"Who was that?" Chaos asked while nearing where I'm standing. He's already in his suit. Handa nang umalis at magtungo sa opisina. 

I swallowed and composed myself. "Ah! N-nothing. Just a delivery boy. He got the wrong unit, I guess."

He firmly nodded. His lips were still in a grim line. But this time, his face is devoid of any emotion.

Sinalubong ko siya at kung hindi ko pa hinawakan ang kanyang braso ay palagay ko, lalagpasan niya ako. "Let's eat. The breakfast is ready," I muttered using my soft voice.

Mataman niya akong tinitigan ngunit agad akong nag-iwas ng tingin. Felt like his eyes were penetrating my insides. Pakiramdam ko, nababasa niya ang iniisip ko.

"I have no time for that. I'll see you later," he said with firmness and finality in his voice that made me let his arm go. 

I waited for his kiss, the thing he'd always do every time we parted ways. But this time, I got nothing.

I tightly shut my eyes and tried to shrug those off. What happened earlier crossed my mind while opening Flavio's condo.

Ni hindi iyon nawala sa isipan ko. Did he saw that the man kissed me? But I pushed him and—

Shit! 

Narinig niya ang mga sinabi ko?

I grimaced. I need to fix this. Agad kong pinagana ang isip sa kung anong maaari kong idahilan ngunit hindi iyon natuloy nang may marinig na pamilyar na boses.

"Marsh, Babe!" 

I rolled my eyes upon seeing Flavio approaching, wearing a midnight blue dress shirt. I don't even know why he's wearing one, I mean nasa bahay lang naman siya or maybe, he's up to something again.

I stared at him. Ngayon ko lang napansin na kung susukatin ay hindi maglalayo ang taas nila ni Chaos. Pilipino man, his features were screaming that a Russian blood is present in him. Habang si Chaos, nasisiguro kong Pilipino ngunit may dugong Espanyol at Griyego. And those two are both dominant in Chaos's features. 

Sinalubong ako ni Flavio at akmang hahalik sa aking mga labi nang iniwas ko ang aking mukha. Dahilan kung bakit sa pisngi napunta ang halik niya.

He let out a low chuckle on what I did.

"Don't call me that," I demanded as I throw my ass on a one seater sofa.

Sumunod siya sa akin. He sat on the right arm rest of the sofa where I am seating. Matapos ay umayos siya ng upo paharap sa aking direksyon. "What? Marsh or Babe?"

I tsked. "Both."

"You prefer Rieselle more?"

I made a face at his statement.

"I really never thought before that you can form Rieselle from your name."

"Marcia Estelle. Rieselle." Pinagkumpara pa niya ang dalawa, tila muling iniisip kung may Rieselle nga sa pangalan kong Marcia Estelle.

"Rieselle's a good one but I like Marsh more." he knowingly eyed me. Walang gana ko siyang tinignan pabalik. "Besides, that's what I'm used to call you anyway."

I rolled my eyes. Palusot. He's just too lazy to say Rieselle because that's a syllable longer than Marsh.

Hindi ko pinansin ang mga pinagsasasabi niya. Inilibot ko ang tingin sa kabuuan ng condo. There's no second floor so all the four rooms are in here. Malawak iyon ngunit hindi kasing laki ng tinutuluyan namin ni Chaos, plus Chaos's unit have second floor.

"Nasaan ang mga kasamahan mo? And ibang tauhan ni Dad?" tanong ko nang mapansing tahimik ngayon dito.

Bumuka ang kanyang mga labi bago napahawak sa kanyang batok. He shrugged. "Umalis. May mga gagawin."

My eyes turned into slits while eyeing him. "May gagawin," I suspiciously repeated. 

"You already have the money?" he asked instead. Obviously diverting my attention to somewhere. "We should just stick to my suggestion and kidnap a Zaldivar."

That's his useless suggestion. Kidnap and ask for ransom. Hindi siya nag-iisip.

I leaned on the couch and shifted my body to face him. "Do you wanna die?" 

"Baka patay na siya bago ka makakuha ng pera," he muttered, referring to the person on why we're in this plan.

"We'll both die first if we kidnapped a Zaldivar—" Wala pa akong planong mamatay. At lalong hindi sa kamay ng mga lintik na Zaldivar na iyon.

"What do you want then? Just let him die?"

I bit the side of my cheeks when he cutted my words. I slid my fingers in my pocket and picked up the card from Chaos.

"Who says?" I smirked as I waved the black card, stuck in the middle of my forefinger and middle finger. "No one's gonna die," I said using my real voice. Not too soft. 

Laglag ang panga niya habang sinisipat ang card sa gitna ng aking mga daliri. 

"Seriously?" nahihiwagaang sambit niya.

"Seriously." I smirked.

He let out a throaty chuckle. "As expected from Marcia," he proudly grinned like he's proud of me.

He leaned closer to me. Akmang hahalik na naman ngunit agad akong umiwas at inilayo ang aking mukha pati na rin ang katawan. Not too far though because I'm still sitting on the sofa while he's on the arm rest.

"What?" Bahagya pang natatawa na tanong niya. "Don't tell me you're being loyal to that Zaldivar? Walang seryosohan, Marcia. O baka naman mahal mo na?"

Oh, look at this idiot.

"Will you stop spitting nonsense? I'm with Chaos because we need money. Baka lang nakakalimutan mo? And you're not my boyfriend so don't act like a fucking jealous shit." I can't help but be sarcastic because of what he's insisting. 

He winced at my last statement as his eyes narrowed at me. "Really? No feelings for him?" tanong niya, hindi na pinansin ang huling sinabi ko.

"Nothing."

"I don't believe yo—"

I pulled the collar of his dress shirt and claimed his lips to shut him up. He stilled for a while but instantly started moving after recovering. His hand landed on the other arm rest to support hisself as I'm now completely leaning on the couch. He tilted his head and held my cheek using his free hand.

Bago pa lumalim ang halik ay muli ko na siyang itinulak upang maghiwalay ang aming mga labi. He painfully groaned.

"Happy?" I mockingly asked. "I told you I have no feelings for Chaos." 

He tsked while shaking his head, like he's playfully disappointed or what. "You cheater."

Agad na namilog ang aking mga mata sa akusa niya. My mouth widely opened as I mockingly breathe out. He doesn't looks serious though, tila nagbibiro lang dahil may itinatagong ngisi sa mga labi. Ngunit hindi ko matanggap iyon!

"How dare you!" I spat. "I'm not a cheater."

"You kissed that Levi." He made me remember as he shifted his weight, umayos ng upo sa arm rest. 

Bahagyang kumunot ang aking noo, inaalala kung sino ang tinutukoy niya.

"We both know I didn't," I answered after remembering.

"You kissed me."

I raised my brow. "So?"

"You're in a relationship with Chaos."

Oh... I pursed my lips while stifling a smirk. "Am I?" 

Natigilan siya. We knowingly stared at each other, we both have a ghost of a grin on our lips.

"Maybe. Maybe..." I trailed off, intentionally cutting my own words. The side of my lip slowly rose for a taunting smirk. 

A slow grin quirked Flavio's mouth while shaking his head a bit. "This witch," he whispered but I clearly heard it.

"Why? Are you bewitched?" 

He glared at me as he snatched the black card in my fingers. Doon niya itinuon ang pansin. He scrutinizingly stared at it. 

I let my hand move and rest in his lap. "You jealous?" I softly asked using a concerned tone.

He glanced at my hand in his lap before looking at my eyes. "What?"

"That I kissed Levi."

"You did not," agarang sagot niya.

"How about Chaos?"

Took us a few seconds but he didn't answer.

I licked my lower lip while sensually staring at him. "Don't be." I assured as I slightly moved my hand in his lap. "There's nothing to be jealous of. We are..." I pointed him and myself. "Not in a relationship anyway," I smirked. 

Lumawak ang ngisi ko nang nawala ang ngisi sa kanyang mga labi. He make faced and groaned. Para bang gusto niya akong tirisin.

I hardly slapped his lap before removing my hand in there as a loud chuckle escaped my mouth upon seeing his annoyed expression.

"Now, do your part. Do something so they won't question your identity when you use that card," I ordered pertaining to Chaos's black card.

"Fix everything right now. Make sure he'll live." We have to move fast. So that if ever Chaos learned about what I'm doing, we already got enough money for the hospital bills. Iyon lang naman ang kailangan ko.

My other expenses, kaya ko na iyong punan.

"He'll live. I'll make sure of it, Marsh." I hope so.

I nodded and eyed him with a ghost of smirk on my lips. "One more thing, please find someone else to fuck. I'm not in the mood for it."

He looked serious earlier but what I said made him chuckle again.

Nasulyapan ko ang black card sa kamay niya. "And don't you dare use that card to pay for a woman-"

"Woah!" His eyes widened like he can't believe what I've just said. "Stop insulting me, Marsh. I don't need to pay just to fuck someone."

I nonchalantly nodded and shrugged. "Good for you. I'll go visit him." 

Tumayo na ako mula sa kinauupuan at wala nang balak hintayin pa ang sagot niya. I started walking towards the rooms but Flavio spoke that made me rooted on my place.

"You should leave Chaos after this. We already got the money."

Marahan akong napaharap sa kanya.

I should. But I still have a plan. This wasn't just all about money. This is about what the Zaldivars did to my family, specifically Abacus and Timothea Zaldivar. So I can't leave yet. 

They ruin my family. I should ruin them too. 

I firmly shook my head. "I can't." At least, for now.

I walked towards the hallway of the rooms and in the second room, I stopped when I heard someone wailing or... I... don't know. I glanced at the door and frowned before turning in Flavio's direction. 

I rolled my eyes before ignoring it to finally go to where I should.

I carefully opened the door of the third room. Tunog ng mga makinaryang pang ospital ang bumungad sa akin. I closed the door behind me and slowly walked towards the bed. 

That's where I saw him. He's leaner than the last time I went here. I can't even recognize him compared to when he's still okay. 

I instantly turned my back as I can't endure looking at him while he's in that state. Hindi ko matanggap. 

I know I shouldn't blame anyone but I can't help it! Somehow, this is that family's fault. 

Malas lang nila na nakalimutan na nila ang pamilya ko. Now, it's our turn to fool all of you, Zaldivars. I'll make them remember us. 

Hindi na ako nag-abalang umuwi pa sa condo ni Chaos noong araw na iyon. I'm simply not in the mood to go home and act like...

Hanggang sa sumunod na araw ay wala pa rin akong balak umuwi. He's not even calling so why bother. 

I found myself inside one of the high-end clubs, sitting in a high stool in the bar stand, blankly staring at my drink. 

Why isn't he calling me? For Pete's sake isn't he worried of his fiancee? Hindi ako umuwi ng condo. Ni hindi rin ako nagsabi sa kanya na hindi ako makakauwi. Yet he's not calling me. A single message won't hurt. But I got nothing. 

Why am I even thinking of that? The hell I care?

Besides, I don't know how to face him if he really heard me shouting at Levi. At hinalikan pa ako ng lalaking iyon! Paano kung pati 'yon ay nakita ni Chaos? Is he mad at me? Fuck. That will ruin my plan. Hindi pwede. This can't end like this.

Though if he loves me he'll call me no matter what! Kahit pa galit nga siya sa akin o kung ano mang nararamdaman niya!

I tsked as I emptied my drink. I asked for another glass and the bartender immediately gave me one.

Now I regret not bringing Flavio with me. Kung ano-ano ang naiisip ko ngayon na mag-isa ako. If he's with me, at least there's someone who I can talk to. Some were approaching me but I'm not in the mood to talk to someone I don't know.

The night's going well as I want it. I still don't have plans on going home like what I wanted earlier. But not until a Zaldivar saw me. 

Oh, fuck. Here we go again. 
__________