My eyes widened a fraction as my mouth fell opened. I suppressed a gasp wanting come out of my lips.

I felt something heavy on my stomach as my heart raced. A deep breath escaped from my mouth after being in an oblivion that I'm not breathing.

Lumipad ang aking kamay patungo sa ulo at marahan akong napahilot sa aking sentido.

"You're wrong--"

"You can't fool me twice--"

"I'm not fooling you!" I shouted to cut her words when I know I can't control her with my low voice.

Ilang segundong tumahimik ang kabilang linya. Tila hindi rin inasahan ang pagtataas ko ng boses. But it didn't took her awhile to weave words again. "Isa sa mga tauhan natin ang pumunta riyan."

I nibbled my lower lip as I gritted my teeth. Tauhan nga ni Daddy ang delivery man na iyon. And the package was from my sister.

I expect her to know where I am after our call. I didn't just expect it to be this early. At katulad ni Daddy, tuso si Ate.

There's the proof, nagpadala siya ng tauhan na nagpanggap na delivery man. At balak ba niya akong ipahamak?

"And now, I can't contact him. Sigurado akong natunugan ng Cosmos ang ginawa ko kaya't hindi ko na makausap ang tauhan natin!" I can perceived her eyes widening while trembling in frustration.

I felt my heart hammered my ribcage as I remember what she said. Hindi na niya nakausap ang tauhang pinapunta rito?

Kung ganoon nga, tila nakaramdam ako ng pangamba para sa sarili. But I immediately vanished as I remember why I'm here.

Kung buhay ko ang magiging kabayaran sa mga ginawa ni Daddy, parang kulang pa iyon.

"You're with Doctor Alterio. Would you deny that if I saw both of you with my own eyes, I also heard your conversation."

Mariing akong napapikit. I can feel my forehead frowning. Kaya naman pinaglandas ko roon ang aking mga daliri at itinuwid ang kunot kong noo.

Yeah, denying it would only worsened my situation. Especially when she said she heard and saw us. Posibleng may dalang listening device at camera ang delivery man. Na hindi ko napansin dahil sa pagaalala sa pangalang nakalagay sa package. Or maybe it was too small to be seen by the naked eye.

"Why did you even addressed the package to Miss Rozelli?" I questioned.

The only thing I can do right now is to stopped Ate from telling it from Daddy. Dahil alam kong hindi magdadalawang isip si Dad na kunin ako rito!

And worst, he might plan to kill Dasher again. I felt my heart sunk at the thought. My head's hurting every time I imagine the three of them in one frame.

Of course, Cosmos won't just let it. And how could I even convinced them to spare my father's life? Paano, kung si Dad nga ay walang awang ipinapatay si Dasher?

"You're a traitor," Ate Calista accused.

"I'm not," mariing turan ko. I cleared my throat as I looked around, making sure no one would hear me except her. "Ipinapahamak mo ako sa ginagawa mong 'yan." I squeezed my eyes closed. "I won't betray our family. I was--"

"Really?"

I bit the sides of my cheek when she mockingly cutted my words.

"After telling me that you're inside one of Cosmos' headquarters? At sinabi mo pang hindi si Dasher ang Universe ng Cosmos?"

I licked my lower lip as I glanced at the door of my room. "Did I confirmed it? Ang sabi ko lang, baka hindi siya. I wasn't certain when I told you that."

I heard her groaned over the phone. Nauubusan na rin ng pasensya sa aming pinaguusapan o maaari ring dahil sa akin?

"I was about to succeed, Ate. I'm here as Dasher's nurse. I'll kill the Universe, Ate." I made my voice sounds firm to convinced her more.

I heard her laugh with no humor. "Tigilan mo 'ko." I can feel her mockery as she called my name. "Tulad ng sinabi ko, kung si Dad napapaikot mo sa mga salita mo, ibahin mo ako. You can't fool me twice, Maureanne," she growled in between her gritting teeth.

Akmang magsasalita pa ako nang marinig na naputol na ang tawag. I squeezed my eyes shut as I heaved a deep sigh.

I took a few steps forward before turning to my back. I kissed my knuckles as I started pacing back and forth.

Surely, Ate will tell everything to Dad. At ngayong nalaman na niya ang lokasyon ko nasisiguro kong hindi aabutin ng isang linggo ay pupunta sila rito.

I was deeply thinking for a possible solution when I heard a knock on the door that made my shoulders jumped.

Agad akong napabaling sa pinto at wala sa sariling binuksan iyon. Bahagya pa akong napaatras nang makita na si Dasher ang naroon.

Tapos na silang magusap ni Aislinn? That fast? My lips parted as I remember their kiss.

"You alright?" Dasher asked. Siguro ay nahihiwagaan sa inaakto ko.

I gave him a quick nod. "Si Aislinn?" I tilted my head as I went out of my room. Marahan kong sinarado ang pinto sa aking likuran. "S-she saw you," I stated.

He hummed as we walked towards the sofa. Naroon pa rin ang iniwang pagkain. Bahagyang nabasa ang parte ng center table dahil sa frappe.

"Turns out her family owns the property beside this villa."

My mouth formed an o shape as we sat on the couch. What a coincidence. "Paano 'yon? I mean, nakita ka niya."

Umupo siya sa tabi ko at mataman akong hinarap. "You don't have to worry about that. I talked to her already and she won't tell anyone about what she saw." He gave me a reassuring smile afterwards.

Of course, she won't tell anyone. Lalo na kung ipinaliwanag nga ni Dasher ang sitwasyon niya. Or if Aislinn knew Dasher's involvement in Cosmos. Hindi niya gugustuhing mapahamak ang minamahal niya.

Inabot ang frappe ni Dasher at ibinigay iyon sa kanya nang hindi siya tinitignan. "Nawawala na 'yung lamig," I suddenly stated. Siguro ay para alisin din sa aking isip ang tungkol sa kanilang dalawa ni Aislinn.

Kinuha naman niya sa akin iyon bago muling nagsalita na nakapagpatigil sa akin. "Don't worry about Aislinn."

My eyes immediately landed at him. "Hmm. Nasabi mo na kanina."

Nanatili sa kanya ang aking mga mata dahil ganoon din ang ginawa niya. My eyes remained staring as his parted lips. Tila may gusto pang sabihin ngunit hindi ito maisalin sa mga salita. O 'di kaya ay pinipigilan ang sarili. Ilang ulit pang bumuka ang bibig ni Dasher ngunit walang salitang lumabas mula roon.

"She missed you." Agad kong natutop ang bibig nang kumawala ang mga salitang iyon sa aking mga labi. Napakurap ako at natauhan sa sinabi.

"Huh?" Dasher questioned. Didn't he get it?

I have a chance to tell him nothing since looks like he's confused on I've said but I didn't. At talagang hindi ako huminto sa mga pinagsasasabi!

"I'm pertaining to Aislinn. She surely missed you. She didn't insist to stay with you? Even for awhile?" Walang prenong tanong ng aking bibig. I bit my bottom lip when it sounds like I'm invading their relationship.

"Nevermi--"

"She told me that," kaswal na sagot ni Dasher dahilan para maputol ang sasabihin ko. He even sipped on his frappe, emptying it before placing it atop the center table.

Alin doon? That she missed Dasher or she wants to stay with him?

I intently studied his expression. Looking if there's longing for Aislinn but I can't tell if there's any. O napawi na dahil sa halik kanina?

"Gusto pa ring makipagbalikan?" And I don't know why I can't stop my mouth from questioning things I shouldn't be asking.

Diretso sa akin ang kanyang mga mata. "She..." he trailed off. I don't know if he hesitated to tell or what. "She tried to open a topic about that earlier."

"Ikaw?" Agad na tanong ko.

He tilted his head as confusion struck his eyes. "What about me?"

I shook my head. Ngayon ay tuluyan ng tinablan ng hiya sa mga pinagsasasabi. "Nothing."

Sandali siyang natigilan at napalabi. I caught a ghost of smirk in his lips. "We're done for a long time already, Maureen. I won't broke up with her if I will take her back again in the end," he stated.

"Sabagay, sayang nga naman ang pakikipaghiwalay mo para mailigtas siya kung sa huli, babalikan mo rin." That was supposed to be an inside thoughts but well, it came out of my mouth just enough for Dasher to hear it.

"You can say that. But still, I won't take her back. Now, I have--" His words stopped midair. Matapos ay napailing siya. "Nevermind."

A few hours after that conversation, my feet led me outside the villa. Agad na dumako ang aking tingin sa direksyon ng villa nina Ridge. Akmang ihahakbang ko ang aking mga paa patungo roon ngunit agad ding napahinto.

My forehead furrowed as I saw newly parked four cars near Ridge and Donna's villa. People went out of their cars wearing summer getups. Iilang ang ang babaeng naroon at karamihan ay mga lalaki na. Pumasok ang mga iyon sa mga villa na kahilera ng kinatatayuan ng villa nina Donna.

Ilang sandali lang ay may kotse na namang dumating at ganoon din ang nangyari. Pumasok ang mga iyon sa mga bakanteng villa.

Is it possible that the owners of those villas just thought of having a vacation this day? Sabay-sabay talaga ngayong araw at pati na rin ang oras ng pagdating?

My thoughts were interrupted when I saw a familiar built getting out of the villa. Maglalakad sana ako patungo sa direksyon ni Ridge ngunit agad akong napahinto sa narinig.

The ocean's waves become mummed as a loud sound coming from a helicopter's rotor blades dominated the whole place. Bahagya akong napangiwi sa tunog na dala noon. Agad kong iginala ang tingin sa kabuuan ng paligid ngunit bigo akong makita ang helicopter.

I blinked as my feet suddenly wants to rushed on the shore. Hinayaan ko ang aking mga paa na dalhin ako roon.

Doon ko tuluyang nakita ang helicopter. It landed at the end of Creed's property, near the trees.

Pamilyar na bulto ang mga bumaba roon na nakapagpakabog ng aking puso. I immediately took a step back when they started walking towards the back of the villa. Nasisiguro kong sa kitchen ang daan ng dalawa.

What are they even doing here? Hindi ko alam kung matutuwa ako na narito sila o kakabahan dahil sa posibleng alam nila.

Ate just called me telling she'll tell Dad everything she learned about Dasher. At nasisiguro kong kasama sa sasabihin niya kay Daddy ang lokasyon kung nasaan man ako. And now, after a few hours, Creed and Mirae's suddenly here at the villa. Isama pa ang mga turista o may-ari ng mga villa sa tabi nina Ridge, na bigla na lang sabay-sabay na dumating.

All of these are not a coincidence. Mariin akong napapikit kasabay ng pagkabog ng aking dibdib.

I went inside the villa as I directly stride towards Dasher's room. Though I doubt if he's still here. Malaki ang posibilidad na sinalubong na niya ang mga dumating.

I bit my lower lip as slowly, I drag my feet towards the dining room. And there, as the dining table welcomed my eyes, I immediately saw Creed and Mirae together with Dasher.

Pare-parehong nakatayo at tila kapapasok pa lamang mula sa pinto ng villa malapit sa kitchen.

Si Creed ang unang nakapansin sa akin. His cold eyes turned to me. Hindi na ako nagtaka sa malamig niyang mga titig dahil palagi namang ganoon ang mga tingin niya. But right now, I can feel like he's penetrating my thoughts through his cold stares.

Dahil nasa akin ang atensyon ni Creed ay napabaling din si Dasher at Mirae sa aking direksyon.

Mirae's eyes immediately bore unto me. Ang seryosong ekspresyon nito ay unti-unting lumamig at tumalim matapos magtama ng aming mga mata.

"Let's settle down first," Dasher interfered that broke Mirae's stares on me.

Agad nang sumunod ang dalawang bagong dating. Siguro ay dahil na rin sa pagod sa byahe. Even though they're using a helicopter, it was tiring too.

Magkatabing umupo si Creed at Mirae sa kanang bahagi ng table. Habang si Dasher naman ay umupo sa kabisera.

"Join us, Maureen," malamig na sambit ni Creed. He even gestured the chair in front of Mirae using his hand.

Natulos naman ako sa aking kinatatayuan. Hindi inaasahan ang sinabi niya. I immediately felt my heart ramming my ribcage. Iyon ang dahilan kaya't hindi agad ako nakasunod sa sinabi ni Creed.

My eyes turned to Mirae when she tilted her head. "Why can't you sit down? Are you fucking scared already?" sarkastiko ngunit kalmadong sambit niya.

"Mirae, don't--" I caught Dasher tightly shut eyes closed when Mirae cutted his words.

"Are you defending her?" nahihiwagaang tanong ni Mirae kay Dasher.

Hindi ko na hinintay ang sagot pa ni Dasher at agad ng nagtungo sa upuang tinutukoy ni Creed.

I silently sat in front if Mirae. Pumapagitna sa amin si Dasher na nasa kabisera.

"Now, we can start. Why don't we just directly kill Ysmael? We can do that," Mirae muttered without even pausing and with full of conviction. Tila siguradong sigurado sa gustong sabihin.

At ngayong alam ko ang kahihinatnan ng pag-uusap na ito, hindi ko kayang umupo rito at makinig sa usapan nila.

I immediately rose from my seat, reason why their attention went on me. "Kukuha lang ako ng maiinom niyo."

"You're not a maid." I caught how Mirae's brow rose. "Stay," mariing utos niya na tila walang makakabali noon.

But still, I can't just stay here while they're talking about how would they'll kill my father. Agad ko silang tinalikuran at binuhat ang mga paa patungo sana sa kitchen.

"Maureen," I heard Dasher called but I didn't look back, I didn't even stop walking.

"Maureen." Muli kong narinig ang tawag ni Dasher. This time it was more authoritive than the first one but I still ignored it.

I was determined to leave them but his third call made not only my feet but my whole body to stop.

"Camilla Maureanne," he called using his authoritative voice. Reason why I froze in my place. The only thing I can hear is the raging beat of my heart after Dasher called me using my real name.

__________