"What's your plan? You can't go to jail, Marcia."

I slowly shook my head while chuckling a bit. "I know. That's why I'm doing this. Let's just hope Rieselle will tell everything she heard to Chaos or perhaps to her parents when we let her go and she decided to sue me," I said in a low tone. 

Flavio's eyes turned into slits. "And then?"

"Chaos will surely track the expenses on his card when they find out what I did. They will find me to put me behind bars. Reason why I need you to book several flights for me."

Hahanapin nila ako sa mga lugar na iyon. O hindi kaya ay paiimbestigahan kung aling destinasyon ang kinuha ko.

"You'll ditch all those flights," he concluded.

I smirked and nodded.

I glanced at the direction of the kitchen even though it can't be seen from where I am sitting. "While I'll book a flight for myself. Probably to Greece? Somewhere far away or in a large country so it will be difficult to track my whereabouts."

And later on, whoever's finding me will realize that those flights I booked using Chaos's card... is a trap. Too late though. And eventually, they will find out I booked a flight from another airline using my own card and they will assume I took it. But I'm not that dumb. 

"You can hide for months and let's say for a year. But you can't do it for your whole life!" May diin ngunit nagpipigil na sambit ni Flavio, pinipigilan ang sariling tumaas ang boses dahil kasama pa rin namin si Rieselle.

I'm fully aware of that. "But at least I can buy time to pay every amount of money I stole from Chaos."

"You'll pay him," he stated. Nanliliit pa rin ang mga mata sa akin, tila may kung anong nabubuo sa isip niya.

"Hmm. We used his money—"

He blinked as he shifted from his seat. "That's not in our plan. Ang usapan lang, magtatago ka. Wala kang babayaran. You're firm in your decision about that a few months ago." 

I averted my gaze and even shifted my body away from him. "Send someone that can take the flight that I will book," I continued, ignoring what he's saying.

"I need a lot of time to pay those freaking millions. Let's just hope that my boutique will continue doing good. So that when they finally caught me, the only family who'll sue me is the Serrano." 

At sana lang, huwag na akong pakialaman ng mga Zaldivar sa oras na mabayaran ko ang pera ni Chaos.

I've planned this before. Just like what Flavio said, paying Chaos isn't a part of it. Kulang pa iyon sa mga nagawa ni Timothea at Abacus sa pamilya ko.

But I used the money for my father's medication, I should pay for it. And Chaos did nothing to my family... it was his grandparents! 

Though... months ago, I didn't care about who's who as long as they were a part of that family, they should pay. But maybe, I realized that it wasn't Chaos's fault.

Fuck. What the hell is happening with me?

Chaos filled my mind the whole night. I even called him just to inform I won't go home for that night as I'm with my friend's condo.

Nang matapos ang tawag, noon ako may natanto. Why do I have to inform him? I don't even care whatever he'll think or feel back then? Bakit ngayon, pakiramdam ko hindi ko gustong may pag-awayan kami? 

That thought went off my mind the next day because of my visit in my boutique. I planned to stay here for the whole day as this might be my last day here... I mean, before leaving. Dito ko na rin kikitain si Clarita. She'll arrive in a couple of minutes from now.

I do not have a good temper. I and even my staff are very well aware of that. 

Though I'm forcing myself to be calm and composed at least just for today. Dahilan kung bakit parang nahihiwagaan ang mga empleyado ko sa akin. 

The moment I went in and greeted them with a smile, I saw hesitation in their eyes. And the first staff who greeted me back called me Rieselle.

They thought I'm Rieselle. I'm not wearing my usual make up as I'm planning to go to Chaos after this. They saw my fully dyed hair as I didn't bother wearing a black wig to hide the color of my hair.

"Rieselle?" I raised my brow but not in a way like I was offended by what she called me. "Serrano, you mean?"

Namilog ang mga mata niya. Horror filled her eyes as she realized what she had done. "M–Ma'am Marcia?" She stammered. Her voice rose a bit that the other staff who's hesitating to greet heard her. "Sorry po. Sorry po." She lowered her head, embarrassed. 

"That's alright," I smiled. 

Marahan siyang nag-angat ng tingin at sinalubong ang aking mga mata. Her lips dramatically parted, dumbfounded.

It seems like she got more shocked at what I said and that I smiled than when she realized she mistook her boss as someone else.

She blinked. "M–Ma'am Marcia?" She repeated, tila kinukumpirma kung ako nga ang kaharap niya. 

"Hmm. Anything wrong?"

Umiling siya na may alanganing ngiti sa mga labi. "N–nothing, Ma'am. Good morning," she greeted again. 

The other staff members followed after confirming that I am Marcia. Reason why some customers glanced at our way.

"Good morning," I greeted back and stride towards the counter when I remembered something. 

Iginala ko sa kanila ang tingin. "As far as I can remember, Mr. Zaldivar's fiancee haven't visited the boutique yet. But it seems that you all knew how she looks like?"

"Ma'am, nabanggit ni Ma'am Clarita," sagot ng pinakamalapit sa akin. 

"We also saw a recent picture of her, Ma'am. Even your hair looks the same, kaya... pasensya na at napagkamalan kang si Ms. Serrano, Ma'am." My manager apologized.

I nodded my head. "No problem." 

Matapos ay dumiretso na ako sa loob ng aking opisina. The first thing I did was check the sales report. Compared to last month, our sales definitely increased. That was after rumors spreaded that The Estelle was hired for Zaldivar and Serrano wedding. New clients kept coming and some were even visiting the boutique. 

I shut my eyes and estimated the revenue for the next coming months if the increase in sales continues. That will still took me years to finally pay all the money I stole from Chaos.

I sighed deeply. 

Nasa ganoon akong posisyon nang may kumatok sa pinto ng aking opisina. I stood when Clarita came in my view. 

"Marcia!" She smiled upon closing the door behind her. 

Her eyes enlarged the moment she clearly see me. "Woah, your hair looks good!" bati niya nang mapansin ang kulay ng aking buhok. 

Ngunit agad na nawala ang ngiti sa kanyang mga labi na para bang may naalala. She stood in front of my table and eyed me without humor in her expression. "The thing we talked about over the phone. You serious about that?"

I nodded and walked towards the couch. "I am."

I sat on the couch and Clarita did the same. "You're leaving. For years? Until when? Where are you going?"

"Somewhere far." I shrugged. Muli akong tumayo nang may naalala. I walked near my table and got a piece of paper and a pen as I started writing the informations of Chaos's bank account.

Matuwid akong tumayo matapos maisulat ang kompletong detalye ng bank account ni Chaos. Muli kong hinarap si Clarita na ngayon ay nasa likuran ko na. 

"If you'll agree to handle my boutique, remember to transfer all the annual net income to this account," I handed her the piece of paper that she immediately accepted.

Pinasadahan niya iyong ng tingin. "Christopher Carlos—" Napahinto siya at namimilog ang mga matang nag-angat ng tingin sa akin. "What the fuck is this, Marcia?" she asked, frowning. 

"Chaos's bank account. Don't forget—"

She blinked. "Why?" Her lips were parted while she tilted her head. Tila napapantastikuhan sa nabasa. "Why do you need to transfer all the boutique's earnings to Chaos Zaldivar?" Her voice softened. Pahina nang pahina ang boses niya na para bang hindi kapani-paniwala iyon.

I'm hesitant to tell her about what's really happening. I don't want to involve her but here we are. If she accepted to handle The Estelle then she really will be involved. 

But I guess I have to tell her and give her a choice. It will be better for her to be informed of whatever the consequences that might happen if she accepted the job.

"I did something wrong," I started. 

She slowly nodded as her eyes turned into slits. Tila kung ano-ano na ang naiisip niya na masamang ginawa ko. "How wrong is that?" 

"Awfully wrong."

"To whom?" 

"To the Serranos and the Zaldivars."

She stilled for a couple of seconds like she's waiting for the words to sink in her mind. Matapos ay mariin siyang napapikit at napamura. "Of all people, Marcia!"

I chuckled. 

Tila nawalan ng kumpyansang nalaglag ang kanyang panga. 

One word to describe her reaction? Horrified. Iyon pa lang ang nasabi ko at ganoon na ang reaksyon niya? Paano pa kung malaman niya lahat ng ginawa ko. 

"Nakuha mo pang tumawa? What the hell did you do? Don't tell me you scammed their money? 'Yung ibinayad sa mga damit na gagamitin sa kasal? Wait, tuloy pa ba ang kasal?" She paused a bit.

"I mean, someone's claiming that Chaos got her pregnant. If that's true and I were Rieselle? I'll call the wedding off. Though she looks kind. Mukhang hindi aatras. Maybe she'll forgive her fiance—"

Marahan akong napailing. "That's not true. Chaos won't cheat," I stated in a matter-of-fact tone. 

What I learned while I'm with Chaos is, a thing he surely won't do is to cheat. And I can't help but envy Rieselle for that. How lucky.

Mapait akong napangiti. My heart plummeted into the pit of my stomach as conscience made my throat tight, making me have a hard time to breathe.

Unconsciously, he's doing it because I'm not Rieselle. I'm not his fiancee. 

She pressed her lips and narrowed her eyes. "Parang siguradong sigurado ka, ah?"

Hindi ko na napigilang hindi mapangisi. "Because I've seen a proof."

Even though I actually don't need proof because his actions were screaming it all. The way he cares for me. The way he worries every time I'll fail to go home in his condo. The way he'll always kiss me goodbye every time we'll part ways. All because he thought I'm Rieselle, his fiancee.

Umayos siya ng tayo at nahihiwagaang napakurap sa akin. "How?"

"I did worse than scamming the Serrano and Zaldivar."

It took her a couple of seconds to react. "Oh, my God!" she dramatically cried. "What did you do?"

I told her everything I did, from the start until what's happening right now. Everything except my plan to lure everyone who will try to find me.

Seems that the informations were too much for her that it overwhelmed her. Ilang minuto siyang nakatulala matapos kong sabihin ang mga ginawa ko. 

Ilang beses siyang sumubok magsalita ngunit hindi niya maituloy tuloy dahil sa panginginig ng boses. 

In the end she fucking cursed me, in a fucking calm way. But after some minutes of deafening silence between the two of us, she still agreed to handle my boutique.

I never thought she'd accept it and I have no idea on how to thank her for that. I can't help but think that I'm too much lucky to have her. Despite how indifferent I am, she's here.

I grew up always alone. I am aware that my rotten attitude is the reason for that. Hindi nila matagalan ang ugali ko at wala rin naman akong pakialam. I don't need a friend that will talk shit behind my back. I can live alone. 

But being alone doesn't mean I'm living a miserable life. I played all by myself when I was a kid and I have no problem with it. I go to parties alone and I'm much happier with that. 

Then here's Clarita. I don't know what she saw in me that she stayed despite how I treated her back then.

While Flavio, I knew him since I was a kid though we're not really getting along with each other back then. My mother doesn't want me to be with him as she knew Flavio is connected to my father's underground organization. Nitong mga nakaraang taon na lang kami naging malapit sa isa't isa.

I spend the whole day in my boutique by simply roaming around. I'll surely miss this. Hindi ko alam kung kailan ko muling magagawa ang bagay na iyon kaya't para bang sinulit ko na ngayong araw. At the end of the day, I found myself going home in Chaos's condo.

I thought I could rest with Chaos this time but it seems I was wrong. 

Dumiretso ako sa aming silid nang walang sumalubong sa aking pagdating. But no one is in the room too. Dahilan kung bakit muli akong bumaba. 

I directly went towards the dining room. Ngunit habang papalapit doon ay unti-unting lumilinaw sa akin ang nagtatalong boses.

"The woman is claiming that you got her pregnant. The least thing you can do if you don't want to marry her is to father the child." 

My steps slowed down when I got nearer as I hid myself. I tried to familiarize the voice and realized it was Tita Cecille. 

"Mama, have you realize she might be lying?" 

Wala akong balak makinig ngunit nang marinig ang boses ni Chaos ay hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili.

"Lying? Why would she tell those if that wasn't true?"

"Hindi ako gagalaw ng babae, Mama kung hindi ko mahal," Chaos stated using his baritone voice. Mariin iyon at tila idinidiin ang punto niya. "I love someone else—"

"Who? Rieselle? Tell me that if I didn't know that it was one of the stupid schemes you agreed with the Zaldivars. Kung hindi ko pa narinig kay Papa, hindi ko malalaman."

As I continue to listen, that's when their talk is slowly sinking in my mind.

"Mama, will you calm down? I love—"

Of course he loves Rieselle. He should. They're getting married anyway. 

I almost rolled my eyes when I felt a bitter stroke in my throat.

"No, you don't! You don't love her!Didn't you realize Maria Eselle is too precious for you to just fool her?" 

This is the first time I heard Tita Cecille's raging voice. 

"Mama, will you calm down and let me talk first?" 

"If there's a woman who's worthy to be my daughter, it is Rieselle. But if you're just fooling her then leave her alone!"

I tightly pressed my lips upon hearing her words. My mouth still tastes bitter.

"Leave her. If you don't wanna marry the woman you got pregnant, then there will be no Zaldivar wedding for this ye—"

"I got no one pregnant," Chaos firmly cutted his mother's words because Tita Cecille seems she won't make her son speak if he didn't interfere. "And I will marry this year, Mama. Just like what is planned."

__________