply. Nixxon smirked. Shaira had planned it, not him. Mandrod was blaming him? How ironic.

“Easy, Your Highness, I didn’t order it,” Nixxon said, smirking. He wanted to laugh, but he stayed calm.

Mandrod’s eyes narrowed. “You think I’m a fool?”

Nixxon rolled his eyes. “No, Your Highness. I think you’re the king. It was your cousin, Princess Shaira. I wasn’t involved.”

“Was it a big deal that you screamed like a girl?” Nixxon added, making Mandrod glare even harder.

Mandrod’s eyes darkened. “You did that to embarrass me.”

Nixxon laughed. “Wow, you’re embarrassed? You kissed me in front of everyone! I was embarrassed too, but you left before I could say anything.” He tried to push Mandrod away, but Mandrod grabbed his hands, pinning them above his head. “What’s wrong with you?!”

“If you want my help, be nice,” Mandrod said, his voice sounded low and dangerous.

Nixxon had enough. Parati nalang ginagawang panakot sa kanya ang bagay na iyon. “Don’t bring up my company. You’d better bang your head against the wall than threaten me with that.”

“You dare talk back?” Mandrod said dangerously.

“Of course. I have a mouth. What’s it for? Talking and answering,” Nixxon retorted.

“Oh really?”

Nixxon rolled his eyes. “Get your fucking hands off me, Your Highness.”

Mandrod’s face darkened. This guy wouldn't give up.

He was about to do something when he heard Zero. They both turned to the door. “Nix, we should go out— ” Zero stopped, shocked at their position.

Mandrod had Nixxon’s hands pinned above his head, their bodies close. Zero’s mouth dropped. Mandrod just wanted Zero to leave.

But Nixxon kicked Mandrod in the groin. Mandrod groaned in pain, releasing Nixxon. Nixxon looked at Zero. “What?”

Zero shook his head. “Sorry, bad timing.” Zero quickly left.

Nixxon frowned. “I didn’t do anything,” he said innocently.

“Fuck!” Mandrod whimpered. “Does it hurt, Your Highness?” Nixxon asked sarcastically.

Mandrod glared, unable to bear the pain. “You’ll pay for this—fuck!”

Nixxon smiled innocently. “My deepest apologies. I thought you were emotionless. You do have feelings.”

Of course, I have feelings! Mandrod thought.  It hurt so bad.  He would get revenge.