Mirae rose as she faced me. Her dark eyes didn't faltered as she shamelessly scanned my body with a glint of insult and disgust in her eyes.

"It took you four years, huh?" It was her sarcastic start. She even tilted her head. "It took you four years to finally wrap Archer in your filthy fingers."

I frowned at her, hindi makuha ang sinasabi niya. I slightly shook my head but I didn't left her eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You bitch. Four years ago, you betrayed Cosmos. After four years, you know you can now manipulate Archer, that's why you came back, right? I wonder, ano kayang ginawa mo para mapasunod si Archer?" She stopped as she scanned my body once again as she continue.

"I already know what, you gave your body, right? You know Arch. You know your body is enough to manipulate him."

My lips parted at her words as I sarcastically heaved an audible breath. Her words sent dozen of fury in my body, not because of her insults for me but for Archer. What the fuck? Ganoon ba kababa ang tingin niya kay Archer?

I pressed my lips as I bit my tongue to stop myself from saying what I want to say but I failed miserably. "I'm not manipulating him like what you're implying." I stopped as I smirked at her. Tas noo kong hinabol ang mga mata niya. She's wearing heels, it made her taller than me.

"You're like that, manipulating someone to get your whims, that's why you thought of it, right?" Lalo akong napangisi nang bahagyang namilog ang mga mata niya ngunit agad na nakabawi.

"I heard Vynz Devaughne is your husband. Maybe you manipulated him. He loves you, so much and you pretend that you love him too so Devaughne won't compete with Cosmos, am I right?"

My cheek immediately stung like hell when her palm met my face. Pumaling ang aking pisngi ngunit hindi nawala ang ngisi sa aking mga labi.

"My husband doesn't have anything to do with your betrayal--"

"As well as Archer." I cutted her words. "How dare you insult him? He's your friend, damn you!" I can't help but curse her. "And I didn't betray Cosmos!"

She nodded sarcastically. "Really? After four long years, you think I'll believe you?"

"Then this talk is pointless," I said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Fuck you! You have the audacity to talk back to me when in fact you should be apologizing." Her dark eyes and pressed lips made her appear more monstrous, especially with her cold tone. But that didn't help to intimidate me. Her words tattooed on my mind, it keeps replaying yet I still can't believe she said those. And it made me continue.

"That's what I'm thinking. But after words about Archer came out of your mouth, I regret I didn't tell the world that you're the Universe," I muttered while directly looking at her eyes and without even batting an eye. "If I did..." I trailed off and smirked. "You should have been dead by now."

Saying the word 'dead' didn't affect Mirae. Her cold expression didn't falter at my words or maybe she's good at hiding her emotions. Hindi tulad ni Astrid, she's transparent. I can immediately read her emotions whenever I want.

She even smirked at me. "You know what, I want Archer to settle down to a woman he loves. But not..." She stopped and scanned my body from head to toe. Nang muling magtama ang aking mga mata ay lumaki ang ngisi niya sa kanyang mga labi. "Not to someone like you."

"You don't expect him to fall for someone who will defy you--"

I tightly shut my eyes closed when she immediately interfered, cutting my words.

"Not really," she muttered, chuckling. "I'm not expecting him to fall for someone as coward as you. Whatever your reason is won't justify what you did four years ago. Vanishing let's say after doing something wrong is a cowardice, Del-- Auriese or whatever your name is." She smirked.

"You're a coward for running instead of facing the consequences of whatever you did that makes you decide to leave Cosmos, remember that." Her lips tugged into an annoying smile.

I bit my lower lip as I was lost for words. Mapait akong napangiti. "You wanna know why? I did it for my son's safety."

That made Mirae gasped. Hindi na naitago ang ekspresyon at agad na namilog ang mga mata. Anger immediately etched on every corner of her face.

"You have a son and you want Archer to believe that he's the father. Tapos ano? Who the fuck are your really? What do you want from Cosmos?"

Napatawa ako sa agarang konklusyon niya. Make Archer believe that he's the father? What the fuck. I chuckled once again. And Cosmos! Seriously, it is not my concern. Archer is the only reason why I joined Cosmos. Though I learned to love it as I worked for it.

"Hindi lahat ng tao, may balak na masama sa'yo o sa Cosmos--"

I was halted when when the door of Mirae's room suddenly opened.

"Arch," I whispered as I met his eyes, as dark as the night, as cold as the winter wind.

I glanced at his back. Naroon si Dasher, nakahawak sa braso ni Arch at tila ba pinipigilan ito habang papasok sa silid ni Mirae. Naroon din si Creed at Astrid at nakasunod sa dalawa.

"Arch! This woman is fooling you. She already have a son! At balak pang ipaako sa'yo!"

Agad akong napasinghap sa sinabi ni Mirae.

"Mirae!" I shrieked as I harshly turned at Archer. I swallowed a lump on my throat. Ganoon pa rin ang mga mata niya, katulad noong pumasok sila. Hindi man lang nagulat sa sinabi ni Mirae, na para bang alam na niya iyon.

"What do you want from Cosmos?"

I shuddered as I heard his cold voice. The sharpeness of his stares sent thousand of wounds in my heart, making me bleed severely.

What did I do? We're okay just a few minutes ago.

"Archer, let her explain first." It was Dasher.

I even heard Astrid asking Dash what happened but the latter just shifted on his weight and tightened the grip on his cane.

"What do you want from me, Auriese?" He towered over me.

I opened my mouth as I tried to speak but I can't. Nothing came out of my mouth. I was too distracted on his expression. The way I perceived him right now feels like he have learned something about me. Something that made him furious.

"Tell me what the fuck do you want!"

Napapitlag ako at hindi na napigilan ang sarili na hindi mapaluha. I felt my chest tightened that I want to clutch it but I didn't. I can endure series of gunshots but not the sharp edges of words from him, especially him, raising him voice at me. It cut me into thousand pieces. I'll die immediately because of it.

"Archer, stop that." Hindi ko namalayan na nasa pagitan na namin si Creed, mariin ang bawat salita at pilit na inaalis si Archer sa aking harapan.

Hindi na nagtangkang magsalita si Mirae upang palalain pa ang sitwasyon. Laking pasalamat ko sa pananahimik niya.

"It's true, huh?" He mockingly asked. Ngayon ay tuluyan na siyang nailayo ni Creed mula sa akin.

"Arch, I can't understa--"

"Fuck it, Auriese!" He cursed as he frustratedly pulled his hair.

A loud gasp escaped my mouth when I caught a glimpse of tear in his cheek. My hand immediately find for support when my knees wobbled. Agad kong nahuli ang kamay ni Astrid na ngayon ay nasa tabi ko na at nakalahad sa akin bilang suporta.

I never saw Archer like this before. Even when we failed a mission, even when their company faced a crisis, he's never lose his composure. He'll just stood straight with a smirk in his face, like a confident lawyer who got the ace in his hands even when the case is obviously hopeless.

"I'm planning on how would I propose to you, yet you won't say yes. You can't no matter what."

I saw a shed of tear in his eyes that made me weaker, like I wasn't weak enough right now.

"A-Arch," I called his name. Ibinuka ko ang aking bibig ngunit wala ng salita ang lumabas doon.

"You can't because you're already married and have a son! If you don't have a son, I can stand it. Hell, I'll take you from your husband and marry you. Pero tangina, Auriese. May anak kayo! I don't know what you want but I have no plans to ruin a family."

I ached at his cold tone. I didn't bother wiping my tears as I stared at him.

Astrid let out a loud gasp. Namimilog ang mga mata niya ngunit hindi ko na iyon nabigyang pansin nang magsimulang maglakad si Archer palabas ng silid ni Mirae.

"Archer!" I called as I tried to walk behind him but he didn't look back like he didn't hear me. Sa laki ng hakbang niya ay hindi ko na nagawang mahabol pa siya. Mariin na lamang akong napapikit nang marahas na sumara ang pinto ng silid ni Mirae.

Dasher caught my arm and stopped me. "Let him, babalik 'yan. Matatauhan din 'yan."

I shook my head. "I'm not married, Dash. I'm not," I sob.

"Hmm, take a rest first. Babalik din 'yan." Even with his cane as his support, iginiya niya ako patungo sa couch ni Mirae.

Marahas kong pinalis ang mga luhang naglalandas sa aking pisngi.

Sumunod sa amin si Astrid at naupo sa aking tabi ngunit may sapat na distansya para sa aming dalawa. "What happened?" She asked, looking at Dasher.

Mirae stood quietly as Creed leaned on the wall.

Dasher slowly shook his head. "I have no idea. Someone called him, he stormed out of the room after that. Dito na dumiretso."

Marahas akong napahilamos sa aking mukha.

I'm married? What the hell! Ni hindi ko alam ang sinasabi niya. I heaved a deep breath but it seems like it wasn't enough because I was still lacking for air.

I clutched my chest as it tightened. A part of me is sulking because of Archer. I can't understand why he believed whoever called him. Sinabing ganoon at naniwala na siya? He didn't even let me explain. I have a son but not a husband. And what the fuck, I have no idea on who will call him and tell him that he's my husband and we have a son--

Mariin akong napapikit nang maalala si Ryker. Siya ba? That fucker!

"Do you want to talk to your mother? She's at the other room, next to this."

Noon ko muling naalala si Mommy dahil sa tanong ni Astrid.

I flashed a timid smile at her as I rose.

"I'll go with you," she announced as she walked towards the door. Marahan niyang binuksan iyon habang nakasunod ako sa kanyang likuran.

Nakalabas kami ng kwarto ng walang pumipigil sa amin.

"About Archer, he'll surely go back to you. If its not too much, uhm..." She trailed off. "Wait for him. Don't get tired of him." She even shook his head. "We want Archer to settle down to a woman who deserves him. And I know you do. I know he loves you. He won't go against Mirae if he didn't. I'm sure of it, s-so, please don't get tired, Auriese. A-at ako na ang humihingi ng pasensya sa nagawa niya."

I glanced at her. Why does she sounds like she's selling Archer to me. And... I won't get tired of him, I was just a bit disappointed for believing someone over me. I love him, so much that getting tired is not in my choices. I endured years that he treats me like an air but I didn't get tired running after him. Ngayon pa ba 'ko mapapagod? I already have him.

"Anyway, your mom's inside," sambit niya nang tumapat kami sa pinto ng katabing kwarto ng kay Mirae. "I'll go back," she gestured Mirae's door and I nodded instantly.

I waited for her to go back to the other room before I finally opened the room where my mother is in.

I slowly opened it and tears immediately sprung free from my eyes as I saw her familiar built inside.

__________