"Chaos, we need to talk." It was more forceful this time.

His cousins were all silent like they all knew who this woman was in front of us. Though, I can hear low murmurs from Harmony that I can't clearly understand as my mind is focused on Hazaiah.

I stopped myself from rolling my eyes because even though it's dark, Chaos's eyes were on me and he'll caught every emotion that will crossed my face.

Bumaling ako kay Chaos at tipid siyang nginitian. I equal his gaze and tilted my head towards Hazaiah's direction to tell him someone's asking for his attention. Dahil kung hindi ko iyon gagawin ay mukhang walang balak si Chaos na lingunin ang babae.

He turned in her direction. "What is it?" he asked and I bit the inside of my cheeks when he sounded indifferent. You're wrong timing, girl. He's not really in a good mood tonight.

"We need to talk," mariing sambit niya. She sounded more determined now that Chaos finally gave her attention. "Privately," pahabol niya.

Doon na mabilis na tumaas ang aking kilay. I instantly lowered my head. Agad kong inayos ang sarili, lalo na ang ekspresyon sa mukha.

"There's nothing to talk about, Miss," Chaos frankly muttered.

He turned to me and rose from his seat while holding my wrist. Seems like right now, I can't stop him from leaving. "Let's get out of here."

Marahan akong tumayo at wala ng nagawa. I turned to his cousins and apologetically smiled at them before walking after Chaos.

Ngunit agad din kaming napahinto dahil sa pagharang ni Hazaiah sa aming daraanan.

"This won't take long-"

"Miss, let them leave." It sounds more like an order from Guerdon when Hazaiah tried to stop us. "Or you want the bouncers to escort you out instead?"

Gremian even commented something that annoyed Hazaiah more.

Matalim niyang binalingan si Gremian bago kay Guerdon at nanunuyang tinignan ito. "It's just a talk. Why can't you all let me?" Taas noong sambit niya bago bumaling kay Chaos na nasa aking harapan. He's still holding my wrist.

"After what you did to me, this is what you'll do? For what?" She sarcastically let out a low laugh before glaring at me. "All for this two faced bitch?"

Even in the dark, I saw how Chaos's jaw clenched. "Fuck off. I didn't do anything, Miss. Between the two of us, you're the one who did something wrong."

"You really won't talk to me privately? Fine." She smirked, ignoring what Chaos said while eyeing the Zaldivars. "You all will regret this."

She remained firm from where she's standing. Taas noo at tila walang kinatatakutan. But as I stared at her eyes, there's something different in there that didn't match her words and actions.

I lowered my head for my hair to slightly cover my face when I felt a grin coming out of my lips.

I don't personally know her but... her acting sucks. You need more practice, Hazaiah. I can be your mentor and probably we can get along if only Chaos isn't your target.

Change your mind and get another Zaldivar. Not Chaos. He's mine.

I cocked my head when she walked out of our way. Pormal na akong nagpaalam sa mga pinsan ni Chaos.

I was silently sitting inside Chaos's car while he's carefully maneuvering the steering wheel. No one dared to talk between the two of us. Ngunit pakiramdam ko, pagdating namin sa condo ay doon kami mag-uusap.

I shifted my body towards his side. "H-hon?"

He gave me a quick but still stern glance while his mouth was compressed into a hard line. "Hmm?"

"Can... we just talk tomorrow?" I hesitantly asked.

"Tomorrow?"

"Yeah-"

"What's the difference if we talk tonight?"

My mouth went dry as my breath caught sharply in my throat when he cutted my words. I dropped my head and busied myself at staring at my hands.

"What's the use of the delay when-" I heard him trailed off as I saw him glanced at me from the side of my eyes. He drew an audible breath before mustering a soft curse. "Damn. Alright, we'll talk tomorrow."

Tulad ng gusto ko, hindi nga namin pinagusapan ang problema noong gabing iyon. When we arrived at his condo, someone called in his phone and it seems urgent. Naiwan si Chaos sa baba habang ako ay dumiretso na sa aming silid.

I instantly grabbed my phone and plugged it in a charger. I patiently waited for it while giving a glance on the door to see if Chaos's here already. But until my phone gained a few percent battery, I'm still alone in our room.

I expected it since the call is urgent, it must involve work and their company.

Agad kong binunot sa saksakan ang charger ilang minuto matapos isaksak ito at inalis ang aking phone. The moment I opened it, that's when I saw the calls and messages from Chaos that I missed.

Bahagya pang namilog ang aking mga mata nang tila walang katapusan ang pagpasok ng mga mensahe galing sa kanya. Looks like he's either messaging or calling me from time to time last day.

Mariin akong pumikit bago marahas na nagpakawala ng buntong hininga. Tapos na. Nangyari na. You can't do anything about it.

I shrugged those thoughts off and remembered the reason why I'm hurrying.

With my eyes focused in the phone, dialing Flavio's number, I stride towards the balcony and swiftly entered. I closed the glass door behind and let my body leaned on the railings. Diretso sa kabilang mga gusali ang aking mga mata habang itinapat ko sa tainga ang aking phone.

I kept tapping my fingers on the railings as my patience slowly wore thin while waiting for him to answer.

"Marcia." I heard him call my name over the phone. He finally answered.

I released a sharp breath. "What took you so long?" I asked with a menacing tone of voice.

Mahina lang siyang natawa sa kabilang linya. "Why did you call? Where are you? You coming home?"

"Send me the card back tomorrow," I ordered, spilling the reason why I called.

Hindi na ako nag-abalang kunin pa iyon kay Flavio bago umalis dahil hindi ko naman iyon gagamitin. I can pay for my own expenses.

At dahil na rin sa pagaakalang hindi ako uuwi kay Chaos ngayong gabi. I really am not planning to go home. But here we are. I didn't thought that I'll accidentally meet his cousins too.

I need the black card. What will I say to Chaos if he suddenly asked for that? At wala akong maibibigay dahil na kay Flavio?

"You're there again? With Chaos?"

I hummed. "Don't forget to give me the card tomorrow," paalala ko bago tuluyang patayin ang tawag.

The next day went fast. Early in the morning and I'm already at the company. Ayaw ko man at talagang maaga pa ay wala na akong nagawa. I don't want to start my day talking about a problem that might ruin my whole day.

I didn't even have my breakfast in Chaos's condo just to avoid him. When he woke up, I'm already ready to go. Well, that's six in the morning. He told me to wait for him for a few minutes and he'll drive me. But the moment he went inside the bathroom, I ran away.

Alam ko namang hindi nga lilipas ang araw na ito at kailangan naming mag-usap. He even fetch me from the company, I don't know maybe to make sure that I'll go home and we'll talk.

And when we arrived at his condo, I instantly initiated the talk with the lies I perfectly weaved in my head.

"About the kiss..." I paused a bit, giving him time to know that I'm starting.

He's loosening his tie but he stopped when he heard me.

I cleared my throat and decided to continue. "About the kiss, I di-"

"I'm more concerned about your whereabouts, Rieselle," mariing putol niya sa kung anong kasinungalingan na sasabihin ko.

What.

"But you're mad that day. You were cold," I stated in a matter-of-fact tone, maintaining my soft voice. And don't he dare deny it! He didn't even kiss me that day! What? Dahil may ibang humalik sa akin?

He tightly shut his eyes. At sa pagdilat niya at diretso sa akin ang kanyang mga mata. "Yes, I am. But do you really think that it won't slip off my mind the moment I thought you're missing and something bad might happen to you?" he said in a deep voice that seemed to vibrate along my nerves.

Naitikom ko ang aking mga labi. Seems like all the words that I practiced in my mind vanished now that we're actually talking. Because heck, I don't expect his answers. Kaya ngayon, wala akong maisagot.

"I'm... sorry," I spoke in a low voice.

"Now you'll tell me you were in your friend's condo? You didn't even bother to send a single message informing me about your whereabouts."

I lowered my head. "I forgot. I'm sorry." Wala akong ibang masabi. My mind went blank and the only thing I can say is sorry.

"You forgot what? To inform me you won't go home and you're alright or you forgot that you have a fiance that will worry when you're not home?"

I don't know if I should be relieved that he didn't ask about the kiss or what. Iyon ang pinaghandaan kong sagutin. I'm even ready to cry if needed but well, everything went different from expectations.

I slowly shook my head while looking down. Because really, I didn't. He never left my mind so how can I not remember him? Well, I was waiting for him to call or at least message me first. But it didn't come as my phone was off. Na hindi ko rin naman alam.

But I can't answer him that way so I just shut my mouth. I tried to equal his gaze. His eyes were now a bit calm. Hindi tulad kanina. His eyes were dark, at kanina pati na rin kagabi ay tila mas maitim iyon.

So I carefully went near him and slowly slid my hands on his waist, though I remained stiff and didn't let my head rest on his chest. "F-forgive me, please? I won't do it again. I'm sorry."

Kumawala ang marahas na buntong hininga mula sa kanyang mga labi. "Tell me it's not Levi you're with that day."

Marahang bumuka ang aking mga labi. Levi? Of course I'm not with him! I prefer Flavio even though he's annoying most of the time than being with Levi. "I'm not. I'm with Lalita the whole time. She's also a designer. We met last month and eventually..." I paused as I looked up at him, smiling a bit while my arms are still around him. "Become friends because we have the same line of business." I lied without even hesitating. There's no Lalita. There's no new found friend who has a business with me.

I'm so used to it that I can fool anyone without them knowing. I won't stutter. I won't even think twice. Lying becomes my second skin.

We were interrupted when a phone call came. Agad akong bumitaw kay Chaos nang matantong sa akin ang nag-iingay na phone. I instantly picked up the call when I saw the name of the caller.

"Mom?" I answered.

"Rieselle, anak. How are you? Si Chaos?"

Tumikhim ako. "We're... doing good. Bakit po kayo napatawag?" She's not usually calling so this must be important.

"I'm actually with Cecille right now. We're planning to visit and let's all have dinner tonight? Let's start planning your wedding."

Kung may iniinom ako ay baka naibuga ko na iyon nang marinig ang sinabi ng nasa kabilang linya. I blinked. "W-what?"

"The wedding, anak. You're engaged. You should plan the wedding and schedule it as soon as possible. Why does it seems like you and Chaos doesn't have plans on your wedding? Ano pang hinihintay niyo at bakit pinatatagal pa? We should do it immediately. Kaya't bibisita kami mamaya at pagusapan na natin ang mangyayari."

My lips parted and winced. If only Chaos isn't in front of me, I'm probably massaging my temples already.

"Can we not-"

"What? We should do it this instant. Well, your Tita Cecille and I were excited about it already so... let's talk about the wedding preparations tonight?"

As if I can stop them without them getting suspicious.

Oh, great! Now, I probably need to plan a wedding I surely won't attend.
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