ã€ŠThe Billionaireéˆ¥æªš Playmateã€‹


 Arranged Marriage

    Thaliana Tangi D Vezca

    ¡°You are not getting any younger, and I want grandchildren, Tangi! What are your ns for your life? I¡¯ve always told you that having your own family would make your life happier. You never listen. This is what I¡¯ve been telling you! You are already twenty-nine years old!¡±

    I am Thaliana Tangi D Vezca, the youngest child of George Romualdo D Vezca, a billionaire with numerous businesses both in the Philippines and abroad. Our family is renowned because ourst name consistently appears on the list of the wealthiest families in the Philippines. Moreover, my father is quite sociable; he has befriended nearly every prominent figure in this country, giving us valuable connections.

    And here he is again, pressuring me once more, talking about marriage. I¡¯m 29, yes, but marriage has never been on my mind because the truth is¡­ I don¡¯t want to get married. I don¡¯t want a man. I¡¯m incredibly content with my life right now, and I couldn¡¯t ask for more.

    ¡°Are you listening, Tangi?¡±

    I don¡¯t know why marriage is deemed so important. The happiness of your life depends on you. Even if you choose to live your life without a man or children. As for me, I¡¯m already content with my furbabies! I enjoy spending time with my pet dogs and cats in my house. But my dad insists that I get married because he wants to have a grandchild from me!

    He thinks his grandchildren from my three brothers are not enough. He wants one more from me. As I¡¯ve said before, I don¡¯t want to get married, and I don¡¯t even want to hear the word ¡®marriage.¡¯ I never dreamt of having a family or children-on second thought, I already have children: my dogs and cats.

    ¡°Dad, with the number of children I have, I can¡¯t bring them all to the US. Plus, what about my three branches of Tinatangi? I can¡¯t leave my flower shop, Dad¡­¡±

    That¡¯s the name of my flower shop, Tinatangi. In love, it means, ¡®Special someone.¡¯

    ¡°And actually, my second name is ¡®Tangi,¡¯ a Tagalog word that, in English, means ¡®Special,¡¯ ¡®Favorite,¡¯ or ¡®One and Only.''¡±

    I continued to try to convince Dad. I leaned on his shoulder, but his arms remained tightly folded. He had been like this sincest month.

    ¡°Come on, Tangi! I want real grandchildren! Can I talk to the children you¡¯re talking about? They¡¯ll just pee on my shoes, and their fur will be everywhere!¡±

    ¡°Hey, Dad! They¡¯re well-trained not to just pee anywhere! Hmp! And as for their fur? I can clean it!¡±

    ¡°Tangi,¡± he said, his voice carrying a warning tone.

    ¡°A-And how about my business, Daddy¡­¡±

    I winced.

    ¡°Please, don¡¯t insist. Do not force me to do things I don¡¯t want to do. You already have a lot of grandchildren from Grecion, Grand, and Griz. Aren¡¯t your eight grandchildren enough for you?¡± I asked. I almost mentioned my furbabies again.

    I wanted our talk about marriage to be over. When would my father stop? This was why I had been avoiding him sincest week. I knew he would bring up this dreaded topic.

    ¡°Thaliana Tangi.¡±

    My lips pressed together when I heard him call my full name. It meant that Daddy¡¯s patience was about to run out.

    But what could I do? This was me, this was my decision, and I didn¡¯t like what he wanted me to do¡­ I was happy with my life now. One more thing, what if the man he wanted for me will just fool me?

    ¡°Tangi, you¡¯ve never introduced me to any man. I want to believe that your standards are very high, but it¡¯s taking you quite a while to settle down! Can you be honest with me, are you a tomboy?¡±

    My lips parted. This conversation wasn¡¯t going to end. I simply haven¡¯t found a boyfriend, and I¡¯m not interested in the idea of marriage. Now, he¡¯s thinking that I prefer girls?

    Dad looked at me seriously, and I backed away. Alright, Tangi, there¡¯s no time for jokes.

    ¡°Tell me, be honest with me, are you a tomboy?¡±

    Dad¡¯s question left me stunned. I don¡¯t know what to do with my life!

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you like women. You are smart, independent, and an amazing daughter. I want you to have a good life like your brothers. Look at them; can¡¯t you see how happy they are because of their own families? I also want you to experience that. What if your mommy and I are gone? Who will take care of you when you are old?¡±

    I swallowed hard and bowed down. He always tells me this. He says he doesn¡¯t want to leave me alone, that if I get sick, my so-called children or my pets won¡¯t be able to take care of me.

    I understand, Dad, but it¡¯s not really on my mind.

    ¡°Dad, my life is fine now¡­ I am okay,¡± I said in a low tone.

    I bit my bottom lip when I heard him let out a heavy sigh. It seemed he had run out of patience with me.

    ¡°I know nothing will happen in our conversation, Tangi. I¡¯ve wasted my time again. Next week, pack your things. Whether you like it or not, you will go to the States and live there.¡±

    I looked at him in horror. What?

    ¡°D-Dad, you can¡¯t do this to me. My businesses are here¡­ what about my dogs and cats? D-Dad, my life is meant to be here,¡± I said to him, but his face showed no pity. He looked at me seriously.

    ¡°You¡¯ve pushed me to make this decision, Tangi. I will call my secretary for your ticket,¡± he said and pulled out his cellphone.

    I stood up, unable to believe what my father wanted.

    ¡°D-Dad, I can¡¯t go. Please¡­¡±

    ¡°You may not want to, but you will because I said so. This is final, and our conversation is done,¡± he said, and as he was about to turn his back, I called out to him.

    ¡°W-Wait, Daddy¡­¡±

    I took a deep breath. This is myst card.

    ¡°I-I will try¡­¡± I saw his lips rise. He is happy!

    ¡°But, Dad, it¡¯s not that easy to find a man in life. Give me some time. Let me find the right man for me. I¡¯ve never had a boyfriend, Dad. It¡¯s normal to be afraid to have a rtionship. I don¡¯t want to be fooled by some asshole or¨C¡±

    ¡°And you think I¡¯m going to let my only daughter get fooled? Have you forgotten who you are? You are a D Vezca, the only daughter of George Romualdo D Vezca. Any man would be afraid to hurt you because they will face my anger. And no one dares to be my enemy, Thaliana Tangi.¡±

    I-I know¡­

    ¡°But don¡¯t worry about looking for a man to marry. If you think that you might end up in the hands of a cheater, because I know a refined man who will take care of you,¡± he said with a smile.

    ¡°W-What?! Dad, is this an arranged marriage?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t believe him. He looked at the table, and there was a brown envelope there.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier that you just wanted me to meet a boy, Dad? We¡¯ve talked about this for a long time!¡± I said to him.

    ¡°Because I know you very well, Tangi. I just need to make sure you agree with what I want. Do you also think I¡¯ll just let you find a man? No. I¡¯ve already picked someone for you,¡± he told me.

    Oh, riches! This is one of those crazy arranged marriage things!

    I took the brown envelope and opened it. Why is he so prepared?! He already has a man he wants to introduce to me!

    ¡°He¡¯s Rozzean Cyron Valleje. I¡¯ve known Rozzean for a long time, Tangi. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be a good husband to you. He grew up in a decent family, he has no record of cheating, he¡¯s a noble man. He was featured before in the Billionaire Bachelor Magazine. No woman was seen around him either. I haven¡¯t heard bad things about this young man, and I really admire his dedication as a CEO. I can¡¯t say enough about him.¡±

    From what I heard and saw in the sparkle in my father¡¯s eyes, it felt like he was the one who wanted to marry that Rozzean. Okay, funny. But honestly, he really likes the man to praise him this much. Wow. Just¡­ wow.

    ¡°And what if he cheats on me, Dad? T-that he is a yboy? A f*cker? You¡¯ll not know everything about him!¡±

    ¡°Your words, Thaliana!¡± he roared.

    What? If he is a CEO, a young billionaire, it is possible. My brothers had their share of rtionships before they got married.

    He met my gaze and folded his arms. My dad inherited a habit, so he really had a hard time with all his children. Like him, I am stubborn and headstrong.

    ¡°That won¡¯t happen, Tangi. Rozzean is a good man. I¡¯ll bet my name on that.¡±

    The confidence was so high, Mr. D Vezca! What did that man feed my dad, and why does he trust him like that?

    ¡°Dad, you can¡¯t me me. He is still a stranger, and what if he fools me? What if he¡¯s a yboy like the ones I read about in novels?¡± I asked again.

    Dad¡¯s eyebrows met, forming a line.

    ¡°Alright, to end this conversation, if he¡¯s a yboy and you prove it to me, you can do whatever you want in your life. But, Tangi, that man is not what you think he is. Rozzean is a great man.¡±

    I almost smiled because of what my father said. If I prove to him that that man is a yboy, I can do whatever I want in my life.

    ¡°Hmmm, okay, but can you give me three months before I meet this person, Dad? I just want to prepare myself,¡± I said.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Three months? That¡¯s a long time, Tangi,¡± he answered.

    ¡°Dad, I am considering your choice for me. Just give me some time for myself. Three months and then-¡±

    ¡°No, two months are enough. Three months is too long, Tangi. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to, and what if you run away? That¡¯s possible.¡±

    I got this attitude from you!

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you two months. Period. And never, ever make a move that will embarrass me and the D Vezca family, Tangi. I¡¯ve already talked to Rozzean about you. I¡¯ve talked to his parents as well, and we¡¯re actually just waiting for you.¡±

    Earlier, Dad was forcing me to get married and find a man, and now he¡¯s telling me he has already met that man¡¯s parents?!

    But then he agreed to what I wanted. That means I have more reason to carry out the n I thought of¡­ hmm¡­

    ¡°So¡­ you talked to him, and he agreed?¡± I asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s 33 years old, Tangi, and he also wants to find a great woman. We have also talked to his parents, and they want to see you.¡±

    Gosh. So fast.

    ¡°After two months, I will meet them. Is that okay?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Okay, deal,¡± I said and held out my hand. Dad took it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do things that will make me mad, Tangi, you know me.¡±

    I smiled. He will not be angry with what I¡¯m going to do.

    I have 60 days to investigate that man. I myself will find a way to get to know him. I will dig deeper to find a w in the good image he has. And when I find out for sure that he is a f*cker and is involved with other women, because that¡¯s likely. I will gather evidence to show Dad. That way, once I prove that Rozzean is a womanizer, I will be free to do what I want with my life.

    To aplish this, I must get closer to him. So close¡­ like living in his house.

    Yes!

    I would pretend to be poor and change my appearance to enter his house as a maid.

    Thaliana Tangi will definitely win this!

 Preparing The Plan

    I am currently at the house of my friend Thes. Therese Catalina Rivanez. She has a pet house as one of her many businesses. For now, I will entrust my furbabies to her. It¡¯s sad, but I have no choice but to have them taken care of here for a while.

    ¡°How many pets do you have, Tangi?¡± she asked me.

    ¡°I have 3 cats and 4 dogs. They are well-behaved, Thes, they¡¯re not a handful. I raised them well, so they¡¯re obedient,¡± I said.

    Thes raised an eyebrow at my statement.

    ¡°Their mom is stubborn and mischievous, I don¡¯t believe it,¡± she replied. I rolled my eyes at her.

    ¡°She handed me a form, and I nced at it.

    ¡°Fill it out, and also indicate when you¡¯ll be picking them up. Because you¡¯re my friend, you¡¯ll get a discount.¡±

    I smiled at her. I took my pen from my bag and started filling out the form. I didn¡¯t really want to do this, but I couldn¡¯t bring my babies with me.

    ¡°Where are you going, Tangi? This is the first time you¡¯re leaving your furbabies with me, huh?¡± Thes asked.

    ¡°Just going on a two-month vacation far away. I¡¯m nearing my sentence,¡± I said and handed her thepleted form.

    ¡°Sentence?¡± she inquired.

    I nodded, ¡°My dad found a man for me to marry. You know me, Thes, my life is already good with my pets, but dad won¡¯t agree. If I insist on not getting married, he¡¯ll send me to the States. What about my furbabies? and my businesses here in the Philippines?¡±

    Thes ced the form inside an envelope and tucked it into her drawer.

    ¡°He really wants you to get married, huh? Well, I understand that he wants you to have a stable life and someone to take care of you. But I didn¡¯t expect he¡¯d actually find someone for you, huh? Your dad is getting impatient,¡± Thes said with a chuckle.

    Now it was my turn to raise an eyebrow. Indeed, my dad was quite persistent. I initially thought I¡¯d have to find a man I could get along with to introduce to him, but it turns out he already had someone in mind.

    Not only that, but he¡¯s already talked to the guy and his parents.

    By the way, what¡¯s the name of this guy again?

    ¡°Oh, I have a meeting to attend to, Tangi. I¡¯ll head out first, and I¡¯ll have my staff pick up your pets, alright?¡± Thes said as she stood up.

    I also got up, ¡°Oh, they¡¯re already in my car; I¡¯ll just bring them in.¡±

    I bid farewell to my babies. It hurt, but I needed to make sacrifices for our better future. I needed to find ws in the man my dad wants me to marry. I need to win to pursue the things I wanted to do in life.

    Go and do it!Owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    After leaving my furbabies at Thes¡¯s pet house, I headed to the main branch of my flower shop. I named my flower shop ¡°Tinatangi,¡± and it now had three branches.

    I¡¯ve always had a fondness for flowers since I was a child. I inherited it from my mom, so when my dad asked me what kind of business I wanted, I didn¡¯t hesitate to say a flower shop.

    Dad invested in me, and I grew my business. My siblings supported me as well, leading to the recognition of Tinatangi and the establishment of two more branches.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ma¡¯am Tangi, we won¡¯t let the flower shop down while you¡¯re on vacation,¡± Alma, my manager, assured me.

    ¡°Oh, thank you! I¡¯ll call you from time to time when I have the chance, but it won¡¯t be too often because I want to make the most of my vacation,¡± I told them.

    Once I was sure I had given all the necessary instructions, I went back to my own house. I acquired my own ce when Tinatangi opened its second branch. My dad didn¡¯t want to agree to it back then; he said I, as the youngest, should stay in our mansion. But one of my siblings was there, and because I was Mom¡¯s favorite, she helped me convince Dad to get my own ce.

    I¡¯m happy with my life, and I always tell that to my parents. But Dad is really persistent. He wants me to have my own family, which I don¡¯t see in the future. I can¡¯t envision myself having a spouse and children. I am happy now, and it¡¯s difficult because Dad can¡¯t understand me.

    ¡°Where is it?¡± I rolled my eyes in my room. I was looking for the simple house clothes I had bought. I couldn¡¯t bring the clothes I had here because they were all branded. My n would be ruined if anyone saw those.

    I bought simple house clothes for my n. One by one, I put them in the bag I bought at Taytay yesterday.

    There really is no turning back now¡­

    I needed to change Dad¡¯s mind, and that would only happen if I could prove that the guy he wanted me to marry had a bad character.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why Dad holds that guy in such high regard,¡± I muttered to myself as I ced my panties inside the bag. Even my adult panties had a Hello Kitty design. But anyway, it¡¯s cute.

    But when you think about it, the guy Dad wants for me is also wealthy. Like Dad, he¡¯s a billionaire too. I still remember what he said yesterday.

    ¡°We have many senior businessmen who admire Rozzean for her skill in handling businesses, especially in negotiations, Tangi. She is the youngest among the sessful ones I know. That¡¯s why I chose her for you. I haven¡¯t made a mistake in my entire life, so I¡¯m sure about her, my child,¡± he said.

    But he didn¡¯t ask me if I was sure.

    Anyway¡­ I also read on the paper that he¡¯s a CEO. But I¡¯m not really impressed by wealthy men. We¡¯re wealthy too. Besides, I can make my own money. I don¡¯t like the idea of marrying someone rich to buy me the things I want. I have my own money for my indulgences.

    ¡°Okay! I¡¯m ready!¡±

    I said my goodbyes to Dad and Mom, telling them I was going on vacation to Pwan. They won¡¯t be looking for me. Besides, what Dad knows is that I asked for two months to enjoy a vacation before facing the guy he wants me to marry.

    But he doesn¡¯t know I¡¯ll be visiting Rozzean.

    I need to get into his house and find out about his activities. Dirty ones.

    I need to know if he¡¯s truly a good guy because I believe there¡¯s no single man who doesn¡¯t fool around with women, especially if he¡¯s a billionaire. He has a lot of money.

    I¡¯ve read that in novels. Billionaires are into sex! It¡¯s impossible for him not to have women on the side and bring them to his mansion.

    And when I gather evidence that he¡¯s a womanizer and has many women, I¡¯ll go home and show it to Dad.

    That way, I can get the freedom I want.

    You¡¯re really clever, Tangi!

 The Maid

    ¡°What do you need here, miss?¡±

    I nced at the guard. I knew I couldn¡¯t just enter this vige easily, and it seemed like wealthy people lived here. I was about to walk past, but then he spoke. The Guard seemed friendly, could I charm him?

    ¡°Uh, well¡­ I heard that Mr. Valleje¡¯s house is here. I was nning to apply as a maid,¡± I said.

    The guard stepped down and approached me. I took a step back and tightened the cloth tied around my head. My disguise seemed fine; I had checked myself multiple times in the mirror before leaving home.

    I was wearing a skirt that went past my knees, ck socks, and flowery rubber shoes I had bought from a woman I saw in Taytay yesterday. She said she couldn¡¯t sell them, so I bought them.

    I was also wearing a long-sleeved shirt. It was hot, but I could endure it rather than exposing my smooth arms. I didn¡¯t want anyone to believe I was poor and looking for work.

    ¡°Is Mr. Valleje looking for a maid?¡± the Guard asked hispanion.

    Oh no, I didn¡¯t think about that, did I? What if that man isn¡¯t actually looking for a maid? I¡¯m in trouble.

    ¡°I¡¯ll check in the system, just a moment,¡± the other guard replied.

    I could feel my cold sweat as I waited for what the guard would say. But when he looked at his fellow guard and gave a thumbs-up, my smile widened.

    Thank you, Lord! It worked out perfectly!

    ¡°Where¡¯s your resume?¡± Kuyang Guard asked me.

    R-Resume?

    Darn it. I didn¡¯t have one.

    ¡°R-Resume, sir?¡±

    Think of an excuse, Tangi. Why didn¡¯t I make a resume in the first ce?!

    ¡°Yes, how can you get epted without a resume? And which agency are you from?¡± the guard asked me again.

    ¡°An agency?¡±

    Was there even such a thing as an agency?! I should have asked the maids at Dad¡¯s mansion beforeing here! It looks like I¡¯m going to fail today!

    ¡°G-Guard, what¡¯s a resume? I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± I knelt in front of them and pretended to cry.

    ¡°Ev-Even in elementary, I didn¡¯t finish school¡­ I have no parents¡­ h-huhu, what is a r-resume?¡± I asked again.

    I peeked at the two guards who were scratching their heads. I improved my acting even more and knelt down on the cemented ground at the entrance of the vige.

    ¡°M-My life is so miserable¡­ huhuhu, I¡¯m all alone, I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m going to survive now¡­ huhuhuhu, I haven¡¯t even tasted a single grain of rice all day¡­ I¡¯m starving¡­ I n-need a j-job¡­¡± I continued, sobbing.

    I lifted my face and pretended to wipe my eyes. The two guards were still scratching their heads.

    ¡°Miss, please stand up, a car mighte and run you over,¡± one of the guards said.

    And he was right; suddenly, a ck car arrived, swerving swiftly and honking at me. I was so startled that I almosty down on the hot road.

    ¡°Ahh!¡± I shouted.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been saying!¡± the guard said and approached me.

    The guard helped me stand, and he was getting angry, but my attention was on the man who had just stepped out of the ck car. He was wearing a suit, and the top three buttons of his polo were undone.

    His sharp eyes were fixed in our direction, but that wasn¡¯t what caught my attention.

    He was so handsome! Who could he be?!

    ¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡±

    Oh sht. His voice is so deep. So manly.

    ¡°Sir, you¡¯re here already. She¡¯s here to apply as your housemaid. We also saw in the system that you¡¯re hiring for a housemaid. But she doesn¡¯t have a resume, only elementary education, and she doesn¡¯t know how to make a resume,¡± the guard exined.

    When I realized who was in front of me, my jaw dropped. This incredibly handsome man in front of me was Rozzean?!

    The man Daddy wants me to marry?!

    ¡°Let her in, I don¡¯t care if she doesn¡¯t have a resume. I need a maid right now,¡± he said in a deep voice and returned to his car.

    I couldn¡¯t speak anymore. I was taken aback by what I heard, that he was allowing me in.

    ¡°Congrats, miss, it looks like Mr. Valleje is in a good mood today. You can go in now; his house is at the very end. It has three floors and no neighboring houses, it¡¯s ck in color. You¡¯ll see it right away.¡±

    I nodded at the two guards and quickly expressed my gratitude. I felt like I was floating as I slung my flowery bag over my shoulder and watched the ck car drive into the vige.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Holy sht. He was so handsome. Are you sure that was the Rozzean my dad was talking about?

    But there was one thing I noticed. The tone of his voice¡­ it was cold. Dad said he¡¯s a nice guy, but from the way he spoke and interacted with the guard, I wasn¡¯t convinced that he was a nice person.

    ¡°Okay, Thaliana Tangi! You can do this, just two months! Whether the result is positive or negative, you need toe back within two months and fulfill whatever you and your father discussed!¡± I told myself.

    Two months would pass quickly. My only mission was to discover the true personality of that man.

    But I was hoping that he would turn out to be a demon.

    I hoped he had a bad character.

    I hoped he was a womanizer.

    So I could finally get the life I wanted!

    When I reached the house that the guard mentioned, I was left in awe. It was huge, and the garage alone was extravagant. Are you sure a bachelor lives here? It looks like a house for three families!

    ¡°Miss, are you the one Sir mentioned who¡¯s applying as a new maid?¡± an older woman asked me. She immediately approached me.

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am¡­¡±

    ¡°Come in,¡± she opened the gate.

    ¡°Follow me.¡±

    As she instructed, I followed her. While walking, I couldn¡¯t help but look around. The yard was so spacious, sht! And his garage could fit around six cars! And this! This was what caught my attention!

    He had a wide garden with a variety of flowers. It looks like I already know where I¡¯ll be spending my time!

    ¡°Sir said he¡¯ll meet you in his room,¡± the elderly woman told me.

    W-Wait? Why in his room? Is that where they usually interview housemaids? I suddenly felt a shiver down my spine.

    ¡°Ex-Excuse me?¡±

    The woman smiled at me and pointed to the stairs.

    ¡°Go ahead, his room is on the third floor, at the far end. He¡¯s waiting for you there.¡±

    I didn¡¯t immediately move. When the woman smiled at me, I finally took a step and started climbing the stairs. Is this really how it¡¯s done when applying as a maid? You¡¯re interviewed in the employer¡¯s room? Sht. I didn¡¯t know! It¡¯s my first time applying!

    I really should have interviewed Dad¡¯s maids at home first!

    When I saw a mirror on the third floor, I adjusted my clothes. I checked if my bangs were still in ce. I pulled my skirt down further and straightened my long-sleeved shirt. My mole was still on my left cheek; I used super-duper magic glue to make sure it didn¡¯t easilye off. I also applied some fake freckles.

    ¡°They said at the end¡­ does this mean here?¡± I asked, looking at the ck door. I raised my hand and knocked. When no one answered, I knocked again. Still, no response. Feeling a bit tired from knocking, I finally entered.

    The room was spacious, with a ck and white theme. There was a towel draped over a long sofa in the room. I ced my bag on the sofa I saw and was about to turn around to sit when I heard the door open.

    I immediately turned to look and my eyes widened, letting out a scream at what I saw.

    Holy sht. Huge fckng sht. Why is he naked?!

    ¡°Oh my gosh! That hotdog is massive! I¡¯m still a virgin! Please, no! ¡±

    I couldn¡¯t believe it! It was the first time I had seen a guy¡¯s hotdog in real life!

    ¡°What the fck are you saying?¡±

    My hair stood on end when I felt him behind me.

 Not My Type

    I can¡¯t move. I can feel him behind me. As I¡¯m about to leave, I see out of the corner of my eye that he¡¯s reaching for the towel on the sofa. Oh my, I think I might have a heart attack. If I get epted as his maid, it looks like my blood pressure will always be high because of him.

    ¡°So, tell me¡­¡±

    Why is this man undressed?! He¡¯s not wearing any underwear! Nothing at all!

    ¡°How old are you?¡± I heard him ask. But due to the shock, I couldn¡¯t immediately respond. My hands covered my eyes, and I wasn¡¯t moving at all. It felt like a moment ago when I saw his jolly massive hotdog, my soul briefly left my body.

    So, that¡¯s what it looks like.

    But is it a normal size?All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

    I don¡¯t know! It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen a hotdog! I haven¡¯t even watched adult films! What do I know about hotdog sizes!

    ¡°You seemed surprised. How old are you?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, Sir Hotdog?¡± I was shocked when he spoke again, and I didn¡¯t even realize what I had just said. What the hell, Thaliana Tangi!

    I swallowed hard.  I could clearly see how his forehead wrinkled and his eyebrows furrowed in response to me.

    Sht. Did I really call him Sir Hotdog?!

    I turned away again and berated myself. I slowly lowered my hands and closed my eyes tightly. I still couldn¡¯t bring myself to face him.

    ¡°Are you hungry?¡± he asked seriously, but my eyes welled up with tears, and I finally turned to him. I nodded vigorously.

    ¡°N-No! I already ate beforeing here. W-What were you saying, sir?¡±

    Damn his huge hotdog!

    I saw him out of the corner of my eye as he picked something up from the table beside him. It was a piece of paper. Then, he turned around and was now in front of me. I avoided making eye contact when I noticed that he was wearing only the towel around his lower body.

    Doesn¡¯t he n to get dressed?!

    ¡°How old are you?¡± he asked me.

    ¡°I¡¯m twenty-nine years old, s-sir,¡± I replied without looking at him.

    I could see him from the corner of my eye, and he was looking at me with his hands resting behind the sofa. Just flexing? but nice muscles. Damn. He  has a great body, too.

    ¡°Sit down, do you n to talk to me while standing and not looking at me?¡± he asked.

    I didn¡¯t move, afraid to approach him. Well, I might not know what he¡¯ll do to me! What decent man would face a maid applicant wearing only a towel? And his hotdog said hello earlier!

    Oh, Thaliana Tangi, erase! erase!

    ¡°B-Because, sir, I¡¯m not used to seeing a man¡¯s body. A-And, is it right for you to face me wearing just that?¡± I asked him.

    When he stood up, I looked at him, but only for a moment.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯lle back. Sit down and wait for me.¡±

    I raised an eyebrow at what he said. He entered a door that I think leads to his room. Earlier, he came out from there, which I assumed was the bathroom. It looks like he took a quick shower because his hair was wet.¡±

    As he instructed, I sat down. What¡¯s with that man? I had a negative impression of him now. Why is he unting his body in front of anyone? And I even saw his hotdog.

    What¡¯s his deal?

    It¡¯s crazy. My confidence is fading.  That hotdog might attack meter. It seemed to have a mind of its own earlier because it moved. It waved. It fckng salute at me. Seriously.

    ¡°Creepy,¡± I muttered to myself and shrugged my shoulders.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s your name?¡±

    I turned my head when I heard Rozzean¡¯s voice.

    Oh¡­ he¡¯s wearing clothes now. He¡¯s wearing gray sweatpants and a ck shirt. His eyes are beautiful. Deep eyes, and his lips made my lips feel shy because it was red.

    Gosh! you are checking him out, Thaliana!

    But, damn, the effect of what I saw earlier still lingers because even though he¡¯s dressed now, I still find my eyes wandering down there.

    ¡°Do I need to repeat my question again?¡± he asked again. Irritated.

    Focus, Tangi!

    ¡°N-No, sir, I-I am sorryI was not paying attention and I-Uhm¨C¡±

    ¡°I hate repeating my self. Why didn¡¯t you answer it?¡±

    I winced. This man had quite an unpleasant demeanor. I would make sure to note this in my notebookter, which I reserved solely for him. I shouldn¡¯t let information about him slip by that I wouldn¡¯t like.

    ¡°U-Uh, Sir, it¡¯s because I was still taken aback by what I saw earlier-¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re twenty-nine, right? Still a virgin? And don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s your first time seeing a d/ck?¡±

    My lips parted. M-My goodness! Did this man have no filter?

    ¡°I¡¯m not used to seeing that, sir. With all due respect, I¡¯m not the kind of woman who engages in intimate rtions before marriage. Besides, you¡¯re the one at fault for what happened earlier.¡±

    Rozzean leaned back on the sofa and crossed his legs. I found myself looking at his biceps. He probably takes good care of himself at the gym? Impressive-

    Focus, Tangi!

    ¡°Why is it my fault? I am here inside my room¡­ in my own house, woman.¡±

    Pretending I didn¡¯t understand his statement, I furrowed my brow.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir?¡±

    He cleared his throat and stared at me. His gaze felt judgmental, like I had done something wrong. I hadn¡¯t been in his house for an hour, and I already had a lot to list down in my notebookter.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you wereing into my room. I¡¯m used to walking around shirtless. I also didn¡¯t hear you knock.¡±

    ¡°Damn, why am I exining to this woman?¡± he muttered, which I overheard.

    I pursed my lips, but when his gaze returned to me, I cleared my throat and began to introduce myself and exin my purpose.

    ¡°I¡¯m Tali D Cruz, sir. I¡¯m alone in life, looking for work. I don¡¯t have any parents anymore. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here, hoping to be hired as a maid. I¡¯m very skilled in household chores. You have nothing to worry about with me,¡± I told him.

    His expression remained nk as he looked at me. I, on the other hand, was nervous. Even though he let me in, I was sure he¡¯d still scrutinize me. Oh, I hope he epts me.

    Why did I jump the gun earlier by assuming I¡¯d be epted? Especially when this man still had to interview me?

    ¡°Tali D Cruz?¡± he repeated.

    I nodded.

    ¡°I have only one rule in my house, Tali.¡±

    I sat up straight and looked at him seriously. I could feel that he was going to ept me.

    ¡°The reason I keep running out of maids is that they all end up having feelings for me. I don¡¯t want that in my house. I fire them immediately.¡±

    I was stunned by what he said. So that¡¯s why there was only one maid I saw earlier. The elderly one.

    But, what?

    ¡°S-Sir?¡±

    ¡°One of my rules is that you must not develop any feelings for me.¡±

    My evil self couldnt! Wow! just wow!

    What nerve this guy has. He really thinks highly of himself! Is that really his rule? My expectations were so high! Yes, he¡¯s handsome, but maybe he¡¯s just assuming things based on his past maids?

    ¡°The moment I find out that you have feelings for me, you¡¯ll have to leave this mansion.¡±

    I took a step back, my lips gape. After a few seconds, I covered my mouth because I couldn¡¯t believe what he just said. So, this is what my dad wanted me to marry?

    ¡°Sir, with all due respect,¡± I began, struggling to contain my frustration.

    ¡°You have quite a bit of nerve. Your rudeness and arrogance are overwhelming, and I want to make it clear that you are not my type.¡±

 Help!

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    I raised one hand and shed a peace sign at him when I saw the anger forming on his face. Seriously, my dad said he¡¯s a good person?! Why is he getting mad so quickly?!

    ¡°I-I was just joking, sir. You don¡¯t seem to have a sense of humor! H-hehe¡­¡±

    I lowered my hand and sped them together.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sir. I will never develop feelings for you. You¡¯re not my type anyway. I prefer guys with chinito features, and you¡¯re not chinito. Besides, you¡¯re kind of scary,¡± I said.

    Especially that hotdog of yours. It looked like it was ready to attack at any moment.

    ¡°By the way, I am Rozzean Cyron Valleje. I just want to clear things before I ept you, Tali-what I mean is I want that rule in my house clear to you,¡± he said.

    I nodded and smiled. I gave him a thumbs-up, which I quickly lowered when I saw no reaction from him.

    I¡¯ll note down in my notebookter the good and bad about him, I need to note his attitude! But of course, I prefer to write down the bad things about him! That¡¯s the reason why I am here.

    ¡°Because my two maids just left a while ago, you can start now. Cook me something to eat. I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    I stood up and bowed to him, ¡°Okay, sir! I¡¯ll take care of it! What would you like to eat?¡±

    He stood up as well, tall and imposing. I swallowed hard when I found myself once again looking at the middle part of his body. Jeez, I might have a hard time erasing that image from my mind.

    ¡°Tali, look at me, why are you looking at someone else?¡± he asked me.

    I wiped my right hand across my face in response to what he said.

    ¡°It¡¯s your fault,¡± I whispered.

    ¡°What did you say?¡± he asked.

    ¡°You are a different maid. You talk back, but it¡¯s okay as long as you do not fall for me. What I need in my house is a real maid. Not a btch who wants to seduce me,¡± he said, shaking his head and holding his temple.

    The nerve of this man!

    ¡°I¡¯ll be sleeping. I¡¯lle down in two hours to eat. Manang Selya will show you to your room. I¡¯ll talk to youter about your sry for the month.¡±

    After he said that, he turned around and walked into his room. While I was looking at his back, I noticed his chair. I couldn¡¯t help but touch my behind. My goodness, this guy is incredibly blessed. Everything is big.

    From the tone of his voice, I could sense exhaustion. But isn¡¯t it still early? Did hee home early from the office?

    ¡°Okay, Tang¨C I mean, Tali! It¡¯s your first day today! You¡¯ve been epted, and you need to excel!¡± I said to myself as I left the room.

    I needed to gather strong evidence within the next two months to prove that this guy is not right for me.

    ¡°Tali, is your name, right?¡±

    I turned to the elderly housemaid. I had heard her name was Selya.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Where¡¯s your hometown, dear?¡± she asked me.

    I quickly thought of a province.

    ¡°I¡¯m originally from Nueva Ecija, but I have tried my luck in different ces to make a living. I ended up here in Tagaytay,¡± I replied.

    ¡°You¡¯re hardworking and resilient in life.¡±

    I suddenly felt guilty about lying. I have a soft spot for the elderly.

    ¡°Your room is here. Each housemaid in this house has her own room,¡± she said.

    I looked around the entire room. Seriously? Is this just for housemaids? It has its own bathroom, air conditioning, and even a sofa inside. Impressive! Rozzean takes good care of his housemaids, in fairness.

    ¡°How many more maids are there left working for Sir here?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I-I mentioned it because of what happened, and that¡¯s why he needed a maid,¡± I added.

    Manang Selya smiled at me, ¡°It¡¯s just you and me as maids now. And about what happened, it¡¯s true. Most of the other maids who apply for work in this mansion aren¡¯t really interested in earning money; they just want to get close to sir and seduce him.¡±

    I winced. It meant it was true.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes, dear. How about you? Didn¡¯t your heart skip a beat when you saw him? Sir is a handsome man, wealthy, and many women are attracted to him,¡± Manang Selya said to me.

    The truth is that I was surprised earlier when I saw him at the guard house. My heart is still stable, but when I saw that hot dog of his there, it was as if my soul was separated. My heart will probably beat fast too.

    ¡°But¡­ does he have any issues, Manang?¡± I asked.

    Manang furrowed her brow at my question.

    ¡°Issue? What issue?¡±

    I approached her and whispered, even though we were the only ones there.

    ¡°Issue, is he a bad person?¡±

    Manang smiled again, ¡°You¡¯ll find out about that. But don¡¯t be afraid, as long as you don¡¯t vite any of his rules, nothing bad will happen to you.¡±

    I sped my hands together, thinking that perhaps Rozzean was strict about not having anyone attracted to him or getting too close to his maids because he already had a girlfriend.

    ¡°Maybe, Manang, sir already has a girlfriend, right? That¡¯s why he¡¯s so strict here in the mansion and doesn¡¯t want any of his maids to have feelings for him.¡±

    Manang Selya was still silent, offering only a smile in response. Her reaction piqued my curiosity even more. It would be ideal if Rozzean already had a girlfriend; that would help ensure Dad¡¯s wishes didn¡¯te true.

    After changing into my uniform, I examined myself in the full-length mirror in my room. I adjusted my fake bangs, which I had bought on Taytay. I made sure my mole was securely in ce. Then I pulled down my long-sleeved top. I had ten tight-fitting long-sleeved shirts to cover my arms. Since the uniform had cks, I didn¡¯t need to worry about my legs.

    ¡°I went out of the room and went downstairs to go to the kitchen.

    ¡°Come here, do you know how to use these appliances?¡± Manang asked me.

    ¡°Yes, I know how to use the oven, airfryer, rice cooker, and other kitchen appliances. I¡¯ve worked as a helper before, so you can rely on me in the kitchen,¡± I replied.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. Alright, Tali, you can start cooking now. Sir will be down in a little while,¡± Manang replied.¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Wealthy as we are, my mom raised me not to be spoiled. I know how to cook various dishes. I can clean the house and do theundry. I don¡¯t have a helper in my own home, so I do all the chores. I even clean up after my children.

    ¡°Okay, maybe I¡¯ll just cook afritada,¡± I said as I gathered the ingredients I needed.

    I started cooking and kept ncing at the clock. Rozzean said he would only sleep for two hours and thene downstairs.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, the taste is just right-¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that smell?¡±

    ¡°Oh, jolly hotdog!¡± I shouted, surprised.

    The fallendle made a noise beside the stove. When I turned to the speaker, I saw Rozzean with disheveled hair and nothing on his upper body. She was only wearing sweatpants.¡±

    Holy moly. How can his maids not develop a liking for him when he always unts his body like that?

    ¡°Are you done cooking?¡±

    I was rmed. It hasn¡¯t been two hours yet, has it?

    ¡°S-Sir, you said it would be two hours before youe down-¡±

    I was surprised when he walked towards me. I felt uneasy as he got too close. He ced his hands on both sides of me. I stepped back because he was so close!

    Is this what he does to his maids?! Then they will really fall in love with him!

    ¡°S-Sir, what the¨C¡±

    I gasped when he licked his index finger while looking at me.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ it tastes good.¡±

    Help!

 Grumpy Boss

    I squeezed myself tightly and even leaned back just to avoid getting too close to Rozzean in front of me. Apparently, he tasted the dish I cooked using his finger. But did it have to be in this position?

    Take a deep breath, Tangi. Don¡¯t let that guy affect you. You¡¯re here in his house to investigate, you can¡¯t fall for his trap. It looks like he¡¯s testing my patience and checking if I¡¯m interested, just like the helpers he kicked out.

    ¡°Sir, if you¡¯re hungry, I¡¯ll prepare something for you,¡± I politely said.

    He stepped back. I breathed a sigh of relief. Does he really walk around his house without anything on his upper body?

    ¡°Where¡¯s Selya?¡± he asked me.

    ¡°She¡¯s probably outside,¡± I replied while scooping rice for him. I also served the viand.

    I felt uneasy. It¡¯s as if he¡¯s watching my every move.

    I opened the refrigerator and took out some juice. I poured it into a pitcher and ced it on the ind counter. I could see Rozzean from the corner of my eye, closely observing me. He had his arms folded and was leaning against the counter.

    Goodness. He¡¯s acting like a CCTV camera or something. It seems like he¡¯s making sure I¡¯m not like the helpers he kicked out.

    When I had served his food, he looked at it. He sat down, grabbed his utensils, and started eating. I remained on the side, watching him. Quite intense¡­

    I felt like I was watching amercial for a restaurant while looking at him. The way he used his spoon, even the way he swallowed, the way he drank his juice. It seems this guy doesn¡¯t have an unattractive angle. He¡¯s effortlessly handsome!

    ¡°Are you going to stare at me until I finish this food?¡±

    I was taken aback by his question.

    ¡°Sir?¡± I asked, pretending not to understand what he said.

    I could see that Rozzean is an observant person. The kind of looks she gives aren¡¯t ordinary. It¡¯s like she¡¯s studying every move and action of mine.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± he cleared his throat and coughed. Did I get the juice mixture right?

    ¡°I¡¯m done eating. Look at me; there¡¯s something I want to discuss,¡± he said.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    I obeyed.

    ¡°The food is good. It suits my taste. You¡¯ve passed in the kitchen,¡± he said.

    Oh, wasn¡¯t it when he told me to cook earlier? I thought it was all good because he instructed me to cook for him.

    ¡°I did tell you, sir! I¡¯m also skilled in house cleaning, and I know how to take care of nts!¡±

    I pleaded with my hands sped together. I wouldn¡¯t allow myself to be kicked out of this house. Even though I was sure I wouldn¡¯t develop feelings for him, I still needed to excel at my job, or he might fire me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t allow other helpers to go to the garden. I take care of the flowers myself, so don¡¯t go there.¡±

    What?

    Why not? That¡¯s exactly where I wanted to go!

    But I didn¡¯t expect that he knew how to take care of nts. I was momentarily taken aback when he mentioned it. There¡¯s something about a guy who loves nts that has an effect on me.

    It¡¯s one more thing we have inmon.

    ¡°O-Okay, sir.¡±

    ¡°You can go to the pool, to the rooftop, to every ce in my house to clean except the garden. Do you understand?¡±

    I nodded. It¡¯s a bit disappointing. I wanted to visit that garden with lots of flowers, but it turns out it¡¯s off-limits. When he excused himself to go back to his room, I quickly cleared his dining area. I washed everything and then headed to the living room to clean up.

    I took the feather duster and began to remove the dust. It seems that even without a helper, that guy manages to maintain the cleanliness of this big house. But the question is, can I clean this three-story house? There¡¯s also a garage. It¡¯s just me and Manang Selya, I think.

    Doesn¡¯t he n to hire anyone else?

    I probably won¡¯tst two months. I might die from exhaustion cleaning this huge house.

    ¡°Tali?¡±

    I heard Manang Selya¡¯s voice. She approached me, holding a broom made of bamboo.

    ¡°Has sir eaten?¡±

    I nodded, ¡°Yes, he went back to his room.¡±

    ¡°Oh, okay. There are two helpers outside, they said they¡¯re applying. I¡¯ll let them in and direct them to his room.¡±

    He really talks to potential helpers in his room! But he doesn¡¯t want helpers who are interested in him, so it¡¯s unlikely he¡¯s being friendly with them.

    I continued cleaning and wiped down some vases. When I heard somemotion, I turned around. Two women entered with Manang Selya. I paused in my cleaning and looked at the two women from head to toe.

    Joke!

    Wow, their makeup is so thick. And they¡¯re applying for a maid position, but they¡¯re wearing mini skirts?! The other one is wearing pants, but her top is a crop top with cleavage showing!

    ¡°Go upstairs; sir¡¯s room is on the third floor at the end,¡± I heard Manang say.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± one of the women replied, and they both went upstairs.

    I approached Manang, holding the cloth and feather duster. I didn¡¯t think those two would apply as helpers just based on their appearances alone!

    ¡°Manang, are you sure they¡¯re applying as maids?¡± I asked.

    Manang smiled again. She¡¯s quite a cheerful one, isn¡¯t she?

    ¡°Yes, they are. Truth be told, among all the maids who have applied here to sir, you¡¯re the one who looks different.¡±

    Wow, different. I pretended to be hurt and ced my hand on my chest.

    ¡°You¡¯re being mean to me, Manang.¡±

    Manangughed and gave me a gentle tap on the shoulder.

    ¡°Just kidding, you¡¯re not very good at taking jokes. What I mean is, those who apply as helpers here are always sexy women. They wear makeup and have stylish clothes. I don¡¯t really believe they¡¯re applying as helpers, but sir needs someone to clean this house.¡±

    Considering the size of this house, having just five maids isn¡¯t enough. And now, there are only two of us, Manang Selya and me.

    I wonder if those two women who went upstairs will be lucky?

    ¡°Does that mean, Manang, that I¡¯m the only one with a different appearance?¡± I asked.

    Manangughed again. I was starting to feel a bit insulted.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s also from you that the idea of having a different appearance came.¡±

    I scratched my head.

    ¡°Maybe when sir saw you at the guardhouse, he noticed what you were wearing and your appearance. He¡¯s used to beautiful and sexy applicants for the helper position. And since he wasn¡¯t satisfied with the helpers the agencies provided, he started epting walk-in applicants,¡± Manang exined.

    Not satisfied?

    ¡°What do you mean by not satisfied, Manang?¡±

    ¡°Well, they steal. I often catch them stealing. Once, I even had my life in danger when I caught two helpers stealing from sir¡¯s room; they hit me on the head with a vase.¡±

    Huh?!

    ¡°Many helpers have applied, and almost all of them get fired. I wish, Tali, that you¡¯ll stay longer. Sir needs more than just maids in this house.¡±

    I raised my eyebrows at what Manang said.

    ¡°What else, Manang? As far as I know, we only need helpers for cleaning the house. If he needs more than helpers, then what?¡± I asked.

    Manang was about to answer when we heard boss¡¯s baritone voice.

    ¡°Get the f*ck out.¡±

    Manang and I were about to go upstairs when we saw Rozzean with the two women.

    ¡°Out. I don¡¯t need b/tches in my house. What I need are real maids who will clean the mess, not whores.¡±

    That was harsh. When I looked at the two women, I saw that they were really pissed off. They stormed down the stairs and headed outside. When I looked up to see Rozzean, he was massaging his temples. I also noticed him rubbing his throat.

    He did that again. What could be¡­

    ¡°Selya, don¡¯t let any more applicants in for now. Wait for me to tell you when it¡¯s allowed again,¡± he said to Manang.

    Before turning away, I saw Rozzean rub his throat again. I heard him clear his throat three times. I also heard him cough.

    Hmm¡­

    My grumpy boss seems to be catching a cold.

 Getting To Know Him

    Time passed, and Rozzean didn¡¯te out of the room again. It was eight o¡¯clock in the evening, and I had already cooked dinner. I asked Manang what he might want for dinner, and she said that our boss¡¯s favorite is ¡°Tinng Manok¡±, a famous Filipino-style chicken soup.

    So I immediately cooked it. However, he still hasn¡¯te downstairs. It¡¯s tiring to go up to his room because this house is so huge.

    Now I¡¯m here in the living room with Manang. We¡¯re watching a show on TV. It¡¯s good that we are allowed to do this; not all housemaids have this privilege.

    ¡°Manang, how about you? Haven¡¯t you eaten yet?¡± I asked her.

    I was starting to feel hungry. I haven¡¯t had lunch. I had forgotten to eat before leaving my house.

    ¡°I won¡¯t eat until Sir eats,¡± she replied.

    I pursed my lips. Was that Rozzean¡¯s rule?

    But to be honest, I have already noticed a few things about him in the few hours I¡¯ve been here.

    First, he had a short temper, which isn¡¯t really good for me, because I have pets who can be quite lively.

    Second, he liked to show off his body. And I find it disturbing. I also lose my focus. I needed to stay alert because it felt like he was testing me to see if I was attracted to him the way he unted his body.

    Third, he used foulnguage. I heard words like ¡°btch,¡± ¡°whores,¡± ¡°fck,¡± oh my god.

    Fourth, his eyes are so scrutinizing. It feels like every time he looks at me, he can read my thoughts. I have to be ready whenever he asks me something.

    And fifth¡­stly.

    His authority. When he speaks, you just find yourself obeying.

    Dad said he¡¯s nice and a good person. He said all those nice things to me before I left. He said I wouldn¡¯t regret marrying Rozzean. But right now, there are so many reasons for me to be turned off by him. I have standards, too.

    However, this can¡¯t be the reason I cancelled our meeting and my anticipated marriage to dad.

    These reasons are very shallow.

    ¡°If you want, Tali, go ahead and eat,¡± Manang said.

    I turned to Manang when she spoke again. The throw pillow was in myp, and I was stroking it. I leaned back and hugged the pillow.

    ¡°Well, it seems like I can¡¯t eat until Sir has eaten, too¡± I replied.

    But I was really hungry.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid he might get angry,¡± I added.

    ¡°No, sir, it is not like that, Tali. The truth is, he doesn¡¯t have a problem with his helpers eating first. He told me before that if we¡¯re hungry, we should eat and not wait for him. Sometimes, because of his heavy workload, he forgets to eat at the right time.¡±

    Oh¡­

    I adjusted my sitting position upon hearing Manang Selya¡¯s words. I put down the throw pillow I was holding and looked at her. She turned to me, grabbed the TV remote, and turned it off.

    ¡°Really? I-I thought it was not allowed because you don¡¯t eat together,¡± I responded.

    Manang Selya shook her head and stood up. I also stood up and followed her as she started walking towards the kitchen.

    But what caught my attention was when she mentioned that Rozzean sometimes forgets to eat due to his heavy workload. Dad did mention that Rozzean is a hardworking person. He told me that he takes his job very seriously and doesn¡¯t even get up from his seat at work until he finishes his tasks.

    ¡°No. It¡¯s not that. I just prefer Rozzean to go first. She knows that,¡± I replied.

    Manang grabbed a te and scooped some rice onto it. She also got some dish onto the te, then ced it on the table. Next, she took a ss, approached the refrigerator, and poured some fresh juice into it. Afterward, she ced the ss on the table.

    Once she had everything set up, she looked at me, smiled, and then invited me.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat; I know you must be hungry since I noticed you looking at the kitchen earlier a few times. I just confirmed it when you asked me if I hadn¡¯t eaten yet.¡±

    My gosh! did I? I didn¡¯t even realize it! I felt embarrassed¡­ Manang is quite observant too.

    I sat down and smiled back at her. Manang is so kind; if Rozzean ever lets her go, I¡¯d definitely hire her as a household helper. She gives off a grandmotherly vibe, and her care earlier was truly appreciated.

    ¡°Thank you very much, Manang; your cooking is really delicious,¡± I expressed my gratitude to her.

    I picked up the spoon and started eating. I couldn¡¯t help but savor the delicious tin. Praising myself! After all, I was the one who cooked it. Manang just watched me until I finished my meal.

    ¡°You seem so happy while eating; it¡¯s fun to watch you,¡± Manangmented.

    I scratched my head when I heard her words. I hadn¡¯t had lunch yet, so I was really hungry. Plus, I really love this dish. Who among Filipinos wouldn¡¯t enjoy Tinng manok? It¡¯s actually a favorite of Manny Pacquiao.

    I stood up and went to the sink to start washing the dishes. I felt Manang approach me and watch me. She was looking at my hands as I washed the dishes.

    ¡°Tali, I just noticed something. Your fingers are so pretty. They¡¯re quite long. You must be really used to doing household chores, right? How do you take care of your hands to keep them beautiful like this?¡± Manang remarked.

    I winced a bit. After finishing washing the dishes, I ced them in their respective storage and wiped my hands.

    ¡°Uh¡­ I don¡¯t really know, Manang, maybe it¡¯s just normal?¡± I replied, followed by a nervousugh.

    I suddenly hid my hands behind my back. Sh/t.

    Even though I have my own house and handle chores myself, my hands haven¡¯t be rough or calloused. Like Manang said, my fingers are long. I don¡¯t usually put on nail polish, and I don¡¯t let my nails grow too long because once, when I did, I identally poked my pets with them.

    ¡°Your fingers are so beautiful, and they¡¯re fair. Maybe that¡¯s why you¡¯re always covered up, to protect yourplexion?¡± Manang asked with a smile.

    Internally, I winced a few times. Manang is indeed observant, and I need to be careful around her. But I couldn¡¯t help but notice that Manang¡¯s questions seemed sincere. She didn¡¯t seem to be doubting my identity based on her observations.

    ¡°Uh, well, our family has fair skin, Manang, despiteing from a humble background. People often mistake me for being wealthy because of myplexion. And yes, I do wear long clothes to protect my skin,¡± I replied.

    Manang nodded at me as if she understood my exnation. I really need to be careful with her.

    ¡°Oh, alright, let¡¯s go, and we¡¯ll close all the doors and windows and check the sockets around the house,¡± Manang said.

    I immediatelyplied as she walked first. When we reached the third floor, we turned right, but I nced at Rozzean¡¯s room. It had been four hours, and he still hadn¡¯te down. It was already nine o¡¯clock. It was toote to have dinner.

    ¡°I always start by checking the sockets on the third floor and then on the rooftop. Sir oftenes here when he wants to have a drink,¡± Manang exined.

    She opened the door, and a strong cold wind greeted me. I gasped as I saw the rooftop she mentioned.

    Sht. There are so many nts! A-and flowers too.

    I walked closer to the nts.

    ¡°It¡¯s an open area, but when it rains, you can close the upper part,¡± Manang exined as she took a remote from the side. She pressed something on it, and suddenly, a steel-like window emerged from the side. It rose up and connected to the roof.

    Wow! So high-tech! It can really turn into a closed area! Rozzean is really wealthy. Well, he has already been featured in a Billionaire¡¯s Bachelor¡¯s magazine.

    ¡°Sir¡¯s house is amazing, Manang,¡± I said as I approached her.

    She was checking the sockets, and I helped her. Everything here is so clean, even the sofa and pillows. I ran my fingers on the table and other things I saw, and there was no dust to be found on my fingers.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Are you impressed? There are many more ces in this house that will surely amaze you,¡± she replied.

    I was indeed impressed because even though we were well-off and had arge house, we didn¡¯t have such a beautiful rooftop area like this one. Now I know where I¡¯ll be spending a lot of time because, well, the garden is strictly prohibited to enter.

    Hello, flowers!

    While I was looking, I noticed that these flowers are so expensive! He even has Juliet roses! My heart raced with joy. The nts here are so beautiful. I hadn¡¯t realized that I had been staring at the nts with a smile for a while.

    ¡°It looks like you have a fondness for nts, Tali. Your eyes haven¡¯t left them,¡± Manang observed.

    I chuckled, feeling a bit embarrassed as I approached her.

    ¡°Just a few. In other houses I¡¯ve been to, they also have nts. They¡¯re alluring, and it¡¯s not just about the appearance; they also help when you¡¯re feeling down. Just looking at them can lighten your mood,¡± I replied.

    Manang walked, and I followed her. As we left the rooftop, I smiled and waved goodbye to the nts. See you next time!

    ¡°You¡¯re right. That¡¯s why there are so many here, because Sir loves nts. That¡¯s what I think his reason is for having so many nts.¡±

    My smile disappeared, and I nced at Manang¡¯s back as she said that. I sensed the sadness in her voice in thest words she mentioned.

 Donéˆ¥æª› Stare!

    After we finished checking the appliances, they were still plugged in and closed all the windows and doors. Manang told me that I could finally rest. But when I went up to the second floor, I nced at the stairs leading to the third floor¡ªthe master¡¯s bedroom. Rozzean.

    ¡°He still hasn¡¯te down to eat,¡± I said to myself.

    I took a deep breath and went to my room. Manang¡¯s room was far from mine, downstairs, so I couldn¡¯t chat with her now, and I would ask the things I wanted to know about this house tomorrow.

    I became curious about what she said, that perhaps sadness might be the reason why Rozzean has so many nts here. Like, it¡¯s his therapy.

    ¡°Why would he be sad?¡± I thought. In reality, this house is huge and beautiful. It¡¯s a dream house for many, and he has so much money. He can buy whatever he wants. What could be the reason for him to be sad?

    ¡°Wait, why am I even thinking about this?¡±

    I stood up and headed to the bathroom in my room, but before that, I made sure to lock the door to my room.

    ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s so hot,¡± I muttered as I removed my main uniform. Underneath the polo shirt, I was wearing long ck sleeves.

    I decided to take a quick shower. Today has been exhausting, to be honest. I¡¯m overacting a bit, but I need to be on top of my game because Manang Selya is very observant. Rozzean might not uncover my secret, but it could be Manang who finds out.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ hmm¡­¡±

    I removed my fake bangs for a moment and washed my face. I nced at my fake freckles. I used a waterproof brown ultra-defining eyebrow pencil for those. It seemed effective as I rubbed them, and they didn¡¯te off easily.

    Once I had removed all my clothes, I stepped under the shower. I let out a soft scream as I felt the cold water.

    ¡°Damn! It¡¯s so cold!¡±

    I quickly turned on the heater. My body couldn¡¯t handle the cold.

    ¡°I wonder what will happen tomorrow? Manang said she would teach me how to clean the pool. I suddenly got excited, which means I¡¯ll get to see the pool here. But where could it be? I didn¡¯t see the pool earlier, even though I explored some parts of the house.¡±

    I grabbed the shampoo and applied it to my hair. After I finished showering, I faced the mirror again, still without any clothes, and struck a pose.

    ¡°Even though you¡¯re a glutton, Tangi, it¡¯s a good thing you don¡¯t gain weight and your body shape stays the same-¡±

    I stopped talking when I heard a sound.

    Was that a ring?

    I put on my fake bangs and adjusted them slightly. As I left the room, I searched for the source of the ringing. It was a device inside a drawer. A cellphone?! Why is there a cellphone here?!

    The screen disyed ¡°master¡¯s bedroom.¡± I furrowed my brow. I answered and put it to my ear.

    I furrowed my brow again when I heard nothing.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    Still, no one responded.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    Still, no response! As I was about to end the call, I heard something.

    ¡°W-Water¡­¡±

    I could hear Rozzean¡¯s raspy voice, very faintly. My eyes widened. I knew it! He¡¯s sick!

    The way he cleared his throat and his coughing. It¡¯s possible that the reason he came home early today is because he¡¯s not feeling well!

    ¡°S-Sir Rozzean?¡±

    ¡°I n-need water, bring water to my room.¡±

    ¡°Okay, sir! Hold on!¡±

    I quickly ended the call and ced the cellphone on the bed. I was in such a hurry that I seemed to have put on my long green sleeve inside out. As for my pajamas, I just grabbed whatever I could find in my bag. I hadn¡¯t had a chance to organize my clothes in the drawer.

    Once I was sure I looked presentable in the mirror, I headed to the kitchen. I hurriedly prepared some food. I reheated some tin. Even though he only asked for water, it¡¯s still a good idea to bring him some food so he can eat and take his medicine.

    ¡°Juice¡­ juice, oh-¡± Don¡¯t panic, Thaliana Tangi!

    I returned the juice to the fridge. It¡¯s better if he drinks lukewarm water. I also searched for the medicine container in the drawers, and when I found it, I quickly grabbed some paracetamol. I ced the food and the medicine on a tray.

    Once I was sure I didn¡¯t need anything else, I went up to the third floor. Ugh, it¡¯s so high!

    ¡°Sir?¡± I knocked, but there was no response. I lowered the tray and opened the door. It wasn¡¯t locked after all. I entered, picked up the tray again, and closed the door behind me. I nced to my left. That¡¯s Rozzean¡¯s room.

    I lowered the tray once more; it was quite heavy. I walked up to the door and knocked.

    He didn¡¯t respond, so I turned the doorknob. I peeked inside and saw my boss was covered in nkets. Shivering.

    It¡¯s so cold in his room! What is this, Antarctica?!

    ¡°Sir, I¡¯m here,¡± I said. I picked up the tray again and pushed the door open with my foot.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    I looked around at Rozzean, who was still wrapped in a nket. I ced the tray I was holding on the table inside his room. The first thing I did was grab the air conditioning remote and lower the temperature.

    He¡¯ll freeze even more. It¡¯s so cold in his room.

    ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve brought the water, and I also brought your food so you can eat. You have a fever, sir, right?¡±

    He didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°I noticed it earlier. You clutched your stomach a few times, cleared your throat multiple times, and even coughed. Why didn¡¯t you tell me, sir, that you¡¯re not feeling well? You could have taken medicine earlier so it wouldn¡¯t have gotten worse¡­¡±

    I took a step back as he lowered the nket. Now I can see his head. I swallowed hard at the gaze he gave me.

    He¡¯s really sick. It¡¯s written all over his face. But damn, he still looks good.

    ¡°S-sir?¡± I asked.

    He closed his eyes for a moment. He really looks like he¡¯s in pain.

    His face is pale, he looks so tired, and his eyelids are drooping. He looks so miserable! but still handsome.

    ¡°Water.¡±

    He spoke directly.

    I immediatelyplied, got the water, and remembered the food. I approached him.

    ¡°Sir, you¡¯re sick, you need to eat. This tin is still warm; you can sip the broth. There is also medicine here,¡± I said.

    ¡°I wish, sir, you had told me that you¡¯re not feeling well. We could have acted sooner,¡± I added.

    He handed me the water. When he sat up and leaned against the headboard of the bed, I noticed he still didn¡¯t have any upper clothing on. Goodness gracious! He¡¯s going to freeze.

    ¡°Sir, you should have dressed. That¡¯s why you¡¯re so cold. The air conditioning was on high when I came in, and you still didn¡¯t have anything on top. Where is your drawer?¡± I asked.

    He was staring at me again.

    ¡°Sir, where is your drawer? You need to get dressed. Do you want to die? I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want hypothermia, right?¡±

 Surprised

    He looked away from me and nced in another direction. I followed his gaze and immediately stood up when I understood what he was trying to convey. There was another room connected to this one. I walked towards it. When I saw clothes, shoes, watches, and jewelry, I was truly amazed. This man is incredibly organized!

    I quickly grabbed some ck clothing. His casual wear consisted mainly of ck, gray, and white. When I returned, I approached him.

    ¡°Sir, please put this on,¡± I said, cing the clothes on the edge of the bed. His eyes were closed.

    ¡°Are you going to sleep again, sir?¡±

    ¡°D-Do you¡­ c-can you¡­ help¡­ me¡­ dress?¡± I heard him say, even though it was faint.

    He¡¯s already sick, and yet he¡¯s still so grumpy!

    He sat up and leaned against the headboard of the bed. When he was about to get his clothes to put them on, I saw that he was having difficulty lifting both of his arms. I took a deep breath and approached, kneeling on the bed and reaching out to take the clothes from him.

    ¡°Sir, I¡¯ll do it,¡± I said.

    He couldn¡¯t do anything as I took the ck clothing. He¡¯s really weak; I could feel it. He struggled to sit up and move. When I held onto his arm, it felt like an electric shock ran through me.

    Damn. I swallowed hard and stopped for a moment. When I looked down at his face, I realized he was also looking at me. So close!

    I bit my lower lip when I saw his eyes fixed on me. He looked so weak yet sexy.

    Focus, Tangi!

    I returned my attention to dressing him. I pulled the clothes down and adjusted them. I don¡¯t know why, but I automatically brushed his messy hair to fix it.

    So soft¡­

    I¡¯m d he didn¡¯tin or maybe he just didn¡¯t have the strength to?

    but why did you have to touch him, Tangi?

    ¡°Give m-me the food.¡±

    I winced when he spoke. I stepped back and grabbed the te. I also served the food, and the rice was still steaming when I handed it to him. He should eat while the food is hot.

    And why am I feeling hot right now? The room temperature is fine!

    As I was about to hand him the te, I noticed he was struggling to move. So when he reached out to take it from me, I pulled it away.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked, sounding grumpy even though he¡¯s sick!

    I didn¡¯t respond to him. Instead, I sat on the edge of his bed and took the spoon myself. He furrowed his brow, and his thick eyebrows met.

    ¡°I can feed myself,¡± he said.

    ¡°Sir, let me do it. It¡¯s difficult for you to raise your hands, and you might identally spill your food on the bed,¡± I said.

    He didn¡¯t protest anymore. He knew he was struggling. I started feeding him. After about three spoonfuls, I briefly ced the te on his bedside table and took the bowl. It¡¯s good if he can sip some hot soup.

    I¡¯m d he still has an appetite to eat. I continued to feed him, and he didn¡¯tin or act grumpy anymore. But I was nervous, his looks¡­ I suddenly became afraid that he might have noticed something about me.

    ¡°Wow,¡± I said and ced the empty te back on the tray. The tin was gone, including the broth. The rice was also finished.

    Next, I picked up another ss of water and the medicine.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you finished it, sir. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be better by tomorrow,¡± I said and gestured for him to open his mouth for the medicine, ¡°Sir, aahh¡­e on, take this medicine to ensure a speedy recovery.¡±

    I was surprised when his eyes rolled.

    Did he just roll his eyes at me?!

    But he did follow my lead. He opened his mouth, and I ced the medicine inside. Then, I tilted the ss to give him some water to drink. After I finished my task, I took a deep breath. I grabbed the air conditioning remote again and lowered the temperature further.

    ¡°Sir, if you need anything, just call me on the cellphone, okay? I¡¯ll be heading down now,¡± I said.

    I nced at him, and I saw that he was lying down again, covered up.

    He¡¯s a big man, really big. But when he¡¯s sick, he looks like a child that needs care.

    When he didn¡¯t respond, I picked up the tray. I was about to leave the room when I heard his voice.

    ¡°Tali.¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    I turned to look at him when he called my name.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    My lips parted. I nodded and smiled.

    At least he knows how to thank someone.

    ¡°You¡¯re wee, sir! Get well soon!¡± I said cheerfully.

    I headed to the kitchen. I ced the used dishes in the sink and started washing them. I never expected this. I¡¯m here to find his ws, and I¡¯ve already seen some aspects of his personality that I don¡¯t like. But this man¡­ he¡¯s mysterious to me.

    On my very first day, I¡¯d already learned so much about him.

    I still have 60 days to get to know him more.

    And I must not forget the real reason why I¡¯m here.

    ¡°You¡¯re not here to get to know him if you meet. Don¡¯t forget the real reason why you¡¯re in his house and doing this, Tangi. You¡¯re here to find something that will be a reason for your wedding not to push through.¡±

    I should remind myself of that constantly.

    The man is dangerously handsome, he has a sharp tongue, but I admit he¡¯s so handsome that even I was stunned by his small movements. I should guard myself; I might end up losing this game I¡¯m ying. Also, it¡¯s a big Yes that he likes nts. This might be a challenge for me.

    I stopped scrubbing the te.

    ¡°What are you thinking, Tangi?¡± I asked myself.

    I let out a sigh. After finishing washing the used dishes, I headed back to my room. I flopped down on the bed. As I contemted what might happen tomorrow and in the days toe, I suddenly remembered Rozzean from earlier.

    ¡°He still knows how to thank someone¡­ he¡¯s not that evil.¡±

    I didn¡¯t realize it, but I was already smiling.

 My Mole!

    I suddenly woke up when I heard a loud noise. I rubbed my eyes and sat up, trying to locate the source of the sound. It wasn¡¯t the same cellphone that Rozzean used to call mest night.

    The sound resembled that of an rm clock.

    ¡°Where is it?¡±

    As I looked around, I spotted the source of the noise. I let out a sigh of relief and climbed onto the chair. The time was disyed clearly; it seemed like there was an rm in each room, and it was already five o¡¯clock.

    It was earlier than my usual wake-up time. I usually woke up at six and then went to Tinatangi at eight to tend to the flowers.

    I turned off the rm clock, went to the bathroom, and washed my face. While I was drying my face, I couldn¡¯t help but think about what happenedst night.

    I wonder how he¡¯s doing now. Is he still sick?

    ¡°He looks pitiful when he¡¯s sick, but when he¡¯s not, he looks like a demon with that attitude.¡±

    I took a deep breath and began brushing my teeth. I needed to get ready; Manang Selya was probably awake by now. I prepared my bath, and I checked my bag to see where my clothes were. I didn¡¯t sort them outst night.

    I didn¡¯t even realize that I had fallen asleep as soon as Iy down on the bed.

    ¡°Should I go visit my boss in his room?¡± I wondered aloud. As I grabbed my towel, I noticed the cellphone. But if he needed something, he¡¯d surely call me again.

    I spent about thirty minutes getting ready, trying to hurry because Manang was probably waiting for me downstairs. It was 5:35 AM ording to the time check. Once I was sure I looked presentable, I was about to head out, but I felt like something was missing.

    I went back and looked at myself in the mirror.

    I furrowed my brows, examining myself. I was wearing a long-sleeved shirt and shoes. My fake bangs were in ce, and my freckles were showing.

    ¡°What¡¯s missing-¡±

    I gasped as I realized what was absent.

    ¡°Damn it! My mole!¡±

    In a state of anxiety, I frantically looked around for my mole. Where could it be? Did I even put it onst night when I went to Rozzean¡¯s room? Did he notice?

    ¡°Where is it¡­¡±

    I rushed to the bathroom and searched for my mole. I was shocked when I found it on the side, resting on the clothes I had changed out fromst night.

    ¡°Oh¡­ my¡­ gosh.¡±

    I panicked for a moment. It meant that I hadn¡¯t actually put them on when I went to Rozzean¡¯s room!

    I quickly grabbed my super glue and stuck it back onto my cheek. Hopefully, my boss hadn¡¯t noticed. After all, he was sick, and his vision was probably blurryst night. I was getting nervous just thinking about it.

    ¡°Rx, Tangi¡­ just rx, okay? Rozzean was sickst night, so he probably didn¡¯t notice your mole. Besides, you¡¯ve only met a few times, and your mole is quite small, so¡­¡±

    I tried to calm myself down, lying back on the bed.

    ¡°Reckless!! It¡¯s so annoying! I shouldn¡¯t let this happen again!¡±

    I took a deep breath and stood up, facing the mirror.

    ¡°Nothing¡¯s missing¡­ stupid mole.¡±

    I went downstairs and headed to the kitchen. I saw Manang having coffee. I approached her and greeted her.

    ¡°Good morning, Manang.¡±

    She looked up and smiled.

    ¡°Good morning, Tali. Did Sir eatst night? I went to the kitchen to get some water, and I noticed that the food was reduced.¡±

    I went to the drawer where the milk was kept. I packed it and then sat across from Manang.

    ¡°Well, Manang, he called on the cellphone. He had a fever, so he sent for some water, but I thought it would be best to bring him some food and medicine too. Just from his voice, it was obvious he was unwell. And yesterday, I noticed his actions. He kept rubbing his throat and even coughed three times.¡±

    Manang raised her eyebrows at me. She mixed her coffee with a spoon and then sped her hands together.

    ¡°You noticed that? I didn¡¯t. Well, that¡¯s just Rozzean; he doesn¡¯t say anything when he¡¯s not feeling well. Thank you very much, Tali. On the very first day, you¡¯re already doing great,¡± she said.

    I felt my cheeks warming up. I scratched my nape. I got used to it because we had a big family, and Mom was caring. Whenever she noticed my siblings or me getting sick, she would take care of us right away.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Manang¡¯s words made me feel a mix of pride and humility. I was d to be of help, especially on my first day, but I didn¡¯t want to draw too much attention to myself.

    ¡°It¡¯s no problem, Manang. I just did what I thought was right,¡± I replied modestly.

    She smiled warmly at me. ¡°You have a kind heart, Tali. That¡¯s something not everyone possesses. And you¡¯ll find that it¡¯ll serve you well in life.¡±

    I appreciated her kind words but knew I had to keep my focus on my mission. I was here for a specific reason, and I couldn¡¯t let myself forget that.

    ¡°Manang, does Sir Rozzean have any family living with him here?¡± I asked.

    Manang bowed her head for a moment. She took a sip of her coffee and then looked at me.

    ¡°Rozzean has two siblings, Tali. His parents live in Man. He¡¯s the only one who moved here. I don¡¯t know the exact reason, but that¡¯s all I can tell you.¡±

    I took a sip of the milk. So, he really is living alone in this huge house. My dad told me that I would meet Rozzean¡¯s parents soon, as they already knew about me. My dad moved pretty quickly. I didn¡¯t even realize he had the intention of finding a man for me. Also, he manipted me with his words. Annoying.

    But Manang¡¯s revtion about Rozzean¡¯s family situation made me pause and think. It seemed like he was the only one of his siblings who had moved away from their parents. I wondered what could have driven him to live alone in thisrge house, far from his family.

    Daddy¡¯s quick actions to arrange a meeting with Rozzean¡¯s parents to discuss our potential wedding were indeed surprising. I felt a mix of gratitude and frustration towards him. Grateful because it showed he cared about my future, but frustrated because I had wanted to find my own path and make my own choices in life.

    However, I couldn¡¯t deny that Rozzean¡¯s presence was affecting me more than I had anticipated. He was mysterious, and there was something about him that drew me in. I needed to remind myself that I was here for a reason, and getting too close to him could jeopardize my mission.

    After Manang left to give coffee to the guards and open the windows, I continued with my morning routine. I decided to take charge of breakfast and prepared a hearty meal. I took some eggs, hotdogs, bacon, and the leftover rice fromst night¡¯s dinner. I also chopped some garlic and onions and grabbed a can of green peas and corn kernels.

    As I finished cooking, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder whether Rozzean was already awake or still asleep, considering his conditionst night. The house was unusually quiet, and I wasn¡¯t sure if he¡¯de down for breakfast.

    I ced the cooked dishes on the ind counter, the same ce Rozzean had his meal yesterday. It seemed he preferred eating there rather than at the dining table.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Manang?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s outside, sir, bringing coffee to the guards.¡±

    I closed my eyes tightly and ced my hand over my chest as I heard his voice suddenly. He was still wearing a ck T-shirt and had changed into ck sweatpantsst night.

    ¡°She¡¯s outside, sir, bringing coffee to the guards.¡±

    I stared at him as he sipped the milk he had taken from the refrigerator. Rozzean faced me, his eyes fixed on me. When he raised his eyebrows and furrowed his thick brow, I winced in anticipation.

    ¡°Sir, why?¡± I asked.

    He put down the milk and approached me. I instinctively moved back as he leaned in extremely close. He was inspecting my face!

    ¡°Do you¡­¡±

    W-What?!

    ¡°Do you really have a mole there?¡± he asked, pointing to my cheek.

    I gulped and suddenly felt nervous.

    Sh/t.

 Undeniably Handsome

    ¡°O-Of course, sir! What do you think of my mole? I-it¡¯s just there!¡± I said, pointing to my face, then I moved aside to avoid his gaze. I was getting nervous.

    He remembers what happenedst night, for sure, and he noticed my mole wasn¡¯t on my face! I didn¡¯t know he was that observant that even if he was sick his mind was working well. Damn this ass.

    ¡°Sir, it seems like you were hallucinatingst night,¡± I told him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so¨C¡±

    ¡°Sir,¡± I cut him off, I closed my eyes firmly. ¡°You had a high feverst night, I just want to remind you. It¡¯s impossible for this mole to disappear. It¡¯s been here since I was born.¡±

    I almost rolled my eyes. I am thankful I didn¡¯t because Rozzean might suddenly kick me out of his house Sht. He really has an incredible memory. I didn¡¯t even stay longst night, did I? But he even noticed my mole. From the corner of my eye, I saw him deep in thought. He held his chin, and when he looked at me again, I moved away. I think he doesn¡¯t believe me!

    ¡°Tell Manang that I¡¯lle home tomorrow when I arrive.¡±

    After he said that, he turned away. I took a step forward. I was surprised by what he said. Wait, what? Tomorrow? He¡¯s going to leave and he wille back tomorrow!

    ¡°Sir, where are you going?¡±

    He stopped and nced back at me, ¡°Why?¡±

    Yes, why did I even ask? I quickly thought of a reason. When I remembered Manang Selya, I used her as my excuse. Sorry, manang!

    ¡°I-I just thought Manang might ask about you, so I can also tell her,¡± I said. Rozzean was making eye contact, which I couldn¡¯t stand. That¡¯s why I bow my head.

    He is really intimidating! Even his presence could give me chills.

    ¡°Manang doesn¡¯t ask where I¡¯m going, just tells her I won¡¯t being home tonight. I¡¯ll be home tomorrow.¡±

    He turned away and went upstairs. I bit my lower lip tightly while clutching the hem of my dress. He won¡¯t being home, which means he¡¯s having a night out. It¡¯s Saturday tomorrow. I wonder who he¡¯s with?

    My eyes narrowed.

    I¡¯ll find out if you have a girlfriend or if you¡¯re seeing multiple women, Rozzean. You¡¯ll see.

    The little demon in me whispers that Rozzean is gonna meet women. Fcker¡¯s night out. And he¡¯s going out as if he didn¡¯t get sick and almost died from the coldst night, huh? Okay, that¡¯s exaggerating.

    A few minutester, after my boss left, Manang came in.

    ¡°Tali, did Sir already go downstairs?¡±

    I nced at her, who was carrying the cups the guards had used. I took them from her and ced them in the sink. I started washing them. It was my second day here, but it seemed like this day would pass without me finding out much because, aside from Rozzean being in the office all day, he wouldn¡¯t being home tonight.

    ¡°Yes, Manang. Sir said he won¡¯t being home tonight; he¡¯ll be back tomorrow,¡± I told her.

    Manang got some water from the fridge and poured it into a ss. I continued washing cups. When I finished, I ced the cups in their cab. I also washed the ss Manang had used.

    ¡°Thank you, Dear Tali,¡± she said to me.

    My heart suddenly melted when I heard what she called me. Manang is really cute! If Rozzean fires her, I¡¯ll ept her without hesitation. She¡¯s already close to my heart even though I¡¯ve only been here for less than a week.

    ¡°Tali, didn¡¯t Sir have breakfast?¡± Manang asked while looking at the dishes I had prepared.

    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t, and he didn¡¯t say if he would,¡± I replied. I don¡¯t want to invite him, that would mean he¡¯ll stay with me longer and what if he points out my mole again? I suddenly touched my cute ck bean.

    I need to be more careful and you need to cooperate, mole.

    Manang took a container and started filling it with food.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°If he doesn¡¯t have breakfast here, that means he¡¯ll have it at the office. He just needs a packed meal,¡± Manang exined.

    I pursed my lips. Oh, I see¡­ When I remembered that Rozzean got sickst night, I looked at Manang again. I wiped my hands and approached her as she arranged the food in the Tupperware.

    ¡°Because he got sickst night, he might get cold again if he doesn¡¯t take enough rest. That¡¯s more difficult, Manang.¡±

    I think Dad is right when he said that Rozzean is a hard worker.

    ¡°Sir is used to it, Tali, don¡¯t worry about him. Sometimes, he even goes to work when he¡¯s not feeling well. Maybe he just couldn¡¯t handle itst night.¡±

    Rozzean is quite stubborn. He¡¯ll take his stubbornness to the grave. He¡¯ll die early. I sat down and watched Manang. But honestly, Rozzean isn¡¯t picky. Does he really eat these?

    When I remembered that he wouldn¡¯t being home, I slumped in my seat. Where could my boss be going? It seems like I¡¯ll be thinking about this for a while.

    ¡°Manang, do you have any idea where Sir is going?¡± I couldn¡¯t resist asking.

    Manang picked up a paper bag from the side and ced the Tupperware inside.

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t tell me where he¡¯s going. Besides, he doesn¡¯t have a reason to tell me. Rozzean is all grown up and, after all, I am just a help,¡± she said with a smile.

    She¡¯s right and, as housemaids, we have no right to interfere in our boss¡¯s life. I sighed deeply.

    ¡°Why, Tali?¡± she asked me.

    I shook my head, ¡°Nothing, Manang. Just for curiosity¡¯s sake, right? We¡¯d have an idea where he is. Maybe it¡¯ll help if he gets worse, considering he has just recovered from being sick.¡±

    But the truth was, I wanted to know from Manang if Rozzean was meeting with a woman.

    ¡°Sir is a bachelor, and he goes to many ces when he¡¯s not working. I expect that every weekend, Tali. Surely you have an idea of what young men do?¡±

    I drummed my fingers. Young billionaire men love to fck women.

    ¡°They have fun, Manang? Go to bars? Hang out with women?¡± I asked.

    Sheughed.

    ¡°Rozzean is wealthy, handsome, and many women are interested in him, Tali. Women are the ones who approach him, even here at the house, we have maids applying just to get close to him. And yes, maybe he¡¯s seeing a woman right now. That could be the reason he won¡¯t being home,¡± Manang said.

    I knew it! I almost smiled widely after what Manang said.

    He has a woman, or maybe he already has a girlfriend? But why is Daddy so confident? Or is Rozzean just a great pretender? It¡¯s thest for me!

    However, I needed to find out. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.

    Hours passed, and it was already seven in the morning. I was cleaning the living room when I saw Rozzean in his office suit, descending the stairs. I stopped cleaning and just stared at him. Wow. Jaw dropping. He¡¯s indeed gorgeous. His hair is fixed well, the suit hugs his body and my eyes went to his broad shoulders, then to his muscles.

    He is breathtakingly handsome, but I¡¯m sorry, I really don¡¯t want to get married. I prefer to live freely with my children. Also, attitude is what matters to me. I don¡¯t want an arrogant ice¨Ccold husband!

    ¡°Manang, I¡¯m going now, where¡¯s my breakfast?¡± he called out to Manang Selya.

    I approached him. Manang told me to give Rozzean his breakfast when he came downstairs.

    ¡°Sir, Manang is on the rooftop, cleaning. Here¡¯s your breakfast,¡± I said. I remembered to include his medication in case he started feeling a sore throat and headache again.

    ¡°And, if you experience that itchiness in your throat and a headache again, sir, there¡¯s medicine for that. Take it immediately after eating, sir, so it won¡¯t worsen likest night.¡±

    He took the paper bag, but he didn¡¯t say anything. He just stared at me. It seemed like he was examining my face again. That made me gulp. When his gaze deepened, I moved back.

    W¨CWhat¡¯s he thinking again? And why do his eyes look like he is scanning my face?!

    ¡°Sir, is¡­ Is there something wrong with my face?¡± I asked, my eyebrows furrowing as he walked past me.

    ¡°Your mole bothers me.¡±

    That¡¯s all he said as he walked past me. I raised an eyebrow and my lips parted in surprise at what he said.

    ¡°W-What¡­¡± I just found myself touching my mole.

    Suddenly, I felt irritated.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my mole?!¡±

 Iéˆ¥æª“ Dead!

    I was scowling as I stared at the TV, watching cartoons. I cooked some popcorn. Manang told me that I could cook the food I wanted. She said Rozzean doesn¡¯t forbid that in her mansion.

    ¡°That darn guy. Where could he have gone? Last Friday, he said he wouldn¡¯t just be home in the evening, but now it¡¯s Monday night, and he¡¯s still not here! Where could he have gone?¡±

    I felt like a trapped mouse. What if he does not bring his girl home? How can I get evidence?

    I continued eating popcorn while muttering in annoyance. When I got tired of watching, I turned off the TV. I went to the kitchen and ced the empty bowl in the sink. In my frustration and as I thought about the reason why Rozzean didn¡¯te home, I finished the popcorn I had prepared in no time.

    ¡°If he keeps disappearing for several days, I¡¯ll spend my two months clueless and my effort will be wasted. It¡¯s frustrating. Where could he be?¡±

    I am so annoyed!

    ¡°What are you muttering, Tali?¡±

    I suddenly turned around upon hearing Manang¡¯s voice. I smiled at her and returned to washing the dishes. I winced for a moment. It¡¯s a good thing my voice wasn¡¯t loud. Manang can be scary at times, arriving silently, with no footsteps. Then, you¡¯d suddenly hear her voice out of nowhere.

    ¡°I¡¯m good, Manang. What would you like for dinner for us and the guards?¡± I asked to change the subject.

    I ced the bowl in the cab and wiped my hands. I waited for her response. Manang opened the refrigerator and probably looked at what I could cook.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make chicken curry, dear. You can rest or take a bath if you want. It¡¯s still hot outside. I¡¯ll take care of our dinner,¡± she said.

    I smiled and sped my hands together. Manang is so kind! But she¡¯s right; it has been a tiring day for me. Since there are only two of us helpers here in this mansion, Manang and I are the ones who clean everything, both inside and outside the mansion. It¡¯s really exhausting. Rozzean¡¯s house is good for two families and yet he lives here alone.

    It¡¯s a good thing I¡¯m very used to household chores. Otherwise, my hands might have blisters by now.

    ¡°Oh, thank you, Manang. Yes, it¡¯s really hot today. I¡¯m feeling itchy,¡± I said, and scratched myself.

    When Manang got the chicken and the ingredients she needed, I was still there.

    ¡°Would you like to take a dip in the pool? It looks like Sir won¡¯t being home tonight either. It¡¯s already eight o¡¯clock, and it¡¯s dark. He usually stays out until seven. I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll being home.¡±

    My eyes suddenly lit up when Manang said that! I¡¯d love to! The heat I was feeling would probably go away if I took a dip in the pool! I needed to soak. Besides, I was starting to miss swimming. Rozzean¡¯s pool is very spacious.

    ¡°Is it okay, Manang? I do know how to swim,¡± I said.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Manang nced at me.

    ¡°B-Because I grew up near a river, you know, Manang, in the provinces, there are many rivers¡­¡± I added.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s fine. Like I said, Rozzean doesn¡¯t have too many rules, and he¡¯s not strict as long as his helpers do their work properly. Go ahead, take a dip, and in an hour, dinner will be ready,¡± Manang said to me.

    I nodded happily and quickly headed to my room on the second floor. I¡¯ll check if I brought swimwear! My concern was that I packed only long clothes. Plus, my panties have Hello Kitty prints.

    Why did I even buy those? As if I¡¯m going to show Rozzean my panties to convince him that I¡¯m poor.

    Sometimes I don¡¯t think and my mind isn¡¯t working properly.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­ hmm¡­¡±

    My clothes were neatly stored in their respective containers. I¡¯ve been here at the house for a few days now. Four days, to be exact, and I¡¯ve already memorized what needs to be done. What time to wake up, what time to prepare meals, the ces to clean, even the high-tech areas in Rozzean¡¯s house.

    ¡°Oh, I do have one!¡±

    I took the ck two-piece swimsuit from the bottom of the drawer and stared at it. It seemed to be the only swimsuit I had with me. The others were all Hello Kitty-print panties. And as for bras, I bought them at the market.

    ¡°Manang said Rozzean won¡¯t being home. This is perfect. I can take a short swim in the pool. It¡¯s so hot,¡± I said to myself.

    After putting on the two-piece, I grabbed a ck pajama and wore it over the swimsuit. I also put on a t-shirt, as Manang advised, since it got dark outside, and the guards did their rounds around the mansion at ten.

    I was free!

    I ced the towel over my shoulder as I descended the stairs. I didn¡¯t bother to hide my arms anymore because only Manang was here, and she already had an idea of my skin color from my hands, which she had noticed.

    ¡°Manang, I¡¯ll be right back,¡± I told her.

    Manang smiled and gave me a thumbs-up. Once I was outside the mansion, I walked towards the pool. It took about three minutes of walking to get there. It was located in front of the rooftop, but because we had gone to the rooftop at night when I was with Manang, I didn¡¯t see it below.

    I giggled when I finally saw the pool. Iid my towel on the edge and removed my t-shirt and pajama. Before that, I also removed my mole. I didn¡¯t have any spare moles with me. What if it gets lost in the pool? It would be so hard to find.

    I needed to take care of my mole now because it was the first thing Rozzean noticed. Not just once, but twice.

    Once I had removed my t-shirt and pajamas, I jumped right into the pool.

    ¡°Ahh! This is life!¡±

    To be honest, I was already finding it difficult, but I needed to endure it because it had only been four days. This was for the life I wanted to have, and I was sure my dad wouldn¡¯t listen to me if my only reason for disliking Rozzean¡¯s personality was that he was grumpy, often undressed, and cursed a lot.

    Dad might evenugh at me.

    I dive underwater. I had been taught to swim since I was a child, so I had no problem with the depth of Rozzean¡¯s pool. While in the middle of the pool, many thoughts crossed my mind about the three days when my grumpy boss hadn¡¯te home.

    Maybe he really had a girlfriend, and he was with her right now.

    They¡¯re doing miracles because it¡¯s weekend. Manang was right, Rozzean was handsome and rich. I also believed he was making money. How old was he anyway? And I was sure he wasn¡¯t taking my dad¡¯s words seriously. He would keep looking for a woman to entertain him. Satisfy his needs in bed.

    Men love s/x.

    I floated on the water and looked up at the stars. The pool¡¯s location was beautiful. You could see a lot of stars.

    ¡°I wonder if I can endure these two months? Will I see or find something I can use to cancel the wedding my dad wants?¡±

    I sighed deeply. I closed my eyes for a moment and savored the moment. The pool¡¯s cold water really helped me ease the heat I was feeling.

    ¡°I miss my kids so much¡­¡± I uttered. I hope Thes¡¯s employees are taking care of my babies well.

    When I opened my eyes, I shifted my gaze in another direction but I almost shouted when I saw who was staring at me.

    Sh*t. W-what the hell!

    I almost had a heart attack when I looked again towards the rooftop. I saw Rozzean clearly. He was leaning on the edge and looking at me seriously! n-no he is definitely watching me!

    ¡°Oh Gosh¡­¡±

    What was he doing here?! I thought he wasn¡¯ting home!

 Stupid! Crazy Mole!

    I dipped myself in the pool, feeling intense anxiety. What the fck is he doing here? I know that his is his house b-but, ugh!ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

    Rozzean¡¯s gaze was still on my mind.

    Rx¡­ just rx, Thaliana Tangi. He¡¯s on the third floor of the rooftop, and it¡¯s dark down here because all the lights are off. It¡¯s impossible for him to have seen my face. B-But, I¡¯m a mestiza. My skin is fair; I¡¯m sure he saw my body! And to think I was floating, ugh!

    I quickly resurfaced, and when I looked up, he was no longer in his spot. I hurriedly put on my pajamas and t-shirt. I decided to pass through the back to avoid crossing paths with him in the living room!

    After putting on my clothes, I grabbed the towel. But then, I remembered my mole and let out a soft scream. My fckng mole!

    ¡°Damn! I ced it on my clothes! w-where the hell is it?!¡± I immediately looked down, but because it was dark, it was hard to find it. I was sure it fell somewhere around here.

    This is so annoying! Ahhh, I am an id/ot!

    I bent down, searching for my mole on the ck tiles.

    ¡°Why are the tiles ck too?!¡± Iined softly. Okay, I am panicking, I need to hurry. I needed to find it quickly. It¡¯s the only one! You annoying mole!

    As I continued to search while bent over, I froze when I heard the deep baritone voice of my boss, Rozzean.

    I am dead.

    ¡°Tali.¡±

    I felt like I couldn¡¯t breathe for a few seconds and my soul just left me. My mole was nowhere to be found, and Rozzean was standing right in front of me! What should I do?

    ¡°S-Sir? Why?¡± I asked while still bent over. I couldn¡¯t lift my head, even though I was wearing my fake bangs and fake freckles, my mole that Rozzean had noticed twice was missing!

    ¡°Why are you not looking at me?¡±

    ¡°S-Sir?¡± I questioned.

    ¡°I said, why aren¡¯t you looking at me? I¡¯m talking to you.¡±

    I tightly gripped my towel and still didn¡¯t look at him. When I felt him taking a step closer to me, I involuntarily stepped back. Huh? My eyebrows furrowed. I nced down at my feet because I felt like I had stepped on something. Holy sht. I think that¡¯s my mole!

    ¡°S-Sir, I¡¯m sorry, Manang said it was okay for me to swim in the pool. I-I thought you wouldn¡¯t being home tonight,¡± I stammered, still avoiding eye contact.

    ¡°I¡¯ll punish you if you don¡¯t look at me now.¡±

    P-Punish? I got nervous. I held my towel tightly and tried toe up with an excuse just so I wouldn¡¯t have to look at his face. But when I looked at my towel, I came up with an idea.

    I put the towel over my head and covered my face with it. Now, only my eyes were visible. I turned to face Rozzean. I held the edge of the towel in front of my nose so he couldn¡¯t see my entire face.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a problem if you go for a swim in the pool. My concern was that you went to the deeper part. When you suddenly sank, I went down immediately. That area is risky because it¡¯s very deep. I thought you drowned.¡±

    I let out a sigh of relief when I heard what he said. But I raised my eyebrows. Is he indirectly saying that he¡­ got worried?

    ¡°Sir, were you worried about me?¡± I asked, but he remained silent. He cleared his throat and looked away.

    ¡°Ayieee¡­ sir, you were worried about me, huh?!¡± I said. It was not a question anymore. He really has a kind side, huh?

    He turned his head to the right.

    ¡°Open the lights,¡± hemanded, and suddenly, the lights around the pool came on.

    Wow! His house has voice-controlled lights! So high-tech.

    ¡°Tali.¡±

    I looked at him when he called my name. He had his arms crossed and was staring straight at me. His biceps were impressive. And oh, he looked gorgeous with his dishevelled hair.

    ¡°Sir?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You are in my house. If something bad happened to you, like if you drowned and died, who do you think would be held responsible?¡±

    I gasped behind the towel when I heard what he said. This guy is such a pain! He didn¡¯t actually worry about me! He was thinking about what to do if I died inside his house! I hoped and smiled for nothing!

    Jerk!

    ¡°Dead already?! I know how to swim, sir. I told Manang, that¡¯s why I took a dip there! And if I ever die inside your house, just throw my body in the sea!¡±

    I saw him sighing and his eyes were still looking at me. Also, he looks like he is reading what¡¯s on my mind.

    What¡¯s this guy thinking right now? I¡¯m sure he saw my body because I was doing the floating style. I have fair skin, and I¡¯m sexy. Did he see it?

    ¡°Get inside. Don¡¯t stay here longer,¡± suddenly, he ordered, then turned and walked away.

    I breathed a sigh of relief when Rozzean disappeared from my sight. Thank goodness he didn¡¯t notice anything strange, and thank goodness my brain worked and I thought about covering my face with the towel.

    ¡°You almost got caught, Thaliana Tangi,¡± I muttered to myself, and looked down.

    I crouched down and picked up the mole that I stepped on.

    ¡°You annoying mole, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s going to get me in trouble! damnit. This is a bad idea. Why did I even think of using a mole as a disguise?!¡±

    I walked to the back of the house. I quickly headed to my room and took a shower. After finishing, I changed into my pajamas and a long-sleeved shirt. I used the hairdryer in my room to dry my hair, then I carefully fixed my fake freckles. I made sure my bangs were in ce too.

    After returning the hairdryer to its ce, I noticed a pair of reading sses in my drawer. I decided to try them on.

    ¡°These might work.¡±

    I put on the reading sses and looked at myself in the mirror. It seemed like a good addition to my disguise. If Rozzean asks, I¡¯ll just say my eyes have been getting blurry, hence the sses.

    I needed toe up with plenty of excuses.

    ¡°And you, my little mole,¡± I said as I picked up my mole from the table. I applied glue to it.

    ¡°Please cooperate. I am begging you!¡±

    I attached it to my left cheek and pressed it firmly, checking if it would stay in ce. Thankfully, it held well. I hope this won¡¯t get me into trouble again!

    I stood in front of the full-length mirror in my room and examined my appearance.

    ¡°Bangs, check! Freckles, check! Reading sses, check! And the mole¡­¡± I tapped it, and it didn¡¯t budge. It was firmly in ce.

    ¡°Check!¡±

    I went down to the kitchen, still feeling nervous about facing Rozzean. However, based on what he said earlier, it seemed like he didn¡¯t notice anything unusual about my appearance. He¡¯s quite observant, so maybe he just chose not to mention anything.

    I need to be careful.

    ¡°Oh, Tali, have you met Sir?¡± Manang asked.

    She was setting the table, and I approached to help her.

    ¡°Yes, Manang. It¡¯s embarrassing. He was on the rooftop, and he saw me at the pool. We thought he wouldn¡¯t being home,¡± I replied.

    I fetched some juice from the fridge and poured us both a ss.

    ¡°Is he going to have dinner, Manang?¡± I asked.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t say. But you almost bumped into each other earlier. Just a few minutes after you went to the pool, he arrived. I¡¯m sorry, Tali, I¡¯m just used to himing home around seven, so I thought he wouldn¡¯t be back,¡± Manang exined.

    I shook my head, assuring her it was okay. ¡°No worries, Manang. He didn¡¯t get mad or anything. He just mentioned that the pool was deep, and he thought I might drown.¡±

    Manang served our dinner, and the aroma of her chicken curry made my mouth water. Suddenly, my stomach growled loudly. Manang looked at me and chuckled softly, and I couldn¡¯t help but blush as I awkwardly scratched my belly.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Manang,¡± I said, embarrassed, while rubbing my tummy.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, dear. It¡¯s quitete, and we haven¡¯t eaten yet,¡± Manang reassured me as she checked the time.

    ¡°But, Tali, could you please check on Sir? He didn¡¯t say if he¡¯d be having dinner. Just ask if he¡¯d like to eat so we can bring him some food to his room,¡± Manang requested.

    I wanted to avoid Rozzean, but here I am.

    ¡°Alright, or would it be okay if I brought the food myself?¡± I asked.

    Manang sped her hands together and nodded, ¡°That would be better!¡±

    Once Manang had prepared the food, I ced it on a tray and made my way to our boss¡¯s room.

    ¡°This house is such a hassle, it¡¯s so huge and the stairs are going to heaven,¡± I muttered to myself as I walked carefully while holding the tray of food.

    Ugh¡­ My legs are getting quite the workout!

    When I reached the third floor, I took a deep breath, panting from the climb. It was quite a hike. I wonder if I could suggest  him to make an elevator since his house is very high-tech?

    But my other mind suddenly scolded me,¡± So would you stay that long here?

    Of course not!

    ¡°Sir.¡±

    I didn¡¯t lower the tray I was holding and just called out to him.

    ¡°Sir, Manang has sent dinner for you. She thought you might want to eat. It¡¯s chicken curry very yummy¨C¡±

    I couldn¡¯t finish my words when the door suddenly opened. And as soon as I saw our boss, my eyes widened. My throat suddenly went dry.

    Holy smokes! He was shirtless again a-and only wearing just boxer shorts! The h-hotdog¨C n-no don¡¯t look at that part, Thaliana!

    ¡°You are noisy,¡± he said. I swallowed hard upon hearing his baritone voice.

    He seemed to have juste out of the shower because I could smell his body wash. His hair was all tousled and wet.

    ¡°What? Why are you just looking at me?¡±

    Grumpy!

    ¡°Here it is, sir, your food. Manang Selya sent it. She thought you might be hungry,¡± I repeated.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re talking sarcastically and casually to me even though I am your boss.¡±

    I winced.

    I remembered what he had said on my first day here at the mansion. He had told me that it was okay to speak that way as long as I didn¡¯t develop any liking for him.

    I was about to open my mouth to defend myself when he grabbed the tray from me.

    ¡°Give me that.¡±

    But it wasn¡¯t the tray he held. It was my hands holding the tray. I slightly pulled back when I felt something. W-Was that a spark?

    After he took the tray from me, I excused myself.

    ¡°All right, sir. You can call me on my cellphone when you¡¯re done eating so I can pick up your used dishes,¡± I said, ¡°I¡¯ll be heading down now.¡±

    My heart beat so fast. Why did that skin contact make me feel like this?

    As I was turning to leave, he called out to me.

    ¡°Wait.¡±

    I faced him again, puzzled. ¡°Why, sir?¡±

    He was looking at my face. I gulped and got conscious.

    ¡°Your mole.¡±

    When I heard that, my evil self shouted annoyingly. What¡¯s wrong with my mole again?!

    ¡°Why, sir?¡± I asked calmly and touched my mole. Just take it normally, Thaliana. Maybe he thought your mole was cute. That¡¯s why he always notices it. Yes. That¡¯s right. Keep calm.

    ¡°It moved.¡±

    I was taken aback by what he said.

    ¡°It¡¯s not supposed to be in that spot.¡±

    My patience has run out.  The calmness suddenly faded away. Fck. Seriously, this was getting ridiculous. He even noticed the position and he looked so curious!

    ¡°My mole is alive, sir! And living moles move on their own! Don¡¯t you know that, sir?!¡± I said, trying to just answer his question, but I know I sounded mad.

    Rozzean stared at me. His eyes never  leave my face.

    ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t know,¡± his lips twitched as if he was about to smile because he heard something amusing.

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t know before, sir, now you do!¡±

    When he didn¡¯t respond, I lowered my head and took heavy steps away while breathing heavily.

    I couldn¡¯t believe it! This mole was going to be the death of me! I regret putting one on my face!

 Kindness

    ¡°Why are you frowning, Tali? Did Sir scold you? Did he say something that upset you?¡±

    That¡¯s what Manang asked me when I returned to the kitchen. I sat down and looked at her.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t scold me, Manang. I just got annoyed because Sir always notices this mole of mine. If I have the money, I¡¯ll have it removed,¡± I replied. Definitely.

    I wasn¡¯t expecting what Rozzean said, to be honest. But I think I panicked and didn¡¯t really look closely at where I ced my mole. It might have actually moved lower, but luckily, I quickly came up with an excuse.

    I ended up touching my mole.

    ¡°Your mole is cute, Tali. Maybe Sir just finds it cute?¡± Manang said with a smile.

    That¡¯s what I hope, but I think not. Haay¡­ As he said initially, ¡°Your mole bothers me.¡± It¡¯s impossible for him to find it cute.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, Tali, something different. Why are you wearing sses? This is the first time I¡¯ve seen you wear them. Are your eyes getting blurry?¡± Manang asked.

    I scooped some rice; I was really hungry. It was quitete already. I still had to go backter to get my boss¡¯s dinner. I will have to see his annoying face again.

    ¡°These are only reading sses, Manang,¡± I exined.

    ¡°I enjoy reading novels on my cellphone, and that¡¯s why my eyes have gradually be blurry.¡±

    I served some dishes on my te. I hope there won¡¯t be any more talk about the mole. I was getting close to losing it because of this mole.

    ¡°Is that so? If you want, we can tell Sir about your eyes. He has a friend who¡¯s an ophthalmologist. The sses I use are free, by the kindness of Sir¡¯s doctor friend. He¡¯s a kind man, Tali, and quite handsome,¡± Manang said to me, giggling.

    ¡°Oh, Manang? Do you have a crush on him?¡± I asked.

    Manang paused in the middle of eating her spoonful of food because of what I said. I took a bite too and started eating. I was starting to feel tired. I was sure that when I returned to my room, I would fall asleep immediately.

    ¡°Oh, dear! At my age, you think I¡¯d still be thinking about that?¡± she said.

    ¡°Hmp, age doesn¡¯t matter, Manang. But, if you don¡¯t mind me asking, where is your family? Are they also in the province?¡±

    Her smile faded. Manang put down her utensils and looked at me. Before she spoke, she took a sip of water.

    The emotions in her eyes were different from when I teased her about the doctor earlier.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a family anymore, Tali.¡±

    I was taken aback when I heard what Manang said. She didn¡¯t have a family anymore?

    ¡°What¡­ happened?¡±

    She sighed, and I saw a glint in her eyes. Her fingers moved, and I couldn¡¯t tell if it was a sign that she didn¡¯t know how to start her story or if she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say the reason.

    ¡°Oh, Manang, it¡¯s okay, you don¡¯t have to tell me if you don¡¯t want to! I¡¯m sorry, I can be quite nosy.¡±

    I followed up with a chuckle to lighten the mood, sensing that Manang¡¯s expression had changed.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s alright. That was a long time ago,¡± she replied.

    ¡°I no longer have a family because my only child left me when my husband passed away. When my daughter got married, they went abroad with her spouse. Since then, I¡¯ve been trying to find a job, but because I¡¯m old, no one wants to ept me,¡± Manang Selya exined.

    I was taken aback. That¡¯s really tough. And her daughter is so ungrateful! How could she leave her mother like that? or at least support her!

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have any contact with your daugher there? Are they not checking on you?¡± I asked.

    She shook her head. I felt a pang of sadness. It¡¯s heartbreaking to hear Manang Selya¡¯s story, especially considering how kind and caring she is.

    I put down my spoon and fork and paid full attention to her. This conversation was painful for me. I really didn¡¯t like discussing these kinds of things. Why did this happen to Manang Selya? She¡¯s such a kind person. In the few days I¡¯ve been staying in this house, I¡¯ve noticed her care and kindness.

    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. The truth is, I tried looking for her on social media. I even asked for help from thendy of the apartment I used to stay in, but with so many people with the samest names and her first name, I didn¡¯t know who to send a message to.¡±

    ¡°I also thought that she hadpletely forgotten about me.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know what to say. I felt a continuous ache in my chest as I listened to Manang¡¯s story. Regardless of the reasons, to me, a parent should never be left alone, especially when they are older. Damn. My heart is aching for Manang.

    ¡°Tali?¡±

    I looked at Manang when she called my name. She¡¯s smiling. How could she smile after sharing such a painful story?

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat again, dear. Our food might get cold.¡±

    I smiled at her and nodded. I didn¡¯t speak anymore because if I asked more about her life, I was sure to start crying. Like I said, I have a soft spot for the elderly. Upon learning about Manang¡¯s life, I couldn¡¯t help but feel sympathy.

    She¡¯s so kind. Why was she abandoned?

    After we finished eating, I offered to wash the dishes. Manang just watched me until I was done. I also told her that I would be the one to go around the house to turn off the lights, close the windows and doors.

    ¡°Are you sure, dear?¡± she asked me. She knew it was a lot of work.

    ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry about me. I know my way around,¡± I assured her.

    Before she turned away, I approached and hugged her, which took her by surprise.

    ¡°You can call me your child all the time, Manang. I¡¯m happy to be like a second child to you because you¡¯re so kind,¡± I told her.

    I felt her nod and her hand stroking my back. When Manang bid goodnight to rest, I went around the entire house. Her story was still on my mind.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    I closed the lights on the rooftopst. After turning everything off, I sat on the sofa and looked up at the sky.

    ¡°Her eyes screamed in pain while she told her story. I can¡¯t ask any more questions because of the pain I feel. Plus, I was close to tears back then. It hurts.¡±

    I remembered my parents. We are wealthy, but it never crossed my mind to leave them. I once heard my mother saying that when we all get married and have our own families, it¡¯s okay to leave them and have them taken care of by professionals.

    I immediately protested. I had never considered that.

    For me, parents are a precious gift from God. You should take care of, love, and cherish them until the end.

    ¡°W-What¡­¡±

    I took off my sses and ced them on the side of the sofa. I sniffed and shed some tears. I wiped the tears that fell from both my cheeks. I never thought that Manang had such a past. The way sheughed and smiled at me, the way she cared¡­

    I never felt like a stranger in her presence, even though I had only been here for four days.

    I took a deep breath and looked at the bright moon. Manang should feel the love she deserves. While I¡¯m here, I¡¯ll make her feel the love she¡¯s never experienced.

    ¡°Tali.¡±

    When I heard that voice, I quickly wiped the tears from both my cheeks. I stood up and faced Rozzean.

    ¡°S-Sir, what are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± he asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

    Did he hear me crying?

    ¡°I am asking you.¡±

    As I remembered Manang, I took a step closer. Our eyes met.

    I asked, ¡°H-How did Manang Selya be your helper, sir?¡±

    He didn¡¯t speak, just looked at me.

    ¡°W-We talked about her family earlier. I-It turns out she no longer has a husband, he¡¯s dead, and her child went abroad with her husband¨C¡±

    ¡°Selya was a beggar when I met her.¡±

    I was taken aback by what I heard. W-What?

    ¡°She was a beggar. I always saw her outside mypany, waiting for someone to give her money or food. Even though the guards would chase her away several times, she would stille back. Maybe because my employees would give her alms.¡±

    My lips quivered, but no words came out. That¡¯s too much¡­ I thought there couldn¡¯t be anything more painful in Manang¡¯s life story.

    ¡°I decided to keep her. Three? Four? I¡¯m not sure how many years she¡¯s been here, but¨Cwhat the hell, why are you crying?¡±

    I sniffled and wiped away my tears. My heart aches even more.

    ¡°B-Because I feel sorry for Manang, s-sir.¡±

    ¡°When I found out that her child had abandoned her, I felt so sorry for her. N-Now I¡¯ve learned that she used to be a beggar and was homeless. I-I¡¯m even more hurt by her life situation. She¡¯s so kind to me. I-I can¡¯t find any fault in her character¡­ she¡¯s teaching me everything I need to know here at the house.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯vee to think of her as a mother, and then I find out about her past.¡±

    I reached for a tissue on the table nearby and sniffled. When I looked up, I saw that Sir¡¯s face had softened as he looked at me.

    ¡°Manang Selya¡¯s life is much better now than it used to be. What happened in the past can¡¯t be changed, Tali.¡±

    I was surprised when he raised his hand and gently touched my forehead.

    ¡°So, stop crying.¡±

 First Time

    W-What is this?

    I don¡¯t know what happened next. I just found myself behind the door of my room in Rozzean¡¯s house. He¡¯s pinning me to the back of my door. His face is very close, and his eyes are seriously staring at me. What the hell?

    ¡°S-Sir? Why?¡± I asked, I was curious because in the middle of the night he was here!

    He didn¡¯t speak. When I tried to move from my spot, he suddenly held my right hand. I¡¯m nervous! What is he up to now? And why is he so close to me?

    My heart is pounding so loudly. It¡¯s so strong that it¡¯s making me deaf. Plus, I can smell his breath right now. Damn, it smells nice, huh? he just ate! Where¡¯s the smell of the chicken curry that Manang cooked?

    ¡°Sir, if you¡¯re messing with me, please stop. If you think I¡¯ll fall for your tricks and admit that I like you to leave this house, you won¡¯t seed. I don¡¯t like you. Okay? as I have said before, you are not my type.¡±

    I tried to make my face strong, but his expression didn¡¯t change because of what I said. He¡¯ll not show me his frowning face? and why does he felt different?

    ¡°Sir? hello?¡±

    He lowered his gaze to my lips, and my eyes widened. Oh, damn. No, why is he looking at me like that?! is he going to kiss me? I tried to push him away but he just held me tighter and his face move closer!

    I haven¡¯t even brushed my teeth yet!

    ¡°I should do this now before I go crazy.¡±

    ¡°W-What?!¡± I nervously asked. What did he mean by that?

    Before I could move from my spot and avoid the impending danger that could ruin my n, things happened quickly. Rozzean imed my lips, and because my mouth is open when I talked, his tongue entered.

    Sht! This is my first kiss, and it¡¯s already a French one?!

    ¡°S-Sir, w-wait¡­¡± I tried to push him away. But who was I convincing with my feeble attempt to push him?

    ¡°S-Sir¡­¡± I said, my fingers were shaking, I was so nervous but he didn¡¯t stop kissing me. My heart beat faster and faster as he continued iming my lips, tasting every inch. No¡­ he should stop. I need to stop him. I raised my hands again to push him away, harder this time but he took both of them and raised against the door.

    ¡°Tali¡­¡±

    When I heard him moan my name, I gasped! I was also taken aback. The wall I built to protect myself broke suddenly. I didn¡¯t resist anymore. I responded to his kisses, and the hands that were once holding back were now gripping his neck, pulling him closer. A-Am I doing it right? I  haven¡¯t kiss anyone y-yet.

    ¡°S-Sht,¡± I whimpered as Rozzean lifted both of my legs and wrapped them around his waist while continuing to kiss me. His lips are crushing mine so hard. I might be going crazy! It¡¯s been minutes, and he still hasn¡¯t stopped these deep kisses.

    I¡¯ve only read about this happening in novels. Kissing a handsome, sexy, and billionaire man. Pinned on the wall, clinging on his neck.

    ¡°Tali¡­¡± he called my name, his lips left mine and it went to my neck. I gulped as the sensation goes on, my body was feeling the heat and Rozzean¡¯s hand were now caressing my back. Not so long when he kissed me again. He sucked my tongue and I let out a soft moan.

    ¡°S-Sir, w-wait¡­ you¡¯re being too aggressive. C-Chill, okay?¡±

    Rozzean¡¯s lips parted from mine, but not too far. He smirked, and then I felt his hands again on my back. Caressing¡­

    Mygosh! Is my innocence¡­ m-my protected v-virginity will disappear tonight? I never imagined it happening like this! Not as a maid! Not as Tali! Before I could speak and ask Rozzean that what we are doing is not right, I felt him unfasten the lock of my bra, then he kissed my lips again that made me shut up.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± his kisses were so deep and pleasurable that I couldn¡¯t resist anymore. I would think about what to say to himter. I will also scold myself for giving in so fast! my mind wanted to end this, my body doesn¡¯t.

    Sht.

    But I still tried to stop him again.

    ¡°S-Sir, t-this is not allowed. Your  rule¡­ o-or do you want me to reverse it?  I-I will kick you out of your own house¡­ you hired me as a maid, have you forgotten your number one rule? w-why¨C¡±

    But he was relentless! I was silenced when he lifted me andid me on the bed. So fast! His eyes were intensely locked on me. Rozzean removed his upper garment and went to me again to kiss my lips.

    Aahhh! I want this also!

    I didn¡¯t resist anymore, no more thoughts that will stop this intimate scene. And why would I? It felt so good to be kissed by this man. I wouldn¡¯t stop him because I was enjoying it too. And even if we go beyond kissing¡­ I don¡¯t care anymore.

    ¡°Sir, take it slow, okay? i-it¡¯s my first time,¡± I said but he was so busy!

    ¡°A-Ah, s-sir, w-wait¡­ just a moment,¡± I said as he lifted my clothes and with one hand, he held my breast. He started to massage it. His fingers pinched my nipples that made me gasped.

    D-Damn¡­ I never thought I will be in this kind of situation with him. N-Not this fast. He did it again, he gave me a smirked and bent down to licked it.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°A-Ahh.. sht. Sir¡­¡±

    I didn¡¯t know what I was feeling anymore. A mix of emotions overwhelmed me because of what Rozzean was doing. When he removed my lower clothing, I didn¡¯t protest, I let him do what he wants to me.

    ¡°Fck, Tali¡­¡±

    And just like that, I am naked. He stared and bit his lip while looking at my body. Fck you, Rozzean, you are fckng fast and I am fckng wanting more of your touch.

    ¡°Tali¡­¡±

    I looked at him when he called my name. He slowly moved down. I saw him in front of my puss¡­ my eyes widened in surprise. Oh my, i-is he going to¡­

    While he was gazing there, I noticed him bite his lips. sexy¡­ He even lick its lower, showed me his tongue on purpose! it¡¯s like he was showing me how he will move it on my c-center.

    But damn, he looks so good. Dangerously sexy¡­

    ¡°Sir¡­ c-can we d-do this slow?¡± I whispered.

    He smirk and before I could say a word again his tongue taste me there. Aahhh goodness gracious! My lips parted and I had goosebumps. I never e-ever imagine someone would do this to me! never!

    A-Also, h-how?! How could he do this to his maid?!

    He has a rule and it¡¯s his fault why his maids fell for him!

    B-But on the other hand, this is the reason I need to remove him from my life and to break the engagement! b-but, is it a sin to enjoy him before doing that?!

    ¡°S-Sir, this is w-wrong¡­¡± but my body says this is right¡­ fck.

    And how could you moan like you are enjoying everything, Thaliana Tangi?! you betrayed yourself! you are saying it¡¯s wrong but you allowed him to caress you, touch you in areas that was never seen by anyone before.

    ¡°A-Ahh¡­ damn y-you, Rozzean. It felt s-so good¡­ keep moving your t-tongue¡­.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know this kind o-of feeling exist. M-Mygod, I think I can¡¯t finish my n. I-I want to go home now!

    ¡°S-Stop, w-wait¡­ s-stop¡­ aahhh.¡±

    After I said that, Rozzean stopped.

    ¡°You taste good, Tali.¡¯

    Sht.

    When our eyes met, I could clearly see from his the desire, how his eyes speaks a lot of things that he wanted to do to me¨Cto my body.

    Is he really going to im me tonight? am I going to allow him? that¡¯s fast different from kissing, massaging my breast and licking my pssy. His hotdog will enter me.

    But I don¡¯t think I can stop him because I-I want to feel more, I want to feel him¡­ that kind of pleasure. And I felt like he still has a lot of things to show me.

    Damn you, Thaliana! horny btch!

    I bit my lower lip when the next thing he removed was his sweatpants. I closed my eyes firmly. My heartbeat was fast, I can even hear it! gosh.

    But, I¡¯m not a child anymore, I am twenty-nine!  I¡¯m no longer young, and the man in front of me is the person my Dad wants me to marry¨Cwe are engaged though. And¡­ if a childes first, why not?

    ¡°Rozzean,¡± I called his name for  no reason. He still hasn¡¯t taken his eyes off me. When only his boxers remained as his clothing, I suddenly remembered how big he is. How long he is.

    I gulped and raised my hand to stop him.

    ¡°W-Wait!¡±

    T-That thing¡­ damn. Will it even fit me?!

    But Rozzean didn¡¯t stop, he crawled towards me, I tried to move back, but I had reached the edge of the bed and ended up falling. I was just looking at him, on his bulge. My throat went dry and I shouted when he pulled his boxer.

    ¡°Ahhh!! Ouch!¡±

    I fell from my bed and I opened my eyes. I heard a sound. When I looked, I nced at the top of the room-the clock.

    It was bright red, and I could see the time.

    5:00 am.

    Wait¡­ I looked around and I am alone in my room. It¡¯s  not night, the time says it¡¯s morning already!

    Sht. What¡­

    My eyes widened, and my breathing quickened as I realized what just happened.

    ¡°No¡­ no fcking sht. No!¡± I yelled

    I looked at myself; I was still dressed, wearing a bra and bottom clothes. My Hello Kitty panties were still on. I touched my chest, remembering Rozzean¡¯s touch. I checked myself. I felt my center¡­ and sht.

    ¡°I-I fckng had a wet dream!¡±

    I hurriedly went straight to the bathroom and removed all my clothes. I looked at my naked body in the mirror. I can¡¯t believe I had a wet dream with Rozzean¡­ and it was wild, I was needy of his touch, I crave for more¡­

    Thaliana! what¡¯s happening to you?! you were enjoying him pleasing you! that shouldn¡¯t happen even in your dream!

    ¡°Do you fantasize him? Do you desire him now?!¡± I clenched my hands.

    I walked over and stood under the shower. I turned it on. Even though the water was cold, I didn¡¯t use the heater. The scene just can¡¯t get off my mind. It feels like it really happened.

    ¡°Fck.¡±

    I can¡¯t stop cursing.

    I recalled what happenedst night. After he caressed my head at the rooftop, he told me to sleep once I was done checking the appliances. He even advised me not to stay upte. I returned to my room feeling tired and sleepy, I threw myself on the bed. That¡¯s it!

    ¡°But I couldn¡¯t forget what he did. Until I fell asleep, I was thinking about how he tried tofort me because I was crying¡­¡±

    I closed my eyes tightly and turned up the shower to ease the heat I was still feeling.

    ¡°I am in danger.¡±

 Hallucination

    I can¡¯t believe I had that kind of dream.

    I let out a deep breath. After dressing up, I looked in the mirror. I fixed my disguise, I looked at my face, adjusted my mole, and stared intensely at the mirror. Maybe if I suddenly stuck this annoying mole on my left cheek, Rozzean would notice the change again. He¡¯s very observant.

    ¡°The eyes of that jerk are so sharp.¡±

    ¡°Tali¡­¡±

    While fixing my mole my eyes widened and I felt shiver down my spined when I suddenly heard his voice moaning my name.

    ¡°Thaliana, focus!¡±

    I pped both of my cheeks and then looked intensely at the mirror. I adjusted my fake freckles. I hope these won¡¯t cause a break out.

    ¡°You need to forget what happened. It is just a dream, and it will never happen in real life okay?¡±

    Okay!

    Once I was sure of my appearance was okay, I grabbed my reading sses and put them on. I turned briefly to the mirror again. Then, I looked at the clock and sighed. It was 5:40 am. Time to go down and prepare breakfast.

    ¡°You taste so good, Tali¡­¡±

    ¡°Ahhh!¡± I covered my mouth and shouted as I kept on hearing his voice  inside my head. I remembered my dream again. I tapped both my cheeks. Maybe what happened was because I thought about what Rozzean didst night. His hand caressing my head didn¡¯t leave my mind right away.

    They say that if you are thinking about a person too much there is  a possiblity that they will appear in your dream. And Rozzean happened to appear in a¡­ different yet pleasurable way.

    ¡°But serioulsy, he has a good side. Even though he can be so grumpy.¡±

    I can¡¯t deny that fact. When I heard from him that he helped Manang, my heart softened. Indeed, Manang has a good life now, and I don¡¯t have to worry about her. Manang hasn¡¯t said anything bad about Rozzean either. After all the years they¡¯ve spent together, she knows him well.

    Also, I¡¯ve never heard Rozzean shout at Manang.

    That is a good rtionship, actually. I am seeing a different side of him. However, my perception of Rozzean is slowly changing. This is not good for me especially after that wet dreame. Liking him or desiring him is not the reason I put myself in this dangerous situation.

    ¡°Enough, Thaliana Tangi. You are Tali ¡®The Maid¡¯ right now, so don¡¯t forget that. Go downstairs and prepare your boss¡¯s meal.¡±

    I sighed and left my room. But I nced at the stairs leading to the third floor. I quickly walked downstairs. Maybe I¡¯ll run into Rozzeanter. I¡¯m not ready to see him after my dream.

    I wondered, why did I have that dream so quickly? Was it because I¡¯ve seen Rozzean shirtless several times? And then I saw his hotdog on my first day here?

    I sighed again. I just couldn¡¯t ept what happened that I gave in.  I even enjoyed what he was doing to me. Inside my head, I was expecting for more. Am I really that  needy of a man¡¯s touch? I don¡¯t even know I am attracted to men, is this what a twenty-nine year old virgin woman felt like?

    I think I should ask Thes next time. I know that friend of mine is also a virgin even though she always speaks dirty and talks about sex.

    ¡°Good morning, Tali.¡±

    When I arrived at  the kitchen, Manang greeted me as soon as she saw me. She already had her coffee prepared and was holding a newspaper. She always woke up early, and it feels good to be greeted by her this early.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Good morning, Manang,¡± I greeted her with a smile, then went to the kitchen cab to get a cup. I was going to make some milk since I don¡¯t drink coffee.

    ¡°It looks like you had a good sleep, Tali. Care to share what dream you had?¡±

    I almost choke on my own salive after I heard it.

    ¡°O-Oh¡­¡± I was surprised by Manang¡¯s question. I was still pouring hot water. Thankfully, I didn¡¯t spill any and burned myself.

    ¡°Why do you say that, Manang?¡± I said, feeling nervous and embarassed because I remembered my dream again.

    ¡°I looked normal like before,¡± I added while stirring my milk. I sat down across from her. She smiled at me.

    ¡°Because your expression is different, as if something good happened to you. I just noticed,¡± she answred.

    Manang always seemed to be teasing. I grimaced and sipped on my milk. I have no intention to tell her my dream! never! I will bury it deep!

    ¡°I just had a good sleep,¡± I replied.

    A really good sleep and if I didn¡¯t fell from my bed and woke up maybe I reached heaven.

    Darn.

    ¡°Yes, I noticed that too because you usuallye down at exactly 5:30. I thought to myself that you must have had a good sleep, and besides, you did a lot of thingsst night, you get tired it is given because  the  house is  huge  for the both of us to clean.¡±

    I took a sip of my milk again and just nodded. It seemed like I didn¡¯t want to overexert myself; I was having strange dreams. When I saw her went to the cab and started to make coffee I was about to stand but she stopped me.

    ¡°Oh, continue drinking.¡±

    I just watched her and after she¡¯s done, Manang excused herself, saying she would bring coffee to the guards outside, and I told her I would prepare breakfast for our boss. I need to hurry, I don¡¯t want him to meet this early.

    ¡°What should I cook for that grumpy boss?¡±

    I opened the refrigerator and looked at what I would cook. I saw bacon, ham, and¡­ hotdogs. Even this food made me feel different now and it¡¯s that man¡¯s fault! I shook my head and get one piece.

    ¡°Hotdog¡­ this hotdog is big, but the one fromst night was even bigger-¡±

    ¡°Do you like hotdogs, Tali?¡±

    Holysht.

    I turned to the voice and saw Rozzean smiling at me. My eyes widened as I stared at him. He was biting his lower lip sexily! When I was about to speak, he suddenly disappeared.

    My eyebrows furrowed.

    ¡°W-What the¡­ what was that?¡±

    I shook my head. What¡¯s  happening? am I hallucinating?

    ¡°Wake up, Thaliana¡­¡± I p my face.

    I put back the hotdog on the fridge and I took out some tocino, bacon, and sausages. My hands were shaking. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m imagining Rozzean right now. Am I going crazy? Is this the effect of that wet dream? Oh my goodness.

    ¡°Focus, Tangi, focus, okay? Just think about why you¡¯re here in his house, all right? It¡¯s for your fur babies, for your peace of mind, for the life that you-¡±

    ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you want to be with me? I can make you happy. I will be a perfect husband for you, I can make you scream in bed. I can do many things that will please you.¡±

    I felt like I was going crazy when I heard his voice again. I turned to see him sitting on the ind counter now. When I approached, he suddenly disappeared. I pinched myself and removed my sses.

    This is horrifying. I went straight to the sink and sshed water on my face, my breathing ragged.

    ¡°Am I still sleepy?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s happening to me?¡±

 Hallucination Part II

    Because of the sudden appearance of Rozzean¡¯s images, I hurriedly worked in the kitchen so I could not meet him if he gets down to eat his breakfast. I think I need to divert my attention to other ce becuase ny annoying imagination of Rozzean didn¡¯t just disturb me twice, but four times.

    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re done cooking,¡± Manang said.

    ¡°Y-Yes, I¡¯ll wash these cups too, Manang,¡± I told her.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll do that. You can go to the pool. There are a lot of leaves there blown by the wind; you can remove them just in case Sir decides to swim there.¡±

    I nodded and didn¡¯t say anything else. This was good. I could leave the kitchen. My area would change, and maybe that annoying imagination of Rozzean wouldn¡¯t bother me anymore. I was getting annoyed too. Why is this happening to me? It wasn¡¯t part of my n! that damn wet dream!

    ¡°I¡¯ll just upy myself with cleaning. I¡¯m sure if I keep myself busy, that ass won¡¯te out again.¡±

    I took the and started cleaning the pool. I picked up leaves around it. I cleaned the tiles and watered the nts around the pool. I didn¡¯t immediately go back inside the house. The next thing I cleaned was the gazebo.

    I also fed the goldfish and removed dry leaves from the nts there. I shook the throw pillows and arranged the sofa. I wiped the tables and chairs. Sweats running down my face, on my neck and I even felt it on my back but I kept myself busy.

    ¡°Good thing that even if we are rich, my parents taught us how to clean the house and cook.¡±

    That¡¯s what I love about them too. They raised us well, although I don¡¯t approve on how they want us to settle. Especially Dad, he¡¯s forcing me the reason why I am here in Rozzean¡¯s house. This is a crazy n but I don¡¯t have a choice, I don¡¯t want to get married.

    I really kept myself busy to prevent that fake Rozzean from reappearing. I was thinking about my dream too much earlier, and now he was suddenly showing up.

    ¡°That guy. I think he¡¯s trying to make me fall for him so I¡¯ll leave his house. Did he find out about me? But that¡¯s impossible because most of my father¡¯s business partners thought his children are all men and she doesn¡¯t have a daughter. I don¡¯t attend social gatherings of Dad and I don¡¯t have any photos on social media either. Thest thing I confirmed from him is that Rozzean hasn¡¯t seen a single picture of me.¡±

    I nodded to myself while in deep thoughts. I¡¯m certain he won¡¯t recognize me, and my disguise has truly made me look like a different person.

    Also Thes said that cleaning and cooking is an advantage to my n because as a billionaire¡¯s daughter people will expect that I am cared well and don¡¯t do house chores. Of course they will think that I am treated like a princess. Who would think that I am picking dirt in this house too? cleaning bathrooms? I am a D Vezca.

    But then Rozzean¡¯s image crossed my mind. His face, and I even heard his concerned voice when he said that I should stop crying because of Manang. My heart suddenly clenche, it¡¯s beating became fast that made me swallowed hard.

    ¡°It looks like you¡¯re in danger, Tangi,¡± I said to myself while sitting and watching the fish.

    ¡°Tali.¡±

    When I heard that voice at my back, I breathed deeply. It took me a few seconds before I turned to face my hallucination again. Rozzean had a serious look on his face, staring at me. I stood up and approached him.

    Oh, it seemed like this was the real Rozzean.

    ¡°Sir, do you need something?¡± I asked with a smile. But that smile quickly faded when Rozzean closed the distance between us and held me on my waist.

    ¡°W-What¨C¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to your room. Let¡¯s continue what we didst night¡­ I want to hear your moan again, how you whimper in pleasure, Tali¡­¡±

    I gasped when he said that and he smiled at me seductively. My lips parted. I shook my head as he disappeared again.

    ¡°Aaaaahh!! It¡¯s annoying! Leave me alone, please! I don¡¯t want this!¡± I shouted as I ran inside the house. Would my imagination never stop bothering me? What¡¯s happening to me?!

    I went straight to the kitchen. I washed my face again with cold water this time. Then I opened the fridge and took a bottle of water. I was still catching my breath from running. I nced at the clock; it was already ten in the morning. I didn¡¯t realize I had been outside for so long.

    ¡°Thaliana, f-focus, okay? You need to focus. You can¡¯t be like this all day-¡±

    ¡°Tali, can you give me water?¡±

    I closed my eyes tightly. I bit my upper lip before I looked back at the fake Rozzean. He was staring at me. This time, I will not be fooled!

    ¡°Why?¡± he asked, eyebrows furrowed.

    ¡°Are you really not going to leave me alone?!¡± I shouted, I was so mad. Rozzean tilted his head and crossed his arms.

    What is he gonna do this time?! he can¡¯t fool me!

    ¡°What?! why are you staring at me like that, huh?!¡± I asked with an annoyed tone. I clenched my fists out of a mixture of frustration and fatigue from all I had done to try to get him out of my mind. I am fckng tired from all the cleaning I did outside! for pete sake let me take a rest without him!

    ¡°You¡¯ve been like this for a while, haven¡¯t you?¡± I gave him a stern look.

    His thick eyebrows met and formed a line.

    ¡°What are you talking about, Tali?¡± he walked towards me, I flinched and out of frustration, I removed my shoes and threw at him.

    ¡°Don¡¯te near me! stop bothering me! You¡¯re so annoying! Get lost!¡±

    One of the shoes hit him in the forehead and the other on his chest. But when his face didn¡¯t change and gets mad even more right now, I gasped. Fck! is this the real him?!

    ¡°What the heck, Tali?! What the hell are you doing?!¡± Rozzean shouted.

    Manang suddenly entered the kitchen. She was extremely surprised, looking back and forth between Rozzean, who was holding his forehead, and my shoes on the floor.

    Because of the expression on Manang¡¯s face, I didn¡¯t know if she was going to approach Rozzean or stay where she was.

    ¡°T-Tali, what did you do?¡± Manang asked me. How am I supposed to exin my side right now?!

    ¡°Y-You are real?¡± I asked. I felt like I had been drenched in cold water. Nervously, I looked back at Rozzean.

    ¡°What the fck is wrong with you? of course I am!¡±

    Sht!

    ¡°S-Sir, are you okay?¡± Manang asked Rozzean. She grabbed a tissue from nearby and handed it to our boss but he didn¡¯t get it, his eyes is not leaving me!

    I covered my mouth and my eyes widened when I realized that it was really Rozzean in front of me. It¡¯s like a slowmo and I recalled what I said and what I did.

    I shouted at him, had thrown my shoes at my boss, and it hit him in his chest and forehead.

    ¡°Sir¡­ I-I am so sorry!¡± I bowed my head.

    When I looked back at him, he was giving me a stern look, he is gritting his teeth. Rozzean was mad! is he going to kick me out now? or he will hit me? I walked closer even if I am scared. And when I was about to apologize again, I panicked because I saw that his forehead was now bleeding.

    ¡°B-Blood¡­ S-sir¡­¡±

    What did I do?!Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Last Day?

    I anxiously waited for Rozzean¡¯s response. He still had a stern look on his face. I am fckng scared and nervous. When I nced at Manang, hoping for some help, she came closer and held my hand. Oh, Manang!

    Then I turned my gaze back to Rozzean.

    ¡°S-Sir¡­ i-is it¡­ a-ahm, d-does it hurt?¡±

    He didn¡¯t answer. But of course it hurts! it bleed! He turned away from me, but he hadn¡¯t gone far or started up the stairs yet when I heard his loud scream.

    ¡°In my room, Tali!¡±

    Holysht. I am dead. Is he gonna kill me? what is he going to do? hang me on the ceiling?

    I gasped and looked at Manang. I held her by the shoulders, and my eyes were filled with emotion. My heart was beating really fast. I didn¡¯t know what Rozzean would do to me, but I was sure it was the end for me.

    I think I might get kicked out.

    ¡°Manang, I think this is myst day in this house. We need to say goodbye to each other,¡± I told Manang Selya. I felt the weight of my words due to the nervousness I was feeling.

    I¡¯m sure Rozzean won¡¯t let what I did to him slide. His maid even threw a shoe at him, and his forehead started bleeding. Who would let it pass?

    ¡°No, dear. Don¡¯t say that. Just try talking to sir. Who knows, he might forgive you? Besides, no one else is applying to work for him again, so you can¡¯t just leave this house right now. He¡¯ll also have a hard time without you, I noticed how he¡¯s beingfortable with you.¡±

    Okay, Manang is on my side. but I hope Rozzean would be easy on me!

    ¡°Thank you so much, Manang.¡±

    ¡°But why did you do that, anyway? What came over you? He¡¯s our boss, after all. He¡¯s not a thief. And thieves can¡¯t easily get into this house with all the guards outside.¡±

    It would be embarrassing if I told Manang that I had a wet dream with our boss and imagined Rozzean nearby, seducing me. She might not support me anymore if she found out. She might think I have feelings for Rozzean and fantasize about our boss.

    ¡°M-My vision just got blurry, Manang. And I think I got carried away with the novel I was reading. Our boss is annoying s-sometimes for me, and I was shocked by his sudden arrival t-that¡¯s why,¡± I said.

    Sorry, Manang, I lied.

    ¡°Oh, is that so? Alright, Tali, if sir decides to let kick you out, I¡¯ll try totalk to him. Maybe I can convince him to keep you and give you a second chance. The truth is, you¡¯ve been the only big help in this house since sir moved here. You quickly learned everything about the house. You¡¯re good at cleaning, doing theundry, and you¡¯re a great cook too.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t really expect Sir to eat here all the time. He often dines out, especially for dinner but he changed when he tasted the food you cooked,¡± Manang exined.

    Oh¡­ really?

    My heart suddenly beat faster. I felt a strange feeling when I heard what Manang said. If that¡¯s the case, maybe, just maybe, Rozzean will give me a second chance. But before that happens, I¡¯m afraid he might give me a lecture.

    ¡°Sir still looks like he¡¯s gonna hit me when he¡¯s angry. I¡¯m really scared, Manang,¡± I said.

    Suddenly, I remembered my dream. He literally devoured. Oh gosh, I bit my lips hard. I might not see the same Rozzeanter. It¡¯s as if I don¡¯t want to go up to his room now.

    ¡°What are you thinking? Don¡¯t think like that. Our boss doesn¡¯t harm his misbehaving  maids. She¡¯ll just talk to you about what you did,¡± Manang replied.

    That¡¯s not what I meant, Manang, hehe.

    ¡°Alright, Manang. If I can¡¯t fix it, I¡¯ll¨C

    ¡°Tali, are youing to my room, or are you going straight to your quarters to pack your things?¡±

    I looked up in surprise when I heard Sir¡¯s voice. Damn, where is thating from? His voice echoed throughout the entire house. What the hell?

    When I nced at Manang, I saw her pointing upward. It was only then that I noticed the speakers up there. Darn it. My fear grew even more when I heard Rozzean¡¯s tone and what he said. Lord, am I going to be kicked out now? I¡¯ve been here for less than half a month.

    ¡°Come on, dear! Go on!¡± Manang urged me.

    I frowned and pouted, turning away from her. I looked back at her and made a pleading expression. She gestured for me to hurry upstairs because our boss was already angry. So I didn¡¯t just walk; I ran towards Rozzean¡¯s room.

    If I were to be fired, as I feared, I could alwayse up with an excuse. Plus, I had Manang on my side. It seemed like she had the power to talk to Rozzean and change his mind. Manang also mentioned that this house couldn¡¯t afford to lose a helper right now because no one had applied yet. And I think I already convinced Rozzean that he is not my type. That¡¯s a plus point because  he don¡¯t ept flirty helpers who entered his house to be his btch but not a maid.

    Moreover, it turned out that I was the only normal here except for Manang of course.

    Normal? I just throw my shoes on him¨Cmy boss!

    I felt like pping myself.

    Is it really a sign of being a responsible person to answer back to your boss? And now, to throw a shoe at him and hit him on the forehead? You¡¯re really disgraceful, Thaliana Tangi.

    This is what my dad and my siblings used to tell me. My tendency to be aggressive. Back then, when I got annoyed and frustrated, I would throw whatever I could find at my older brothers. Being the only girl, I was often their target.

    I didn¡¯t know how many times I took a deep breath before reaching Rozzean¡¯s door. I raised my hand, about to knock, but I took another deep breath first.

    ¡°I am ready to face the monster,¡± I whispered.

    I knocked three times.

    ¡°S-Sir?¡±

    ¡°Come in,¡± he said in a cold tone.

    I gulped and turned the doorknob. I entered with my head down and didn¡¯t lift my gaze. Of course, I was nervous, and I didn¡¯t have the courage to look at him. I was also embarrassed about what I had done. Damn this is my imagination¡¯s fault.

    ¡°Look at me and tell me why you threw your shoes at me, Tali.¡±

    I winced and slowly lifted my face. When I saw him, there was still a trace of blood on his forehead. I suddenly felt a sense of guilt when I saw his wound. I had hurt him, and what I did was wrong. That¡¯s why he¡¯s angry now, because of my misbehavior.

    Any employer, if thrown at with a shoe by their maid, might retaliate and fired them with no question or exnation.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, s-sir,¡± I said and bowed my head again. ¡°I¡¯m s-sorry, sir.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t feel sincerity in your words. You¡¯re asking for forgiveness, but you won¡¯t even look at me?¡± he asked.

    I feel bad. I really do. This feeling right now isn¡¯t just about the fear of being fired. I hurt him, and I must be held ountable for my actions. If he decides to fire me, maybe I shouldn¡¯t resist it. Because in my emotional state, I might hurt him again in the future. I don¡¯t want that to happen, though.

    I raised my gaze to him, removed my sses, wiped the tears from my eyes and both cheeks. Why the hell am I doing right now in front of him? I¡¯m the one who hurt him, and now, I¡¯m the one crying.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, sir. My emotions got the best of me¡­ I really didn¡¯t mean to h-hurt you.¡±

    I genuinely thought it was just my imagination; I didn¡¯t expect it to be real.

    I just looked at him, waiting for his anger and for him to fire me. But he didn¡¯t say anything; he just sighed.

    ¡°Get the first aid kit from the drawer nearby, thene over and treat what you did.¡±

    My lips parted in surprise when I heard what he said. I was shocked. I didn¡¯t expect that response.

    Is that it? Is he not going to fire me?

    ¡°Tali, did you hear what I said?¡±

    I immediatelyplied, as he instructed. I got the first aid kit from the drawer beside me, but I hesitated to approach him. Is he for real? just this after what I did to him?

    ¡°Tali.¡±

    I saw the seriousness on Rozzean¡¯s face. I slowly approached him. When I was right in front of him, he moved to the long sofa. He sat there with his arms crossed, looking at me as I stood in front of him.

    ¡°You won¡¯t clean this up if you just stand there holding the first aid kit,¡± he said, pointing at his wound.

    I felt guilty for what I had done, and I didn¡¯t expect his response. I really thought I would be fired. That¡¯s what he should have done because of what I did. But here he was, instructing me to treat the wound that I caused.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    I sat down beside him as he wanted. I ced the first aid kit on the table in front of us and opened it. I got some betadine, a gauze pad, cotton, and alcohol. When I looked at Rozzean, he leaned in closer to me. Because he was taller, he had to bend slightly for me to reach his forehead.

    This is¡­ unexpected.

    ¡°S-sir,¡± I said, gently applying betadine to his forehead. He had his eyes closed while I did that. I could see the length of his eyshes. I could clearly see his face and I didn¡¯t even realize  I was holding my breath!

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°I-I thought you¡¯d fire me. I should be kicked out because of what I did.¡±

    I looked into his eyes, and he suddenly opened them that made me stilled. Darn. He is so close and his eyes went straight to meet mine.

    ¡°I need a maid, Tali.¡±

    My heart started beating faster. I couldn¡¯t handle the way he was looking at me, so I looked away. I put down the cotton with betadine and quickly picked up the alcohol.

    ¡°But even so, what I did was wrong. You are my boss, and I hurt you. Any boss would get angry and fire me for this.¡±

    As I was about to dab the cotton on his forehead, he spoke. His eyes were serious as they looked at me.

    ¡°I make decisions differently from them. So don¡¯tpare how I run things here to how others do it.¡±

    Before I could respond, he added, leaving me stunned by his final words.

    ¡°I need you in my house.¡±

 Safe!

    He needs me¡­ my heart race even though I know what he mean by that.

    ¡°Yeah, you need me¡­ a maid.¡±

    After I finished applying the gauze pad to his forehead, I returned the used items to the first aid kit. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Rozzean, who was looking straight ahead with folded arms. I suddenly felt guilty about what I had done. I¡¯m sure if Rozzean had fans club, they woulde after me for what I did.

    I mean, I injured his handsome face.

    I sighed again. I didn¡¯t know how many sighs I had taken today. I nced at Rozzean; I wanted to ask him again about staying here if he was sure, but I felt shy.

    I sighed once more. My hands couldn¡¯t stay still. My fingers toyed with the edge of my uniform.

    ¡°If you have something to say, just say it, don¡¯t keep looking and sighing. I can¡¯t read your mind, Tali.¡±

    My mouth hung open at his words. I was embarrassed! After what I did, I really thought he¡¯d fire me. I even said an emotional goodbye to Manang earlier, and she assured me she¡¯d help me if Rozzean decided to let me go from his house.

    Both Manang and I thought it was myst day, but it turned out it wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°Because I¡¯m just wondering, sir, my actions really deserved to get fired.¡±

    Where else can you find a maid who talks back to their boss and even harms them? Plus, from what I noticed about Rozzean at first, he seemed strict, grumpy, and a serious person. Based on his personality, I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d let such an incident pass in his house.

    I was wrong.

    ¡°I told you already. I need a helper, but fine, when I find a recement for you, pack your things and go back to wherever you came from.¡±

    When I heard what he said, I stood up. I couldn¡¯t believe it; I was just testing him, and then he said that!

    ¡°Oh no! Th-there¡¯s no going back, sir. You¡¯re so indecisive, that¡¯s it. No more changing your mind. You already told me I won¡¯t be fired, and then when you find a new maid, you¡¯ll have me pack my things?¡±

    He sighed and held his temple, massaging it. I felt a little worried that he might have a headache from my shoe-throwing incident.

    ¡°A-Are you okay, sir? Is your head hurting? Maybe you should see a doctor. It might be because of what I did to you,¡± I said.

    I didn¡¯t know whether to approach him or stay where I was as I noticed his eyebrows furrowing.

    ¡°My head hurts because of you, not because of your shoe. You¡¯re so persistent. You keep asking me if I¡¯m sure about my decision, and I already told you earlier that I¡¯m not going to fire you, but it seems like you¡¯d rather be fired because of what you did.¡±

    I grabbed the first aid kit and smiled at him. Maybe he would change his mind, and I needed to get out of his room.

    ¡°No, what are you saying, sir? I¡¯m just making sure. I¡¯m just cautious, maybe you might change your mind,¡± I said in a sweet tone.

    ¡°Go downstairs and tell Manang Selya that I¡¯ll have a visitor at twelve. We¡¯re having lunch here.¡±

    I raised an eyebrow. Damn, is he dating someone?

    ¡°Who, sir?¡± I asked.

    He just looked at me, and I smiled at him, almostughing. I nodded and returned his first aid kit to the drawer, then walked towards the door. When Rozzean gives me these looks, his patience is running out.

    Before Ipletely left, I turned to him.

    ¡°What should I cook, sir?¡±

    ¡°Anything. My guest isn¡¯t picky.¡±

    I went out after hearing his answer. I wondered who his guest could be. A woman, maybe? Oh, if it¡¯s a woman, I might find some evidence¡­ against her.

    I stopped on the staircase on the second floor and put my hand to my chest.

    ¡°What if it is a woman?¡±

    I shook my head and took a deep breath.

    That¡¯s the reason you¡¯re in his house, Tangi. To find evidence that he¡¯s not fit to marry you. So if a woman is his guest and she¡¯s his girlfriend, that¡¯s in your favor.

    But it¡¯s a different feeling I have now¡­

    ¡°Tali?¡±

    I turned to the person who called my name. It was Manang, peering at me from downstairs. Concern filled her face as she looked up at me. I quickly descended, wearing a smile on my lips.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°I¡¯m safe, Manang! I wasn¡¯t devoured by Sir-uh, I mean, I won¡¯t be fired! He just treated the wound he got from me! I was so surprised! I thought it was the end for me!¡±

    I happily recounted the story to her.

    Manang also jumped in excitement at what I said. We held hands and spun around.

    ¡°Is that true, dear? Thank goodness! It means you¡¯ll still stay in this house, and I¡¯ll get to keep you!¡±

    My heart melted at Manang¡¯s words, and I stopped jumping and spinning. Manang halted too. I smiled at her and hugged her.

    ¡°Thank you so much, Manang. You¡¯re so kind to me. I promise I won¡¯t be troublesome anymore so I won¡¯t get kicked out of this house.¡±

    I felt her hand gliding across my back. I nodded in agreement. When I pulled away, she brushed my hair back and tucked it behind my ears.

    ¡°Rozzean is actually kind, dear, just grumpy and strict. But he¡¯s a good young man,¡± Manang said.

    I smiled at her and slowly lowered my head, unable to respond. I have seen his kindness several times, but maybe because of the reason why I¡¯m here, his kindness hasn¡¯t quite reached my heart and mind.

    I still wanted to see his bad side and find a reason to stop the marriage my dad wants.

    However, that attitude isn¡¯t right.

    In my desire to see Rozzean¡¯s wrongdoings, I¡¯m sidelining his kindness.

    I¡¯m getting confused¡­

    I returned my attention to Manang and led her to the kitchen.

    ¡°Oh, Manang, I forgot to mention that Sir said he has a guesting at twelve, and I need to make it up to him. He wants me to cook,¡± I said.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let you cook, and I¡¯ll just watch,¡± Manang replied with a smile.

    I nned to prepare three main dishes. I looked into the fridge to find something to cook.

    Hmm, who is his guest?

 Safe! Part II

    ¡°Tali, some seafood was delivered earlier, a gift from a board member to Sir. Would you like to cook that? It¡¯s fresh,¡± Manang suggested.

    I went to the fridge right away and saw the seafood Manang mentioned: shrimp, crabs, squid, and mussels. Hopefully, Sir isn¡¯t allergic to any of these.

    ¡°Sure, Manang!¡±

    I took out the seafood and cleaned them. When Manang offered to help, I declined and suggested she sit and watch instead. I wanted to make up for what I did to Rozzean by cooking well, so he wouldn¡¯t be embarrassed in front of his guest.

    I also grabbed a chicken from the fridge. I was going to make spicy chicken barbecue, and thest dish would be sisig. I checked the time; it seemed like I would manage to prepare these dishes as I had more than one cooking station. I would do some multitasking. I am used to this since we are a big family at home and my brothers are heavy eaters.

    ¡°You¡¯re really good at cooking, Tali. Where did you learn?¡± Manang asked.

    I nced briefly at Manang and returned my focus to slicing. The truth was, I learned cooking from my Mom. Back when we had Dad and my three big brothers in the house, they ate a lot. So, I suggested to Mom that she teach me to cook so I could help her.

    That¡¯s how I learned to prepare a variety of dishes, even in high school.

    Based on what I can do, you wouldn¡¯t think I¡¯m the child of a billionaire. The same goes for my siblings. We weren¡¯t raised to expect everything to be served to us. It¡¯s not the type of upbringing our Mom and Dad wanted.

    ¡°Oh, well, I got used to watching cooking videos, Manang, and I really enjoy cooking. If I get the chance to study, I¡¯d like to take a culinary arts course,¡± that¡¯s what I told Manang.

    Culinary arts, huh?

    Maybe, when Ie back, I should consider taking that course?

    But my life¡¯s course might change if I can prove there¡¯s no reason to stop the marriage my dad wants. It¡¯s been a week in Rozzean¡¯s house, and I haven¡¯t heard or seen any sign of his girlfriend.

    ¡°Manang, can you clean my room?¡±

    While I was busy, suddenly our boss came in. I looked at Rozzean, who had just arrived. I wondered why he wanted his room cleaned. It seemed clean when I checked earlier. Could it be for the guest he mentioned? But why in his room? oh gosh, don¡¯t tell me?

    I erased the dirty thoughts that came into my mind right away. Not in in front of him I would think about lewd thoughts!

    ¡°Sure, sir,¡± Manang replied. She nced at me and smiled before leaving the kitchen.

    I focused on cooking, I was so focus on cleaning the meat while checking the simmering water.

    ¡°What are you cooking?¡±

    And when I thought I was alone, I almost had a heart attack when I  heard Rozzean¡¯s baritone voice behind me.

    ¡°Oh, Jumbo hotdogs!¡±

    I identally dropped a piece of meat in the sink. My heart raced due to the surprise. I thought he had followed Manang upstairs!

    I looked at my boss and found him now leaning on the ind counter, watching me intently.

    ¡°S-Sir, I didn¡¯t realize you were still here.¡±

    ¡°What are you cooking?¡± he asked again.

    After washing the pork, I ced it in the boiling water. I nced at Rozzean while drying my hands. There was no need to wash anything else; I had already cleaned the seafood and chicken. All that remained was to cook them.

    ¡°I¡¯m making sisig, seafood, and spicy chicken barbecue, sir.¡±

    He nodded. He stayed, is he gonna watch me cook? but, while looking at him I think we are okay now as if no throwing-shoe-on-him that happened.

    ¡°Take your time. My guest will bete.¡±

    Oh¡­

    He straightened up and seemed ready to leave the kitchen. But when I remembered the seafood, I asked if he had any allergies.

    ¡°Sir, you¡¯re not allergic to seafood, are you?¡± I inquired.

    He shook his head. ¡°No. That¡¯s one of my favorite foods.¡±

    Favorite¡­ I smiled a bit. Just a bit.

    ¡°Ahh¡­¡±

    I nced at the mussels.

    ¡°I added mussels, sir. Do you eat mussels?¡±

    I asked with a smile, waiting for his response. However, my smile faded when he grinned at me.

    ¡°I eat mussels, Tali.¡±

    As Rozzean turned and left, I faced the sink and took a deep breath. What was that? What the hell was that? I was sure there was a different meaning behind his response because of his smirk and the way he licked his lips!

    ¡°Thaliana Tangi, calm down, it¡¯s nothing. He just answered your question,¡± I whispered to myself.

    But why did hedo that? What the hell!

    II felt my face heat up. I lightly tapped my cheeks to snap out of the thoughts about Rozzean as he answered my question.

    However, I suddenly stopped when a disturbing thought entered my mind.

    Rozzean, in between my thighs, smirking while his eyes were filled with desires.

    ¡°You taste good, Tali.¡±

    That fckng wet dream! stop it, Thaliana Tangi!

    I washed my face to removed the dirty thoughts because of what Rozzean did before he left the kitchen. Dang.

    ¡°Are you almost done?¡±

    I looked at Manang. She just came back. She smiled at me, and then approached me. I was cing the dishes I cooked into containers. I also arranged the presentation. I have some knowledge of how to make the food look good.

    ¡°Wow, they all look delicious,¡± Manang said.

    I raised my index finger while my other hand rested on my waist.

    ¡°Oops, Manang, the sisig and seafood are not suitable for you. They can raise your blood pressure. You should go for the spicy chicken barbeque; it¡¯s not too spicy.¡± I exined.

    Manang gave me a yful scowl and flicked my nose. I chuckled at her reaction. After finishing the food preparations, I took a piece of chicken barbecue from the pan. There were some leftovers there, so I ced them on a te and offered a taste to Manang.

    I kept looking to my left, just in case our boss would suddenly appear out of nowhere, like a mushroom.

    ¡°It¡¯s delicious! That¡¯s why Sir enjoys eating here at home. Ever since you started working in the kitchen, I¡¯ve noticed that he eats here more often,¡± Manang said.

    Oh, Manang, she¡¯s boosting my confidence. But, well, Rozzean has been missing for three days.

    ¡°Really, Manang? Is it true that Sir often eats out?¡± I asked.

    I continued chatting with Manang while I cleaned the sink and the utensils I used. She was still eating.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not kidding. I¡¯m telling the truth. He usually eats out and rarely at home. Even our guards outside appreciate the dishes you cook.¡±

    It¡¯s good to hear that. I smiled at what I heard from Manang. Since I moved out and lived in my own house, I rarely receivedpliments about my cooking because I¡¯m usually alone. But back in the day, my older brothers often praised my dishes. Now, they all have their own families, so we don¡¯t often eat together at my Dad¡¯s ce anymore.

    I actually missed that.

 Florist

    I sat in front of Manang after I finished what I was doing. We were just waiting for what Sir would say about where to prepare the food. He¡¯s still upstairs. Maybe he¡¯s preparing? I looked at the clock and saw that there were only ten minutes left before one o¡¯clock.Who is his visitor? I wanted it to be a woman but then there¡¯s a strange feeling inside of me opposing what I want.

    I nced at the seafood, particrly at the mussels. Suddenly, I got carried away, remembering what Rozzean said earlier and how he licked his lips. I am not a dirty minded person, but his gesture was like he is seducing me. d

    That ass. I knew what he meant by that. I¡¯m already 29 years old and yes even his d/ck was the first one I saw in my lifemeans I am innocent but that doesn¡¯t mean I cannot understand his smile.

    I haven¡¯t even had a boyfriend yet, and those ¡°firsts¡± in rtionships haven¡¯t happened to me, but I know those kinds of lines also.

    ¡°I¡¯m eating mussels, Tali.¡±

    The question is, what¡¯s his favorite seafood?

    Mussels?

    Oh, darn.

    ¡°Tali? Why are you smiling over there?¡± Manang asked.

    She noticed me maybe? I closed my eyes for a moment and scratched the back of my ear before I spoke. I¡¯m irritated; all I can think about are images of Rozzean. I¡¯m not enjoying this at all. Who knows where this might lead.

    ¡°Oh, your face is turning red now, are you okay?¡± Manang asked, looking at me, ¡°even your ears are red.¡±

    This is Rozzean¡¯s fault.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m okay, Manang. Don¡¯t worry. This is normal.¡±

    Darn it.

    I changed the subject to keep that ass out of my mind. His image and even his voice keeps on pestering me. I didn¡¯t know he has this kind of effect! no wonder maids fall for him.But not me! never!

    ¡°Manang, where do you think Sir will have us set up these food? By the pool? In the gazebo? In the garden? Or on the rooftop?¡± I asked.

    Before she answered, Manang took a drink of water. She had finished the chicken thigh I put on her te. Manang must have been hungry, huh? she needs to eat more because cleaning this huge house will consume a lot of energy. Good thing I am used to these kind of house chores, I am able to help her.

    But honestly? Rozzean should hire more maid. Manang cannot do all of this alone after I left this house.

    Suddenly that idea of mine leaving this house made me stopped thinking.Is it because of Manang? or because¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, sir rarely has visitors. Whenever he does, they dine outside with his guest¨C¡±

    ¡°Is it ady, Manang?¡± I suddenly asked. This sudden reaction from me surprise me sometimes. I am eager to find evidence that my fiance is a womanizer but there is a part of me that makes me feel strange.

    ¡°O-Oh,¡± Manang seemed surprised when I interjected while she was speaking.

    ¡°Sorry, Manang, I was just gossiping. It¡¯s just hard to believe that sir has a woman¨Ca partner rather because he¡¯s so grumpy. I felt like no person can¡¯t stand his attitude,¡± I raised both of my hands. ¡°I am just being honest.¡±

    Sheughed a little and nodded at me.

    ¡°You are really something, Tali. But I told you, Rozzean is kind. Despite being strict and gruff, he¡¯s a good person. He helped people without hesitation. I can prove you that. I don¡¯t say this because I am staying here, okay? but I really felt that he is a good person. I even got benefits that I never thought I¡¯d get in a job. I have health insurance, and my future is secured if I ever decide to leave this house.¡±

    I licked my lips upon hearing manang. I wanted to hear bad things but Manang has been filling my note about Rozzean¡¯s life that he is not as bad as what I think he is.

    ¡°That kid¡­ he took care of all my documents, so that somehow when I get old and can¡¯t work anymore, I won¡¯t go back to how I used to be.¡±

    I swallowed hard. Back then¡­ Manang was probably referring to when she was in a dire situation, as Rozzean mentioned to me. I will not also let her go back in that kind of life, never.

    ¡°Because of your kindness manang, if ever you decide to leave, a lot would be happy to ept you and treat as their own family,¡±like me¡­

    She smiled and lowered her head.

    ¡°But, Tali, I won¡¯t leave this house until Rozzean gets married,¡± after she said that she looked back at me.

    ¡°I will serve him until all my hair turns white. Our boss is a good person, and, no one is perfect. He gets mad, he throw hurtful words like humans do. You won¡¯t find only goodness in a person after all, right?¡±

    I pressed my lips together before nodding slowly.

    Actually, what Rozzean did is admirable. She changed Manang¡¯s life. But then the other part of me still wanted to see bad things that would change my father¡¯s decision for me to marry Rozzean.

    ¡°Maybe I just got scared when he¡¯s shouting manang,¡± I said.

    But, you¡¯re going a bit overboard in trying to find something to use against him to prevent your wedding, Thaliana. You are ignoring the goodness in him, you are closing your eyes and ears.

    Am I being unfair? is this a bad idea?ing here in his house?

    ¡°Manang, please prepare the food in the gazebo.¡±

    I quickly stood up and turned my head when I heard Rozzean¡¯s voice. I saw him putting on his watch. I looked at him up and down. He was wearing khaki shorts and a ck polo shirt, with white slides on his feet. His hair was a bit messy.

    He¡¯s just wearing simple clothes, but he looks so expensive. I suddenly want to get closer because his appearance tells me he smells good too.Damn, Thaliana!

    ¡°Okay, what else do you want me to do?¡± manang asked.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± he answered. When he looked at me, I immediately lowered my gaze. I stared for quite a while.

    ¡°Tali,e with me to the garden.¡±

    I felt surprised when he said that. At first, I thought he would ask me to help Manang, and I also remembered that he had told us not to go to the garden.

    ¡°Sir?¡± I asked, ncing at Manang.

    ¡°The flowers need to be cut, they¡¯re wilting,¡± Rozzean said, then turned away. On my side, I saw Manang grab the basket from under the cab and hand it to me.

    ¡°Go ahead, dear, I¡¯ll take care of the food,¡± she told me. I was hesitant at first but then I took the basket.

    ¡°Uhm, okay, Manang, I¡¯ll help you in the gazebo as soon as I¡¯m done with¨C¡±

    I stopped when I heard Rozzean¡¯s baritone voice echoed.

    ¡°Tali.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead,¡± manang smiled at me and tapped my shoulder.

    ¡°Later, manang!¡± I said. I hurriedly left and went to the garden. In my one week here in Rozzean¡¯s house, this is the first time I¡¯ve entered his garden. I haven¡¯t entered yet but the pathway made my lips parted.

    So beautiful. Is he the one who choose this? the colorbination of the tiles connects with the trees andThere are so many flowers here. Different kinds too.

    I went inside and while I am admiring the ce, I stopped when he speak.

    ¡°Do you know how to arrange flowers in a vase?¡± Rozzean asked me. He was walking while looking at the flowers. He was also picking the ones that had already bloomed and those that were about to wilt.

    My heart suddenly beat a little bit fast. I love arranging flowers!

    ¡°Y-Yes, sir,¡± I replied.

    I¡¯m really good at it. It¡¯s my job, after all.I¡¯m a florist and studied abroad about different flower arrangements.

    Rozzean raised his hand, holding a bunch of flowers. I quickly took them and ced them in the basket. I smiled as I saw the colorful flowers. They were just right for picking. I suddenly missed my shop.

    ¡°Beautiful flowers,¡± I whispered.

    I looked at Rozzean again as he continued to pick. I am surprised. He knew exactly what the flowers should look like when they needed to be picked.

    ¡°Tali.¡±

    I approached him immediately when he called. His hands were now full of flowers. I took them and put them in the basket. It¡¯s quite delightful that someone like him, a man who has more important things to do, would do this.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°We have plenty now, sir,¡± I said as I looked at the basket.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ce them in the living room and in my room.¡±

    I nodded. After he finished picking the flowers, the two of us sat on the side where there was a table and three chairs. There were already four vases to put the flowers in, each of different sizes.

    Hmm, the flowers are so beautiful. I couldn¡¯t help but look and smile. I nced up and saw my boss in front of me. As I started arranging the flowers in the vase, he just watched me, observing what I was doing.Can he stop watching me?!

    I¡¯m used to having customers in my shop who watch me arrange flowers, but Rozzean is different. He made me a bit ufortable.Stay focused, Tangi. Don¡¯t let your mind wander.

    I cut the flower stems. The first arrangement I created had an oval shape. When I was happy with it, I smiled. I ced it to the side and began working on the second one. Oh, it made me realize how much I missed arranging flowers!

    I didn¡¯t realize that I had been smiling the whole time I was arranging the flowers. I was enjoying it so much that I forgot Rozzean was right in front of me. When I looked at him, I was surprised when our eyes met.

    My throat suddenly went dry.

    ¡°S-Sir, is there a problem?¡±

    ¡°Where did you learn to arrange flowers, Tali?¡± he asked. His eyebrows forming a line.

    ¡°Those are not basic flower arrangements.¡±

    Oh no. I-I got carried away.

 Busted

    I swallow hard. I had been so focused on arranging the flowers that I forgot Rozzean might know about different flower arrangements. And, as a maid, these arrangements weren¡¯t as basic as he thought. Thaliana, you forgot you¡¯re not wealthy, and you didn¡¯t even finish a college degree!

    ¡°W-What, sir?¡±

    Pretending not to understand what he said.

    ¡°That¡¯s a tussie-mussie. Suitable for my room. I like it.¡±

    My nervouseness disappeared because of what I heard from Rozzean. H-He¡¯s right. The other flower arrangement that I did is a tussie-mussie. And wow. I was a little surprised that he knows the name.

    But did he say that he likes it?

    ¡°H-Huh? What is that, sir?¡± I asked. He got up and took the tussie-mussie. My heart started beating fast. It felt unusual. His knowledge about flowers and how he carefully picked them earlier made me feel warm inside.

    ¡°Take one to the gazebo and the other to the living room. I¡¯ll bring this one to my room,¡± Rozzean said.

    I observed him as he walked away. It surprised me that he knew various flower arrangements. I nced around at his beautifully maintained garden. I used to think he just liked having one here, but the more I looked, the more I realized that he genuinely enjoys caring for this ce.

    I wondered about how he developed his love for nts.

    ¡°He touches them with care¡­¡± I whispered. I couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    ¡°And the tussie¡­ he said he likes it¡­¡± I get a lot ofpliments from customers in my flowershop whenever I arranged their ordered flowers but, with those words from Rozzean, I felt like I really did something great as a florist.

    I walked to the gazebo with a smile on my face. I couldn¡¯t wipe off my smile until I saw Manang.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re done?¡± she asked me.

    ¡°Yes, sir went up right away to ce one vase in his room,¡± I replied and set one vase of flowers in the middle of the table. I was moving it, looking for the perfect angle.

    ¡°That¡¯s beautiful¡­¡± Manangmented. I licked my lips and nodded, I remembered Rozzean again. Wait, that¡¯s enough.

    ¡°Thank you, Manang! by the way, are all the dishes here? what do I need to do now?¡±

    She shook her head and touched the vase. ¡°Yes, dear, I¡¯ve set out all the tes and drinks; everything is set, just take a rest,¡± she said to me.

    The food was neatly arranged on the table. So, the only thing missing now was Rozzean¡¯s guest. I wonder who¡¯s his guest is. Is it a woman? He even had the flowers arranged. But thinking that if it is really a woman, my heart reacted a bit. And I felt wrong for feeling this way.

    ¡°Manang, I¡¯ll just bring these two flowers inside,¡± I informed.

    ¡°Oh, let me do it. You stay here and wait for sir; I¡¯m going to the gate to inform the guards about the iing guest.¡±

    As I was about to leave, Manang took carefully the flowers from me.

    ¡°Alright, Manang.¡±

    I was left alone, gazing at the flowers I had arranged. When I saw Rozzean taking the one I had made earlier and saying he¡¯d bring it to his room, I felt something unusual.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening to me?¡±

    The smile that Rozzean had brought to my face disappeared when I thought about his guest. Beforeing here in this house, I was excited to see a woman with him, hoping for some evidence of a close rtionship. But now, I have this heavy feeling as I contemte these thoughts.

    ¡°He is pestering my mind, and what the hell am I smiling for earlier¡­ he just said that he likes it.¡±

    And he even said he liked it. I felt it¡¯s true. Now my heart is beating a little bit fast again.

    ¡°Oh, Thaliana Tangi. Your heartbeat is not normal again.¡±

    I ced my hand on my chest and took a deep breath. My heart was indeed not beating normally. I wasn¡¯t happy anymore. It had only been a week, and I was losing sight of the real reason I came here.

    It appears that I might be returning home earlier than I thought. Based on what Manang mentioned and what I¡¯ve observed about Rozzean, it seems like he doesn¡¯t have any negative qualities that I could use to escape our marriage.

    I let out a deep breath.

    ¡°Miss maid?¡±

    Suddenly, someone called me¨Ca man. But the voice is familiar? I turned to the person but I almost took a step back when I saw his face.

    W-What¡­

    ¡°Miss maid, where is your boss-¡±

    My heart leaped in my chest, and my eyes widened as I saw who was in front of me. Damn it. W-What is this ugly person doing here?!

    ¡°What¡­¡± he scanned my face.

    The man in front of me is actually my cousin, Maki Lincoln D Vezca Roman! We used to have a lot of fights when we were kids. He¡¯s 32 years old, single, and known for being popr with thedies.

    I turned my back immediately, my one hand covered my mouth. Sht. Did he recognize me?! I looked back so fast and saw his eyebrows furrowed as he looked at me, seemingly trying to recognize me.

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    It looked like he had figured it out.

    ¡°Hey, you look like-oh my fcking sht.¡±

    I closed my eyes tightly as I felt like he had recognized me. Sometimes, luck just isn¡¯t on your side. Out of all the ces in the world and all the people, why did I have to run into this cousin jerk here?!ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

    ¡°What the hell, Thaliana?¡±

    I am dead!

    ¡°Thaliana, is that you?¡±

    He approached me, tilting my head to get a better look at me. He removed his sunsses and stared intensely at me. I can¡¯t escape this idiot. He knows me very well! we grew up together!

    ¡°The height, the body, the hair color. Even with bangs, that fake mole, and¡­¡± he raised an eyebrow. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you put on your face, but I recognize you. You can¡¯t fool me.¡±

    I was caught. I smiled at him and waved my hand.

    ¡°H-Hello?¡±

    I turned to him. He is now seriously looking at me!

    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that smile and say hello like we just bumped into a public ce. This isn¡¯t just anywere.¡±

    My throat went dry, I breathed hard and lowered my head for a moment. It never came in my mind that someone close to me¨Cso close would find out about my n this early.

    ¡°Now, Thaliana Tangi, what are you doing in Rozzean¡¯s house?¡±

    Chapter 20 Part II.

    The moment I heard that, I raised to looked back at him.

    What?! Damn, he¡¯s Rozzean¡¯s friend?! h-he is the guest?

    I take back what I said earlier! Maki is a yboy, and he¡¯s friends with Rozzean! Their intentions might be connected!

    ¡°You are the guest Rozzean was waiting and not a woman?¡± There was no disappointment in me, but I felt even more relieved. What¡¯s really going on, Thaliana?

    ¡°I am! but, exin to me first. What are you doing here in my friend¡¯s house, huh? did Tita George knows about this? thest time I heard from them, you were in Pwan, Grand said that you are engaged and you wanted a vacation first and they¨C¡± when he processed everything his eyes widened at me.

    ¡°Holysht, Thaliana. You lied to your parents¨Chmmpp!¡± I immediately went to his side and covered his mouth. This is a mess, if Dad found out, he will get mad at me.

    ¡°Fck shut up right now and listen to me¡­¡± I whispered.

    I nced around, no one in sight, and I quickly pinched Maki on his arm before I let him go.

    ¡°Ouch, Thaliana, what are you¡­ that hurt.¡±

    I red at him.

    ¡°I am engaged yes, and I am on a vacation, that¡¯s true¨C¡±

    ¡°You call this a vacation? you are wearing a maid¡¯s uniform! here! in my friend¡¯s house! what joke is this? you, a daughter of a billionaire is a maid in someonelse house? my friend should know¨C¡±

    I hit his arm that made him groaned.

    ¡°If you tell Rozzean who I am, you¡¯ll regret it, Maki. I¡¯m telling you,¡± I warned him.

    ¡°That hurts!¡± heined.

    ¡°Okay! I won¡¯t tell him!¡±  I know he is a afraid of me.

    ¡°But, what on earth are you doing here?¡± he asked.

    ¡°You seem to be in a bad mood today, huh? That¡¯s why when I visited your parents¡¯ house to check on you, they mentioned that you were on vacation. I almost went to your ce to have flowers arranged for my girlfriend. But it turns out this is what they meant by ¡®vacation.''¡±

    He had a teasing tone in his voice. When I tried to hit him again, he dodged.

    ¡°Just don¡¯t tell your friend about me, Maki Lincoln. I¡¯m here because my father wants me to get married yes that¡±s true. He told me that if I don¡¯t agree, I have to leave the country and live in the States.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°I know you don¡¯t want to get married.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and now I¡¯m here to see if the man I¡¯m going to marry is deserving. I¡¯m here to gather proof that he¡¯s someone who dates many women so that our marriage won¡¯t happen.¡±

    I crossed my arms and stared at him. His thick eyebrows furrowed. He looks confused.

    ¡°What does your marriage have to do with being at my friend¡¯s house-¡±

    Maki stopped mid-sentence, and I nodded, indicating he had understood what I said. And who is his friend in my life.

    ¡°Oh fcker, Rozzean is the man uncle wants you to marry?!¡±

    ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s why I asked for a two-month vacation to investigate your friend because Dad and I made a deal. If I can prove to him that Rozzean is a womanizer or if I find any records I don¡¯t like, I¡¯ll have the freedom to make my own choices in life, which includes not marrying anyone.¡±

    When I saw Rozzeaning, I quickly stood properly. He was still a distance away, but I needed to silence my cousin.

    ¡°You¡­ are¡­ crazy¡­¡± Maki said, shaking his head slowly. Looking at me in disbelief.

    ¡°I am and I am warning you, Maki, if you tell this to my family and to Rozzean, I will hunt you down to hell.¡±

    The corner of my lips lifted when I saw him swallow hard. Even when we were kids, he was scared of me. I know that he still is.

    ¡°Thaliana, you¡¯re scary, you know? You give me the creeps.¡±

    I smiled. I pretended to entertain him so that my boss wouldn¡¯t be suspicious.

    ¡°You know me, Maki. Also, if you help me with this n, I will give you a lifetime supply of bouquets. You can have flowers for your b/tches for free.¡±

    From the corner of my eye, I saw that Rozzean was just a few steps away from us.

    ¡°Okay, deal.¡±

    When I heard what Maki said, I turned to face my boss and I saw his serious eyes staring at us.

    ¡°Hey, Bud! How¡¯s it going?¡± Maki greeted him.

    But instead of responding to my cousin¡¯s question, he said something else.

    ¡°What are you two talking about? You were so close with each other.¡±

 Busted Part II

    The moment I heard that, I raised to looked back at him.

    What?! Damn, he¡¯s Rozzean¡¯s friend?! h-he is the guest?

    I take back what I said earlier! that maybe Rozzean is a good guy because  hell, Maki is a yboy, and they are friends! Their intentions might be connected! womanizer! yboy!

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Thaliana? and what is this?¡± he asked.

    I massaged my temple.

    ¡°You are the guest Rozzean was waiting and not a woman?¡± There was no disappointment in me, but I felt even more relieved. What¡¯s really going on?

    ¡°I am! but, exin to me first. What are you doing here in my friend¡¯s house, huh? did Uncle George knows about this? thest time I heard from them, you were in Pwan, Grand said that you are engaged and you wanted a vacation first and they¨C¡± when he processed everything his eyes widened at me.

    ¡°Holysht, Thaliana. You lied to your parents you¨Chmmpp!¡± I immediately went to his side and covered his mouth. This is a mess, if Dad found out, he will get mad at me.

    ¡°Fcking shut up right now and listen to me¡­¡± I whispered.

    I nced around, no one in sight, and I quickly pinched Maki on his arm before I let him go.

    ¡°Ouch, Thaliana, what are you¡­ that hurt.¡±

    I red at him.

    ¡°I am engaged yes, and I am on a vacation, that¡¯s true¨C¡±

    ¡°You call this a vacation? you are wearing a maid¡¯s uniform! here! in my friend¡¯s house! what joke is this? you, a daughter of a billionaire is a maid in someonelse house? my friend should know¨C¡±

    I hit his arm that made him groaned.

    ¡°If you tell Rozzean who I am, you¡¯ll regret it, Maki. I¡¯m telling you,¡± I warned him.

    ¡°That hurts!¡± heined.

    ¡°Okay! I won¡¯t tell him!¡± I know he is a afraid of me.

    ¡°You seem to be in a bad mood today, huh? That¡¯s why when I visited your parents¡¯ house to check on you, they mentioned that you were on vacation. I almost went to your ce to have flowers arranged for my girlfriend. But it turns out this is what they meant by ¡®vacation.''¡±

    He had a teasing tone in his voice. When I tried to hit him again, he dodged.

    ¡°Just don¡¯t tell your friend about me, Maki Lincoln. I¡¯m here because my father wants me to get married yes that¡±s true. He told me that if I don¡¯t agree, I have to leave the country and live in the States.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°I know you don¡¯t want to get married. It¡¯s not even a secret.¡±

    The whole family  was aware that¡¯s why Dad made a decison by himself and arranged me to marry Rozzean.

    ¡°Yeah, and now I¡¯m here to see if the man I¡¯m going to marry is deserving. I¡¯m here to gather proof that he¡¯s someone who dates many women so that our marriage won¡¯t happen.¡±

    I crossed my arms and stared at him. His thick eyebrows furrowed. He looks confused.

    ¡°What does your marriage have to do with being at my friend¡¯s house-¡±

    Maki stopped mid-sentence, and I nodded, indicating he had understood what I said. And who is his friend in my life.

    ¡°Oh fcker, Rozzean is the man uncle wants you to marry?!¡±

    ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s why I asked for a two-month vacation to investigate your friend because Dad and I made a deal. If I can prove to him that Rozzean is a womanizer or if I find any records I don¡¯t like, I¡¯ll have the freedom to make my own choices in life, which includes not marrying anyone.¡±

    When I saw Rozzeaning, I quickly stood properly. He was still a distance away, but I needed to silence my cousin.

    ¡°You¡­ are¡­ crazy¡­¡± Maki said, shaking his head slowly. Looking at me in disbelief.

    ¡°I am and I am warning you, Maki, if you tell this to my family and to Rozzean, I will hunt you down to hell.¡±

    The corner of my lips lifted when I saw him swallow hard. Even when we were kids, he was scared of me. I know that he still is.

    ¡°Thaliana, you¡¯re scary, you know? You give me the creeps.¡±

    I smiled. I pretended to entertain him so that my boss wouldn¡¯t be suspicious.

    ¡°You know me, Maki. Also, if you help me with this n, I will give you a lifetime supply of bouquets. You can have flowers for your b/tches for free.¡±

    From the corner of my eye, I saw that Rozzean was just a few steps away from us. Dang! he is watching us!

    ¡°Okay, deal.¡±

    When I heard what Maki said, I turned to face my boss and I saw his serious eyes staring at us.

    ¡°Hey, Bud! How¡¯s it going?¡± Maki greeted him.

    But instead of responding to my cousin¡¯s question, he said something else.

    ¡°What are you two talking about? You were so close with each other.¡±

    My cousin and I exchanged nces. I immediately thought of what to say to Rozzean, but I was surprised when Maki suddenly put his arm around me. What the? this idiot!

    ¡°You know I¡¯m friendly with everyone, Rozz, even with the maids. I was just asking this lovelydy where you were,¡± Maki said, and I felt him squeeze my shoulder.

    I saw Rozzean nce over there. Before I could say anything, he walked past us and headed towards the gazebo. I looked at Maki, gave him an annoyed look, and removed his hand from my shoulder. This guy, he¡¯s always so annoying, and he doesn¡¯t even need to touch me for pete¡¯s sake!

    ¡°Tali,e here,¡± Rozzean called to me. I immediately obeyed, and Maki followed me. He sat in front of my boss, and I sat on the side.

    ¡°What¡¯s that, sir?¡± I asked.

    I really didn¡¯t expect to be caught so quickly, and what¡¯s even worse is that my talkative cousin caught me. We used to call him ¡°Daldalito¡± because he talks too much when we were kids. He¡¯s a very chatty guy.

    I was also a bit scared and nervous because Maki is the kind of person who can¡¯t keep a secret. He¡¯s not good at hiding things.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Nothing. Just stay there, so if I need anything, I can tell you right away.¡±

    ¡°Okay, sir.¡±

    When I noticed Maki looking at me with a smile, I shot him a stern look. He is teasing me!

    ¡°Maki, stop looking at my maid. Have you changed? I didn¡¯t know you had this kind of taste now.¡±

    But suddenly that words made me gasped. I felt insulted by what Rozzean said. The goodness I saw in him fading. It¡¯s early to say he is kind, Thaliana.

    ¡°You are so mean, Rozz! she¡¯s cute! What¡¯s her name? I only saw her in your house now. I was herest month, right? Where are your other maids?¡± Maki asked.

    Rozzean started to get some food. I stood beside them quietly even though I wanted to pull out my cousin¡¯s tongue.

    ¡°I¡¯ve let them go. They are not real maids. They just want to jump on my bed.¡±

    Makiughed when he heard Rozzean¡¯s answer. Then, he suddenly raised his eyebrows at my boss. I quickly turned my head to see where he was looking and realized he was looking at Rozzean¡¯s forehead, so I straightened up.

    I suddenly remembered throwing a shoe at him.

    ¡°What happened to your forehead, bud? Did you get into a fight?¡±

    My boss looked at me, and I quickly averted my gaze. Guilty.

    ¡°Do you know what happened, Miss maid?¡± Maki asked me.

    I bit my lower lip. I didn¡¯t mean it. When I looked at my cousin, I was ready to say that I was the one responsible, but I didn¡¯t expect his response.

    ¡°A cat fell on me and scratched my forehead.¡±

    I quickly shifted my gaze to him. Why did he cover for me? Why didn¡¯t he tell the truth? I just threw the shoe at him without saying a word.

    ¡°A cat? Do you have a cat in your house? You hate cats. How would a cat scratch you?¡±

    It¡¯s not the lie that caught me this time, it¡¯s that Rozzean hates cats.

    That¡¯s not okay for me and when Maki knows I love animals, especially cats.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe that¡¯s because  of an animal. Hmm, Rozz, you are hiding something from me,¡± Maki said, his tone indicating that he wanted Rozzean to confess something. When he got no answer, he scooped up some rice and grabbed some sisig and seafood. He had a mischievous grin on his face.

    Once I get home, I will get back to this evil cousin of mine!

    ¡°Stop it, Maki. This is just a small bruise,¡± finally Rozzean spoke.

    ¡°If you say so¡­¡± the evil fcker cousin answered and nced at me.

    Just wait, Maki. You¡¯ll see the devil once I¡¯m home.

    Rozzean started eating. The first thing he tasted was the spicy chicken barbecue. I watched and waited for any instructions from him. But Maki was acting like a fool. He kept looking at me with a grin. I felt like he was up to something.

    If he dared¡­ he knew how to make me angry.

    ¡°By the way, Rozz, did you meet the model again? The one we met at the bar? Didn¡¯t you drive her home?¡±

    My lips dropped open, a little surprised when I heard what Maki said. I looked at Rozzean and suddenly something inside of me wanted him to say that it was a lie.

    ¡°Is she the cat that scratched you? Is she wild?¡± my devil of a cousinughed heartily.

    Maki is enjoying this! He knows I¡¯m here to see if Rozzean is a good guy, and now he¡¯s spilling things about their nights out! I wanted to smack him! he is doing this because of me! He knows now that his friend is my fiance and¨C

    W-Wait, why am I getting annoyed?

    ¡°That woman is sexy as hell. I told you that night that I would take her home, but she chose you. Lucky ass,¡± then he turned his eyes at me.

    I should be happy because I found out he¡¯s dating a model¡­

    ¡°Does your boss bring women here, Miss Maid?¡±

    My lips parted. It¡¯s so easy to be honest, but I didn¡¯t know why¡­ and what is this heavy feeling in my chest?

    I swallowed hard. ¡°S-Sir¨C¡± But before I could finish my words, he cut me off.

    ¡°Oh, for sure you will not throw bad things at your boss. Later when we¡¯re alone, you can tell me.¡±

    He was smiling at me, and he even winked! But what I didn¡¯t expect was when Rozzean put down his utensils, creating a loud sound.

    ¡°Maki Lincoln¡­¡± he said, and I heard the danger in his tone. His eyes were sharply focused on Maki.

 He Hates Liars

    So¡­ a model, huh?

    Rozzean quickly nced at me before answering my cousin.

    ¡°Maki, I didn¡¯t drive that girl home, Colver did. I can¡¯t stand her. I don¡¯t like her smell,¡± Rozzean replied.

    My cousinughed again at what my boss said. Then, Maki looked at me for a moment before taking a bite. Fck this ass.

    But to be honest, I suddenly felt relieved when I heard my boss¡¯s response.

    O-Okay¡­ this is weird.

    Earlier when I heard what Maki said, I was surprised. I felt annoyed upon learning that Rozzean drove a girl home, and she¡¯s a model.

    And now, I felt even better when Rozzean said he didn¡¯t drive her and that he didn¡¯t like her smell.

    I don¡¯t like this feeling¡­

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s delicious!¡± Maki eximed.

    Doesn¡¯t he know my cooking? He used to eat at our ce often, and I¡¯m always the one who cooks the food. I remembered he was a chubby high school kid back then.

    ¡°Who cooked this? Do you have a chef at your house, Rozz?¡±

    Rozzean shook his head, ¡°She cooked it,¡± pointing me.

    ¡°Really?¡± Maki looked at me. What I understood from Maki¡¯s ¡°really¡± was like saying, ¡®I knew it,¡¯ because he used to hang out at our house and eat, so he knew the taste of my cooking. But why pretend he didn¡¯t know? Hmp.

    ¡°I don¡¯t usually praise someone because of delicious food. But, you are a great cook, Miss maid!¡± he said to me.

    I rolled my eyes. It seemed like Maki was messing with me. From the way he was talking and the looks he was giving, I knew what he meant. He¡¯s lucky I¡¯m in maid mode right now.

    If I were Thaliana, you¡¯d have received a p by now.

    ¡°The food are delicious,¡± he said after a few bite. ¡°You are a great cook, Miss maid!¡±

    ¡°Thank you, sir,¡± I replied.

    I gave him a warning look when Rozzean was not watching and I even bit my lower lip to remind him to stop what he was doing.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name again, Miss maid?¡±

    But darn. He really won¡¯t stop with the attention!

    ¡°W-Well, Sir Maki¨C¡±

    ¡°Why do you need to know? Just keep on eating, Maki. Don¡¯t give me the impression that you¡¯re interested in my maid,¡± Rozzean cut me off, his eyebrows furrowed.

    ¡®My maid.¡¯ Seriously, Rozzean? Are you iming me now?

    ¡°Bud¡­ why do you look so pissed? You know among us friends, I¡¯m the friendliest.¡±

    Makiughed again. I didn¡¯t know what my annoying cousin was up to. When they fell silent, I just watched them eat.

    I nced at Rozzean, who drank some water and wiped his mouth with a tissue. I remembered the model girl Maki mentioned earlier. It meant that Rozzean was sensitive to smells. Suddenly, I smelled myself. I¡¯m not really a fan of perfumes. I got concious.

    ¡°I¡¯m full! Wow, it¡¯s been a while since I ate this much. Thanks to you, Miss maid, you cook so well. Do you know that the way to a man¡¯s heart is through his stomach? You¡¯ve already got my heart!¡± my devilish cousin said.

    Disgusting.

    I saw Rozzean frown at Maki¡¯sment. He took another sip of water and drained his ss. Then he refilled it and drank again. Was he really that thirsty?

    ¡°Rozz, can I borrow your maid for three days? It seems like I want to¨C¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    My patience for this ass is running out!

    ¡°Even for a day, bud? I¡¯ll just cook at home¨C¡±

    ¡°I said no, Maki. Why are you being so persistent?¡± he asked, clearly annoyed.

    ¡°I need Tali here in my house.¡±

    Maki showed a mischievous smile.

    ¡°So her name is Tali,¡± he said, turning to me, ¡°Tali, if Rozzean ever fires you, make sure to tell me right away, okay? I¡¯m willing to take on a maid even if I¡¯m not looking. I wanted a cute maid who can cook delicious food. A maid like you¨C¡±

    ¡°Maki.¡±

    I winced when I heard Rozzean¡¯s serious tone. He had run out of patience when he sounded like that.

    But why is he so irritated? Maki was just asking about me ¨C his maid. Why is he frowning and crossing his arms?

    This is not a normal reaction from a boss.

    ¡°Ohh¡­ Rozz, isn¡¯t it that your maids usuallyst only a week, and then you start looking for new ones again? You¡¯re lucky if theyst a month because you fire them all. If, by any chance, you let Tali go¨C¡±

    ¡°I will never fire her, Maki.¡±

    Maki leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

    ¡°You have one rule, Rozz, even if Tali breaks that one rule?¡±

    I took a step closer to see Rozzean¡¯s reaction. I really wanted to see his response!

    But when he turned to look at me, I quickly looked away into the distance. Darn it!

    ¡°Don¡¯t be annoying, Maki Lincoln.¡±

    He didn¡¯t answer my cousin¡¯s question! And what¡¯s with ¡°I will never fire her¡±? We had an agreement, as Maki mentioned. If I ever develop feelings for Rozzean, I need to leave this house. That¡¯s his only rule.

    Now, what does he mean by he will never fire me? Does it mean that even if I develop feelings, I can stay in his house?

    And from the tone of his voice, his annoyance was evident, while my cousin had a triumphant grin. Was that his intention? To irritate Rozzean? Does he feel something I don¡¯t?

    Clearly, my boss doesn¡¯t want to let go of me. That¡¯s what his words and actions convey.

    Suddenly, I wanted to talk to Maki!

    I took a deep breath. I didn¡¯t want to name what came to mind after this realization. I¡¯ve only been in the mansion for a week; there¡¯s no way Rozzean is interested in me ¨C his maid. No way.

    With a lousy maid like me? I don¡¯t think so.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the rooftop, Maki. We¡¯ll discuss your purpose in my house there,¡± Rozzean said, standing up and walking away.

    I was about to follow, but he hadn¡¯t gone far when he turned and looked at me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t follow me, just stay here, or go to the garden and arrange some flowers.¡±

    My boss turned away again and walked off.

    ¡°Okay, okay¡­¡± I looked at Maki.

    ¡°Rozzean never let anyone in his garden; why would he¡­¡± then he suddenly smiled.

    ¡°Whoa¡­ it seems like I¡¯ll be visiting more often, Thaliana. I think I need to rify some things,¡± he said meaningfully to me.

    I raised an eyebrow. What does he mean by that?

    He approached me and patted my shoulder, then tousled my hair.

    ¡°I know Rozzean isn¡¯t a violent person, but I don¡¯t like the idea of this, Thaliana. My advice to you is to go home,¡± he said seriously.

    I paused.

    ¡°Maki¡­¡±

    ¡°This is not good, Thaliana. What you did wasn¡¯t right if you want to get to know Rozzean. What are you going to do after you find out what you want to know?¡±

    ¡°You will still meet him. You¡¯ll face each other, and what will he think when he finds out that his fiancee and Tali, his maid, are the same person?¡±

    ¡°Thaliana, Rozzean hates liars. He gets angry in a different way, I¡¯m telling you. I¡¯m saying this to you because you¡¯re my cousin, and I¡¯m concerned about your decision. It¡¯s still early; go back home. Don¡¯t prolong your stay here at the house and deceive Rozzean and introduce yourself as someone else.¡±

    ¡°He hasn¡¯t seen you in person yet, and you should be grateful for that. But our world is small, Thaliana, and he might find out about you tomorrow or the day after. You¡¯re not that hard to notice. There have been few changes in your appearance.¡±

    ¡°Go home; don¡¯t wait for Rozzean to find out the truth. He¡¯ll surely get angry and kick you out.¡±

    I can¡¯t imagine that.

    My lips parted. I couldn¡¯t find any words to respond to Maki because everything he said made sense.

    ¡°Maki Lincoln!¡± my serious boss shouted. We both turned to look at him.

    ¡°Yes, baby! I¡¯ming!¡± Maki teased.

    Before he turned away, he tapped my shoulder again.

    ¡°Think about what I said, Thaliana.¡±

 Whatéˆ¥æªš Going On?

    Maki had already left, but I remained motionless in my spot. I couldn¡¯t help but rey his words in my mind. I often heard Maki saying silly things, but this was the first time he spoke with such seriousness.

    ¡°Ahhh, what now? Should I leave? But it¡¯s only been a week¡­¡±

    But I couldn¡¯t ignore what Maki had told me and be stubborn about my decision. He was right. Once Rozzean found out about my n and that Thaliana his fiancee and Tali, his maid was the same person, he would surely get angry with me.

    What I did was nad, it was deceitful. I entered his home as Tali, lied a lot about myself to carry out my desperate n to prevent my father¡¯s wishes. I can¡¯t even picture Rozzean¡¯s face being mad at me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know now¡­¡±

    Part of me was awakened by Maki¡¯s words, but the other also didn¡¯t want to leave. I didn¡¯t know if it was because I wanted to find a reason to tarnish Rozzean¡¯s image in my father¡¯s eyes or if it was for another reason.

    I let out a deep sigh. I looked at the table and began clearing the dishes. I noticed Rozzean¡¯s te. He imed that seafood was his favorite, but he didn¡¯t take any. Plus, he hardly ate anything. He didn¡¯t even have breakfast earlier. Is he in a  badmood? or the food was not delicious?

    It was a little bit disappointing on my part.

    He said seafood was his favorite, but he didn¡¯t eat any. Not even a single shrimp or mussel.

    ¡°I¡¯m eating mussels, Tali.¡±

    What was that? he was  happy when he said that to me.

    I sadly cleared the dishes in the gazebo and took them inside to the kitchen. I stored the leftovers in the refrigerator to prevent them from spoiling. We could have them for dinner tonight. It might be just Manang and me; I¡¯ll just reheat them. If Rozzean wants something else, I¡¯ll cook it for him. But to be honest, I lost my mood.

    ¡°Oh, Tali? Where are they, sir?¡±

    Manang had just entered the kitchen, carrying a basket of oranges. That¡¯s too many. Where did she get those?

    ¡°They¡¯re on the rooftop, Manang. They went there after eating in the gazebo. Where did you get those oranges, by the way?¡± I asked, tilting my head at the basket she was carrying.

    She ced it on the table and then grabbed a fruit container.

    ¡°From the neighbor¡¯s farm. They have an orange orchard. They often send us freshly harvested oranges,¡± she replied, she was even smiling.

    Manang left half of them in the basket. She went to the fridge to store the remaining oranges, and then returned to take the ones she had ced in the fruit container.

    ¡°Is the neighbor close to Sir, Manang?¡± I inquired. Because that¡¯s a  lot.

    She shook her head, ¡°No, but she is kind. It¡¯s a youngdy, and I think she has a crush on Sir because she frequently sends over theirtest orange harvest.¡±

    My eyebrows rose.

    Ady¡­ and has a crush on Rozzean?

    Manang walked over to the sink and began washing the oranges. Haaa¡­ that exins it. A single youngdy who sends over oranges every harvest. I can¡¯t handle this; he¡¯s losing maids because they develop feelings for him, and now he has a neighbor who sends him oranges every time they harvest.

    You¡¯re handsome, Rozzean, but you¡¯re so annoying because a lot of women likes you.

    But  isn¡¯t this the reason? to see proof that he is not good for me?

    ¡°Thatdy is wealthy, Tali, smart, sexy, and very beautiful. She also has a good reputation, and many admirers. But it seems she really fancies Sir because as far as I know, she¡¯s still single. She is waiting for our boss, oh I hope sir would take an action.¡±

    I blinked.

    Suddenly, I wanted to see the face of the woman Manang was telling me about.

    ¡°Does Sir notice her, Manang?¡± I asked.

    ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t. But Rozzean knows that ri is the source of the oranges.¡±

    So, ri is the name.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite fitting because he loves oranges. You¡¯ll seeter when he spots these oranges, he¡¯ll take some.¡±

    Is that so?

    ¡°Sometimes, I¡¯m asked to peel the oranges for hiim and take them to his room.¡±

    Her name is ri. Well, in fairness, the name is beautiful. But Thaliana Tangi is still more beautiful.

    ¡°A basket gets consumed quickly. Once ri finds out her supply is gone, she sends more.¡±

    It seems that I don¡¯t need to think about the model anymore, given what Manang just told me. It¡¯s the ¡°orange girl¡± I should be concerned about because Rozzean loves to eat oranges.

    ¡°Ah, she seems nice, Manang,¡± I said, forcing a smile.

    She smiled back at me. After she finished washing the oranges, she dried each one and neatly ced them in the fruit container on the table. Now, it wasn¡¯t pleasant to hear that there¡¯s a woman in this vige who likes Rozzean. And this is because of what I feel about him.

    Just when I was having second thoughts about whether to go home or not to continue our marriage, there¡¯s a sexy, wealthy, intelligent, and beautiful woman waiting for him.

    I suddenly looked at Manang.

    ¡°Manang, what should I say to Sir if I decide to resign? I mean, what¡¯s a good reason to give him?¡±

    ¡°Why? Why, my dear?¡± She suddenly stopped what she was doing.

    Her reaction caught me off guard. She was probably wondering why I was suddenly asking about leaving.

    ¡°I-I was just asking.¡±

    She continued with her work.

    ¡°You should talk to Sir about it, dear. But please think it over, okay? It would be quite sad if you leave for good.¡±

    I scratched my neck. I hadn¡¯t said anything about leaving yet. Maybe I¡¯d wait three or four days before talking to Rozzean. He would definitely be puzzled, and he might even think it¡¯s because of Maki.

    Maki had even mentioned that if Rozzean ever fired me, he would hire me as his maid.

    Maybe Rozzean would think differently if I made a sudden decision to leave.

    ¡°Okay, Manang.¡±

    She smiled faintly at me and set the cloth she was holding down. Then, she reached into the pocket of her uniform and retrieved her cellphone. I heard it vibrating. She answered it, and I stood up to open the fridge and get some water.

    ¡°Hello, sir?¡±

    I suddenly turned to Manang when I heard what she said. She was talking to Rozzean?

    ¡°Five cans of beer, sir?¡±

    ¡°No problem, sir. Anything else?¡±

    I approached Manang and whispered, ¡°Manang, I¡¯ll take care of it!¡±

    She smiled at me and gave an okay sign.

    ¡°Okay, sir. Just the five cans, right? Tali will handle it.¡±

    I turned around and got three cans of beer from a fridge. However, I only managed to grab three when I heard Manang¡¯s voice again.

    ¡°Ahh¡­ I¡¯ll take care of it, sir. Sure.¡±

    I approached Manang and set down the three cans of beer I had grabbed.

    ¡°Tali, sir said I should do it,¡± Manang said, going to the fridge to get two more beer cans.

    I was left pondering. Why didn¡¯t he want me to take the beers for him?

    I sat down and waited until Manang left the kitchen to bring the beer to Rozzean on the rooftop. Since I arrived here, I had always volunteered for these tasks, and he never objected, letting Manang handle them instead.

    Until now.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    I got up, walked to the living room, and turned on the TV, but after a few minutes, I was still fidgeting around, changing channels. Finally, I switched it off and gazed at the flower arrangement in front of me.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because he¡¯s annoyed, that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t let me bring the beer cans. Manang had to do it even though I offered.¡±

    I looked up at the ceiling.

    ¡°What did I do, anyway? I followed all his orders.¡±

    I spent my time in the living room thinking about it. When I heard footsteps on the stairs, I stood up and looked at the staircase. It was Rozzean and Maki, followed by Manang.

    ¡°Thanks for this day, buddy. I¡¯lle back when you¡¯re not so busy. And, join us next time when Revo invites us for drinks. I miss those drinking sessions with friends,¡± Maki said.

    The world is really small for rich people. I didn¡¯t expect that my talkative cousin is friends with Rozzean.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try. You know I¡¯m rarely free, always busy with work,¡± Rozzean replied.

    He nced at me, but quickly turned away. He faced Maki.

    Did he avoid looking at me? what¡¯s wrong with him?

    ¡°But, if you want to have a drink again, call me, maybe at your house?¡± Maki asked my cousin.

    ¡°Huh? That¡¯s a first! You never liked leaving your house, especially when you¡¯re on leave. But, fine, because this is a rare asion, next time we¡¯ll have drinks at my ce.¡±

    Maki said his goodbyes to Rozzean, and when he saw me, he walked towards me.

    You better behave, you rascal.

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving, Tali. Thank you for the delicious meal. I ate a lot. I hope I can taste your cooking again next time,¡± he said with a smile.

    I nodded and, before I could respond, I nced at my serious boss. When our eyes met again, he looked away.

    What¡¯s with that avoidance, Rozzean? It¡¯s the second time.

    I shifted my gaze back to Maki and replied, ¡°O-Of course, Sir Maki.¡±

    Maki looked at Rozzean, ¡°Alright, bud, I¡¯m going.¡±

    Before my cousin could leave or pass by me, he went so close and then whispered something to me.

    ¡°Think about what I said earlier, Thaliana. Trust me. You will not regret leaving this house.¡±

    I looked at him. His words had weight in it. It seems like a warning. But leaving wouldn¡¯t be easy. Rozzean would definitely wonder why I¡¯d leave suddenly.

    But How can I leave?

    After Maki left I was left there thinking until I  heard Rozzean¡¯s baritone voice.

    ¡°Manang Selya, bring me three cans of beer to my room now.¡±ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

    But as I turned to look at him, he was already heading upstairs.

    Is he going to drink again?

 Jealous

    Immediately, Manang followed the order. I, on the other hand, was unsure about the feelings I was experiencing. I felt like Rozzean was avoiding me, but why? is he mad at me?

    When I checked the time, it was already five o¡¯clock, and I hadn¡¯t noticed the hours passing due to deep th. I trailed behind Manang into the kitchen.

    ¡°Manang, should I prepare our dinner? There¡¯s still plenty of food left from what I cooked earlier.¡±

    I gazed at Manang with a puzzled expression, wondering why I felt like I had done something wrong because of the way Rozzean had looked at me.

    ¡°No need, dear. I already asked Sir about it, and he said we shouldn¡¯t bother.¡±

    I nodded in agreement. When Manang set down the three beers on the table, I thought about offering to take them to Rozzean¡¯s room myself. Trying, I need to see if he really is avoiding me of it¡¯s just my imagination.

    ¡°Manang, may I bring those to Sir¡¯s room?¡± I asked with a hopeful smile.

    But before Manang could respond, we heard our master¡¯s voice through the inte.

    ¡°Manang Selya, please take the beers to my room. And don¡¯t forget the ice and a ss.¡±

    What on earth? did he heard us?

    But one thing is for sure. Rozzean really didn¡¯t want me to do it! When Manang Selya  looked at me, she gave me a questionable expression.

    ¡°Did you do something at the gazebo earlier, Tali? Why does it seem like Sir doesn¡¯t want to ask give you things to do? Earlier, when I was on the rooftop and brought some beers, he told me to bring sisig for them to snack on. When I said I¡¯d have you take it up, he didn¡¯t agree.¡±

    What  the hell? he really is avoiding me.

    My eyebrows furrowed upon hearing this from Manang. With my thoughts deep earlier, I hadn¡¯t noticed that she went downstairs to get snacks.

    ¡°Now you¡¯re offering again, but it seems like Sir sensed it and immediately told you to bring the beers into his room. Did you do something earlier to annoy Sir, Tali?¡±

    I was thinking the same thing. Since Maki arrived Rozzean acted a little strange.

    ¡°No, Manang, my cooking seemed delicious, ording to Sir Maki. He wasn¡¯t embarrassed in front of his guest. But our boss¡­ he didn¡¯t eat a lot.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? but Sir likes  the food you cook. Well, why, I wonder what  happened,¡± Manang said, arching her eyebrow.

    I am, too. Did Maki say anything to him? but I trust my cousin, even if he is an asshole, Maki will never break our agreement. That¡¯s not him.

    ¡°Then Sir will drink again, and he has work tomorrow. He doesn¡¯t usually drink at night when he has work the next day.¡±

    I nced at Mannang, she looked puzzled. She knows Rozzean better than anyone, but here she is, baffled by his actions. As she walked away holding the can of beers from the kitchen, she shook her head.

    Then, I was left there, lost in thought.

    From what happened since Maki arrived until he left this afternoon, I tried to distance the reason from my mind for Rozzean¡¯s reaction. Why he didn¡¯t want me to bring up drinks and snacks earlier.

    Does he not want Maki to see me?

    But why?

    Is he¡­ jealous?

    I cringed at that part. I¡¯m just one of his maids.

    Damn. I don¡¯t want to think about this. It¡¯s impossible.

    It¡¯s highly unlikely that she¡¯s jealous of my cousin!

    Time passed by quickly and it is already evening. I was in my room, resting before taking a shower. Rozzean didn¡¯te down when Manang brought him something to drink. I waited for him until nine o¡¯clock downstairs, hoping he would, but he didn¡¯t.

    He really didn¡¯te down. He didn¡¯t give any orders either.

    ¡°This is difficult for me, and I¡¯m feeling frustrated. I¡¯m not sure if I did something wrong because he¡¯s not talking to me, and he doesn¡¯t even want to meet with me..¡±

    I was under the shower, still thinking about what happened all day. Or maybe he is mad?

    I hadn¡¯t even eaten dinner. After Manang and I closed all the windows and doors and checked the entire house, I waited for Rozzean until nine o¡¯clock in the living room. But he didn¡¯te down, and he didn¡¯t give any instructions either.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to his room. What would I even say?¡±

    I sighed and finished my shower. I decided to sleep off what happened today. Maybe tomorrow Rozzean will be back to his usual self, acknowledging and giving orders again.

    To be honest, I¡¯d prefer dealing with his grumpy mood instead of this silence where he won¡¯t even tell me what to do. It feels like he really doesn¡¯t want to be around me.

    I picked up the hairdryer and started drying my hair. While doing that, I felt my stomach growl. I tried to ignore it and continued drying my hair. But when it growled again and I felt a strong hunger, I attached my fake bangs and mole.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t eat lunch and dinner¡­ I¡¯m really hungry.¡±

    Before I went out, I nced at the clock in my room.

    ¡°It¡¯s already eleven, time flew by so quickly.¡±

    Maybe because I was in deep thoughts since Maki left the house. I sighed and started  tobed my hair. I was wearing an oversized gray shirt and Hello Kitty pajama bottoms. When I saw in the mirror that I looked okay and my disguise are set on my face, I went downstairs to the kitchen.

    ¡°It¡¯s dark.¡±

    The lights were off downstairs. I didn¡¯t bother to turn them on because there was light under the kitchen cab.

    I walked on, but when I heard a sound, I suddenly stopped. I got nervous; was it a burr? oh gosh!

    But the security in this vige is tight, and there are guards at the front and back of Rozzean¡¯s mansion. It¡¯s impossible for a burr to get in.

    I thought about Manang; maybe she couldn¡¯t sleep either. I peeked to see who it was, but I was surprised to see Rozzean standing in front of the refrigerator, as if searching for something.

    He¡¯s shirtless again. He¡¯s wearing in ck sweatpants as bottoms. His hair was messy.

    When I noticed that he had been standing in front of the fridge for a while, I went out and approached him. It seemed like he noticed me because he turned to look at me.

    ¡°Sir, are you looking for something?¡±

    He didn¡¯t even turn to face me or say anything. That¡¯s why I wanted to understand what¡¯s bothering him. I don¡¯t like this feeling; it¡¯s burdensome. The idea that he may not want to see me, which is why he¡¯s not giving me any instructions, hurts a bit.

    ¡°Sir, do you have a prob¨C¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s the seafood you cooked? I want to eat,¡± he said without looking at me.

    I paused. That actually surprised me but slowly, a smile formed on my face. He didn¡¯t touch it earlier when they were eating at the gazebo. But now he wanted to it?

    I approached him in front of the fridge.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get it, sir,¡± I said. He stepped back a little so I could get it. I bent down to reach the Tupperware of seafood. Once I had it, I looked to my left.

    His abs greeted me with like, ¡°Hello, Thaliana,¡± then my gaze dropped down to his¡­

    I swallowed hard and quickly stood properly. I moved the seafood to the side and started to heat up the rice.

    ¡°Just a moment, sir, I¡¯ll heat it up,¡± I told him.

    He nodded and sat at the ind counter where he often ate. I could feel his eyes on me. It was unsettling, especially after what happened earlier. This is bothering me. What¡¯s running on his head?

    ¡°Sir, should I turn on the light?¡± I asked.

    ¡°No need. The light under the cab is okay.¡±

    I nodded. The kitchen was still slightly lit, although it was dim.

    ¡°Why did youe down?¡± suddenly, he asked.

    I didn¡¯t look at him because I was transferring the seafood to a te.

    ¡°I was hungry, sir. I didn¡¯t eat lunch and dinner. I thought I wouldn¡¯t get hungry that¡¯s why I prepare to sleep but my stomach growled a few times.¡±

    But I was actually¡­ waiting for you that  I forgot about the food.

    I grabbed a te. When I faced Rozzean, I saw him walking around. Was he going to eat at the dining table? He usually ate at the ind counter.

    I walked over and set the seafood on the table, then I scooped rice onto a te.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you eat earlier?¡±

    He seemed to have a lot of questions. It was like he had been avoiding me earlier, not wanting me to serve him. Maybe I was just overthinking that I did something wrong? Rozzean¡¯s talking to me again, like the usual.

    ¡°U-uh¡­ I wasn¡¯t hungry earlier, sir.¡±

    I ced his te in front of him, and I also served rice. Then, I got some juice from the fridge and poured it into a ss. When his meal was ready, I just stood by, waiting for his orders.

    When I noticed he hadn¡¯t touched his food yet, I spoke up.

    ¡°Uhh, do you want me to cook another dish¨C¡±

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    My eyebrows shot up at what he said.

    ¡°W-What? Why, sir?¡± I asked.

    He turned to me, ¡°Where¡¯s your food? I thought you were hungry. Why am I the only one sitting here with food in front of me?¡±

    I paused, trying to process what he said.

    Waiit¡­ is he telling me to eat with him?Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°Get your food and join me.¡±

    My lips parted when I heard that. He had just invited me to eat with him. But, isn¡¯t this unusual? A boss and his maid, eating together at thiste hour?

    ¡°Tali.¡±

    When he called my name again, I quickly picked up my te.

    ¡°Y-Yes, sir.¡±

    And after turning around, I couldn¡¯t help but to smile.

    At least I know that we¡¯re okay, and he¡¯s not angry with me.

 You Smell Good

    I never expected this to happen in my life. I already have a meal on my te, and I¡¯m about to have another right in front of me. Just kidding.

    I really didn¡¯t see thising that Rozzean would invite me to eat with him. This is the first time I¡¯ll be facing this man while eating, in a dimly lit room, just the two of us. Actually, the atmosphere is quite¡­ romantic.

    What¡¯s going on, Thaliana? It¡¯s only been a week, but your feelings for your boss have already changed. Your heart flutters when he gets close. You questioned your decisions, and¡­ your heart is not beating normally when he¡¯s closer. Like right no!ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

    I nced at him but when he I noticed that  he was going to look at me, I bow my head.

    ¡°What did Maki say to you earlier?¡± and that was an unexpected question.

    My spoon, with a scoop of rice on it that I was about to put on my mouth was paused mid-air. I looked at Rozzean, and his eyes were locked on mine, serious and direct. It seems he¡¯s still thinking about what happened earlier.

    I gulped before answering. ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything, sir¨C¡±

    ¡°Did he tell you that he¡¯ll take you away from me if I was being too harsh on you? Did he?¡±

    I almost choked after I heard his words. E-Excuse me, sir?! t-take me away from you? what are we?

    ¡°Or did he ask you to transfer to his house and resign from working here in my house?¡±

    So, this is the reason why he is not in the mood? he doesn¡¯t want to lose me¡­ his maid, of course. Let¡¯s not assume things.

    ¡°Sir, your friend is not that kind of person, I think¨C¡±

    ¡°And now you are defending him on me? you just me him.¡±

    I tried to hold back my smile. From the way he sounds now, his eyebrows furrowed and his  jaw tightening, it¡¯s like he¡¯s feeling jealous of what Maki did earlier. Don¡¯t assume, Thaliana! Why does he need to bring it up? It¡¯s making the chances of him being jealous even higher.

    But because I¡¯m in a good mood, I¡¯ll tease him for a bit.

    ¡°Not really, sir,¡± I replied with a smile. ¡°But for me, if I were to be kicked out of your house, well, I have a backup n with Sir Maki¡¯s offer. I¡¯d have a job already, it¡¯s good that  he offered me ans¨C¡±

    I stopped talking when he stood up. His sharp eyes looked at me. I took a sip of water when I saw his expression. Damn. The monster inside him is awake. It seems like he¡¯s not in the mood for jokes.

    ¡°I told you I won¡¯t kick you out,¡± his words are heavy.

    I suddenly remembered his one rule. Okay, I¡¯ll repeat it since he didn¡¯t answer Maki¡¯s question earlier. I put down the ss I was holding and stood up as well. I met his menacing eyes.

    ¡°Sir, maybe you forget one of your rules in this house, which often results in your maids getting fired. It¡¯s not allowed¡­¡± I approached him.

    ¡°¡­ to have a crush¡­¡± and I got closer, ¡°on you.¡± I raised an eyebrow, then I shrugged.

    ¡°But what if I do like you, sir?¡± I noticed him swallow.

    ¡°I  wil be get kicked out of your house. It¡¯s not impossible to happen to not like if I stay here for a while. After all, you¡¯re handsome, rich, smart in your job, and single.¡±

    I wanted to add that he had a jumbo hotdog that seemed like it could make me scream in bed, delicious hard abs, and lips that looked kissable, but of course, that would be too embarrassing.

    ¡°Well, sir, you¡¯re the kind of man women like me fantasize about. Manang mentioned that our beautiful, sexy, and intelligent neighbor also has a crush on you. So, what about someone like me?

    What would you say, Rozzean? Alright, what¡¯s your response if I were to actually have a crush on you?

    ¡°You can¡¯t be certain I won¡¯t fall for you, sir,¡± I lowered my voice, trying to sound seductive and convincing.

    ¡°So, if that happens, and you kicked me out of here, I have a house to go to right away. Sir Maki is nice, too,¡± I briefly averted my eyes in another direction. ¡°He is funny, he always smile and he is approachable.¡±

    I looked back again at Rozzean and give him a wide smile, ¡°I think he¡¯ll be a good  boss¡­ in the future.¡±

    He was just looking at me. I added more praise for my ass cousin.

    ¡°By the way, he¡¯s also considerate, said goodbye when he left earlier, and he repeatedlyplimented my cooking. He¡¯s nice, sir. It seems like I won¡¯t have a hard time getting along with him if¨C¡±

    But my sentence were cut and I was surprised when Rozzean took a step closer. Now, he was the one approaching me with a serious expression. I suddenly got nervous, and by the look on his face, it seemed like he didn¡¯t like what I had just said. All of it.

    Did I say something wrong? I¡¯m not provoking him, right? Why does he look angry?

    He¡¯s getting really close to me now, and I¡¯m seriously nervous. I mean, his gaze is intimidating, and I just backed up against the wall behind me.

    ¡°S-Sir?¡± I asked, my voice trembling. As I felt the situation getting dangerous, I tried to retreat!

    ¡°Sir, d-don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t have a crush on you, hehe. I¡¯m just teasing you. You¡¯re not my type, trust me, I won¡¯t like you, I promise,¡± I said, raising my right hand.

    ¡°N-Never!¡±

    With the nerouvs I was feeling, the corner of his lips lifted.

    ¡°Really?¡± he said in a deep voice.

    He ced his right hand against the wall next to my head. I briefly nced at it, and when I looked back at him, he was wearing a different kind of smile.

    ¡°With all the things you said about me ¨C handsome, sexy, rich, and intelligent ¨C you described me well,dy. And now you¡¯re telling me not to worry because you won¡¯t like me?¡±

    He moved closer, his voice lowering, and his breath tickling my face.

    ¡°That you won¡¯t fall for me?¡±

    And now, how did we end up in this situation?

    Rozzean was pinning me against the wall!

    I swallowed¡­ hard. It seems like I just lit the fire that¡¯s going to burn me. W-What have I gotten myself into?!

    That is because you talk too much, Thaliana!

    ¡°S-Sir¡­ what do you mean?¡± I asked.

    But instead of an answer to my question, I looked down at my waist when I felt his hand there. My eyes widened. While his right hand was still against the wall next to my head, his left hand was on my waist.

    He pulled me closer to him, making me gasp.

    This was unexpected!

    What the hell, Rozzean?

    He smirked and lowered his head. His face was only inches away from mine. What is he up to now?!

    ¡°The way you describe Maki and indirectlypared him to me pissed me off, woman.¡±

    What the hell?

    ¡°H-Huh?¡±

    When I tried to push him away, he tightened his grip on my waist. He wasn¡¯t content with just one hand. Now bth of his hands were on my waist, and damn, I could feel his thing!

    My heart was pounding loudly. I felt like my hands were getting cold because of what Rozzean was doing. Because of his body pressing against mine.

    ¡°S-Sir, this is not good, c-can you let me go?¡±

    My face and ears suddenly turned hot. I felt like I was about to have a fever because of the heat I felt with the way things were going. Is he joking with me? Or can he not ept what I said about not having a crush on him, despite the fact that so many women are crazy about him?

    ¡°You already have ns if ever you leave my house,¡± he tilted his head slightly. He looked away from me for a moment, then when he turned back, he lowered his face.

    I couldn¡¯t believe what he was doing now. Is he drunk? Did he get drunk from the drinks he had earlier?

    T-That might be the reason because this is not him!

    ¡°A-Are you drunk, sir? Y-You¡¯re joking, right?¡± Iughed, ¡°but you won¡¯t get me with this, I know you are just toying me,¡± I said, lightly tapping his hand that was on my waist, trying to move it away, but it didn¡¯t budge.

    Sht.

    ¡°I am not. I won¡¯t get drunk from just beer, Tali.¡± As he spoke, I could really smell his breath!

    Damn, we were so close to each other. Even if you dropped a coin in the space between us, it wouldn¡¯t fall because my chest was pressed against his. Sht, Rozzean, I¡¯m going home. Why do you have to make me feel this way?

    What is this feeling I¡¯m experiencing?

    I tried pushing him again. But he was as firm as¡­ my head lower a bit, the thing I felt in my lower abdomen.

    He¡¯s turned on! He¡¯s f*cking hard!

    I will keep on cursing because this is not a dream anymore! We may not be kissing, but this scene never crossed my mind!

    I tried to push him again, but he just tightened his grip. When he leaned his head towards my neck, my hair stood on end. I felt his nose briefly touch below my ear.

    What the hell? after those words, now, he¡¯s sniffing me! I suddenly remembered what he said to Maki earlier about the smell of the model. Rozzean has a sensitive sense of smell.

    I quickly moved away because maybe I don¡¯t smell good even though I just took a shower. But when I distanced myself, Rozzean chased my neck.

    What is happening to him?

    I¡¯m getting flustered, feeling a mix of emotions because of what he¡¯s doing.

    ¡°Sir, your rules, alright?! I don¡¯t want to be kicked out of this house, and you¡¯re getting too close to me! It¡¯s no wonder your maids fell for you; you¡¯re seducing them!¡± I said directly.

    My heart skipped a beat when his hands went to my back. He held me tightly as if he didn¡¯t want to let go.

    ¡°I was never this close to any woman¡­¡±

    I paused when I heard what he whispered. He continued to sniff me, and I could feel his lips brushing against my neck. I am in danger.

    My throat went dry; I never thought he would get this close to me again.

    ¡°Damn, you smell good.¡±

 Hurt

    ¡°What did he say?

    Did he say that I smell good?

    When Rozzean move away from, I just looked at him without saying a word. My lips were slightly open in surprise. He just sniffed my neck, hugged me tightly, and I felt his thing!

    He knows it! It¡¯s impossible that he doesn¡¯t know his own temper is ring up!

    ¡°I know my rules in this house, Tali,¡± he said while holding my cheeks.

    I¡¯m still in shock and not moving. Why is he acting like this now? Could it be that he really likes me? My heart is pounding fast, and the nervousness won¡¯t go away. This wasn¡¯t part of the n. It never crossed my mind either.

    ¡°S-Sir, why did you¡­¡±

    I was startled when he flicked my forehead. It was gentle, but I still touched the spot he hit.

    Rozzean stepped back and crossed his arms. I just looked at him, and his normal expression returned to his face.

    ¡°Your one-week test is over. You passed.¡±

    I was stunned at my ce after I heard that.

    ¡°W-What?¡± One week? Test? Passed?

    ¡°Sir, what do you mean?¡± I asked and slowly lowered my hand that he hit on my forehead.

    ¡°You mentioned that I was attracting the attention of the maids, didn¡¯t you? I was only doing that to see if I had an effect on them. And that¡¯s what happened earlier with you.¡±

    I was too surprised to respond. What the heck, Rozzean? He tested¡­ me?

    I suddenly felt embarrassed about the things I thought, about almost reciprocating his hug. I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t hug him back. Darn it.

    I lowered my head slowly. I clenched my fists as he moved away, appearing to leave the kitchen. I can¡¯t believe what just happened. Shame on you, self, for thinking that Rozzean would like you-his maid.

    I assumed too much based on his actions.

    You should be embarrassed, Thaliana.

    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you didn¡¯t fall for me in just a week, Tali. I need a housemaid. You¡¯re good at household chores,¡± he said, ncing at the table.

    ¡°After you¡¯re done cleaning here, go upstairs.¡±

    I felt intense embarrassment for myself. Rozzean didn¡¯t know what was going through my mind earlier, and I¡¯m grateful that I didn¡¯t voice those thoughts. I held back from speaking, from giving meaning to his hug, and from getting carried away in a situation that wasn¡¯t even¡­ real.

    I have never felt this kind of shame in my life, not ever. And I feel like crying¡­

    ¡°Oh, Thaliana¡­¡± I whispered.

    Rozzean had left the kitchen, but I remained frozen in my spot.

    I closed my eyes tightly and made a move. For a moment, the distress from the things he had said seemed to fade away.

    So, I was right?

    His approaches, always without any romantic intentions, and even my visit to his garden, even though he had made it clear that he didn¡¯t invite the maids there-were all just to test if I could uphold my im of not developing feelings for him?

    ¡°Shame on you, Thaliana. You are so assuming.¡±

    I suddenly held onto my neck.

    ¡°Even his words seemed true. I just smiled and shook my head. He almost got me there. He¡¯s really good at acting. I need to remind myself of that.

    ¡°But it¡¯s good. At least, I found out the truth that he was just testing me.¡±

    And I¡¯m grateful I didn¡¯t give in. That¡¯s what I¡¯ll focus on.

    I quickly washed the dishes in the kitchen. Even though the scene with Rozzean earlier kept popping into my mind, I tried my best to finish the cleaning. I didn¡¯t want to remember it, but it just kepting back.

    I shook my head and smiled faintly.

    The man is attractive. I can¡¯t deny that because it¡¯s a fact. He¡¯s a young billionaire with a handsome face, tall, and a sexy, well-built body.

    But after learning the truth behind his actions, I was disappointed. Not in Rozzean, but in myself.

    I suddenly forgot our current circumstances. I am his maid, and he¡¯s a young billionaire businessman. Many people admire him.

    Why would he like his maid?

    His maid of just more than a week staying in his ce.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been reading too many novels,¡± I said to myself.

    I shook my head and headed back to my room. I am thankful I didn¡¯t respond to his actions earlier. That¡¯s the best action I should do.

    From what I heard from Rozzean, it¡¯s highly unlikely that he¡¯d fall for a maid. He made it clear with what he did.

    Now, I need to get back to the reason why I¡¯m here. To find a way to prevent our wedding from happening. I need to change Daddy¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Think about what I said, Thaliana.¡±

    I¡¯m sorry, Maki. I¡¯m here now, and I¡¯ll finish these two months.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Whether I find something or not, after two months, I¡¯ll have to return to my life as Thaliana.¡±

    Lost in thoughts about what happened and what I¡¯ll do in theing days, I fell asleep. The sound of the rm woke me up the next day. Just like usual, I quickly showered, got dressed, and went downstairs to cook breakfast for Rozzean.

    ¡°Good morning, Tali.¡±

    I smiled at Manang. ¡°Good morning, Manang.¡±

    I opened the cab and took out a cup. I poured some milk and then sat in front of Manang. She was almost done drinking her coffee. I nced at the wall behind Manang.

    Suddenly, I saw the image of Rozzean and me fromst night. Our bodies were so close, his face was against my neck, and his hands were tightly hugging my back.

    I can¡¯t stop thinking about what happened. Every time I remember, I get annoyed with myself.

    When the clock struck six, Manang went outside and brought coffee to the guards. I, on the other hand, looked for something to cook in the fridge. I¡¯m not in the mood; in fact, this is how I feel when I experience extreme self-disappointment.

    But now, I know what to do.

    I firmly held the knife and sliced the hotdogs in half.

    ¡°I passed, huh? I almost fell for you, damn it.¡±

    I fried some eggs, hotdogs, and potatoes. When I checked the time, it was close to seven. Rozzean would being down to drink water. That¡¯s what I noticed about him.

    ¡°Are you done cooking, Tali?¡± Manang asked me when she returned from outside.

    ¡°I¡¯m almost done,¡± I said, as I sliced some tomatoes. I suddenly liked making tomato dip.

    Manang took the knife, and I noticed she was holding a mango. I wonder where she got it from. Could it be from the neighbordy who has a crush on Rozzean?

    ¡°Where did the mangoe from, Manang?¡± I asked.

    ¡°This? It¡¯s from the backyard. It¡¯s ready to eat, although it¡¯s quite high, so I asked the guard to get some for me. Do you want some?¡±

    I nced at the mango and suddenly my mouth watered.

    Manang looked at the tomatoes and said, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s so delicious to dip in. Should we add some mango to that tomato dip?¡±

    I smiled, ¡°Sure, Manang!¡±

    After I finished slicing the tomatoes, I opened the fridge and saw the vegetables down below. Manang and I rarely get to eat vegetables because I usually cook pork and chicken for Rozzean.

    I took the long eggnts from the bottom and brought them out.

    ¡°Manang, how about we have some vegetables for lunch, like ¡®pakbet¡¯?¡± I asked while looking at her as she peeled the mango.

    From the corner of my eye, I saw Rozzean approaching us. It seems like he came down early today.

    I noticed he was wearing an upper garment. A white t-shirt.

    Oh, right, my test is over. That means showing his body is also over.

    I was looking at Manang, but I could sense Rozzean. He¡¯s getting closer to me, opened the fridge, and took some water.

    ¡°What about you, what do you want?¡±

    I nced at what I was holding due to Manang¡¯s question. Then I suddenly remembered my favorite dish that Mommy used to cook often.

    ¡°Eggnts, Manang, even if they¡¯re just fried. I love eating eggnts, especially the omelette with scrambled eggs.¡±

    Before Manang could respond, we both looked at Rozzean as he choked.

    ¡°Sir, are you okay?¡± Manang hurriedly grabbed a tissue and handed it to Rozzean, but he just raised his hand and left us in the kitchen without saying a word.

    What happened to him?

 Donéˆ¥æª› Assume!

    It seems like there has been a huge change in me after that night.

    I¡¯m no longer the old Tali who used to eagerly await Rozzean¡¯s arrival, always ready with a smile whenever he gave an order, and constantly watching when he¡¯s around. I let it be now, and I don¡¯t volunteer when he instructs Manang either. I¡­ was quiet.

    ¡°Tali, make me some coffee.¡±

    Now, he just got home and sat in the living room, untying his tie. I saw from the corner of my eye that he looked at me, but I just lowered my head and quickly turned away to do what he just ordered.

    Don¡¯t be so obvious, just do your work, Thaliana.

    After what happened in the kitchen two days ago, I have truly changed my approach toward him.

    Even in my speech, I¡¯ve be different, and I no longer respond rudely. Sometimes, when I just nod and acknowledge with a simple ¡°yes,¡± I see that he still gazes at me before I turn away. This is what he wants, after all ¨C a maid who carries out household tasks.

    Once I finished preparing the coffee, I walked over to the living room and ced the cup I¡¯d prepared for him on the coffee table.

    I was about to turn and leave when he called me.

    ¡°Tali.¡±

    Act normal, Thaliana, so you can stand by what you said that you¡¯ll never develop feelings for him. He might be testing you again.

    ¡°Do you have a problem? I¡¯ve noticed that these past few days, you seem different,¡± he asked.

    He¡­ noticed.

    I wanted to roll my eyes at what he said but what am  I sulking anyway? it is normal for him to test  his maids.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any problems, sir,¡± I replied without a smile.

    The truth is, I¡¯m only like this with him-no longer smiling and yful as I used to be. When I¡¯m with Manang, it¡¯s the same as always, nothing has changed. I¡¯m just irritated because, perhaps, I still can¡¯t ept what happened that night. I assumed.

    I had never thought that he might have feelings for me.

    ¡°You are not smiling when you are in front of me. You are not as lively as you used to be. Also, you don¡¯t look me in the eyes when I am talking.¡±

    I was surprised by what he said. He noticed all of that?

    Rozzean shook his head and touched his forehead. There was no longer a gauze pad, and his wound had healed.

    ¡°Okay, just forget about it. Go. I don¡¯t need anything else. Tell Manang that I have an important meeting with an investorter today here at home. Prepare dinner.¡±

    I nodded, bowed, and then turned around. I went to Manang at the back of the house, still thinking about what Rozzean had said. It meant he knew that I always smiled when I was in front of him. He even noticed my loud voice when I talked to Manang and my direct gaze into his eyes when speaking to him.

    I hadn¡¯t been doing any of those things for the past two days because I found out that he had just been testing me to see if I would develop feelings for him.

    I pped my cheeks with my hands. Here you go again, Thaliana, don¡¯t be so weak! Just because he noticed some changes in you, you¡¯re overly affected! there¡¯s nothing special about it.

    When I saw Manang, I approached her. She was busy watering the nts at the back.

    ¡°Manang, sir will have a visitor, an investor. They¡¯ll have dinner here,¡± I said.

    She turned off the hose and walked over to me.

    ¡°It¡¯ste, huh? Rozzean is really diligent when ites to work.¡±

    We both walked back into the house. That¡¯s another thing I noticed. Rozzean is a very serious person when ites to work, and I also observed that even on weekends when he should be resting, he¡¯s still working.

    ¡°I¡¯ll cook, Tali, just help me with the chopping.¡±

    I nodded to Manang, and she told me she would be cooking ¡°menudo,¡± so I started chopping the necessary ingredients. While I was tending to the ingredients, Rozzean entered the kitchen. He was still in his office attire.

    I thought he had something to say, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw him just¡­ wait, is he looking at me? but then he left with no words.

    Why did he look at me? What was that?

    ¡°Tali, did something happen between you and sir?¡± Manang asked. I was so startled that I almost cut my finger.

    ¡°W-What? Manang, nothing! Nothing happened between me and sir, okay?¡± I said.

    Manangughed heartily, pinching my cheek. Thankfully, she didn¡¯t hit my mole, or it might havee off. God, this mole still make me nervous.

    ¡°You, you¡¯re such a child, you have all sorts of things on your mind. What I mean is, did he scold you? I noticed how quiet you get when sir¡¯s around, and you no longer volunteer when he gives orders, so I thought something might have happened.¡±

    It seems that even Manang noticed. I am not like this to our boss.

    ¡°Nothing happened, really¡­¡±

    I focused my eyes on chopping the potatoes and carrots. In reality, I shouldn¡¯t be acting this way.

    ¡°Whatever your problem may be, it¡¯s best to tell sir. He won¡¯t get angry,¡± Manang advised.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    I just gave her a slight smile and remained silent. I busied myself helping her in the kitchen.

    ¡°Where do you think sir and the guest will eat, Manang?¡± I asked as she was transferring the food.

    ¡°In the business room, that¡¯s where sir talks to the investors and where he eats afterward.¡±

    I nodded at her response.

    ¡°There¡¯s a business room here? I haven¡¯t been there yet, Manang. Do you clean it?¡±

    We had finished cooking, and I took the menudo from Manang and ced it on the table.

    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s not used very often, so it doesn¡¯t get very dirty. I don¡¯t clean it frequently either,¡± she replied.

    While I was getting two tes, spoons, and forks, Rozzean entered the kitchen. I immediately turned around when I saw him and pretended to be searching in the cab, even though I wasn¡¯t looking for anything.

    Why am I avoiding him?! Automatically, I avert my gaze when he approaches, and when he gets closer, I pretend to be busy again.

    ¡°My visitor is here.¡±

    I made my reply longer.

    ¡°Tali.¡±

    I stopped my pretentious search for something when he called my name. I turned to look at him.

    ¡°What is it, sir?¡±

    ¡°Make another cup of coffee and bring it to the business room.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Sir Rozzean.¡±

    I took a cup, and while I was preparing it, I saw from the corner of my eye that Rozzean was still in the kitchen.

    He was looking at me!

    ¡°Sir, do you need anything else?¡± Manang asked.

    It seemed that Manang had caught Sir¡¯s attention, so he looked at her.

    ¡°No, when I need the food ced, I¡¯ll just call you,¡± he said and then turned and left.

    After Rozzean left the kitchen, Manang and I exchanged nces. She came closer to me, and her eyes widened.

    ¡°Did you see that?¡± she asked me.

    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that many times! When Sir gives you an order, and when you obey it, he looks at you before leaving, and sometimes he even lingers. It makes me think, Tali, could it be that Sir has feelings for you?¡±

    Manang, please stop! Don¡¯t be like this, please! I¡¯ve already changed!

    ¡°No way. That¡¯s just your imagination, right? Your eyesight is not very clear, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Suddenly, Manang appeared to think about what I said.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ maybe, but I have a different feeling,¡± she replied and got a ss of water from the fridge.

    I, on the other hand, continued preparing coffee while thinking about Manang¡¯s words.

    Why is Rozzean acting this way? Could it be because he feels guilty about what he did that night?

    I let out a deep breath because of what I thought.

    But why, Thaliana? he just did what he usually does.

 Donéˆ¥æª› Assume Part II

    When I finished making coffee, I bid Manang goodbye and headed to the business room. It¡¯s only on the first floor, at the far end. Rozzean¡¯s house is quiterge; there are so many rooms that you could y hide and seek here. With all the rooms, it seems like he wants a big family.

    I knocked on the door.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    When I heard Rozzean¡¯s voice, I turned the doorknob and entered. They were on one side of the room, with two long sofas and a coffee table in the middle. On the other side of the room, there was a long table where they would probably der.

    I saw Rozzean, who was looking at a paper in his hand. He was wearing sses. He looked different when he had his sses on.

    Damn. He is really handsome.

    I turned my gaze towards Rozzean¡¯s visitor and noticed that he was an elderly man. I estimated he was in histe sixties. As I approached, I saw the old man looking at me. My eyebrows furrowed when he winked at me and scanned me from head to toe.

    What the hell?

    ¡°Mr. Vidar, you can double-check the ce if you want to make sure that¨C¡±

    Rozzean paused mid-sentence when he noticed that his visitor wasn¡¯t paying attention to him. The old man was still looking at me!

    I ced the coffee on the coffee table without saying a word. When I looked at the old man again, I realized he was still staring at me, or more urately, at my¡­ chest.

    Okay. What is going on here?

    I pressed the saucer against my chest to cover it. I admit that I¡¯ve been quite blessed in that part, and this uniform was somewhat tight around the chest area.

    ¡°Mr. Vidar.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes?¡± he replied, turning his attention back to Rozzean.

    But instead of responding, Rozzean turned his attention to me.

    ¡°You can leave now, Tali,¡± he said.

    ¡°Alright, sir.¡±

    After leaving the business room, I quickly headed to the kitchen and recounted what had happened to Manang.

    ¡°I really saw it, Manang! He was looking at my chest,¡± I pointed to my chest. ¡°Sir¡¯s meeting partner is such a pervert!¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Oh dear, he¡¯s so rude, especially at his age.¡±

    I clenched my fists while narrating, still irritated by what had happened earlier. An hourter, Rozzean called Manang to bring the food to the business room.

    When Manang and I entered, we saw Rozzean still conversing with Mr. Old Pervert.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll just get the papers. I¡¯ll be back in a moment,¡± Rozzean told Mr. Vidar before leaving the room.

    Manang and I arranged the food on the table.

    ¡°Oh, Manang, I forgot to bring the spoons,¡± I said.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, dear. I¡¯ll get them.¡±

    I was about to insist on getting them myself, but Manang quickly left the room. I double-checked to see if anything else was missing from the table. There were sses, tes, the main course, and juice for drinks.

    ¡°We just need some tissue.¡±

    As I was about to step out of the room to get but I was surprised to see Rozzean¡¯s colleague standing right in front of me. I cringed when I noticed him smiling at me.

    ¡°Do you need something, sir?¡± I asked.

    He stared at me once more from head to toe and approached me with that creepy smile still on his face. I was honestly creeped out by him.

    ¡°How long have you been working here, miss? How much does Mr. Valleje pay you? Maybe you¡¯d like to switch to my house; I can triple your sry,¡± after he said that he looked at my chest part and licked his lips.

    Gosh. He is a real perv! but what the hell this old man was saying?!

    ¡°Sir?¡± I asked, pretending not to understand.

    ¡°Excuse me, I need to go get some tissues.¡±

    But before I turned around I saw him stared at my chest again!

    ¡°You¡¯re ying hard to get.¡±

    Darn, I need to control myself. I have to remember that this is Rozzean¡¯s guest before I hit this older perv¡¯s face for his inappropriate behavior.

    ¡°I can pay you fifty thousand a month.¡±

    My patience was running out, but I had to endure it because this meeting was important to Rozzean.

    ¡°Sir, with all due respect, I am satisfied with my job here at Mr. Valleje¡¯s house,¡± I bowed, ¡°I¡¯ll pretend you never said those things.¡±

    I turned to leave the old man, walked towards the door, but was startled when I heard a loud smack, and before I could dodge his attempt, the old pervert grabbed my butt.

    Sht.

    I quickly moved away from the old man, still staring at me with a triumphant grin. He raised his hand, the one he used to grab my butt.

    ¡°You¡¯re so sexy. Even if you¡¯re ugly, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    How dare he?!

    ¡°What did you just say?¡± My hands trembled, clenched into fists. I shot him a furious re.

    I couldn¡¯t believe it!

    ¡°What? Are you agreeing now? Fifty thousand a month, and I¡¯ll add more depending on your performance in bed.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t believe this old man¡¯s words! I couldn¡¯t control myself any longer. I swiftly approached him and punched him in the face.

    ¡°What do you think of me? You think I¡¯m a gold digger who¡¯ll sleep with an old man like you who I think can¡¯t even get his dck up? I¡¯d rather finger myself!¡±

    He fell to the floor.

    ¡°Pervert! Pervert! Damn you!¡±

    But I wasn¡¯t satisfied yet. I straddled the old man and started choking him. I was so enraged that I lost control. He grabbed my hair, causing it to be disheveled. I never imagined that this would happen in my life.

    ¡°Argh! S-Stop¨C¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you! What right do you have to touch my butt? You¡¯re going to meet the evil and will rot in hell today!¡±

    At that moment, I realized I had never been disrespected like this in my entire life. Nobody had ever dared to make such advances on me. I am Thaliana Tangi D Vezca, the only daughter of George Romualdo D Vezca, and anyone who dares to be disrespectful to me would face severe consequences.

    ¡°How dare you, you old man! You¡¯re trying to seduce me with your money? What if I p you with a million? Shameless! When I get home, I¡¯ll hunt you down, you old man! What-¡±

    ¡°Tali!¡±

    While I was hitting the old perv, I suddenly felt lifted off the ground. I looked at Rozzean¡¯s hands as he held me to keep me away from the old man. However, in my anger, I was still struggling.

    ¡°Let me go, Rozzean! I¡¯ll kill that old man! Who do you think I am, that you can buy me with your money?!¡± I eximed, pointing at the old man who was still coughing.

    Damn, he was still alive.

    ¡°Excuse me! Yes, I may have a good body and an ugly face, but I have a brain, and I¡¯m not cheap! You perverted old man!¡±

    ¡°Tali, stop!¡± Rozzean pleaded.

    I was breathing heavily, brought to a sudden stop by Rozzean¡¯s shout. I hung my head, feeling distressed and on the verge of tears. I nced at Manang, uncertain about how to handle the situation. I bit my lower lip in realization of the chaos.

    ¡°W-What happened here, T-Tali?¡± I looked at Manang with a trembling voice. My face was contorted in despair as the emotions ran high. I nced at Rozzean, whose grip on my waist was firm, and he showed no intention of letting go.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°What happened?¡± he asked.

    But didn¡¯t he n to release me?

    ¡°Sir, I¡¯m sorry-¡± Manang began.

    ¡°Mr. Vidar, I am asking you, what happened here?¡± Rozzean interrupted.

    I froze. Rozzean¡¯s eyes were filled with anger as he looked at his investor, who was slowly standing up. The man¡¯s hair was disheveled, and his left eye, which I had punched earlier, was swelling and turning ck.

    I-I was acting in self-defense, right?

    But it wasn¡¯t the fear of what might happen as a result of my actions that made me anxious. My heart was pounding, and my feelings were in chaos. Rozzean had emphasized that this was a crucial and meaningful meeting, and I had messed it up.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask your maid, Mr. Valleje? And me? I will sue her-¡±

    ¡°What happened, Tali? What¡¯s going on here?¡± Rozzean¡¯s tone was anxious, and when he looked at me, I could tell it was different from the way he looked at Mr. Vidar. Now, he was gazing at me with a gentle expression.

    ¡°Mr. Valleje¨C¡±

    ¡°I am waiting for my maid¡¯s answer,¡± he said when he look at the old perv.

    I swallowed hard when Rozzean turned his attention back to me. His voice was calm as he asked me.

    M-Maybe he wants to let me go for now, right? He¡¯s still gripping my waist, but at least he¡¯s not furious.

    ¡°W-Well, sir, I noticed that  he¡¯s been looking at m-my chest then after a few minutes he offered me a job at his house as a maid, and he said he¡¯d triple my sry. When I refused, a-and I was about to leave the room, I was surprised when he grabbed my b-butt.¡±

    I heard Manang gasp, and I could see the anger in Rozzean¡¯s face deepening. He turned to the investor again.

    ¡°Mr. Vidar.¡±

    ¡°And you believe that maid over me, your investor?!¡±

    I just kept looking at Rozzean. My lips parted when I heard his response.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    W-What¡­

    That made me look at him. He was so fast to answer like he¡¯s so sure. My heart beat faster.

    ¡°Now leave, get out of my house before I call the guards.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t believe Rozzean¡¯s decision. This wasn¡¯t what I expected him to say after everything that happened.

    ¡°You think highly of yourself, Rozzean! You will regret doing this! This will reach your father!¡± the old man angrily eximed before he stormed out of the business room.

    The three of us were left in the room. I remained silent, still stunned by the old man¡¯s words.

    ¡°Manang, please follow Mr. Vidar to make sure he leaves my house.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Manang replied.

    When I heard the door close, I looked at Rozzean, who still had his hand on my waist.

    ¡°S-Sir¡­¡±

    He nced at me, and as he realized where I was looking, he released his hold on me. He didn¡¯t take his eyes off me; it seemed like he was examining my appearance.

    ¡°What else did he do to you? Did he hurt you?¡± he asked.

    He didn¡¯t seem angry; he sounded¡­ concerned for me.

    I thought he might be upset with me because of what I did.

    ¡°S-Sir, I am so sorry¡­¡± I shook my head, worried about the important meeting. I was afraid my dad would be mad.

    Instead of answering, I was surprised when he gently pushed my messy hair back. He tucked it behind my ears and wiped away my tears.

    ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I¡¯ll handle it.¡±

 Worried

    After the incident in the business room, I didn¡¯t hear any news from Rozzean about the old man threatening to sue me. To be honest, I couldn¡¯t rx for a few days, thinking that my actions might affect Rozzean¡¯s situation in thepany.

    Especially since I heard that Mr. Vidar would tell Rozzean¡¯s father about what happened. I can¡¯t remember if my dad had mentioned anything about Rozzean¡¯s father ¨C whether he was a good person or strict ¨C and that made me even more anxious.

    ¡°Haahh¡­¡± I sighed deeply.

    I¡¯m here now on the rooftop, cleaning. I nced down at the pool and saw my boss sitting in front of hisptop, typing working his ass again.

    ¡°Is that the only thing he does all of his time?¡±

    Even on a Saturday, he¡¯s still working.

    Technically, I could already go home. It seems like Daddy was right. Rozzean is really nice and there¡¯s no reason not to get to know him.

    When my father speaks, we all believe him, but when ites to marriage, because I really don¡¯t want it, I¡¯ll find a way to prove that there¡¯s a valid reason not to get to know the man he wants me to marry. And that man is Rozzean.

    However, I¡¯ve been here for three weeks now, and I¡¯ve noticed his kindness. He doesn¡¯t get angry easily with his staff. I threw a shoe at his head, making him bleed, and I even punched and choked his investor, but he still defended me. I also see how well he treats Manang.

    I sighed again.

    Why am I even staying here after what Maki told me?

    He¡¯s right; what I¡¯m doing is dangerous. Rozzean might get angry when he finds out that Tali and Tangi, the woman he¡¯s supposed to marry, are one and the same.

    I was so desperate to see the man Daddy wants me to marry. My initial n was to find a way to prevent the wedding. But, I¡¯m slowly proving that Rozzean isn¡¯t a bad person and my feelings changed¡­ I felt¡­ strange.

    Suddenly, regret and fear consumed me.

    I need to go back.

    ¡°The only way to leave this house is to say that I like him.¡±

    But thinking about what I feel when he is around¡­ I don¡¯t think it  is a way, but rather telling him¡­ what I truly feel.

    My eyes widened with the though.

    ¡°Oh my goodness, Thaliana! Are you telling yourself that you actually like him?¡±

    I shook my head to wiped off the thought but when I gazed at him down below a sigh escaped me.

    He¡¯s a serious person. He likes everything in his house to be in order, but I¡¯ve also noticed that he appreciates the things done for him.

    ¡°Do you regret pretending now, Thaliana?¡±

    I continued cleaning and ncing down. I didn¡¯t realize that I¡¯d been on the rooftop, watching Rozzean work for over an hour. I noticed he hadn¡¯t even taken a break for a sip of water. He¡¯s like my Dad in that regard. When ites to work, he doesn¡¯t stop until it¡¯s done.

    ¡°Tali, do you want toe with me to the grocery store?¡±

    I turned to Manang, who had juste up to the rooftop. I approached her and set aside the cleaning cloth.

    ¡°Are there no food supplies left, Manang?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes, I just noticed that.¡±

    ¡°Okay, but Manang, isn¡¯t there something Sir needs you to do? I overheard him mention sending some papers to City Hall. I¡¯m not sure what it¡¯s for.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do the groceries, Manang. Just give me a list of what I need to buy.¡±

    We went down to the kitchen together. Even I hadn¡¯t noticed that we were running low on food supplies. When we got to the kitchen, I opened the fridge. There was very little left, and the vegetables were running low too.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Wait, what time is it?¡± Manang asked.

    I looked at the clock. ¡°It¡¯s 3 o¡¯clock, Manang, and City Hall closes at 5. Should you go now? You might get stuck there if the offices close.¡±

    She nodded, but before leaving me in the kitchen, she handed me ?5, 000 and the long list of things I needed to buy. It looked quite extensive. It seemed like it would take a while, and the grocery trip might take an hour or two, depending on how crowded it was.

    ¡°It¡¯s about a 30-minute trip to the market. Are you sure you can handle it on your own?¡± she asked.

    I gave her a thumbs up. ¡°Of course!¡±

    Once Manang had left, I went back to my room, changed my clothes, and fixed my face in front of the mirror. I checked the time and it seemed like I¡¯d be able to get back home before 6 PM. If not, I was pretty sure that Manang would be the one preparing dinner.

    ¡°Tali?¡± I looked at the door when I heard Manang¡¯s voice.

    I quickly approached and opened it.

    ¡°Let me have your number so you can call me if you have any questions.¡±

    Number?

    My eyes dropped to the cellphone she was holding.

    Ahhh¡­

    I turned away for a moment and took the cellphone where Rozzean had called earlier.

    ¡°Here, Manang, when I arrived here, this cellphone was already in the room. Can I use it?¡± I asked. ¡°Is it really for the housemaids, Manang?¡± I inquired.

    ¡°Oh, yes, it¡¯s really meant for the house helpers.¡±

    I searched for the SIM card¡¯s number on the cellphone and entered it into Manang¡¯s cellphone.

    ¡°All the housemaids here have their own cellphones for quickmunication with Sir. This house is quiterge, so if he needs something, and the helper is in another part of the house, he won¡¯t be able to get their attention right away. That¡¯s why he calls them. Did you see that, right? When Sir Maki was here? He called me using this,¡± Manang exined as she raised her cellphone, which had juste within my reach.

    ¡°Oh, I see, Manang. I¡¯ve also taken your number. If I have any questions, I¡¯ll call you. Also, if I happen to bete, you can prepare dinner.¡±

    ¡°Alright, take care, okay?¡±

    After Manang had left, I spent a moment making myself ready. I put the 5, 000 pesos and the cellphone in my back pocket and left my room. I had to walk to the corner to hail a tricycle, so I quickly went down the stairs.

    But, as soon as I reached the entrance, I saw Rozzean talking to someone in the living room.

    Who¡¯s that?

    A woman.

    ¡°If you are not busy, join us, okay? It¡¯s Saturday today, and it¡¯s Sunday tomorrow. No work. You should enjoy yourself sometimes, Rozz.¡±

    I raised my eyebrows. Rozz, nickname basis. Who is this?

    I walked toward them. When I spotted a basket of oranges on the coffee table, I already had an idea of who the woman talking to Rozzean in the living room was.

    It¡¯s the orange girl. Okay¡­ She was indeed pretty, as Manang had said, fair-skinned with a small face.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try, ri. I have a lot of work to finish today.¡±

    The woman focused her gaze on me, smiled, and as a housemaid, I politely bowed to her. I noticed Rozzean looking at me, and he furrowed his eyebrows, probably because of what I was wearing.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    The woman stood up as well. ¡°Okay, Rozz, I¡¯ll go now. I¡¯ll count on youter, alright? Even if you drop by for a short while, it¡¯s my birthday.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try, ri.¡±

    I just stared at ri. She was tall, had a good figure, and seemed to be kind. She wasn¡¯t the type Rozzean liked? I found it hard to believe. What kind of woman did he prefer?

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

 Worried Part II

    I turned to him as he spoke again.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to the market, sir, to buy groceries. Our food supplies are running low, and Manang was supposed toe with me, but she had to go to the city hall for something you asked her.¡±

    Would he stay hereter? For dinner maybe? There¡¯s a drinking session there in ri¡¯s birthday, for sure. Suddenly, I had a question for Rozzean.

    ¡°Are you eating dinner here, sir?¡±

    ¡°Yes, why?¡± he asked. Oh¡­ he answered fast.

    ¡°Because a pretty woman invited you. She¡¯s the one Manang mentioned, our neighbor, who seems to like you. She¡¯s beautiful, right?¡± I don¡¯t know what gotten into me that I¡¯ve said those words maybe I wanted to here more of his opinion about his beautiful neighbor.

    Rozzean didn¡¯t say anything; he just looked at me, slightly raising his eyebrow. His gaze made me feel a bit embarrassed.

    ¡°I¡¯m eating here, Tali. I won¡¯t be going out. You can prepare dinnerter,¡± he finally said and passed by me to go upstairs.

    So¡­ he¡¯s not going? I started to smile slowly. As I realized my smile was growing, I bit my lower lip.

    I nced at the orange on the coffee table and smiled.

    Sorry, orange girl. Better luck next time.

    I walked outside and made my way to the corner to catch a tricycle. I had a bit of trouble finding a ride because there weren¡¯t many passing by. I ended up walking to the main road to find one.

    By the time I reached the market, it was around five o¡¯clock. I started shopping, and with the long list of groceries I had, I knew it would take me until evening.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, five kilograms of pork?¡± the vendor asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    I was used to wet markets as I was the one who usually bought our food supplies. The market was clean, but it was crowded due to the number of shoppers.

    When thedy handed me the pork, I paid for it immediately. Then, I moved on to the poultry section to get drumstick, breast, and wings.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    I wiped the sweat from my forehead. How did I end up in this situation again? darn!

    ¡°Miss, some cooking oil, please. That big one over there,¡± I told the vendor.

    I had bought a lot, and my arms and shoulders were aching from carrying the bags.

    The vendor put the soy sauce and vinegar in my bag, saying, ¡°Here, ma¡¯am, let me help you. You have so much to carry.¡±

    I stood up, and she ced the items into my bag. I then reached for the money in my hand. Even though I was struggling with all the bags, I made my way out of the market after finishing my purchases.

    As I exited, I noticed that it had gotten dark, which I expected because I had been at the market for a while. When I tried to take my cellphone from the back pocket of my pants to call Manang, I couldn¡¯t find it.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    I set down all the bags I was carrying and began frantically searching through all my pockets for the cellphone.

    ¡°Where could it have gone?¡±

    A tricycle driver nearby must have noticed my distress, so he approached me and asked, ¡°Ma¡¯am, do you have a problem?¡±

    ¡°Well, you see, I lost my cellphone.¡±

    The driver shook his head, saying, ¡°Oh dear, ma¡¯am, there are a lot of thieves inside the market. It looks like your cellphone may have been stolen.¡±

    ¡°What?! Oh my gosh¡­¡±

    It wasn¡¯t even mine! Oh no!

    ¡°Where do you live, ma¡¯am?¡± the tricycle driver asked.

    I told him the name of the vige where Rozzean¡¯s house was. The driver assisted me in loading all my purchases into his tricycle. After everything was loaded, I asked him for the time.

    ¡°It¡¯s 8:35 pm, ma¡¯am.¡±

    Oh no, it was alreadyte! I hadn¡¯t realized the time had gotten because I had been focused on finishing the list of thigns I need to buy. I should have sent a message to Manang earlier, informing her that I might bete because I had trouble finding transportation earlier.

    ¡°Okay, thank you.¡±

    I was sure I would arrive home quitete tonight. I couldn¡¯t call Manang because I had lost my cellphone, and I also didn¡¯t have her number memorized.

    Rozzean had mentioned earlier that he would be dining and cooking at home, but it was fine now since I had told Manang that she would take care of dinner if I were runningte.

    When we reached the vige, I asked the driver for the time again.

    ¡°It¡¯s 9:20, ma¡¯am¡±

    Time passed quickly, and even though the tricycle driver was speedy, the journey felt longer. Is Rozzean gonna scold me? gosh.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, which way do I go? Right or left?¡± he asked me.

    ¡°Turn right, please,¡± I said.

    As we got closer to the house, I became concerned and puzzled. I noticed a police car parked outside Rozzean¡¯s house. I began to feel anxious. W-Why were the police there?

    ¡°Did something happen? Why are there police officers?¡± I mumbled to myself.

    I immediately thought of Mr. Vidar. My hands trembled, and I fumbled to hand two hundred pesos to the tricycle driver as I quickly entered the house.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am! Oh, ma¡¯am, you forgot your groceries!¡± the driver yelled after me.

    I went straight inside the house, and when I saw three police officers facing Rozzean, intense anxiety washed over me. Were they here to arrest me?

    But when Rozzean¡¯s eyes met mine, I saw his lips part in shock. Tears welled up in my eyes from a mixture of fear and anxiety. W-Will the old pervert put me in jail?

    ¡°S-Sir, are t-they here to arrest me?¡± I asked, but I couldn¡¯t finish my sentence. Rozzean swiftly walked towards me and embraced me tightly. W-What¡­

    H-He is hugging me so tight. I could feel his heavy breathing.

    ¡°Thank God you are okay¡­¡± he whispered.

    What¡­ what the hell was happening?

    ¡°I thought something bad happened to you.¡±

    S-Something bad?

    When Rozzean finally let go, I was left feeling bewildered. Weren¡¯t the police going to arrest me?

    ¡°Sir, the police?¡± I asked.

    He looked me up and down, inspecting my face, neck, arms, and hands. I was confused. What is Rozzean¡¯s doing?

    ¡°S-Sir? What happened? Why are the police here?¡±

    Instead of answering, he took a deep breath. As the police officers approached us, I hid behind Rozzean. I am scared!

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, officers. I think I just overreacted. Thank you very much,¡± Rozzean said to the police.

    ¡°No problem at all, Mr. Valleje. We¡¯re d nothing bad happened to your wife.¡±

    I was shocked by what I heard.

    W-Wife?! I¡¯m a maid here, officers!

    I nced at Rozzean, but he didn¡¯t correct the officer¡¯s statement. He merely thanked and bid farewell to them. When the police left, I was still utterly confused and couldn¡¯t grasp what was happening. I turned to Rozzean about to speak when I heard Manang¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Tali! Oh my, Tali!¡± she ran toward me.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    Manang hugged me, and I felt her shoulders shaking. She was crying.

    ¡°I thought something bad happened to you.¡±

    I looked at Rozzean, my eyes filled with questions. I still couldn¡¯t make sense of the situation.

    ¡°I called your cellphone to ask where you were because it was already seven, and you hadn¡¯t returned. I was surprised when a man answered, and when I tried calling again, your number was unreachable.¡±

    Oh no! My cellphone got stolen!

    ¡°Manang¨C¡±

    ¡°I was so worried. It was already eight, and you hadn¡¯t returned. I immediately told sir that a man had answered your phone, and I couldn¡¯t reach you. I remembered that you¡¯re new here, so we sent for you with the police in the market and even in the nearby town, but you were nowhere to be found. I was so anxious, dear, we thought something happened to you.¡±

    I nced again at Rozzean, who was looking in a different direction.

    I can¡¯t believe this¡­

    I gulped, and my heart raced.

    So, the reason there were police officers at his mansion was because of me?

    Because he was looking for me?

 Realization

    Rozzean quickly went upstairs without looking at me again. What the hell is happening? He ran when he saw me. He hugged me and whispered unexpected words. And! the police was here because they¡¯re searching for me as per Rozzean¡¯smand.

    W-What am I again to this house?

    Not  his wife! but a maid!

    ¡°I thought something bad happened to you.¡±

    His breathing was also fast. I felt it because of he was hugging me so tight. The surprise and concern on his face when he saw me entering the house couldn¡¯t escape my mind.

    ¡°T-Tali? Is there a problem, dear? Why are you holding your chest?¡±

    I looked at Manang.

    I wanted to tell her that my heart was beating so fast, and that I couldn¡¯t breathe because of the feeling Rozzean left in me.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Manang.¡±

    I reassured her and immediately looked at her, holding her hands and smiling. She cried because she was so worried about me. I didn¡¯t realize that the reason the police were outside was because of their concern for me.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Manang, I didn¡¯t know my cellphone was stolen. It was in the back pocket of my pants. I was busy buying the things on the list and I didn¡¯t realize my phone was taken,¡± I exined.

    She nodded and held my arms. ¡°The important thing is you¡¯re home now, and nothing bad happened to you. Oh, we were so worried, both Sir and I. When I told him that you hadn¡¯te home and someone else answered your phone, he immediately came down. He left and even used the car, it seems he went to the market to look for you.¡±

    H-He did¡­ that?

    ¡°But maybe you already left, so he didn¡¯t see you. The police arrived about ten minutes before you did. Sir arrived just a few minutes before them.¡±

    He also went out¡­ to look for me? my heart beat started to beat fast again.

    ¡°D-Did I heard it right? Sir go out to look for me, Manang?¡± I asked to make sure my ears are not fooling me.

    She nodded.

    This is the first time I¡¯ve felt this way. It¡¯s like my heart is pounding so hard that it might burst from my chest. Why would Rozzean go out to look for a maid like me? And why did he hug me like he was so worried?

    ¡°Tali, your groceries.¡±

    I turned to what Manang was looking at, and I saw the guards bringing in the groceries. I pped my forehead because I was in such a rush earlier when I saw the police car that I ran inside the house, forgetting the groceries in the tricycle.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start cooking, Tali. You sure you are okay, huh?¡±

    I was surprised by what Manang said.

    ¡°W-What? Haven¡¯t you had dinner yet?¡± I nced at the clock. It was already 9:30 pm! it¡¯ste!

    Manang shook her head and started picking up the groceries. I approached to help her.

    ¡°No, dear, I¡¯m not hungry yet. I had some cake earlier, so I¡¯m not hungry. Sir, on the other hand, wants caldereta, which you¡¯re going to cook, so I didn¡¯t prepare anything. Now, he¡¯s definitely starving because he hasn¡¯t eaten anything.¡±

    He was waiting for me. Rozzean¡¯s  not yet eating. I quicklyplied, gathered the necessary ingredients, and started cooking.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Manang. I was careless earlier. That will not going to happen again! I promised!¡±

    She started putting away the groceries in the refrigerator and cabs while I focused on cooking. The strange feeling in my chest still lingered. Rozzean¡¯s face when he saw me entering the house earlier still couldn¡¯t leave my mind.

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, dear. I should have warned you that there are many thieves in the market, and you went there in the afternoon. I¡¯m sorry, too.¡±

    I gave Manang a slight smile. Time passed quickly, and I finished cooking. I prepared a tray to serve the food. Manang had started eating; I had asked her to eat first since it was quitete, and she hadn¡¯t had dinner yet.

    ¡°Manang, I¡¯ll take care of cleaning up in the kitchen, okay? You should rest after this. I¡¯m really sorry for causing you so much worry.¡±

    She ced her te in the sink and approached me. She held my cheeks.

    ¡°We¡¯re family here, Tali, don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s normal for me to be concerned about you.¡±

    But Rozzean?

    Is it normal for a boss like him to be worried about me? To be the one who went searching for me?

    After leaving Manang, I headed to Rozzean¡¯s room. As I climbed the stairs, countless thoughts swirled in my mind.

    He¡¯s a good man, just as my father said.

    He values his employees and genuinely cares for them, as I¡¯ve learned from Manang Selya¡¯s story. Rozzean helped her and gave her a new lease on life.

    ¡°I only have 5 days left this month. After that, I¡¯ll confess my feelings to Rozzean, just so he¡¯ll let me go.¡±

    I stopped in my thoughts as I neared Rozzean¡¯s room. I bit my lower lip as I came to a realization.

    ¡°Confess¡­ and tell Rozzean that I like him.¡±

    I took a deep breath and looked up.

    Thaliana, the reason for needing to leave this house is true.

    The reason why I hesitated to leave these past few days, and why I¡¯ve been waiting for him, why I was hurt when I found out he was just trying to use me for a week, is because¡­

    ¡°B-Because I have feelings for him.¡±

    I closed my eyes tightly. The n was to find a way to ruin his image to my dad, but I fell for him.

    I opened my eyes and took a deep breath. I walked to Rozzean¡¯s door and called out to him.

    ¡°S-Sir.¡±

    I knocked on the door three times. When there was no response, I was about to knock again when the door opened. I nced at him briefly, and his image became etched in my mind.

    He had a towel on his head. It seemed like he had just showered. He was wearing a gray t-shirt and ck sweatpants.

    ¡°I-I am sorry, sir. Your food is ready. I¡¯m sorry¡­ I came homete,¡± I said to him.

    I kept my head down and didn¡¯t look at him. I was nervous, overwhelmed by mixed emotions, and the realization that I liked him made it difficult for me to meet his gaze.

    Rozzean widened the open door, ¡°Come in.¡±

    I followed his instructions and entered the room. I ced the tray on the coffee table and began arranging his food. When I heard the door close, I nced at him. He was busy drying his hair.

    ¡°What happened to your cellphone?¡±

    I stood beside the tray, and when our eyes met, I instinctively looked away.

    ¡°It got stolen, sir. I didn¡¯t realize there were so many thieves in the market. I had it in the back pocket while I was shopping.¡±

    I heard him sigh. I looked at him for a moment, but quickly turned away. I couldn¡¯t meet his eyes right now.

    ¡°Sir? Where are you going? Aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡± I asked as he entered his room.

    ¡°Wait for me here.¡±

    I didn¡¯t say anything more when I heard his words. Just as Rozzean had instructed, I waited for him there. I took a deep breath and held my chest. My eyes drifted to the food on the coffee table, hoping he would finish it all.

    After a few moments, he returned. I heard the door close to his room and quickly straightened up.

    ¡°Use this.¡±

    He¡¯s in front of me. I nced at his hand. A cellphone?

    ¡°Sir?¡±

    Rozzean took one of my hands and ced the cellphone in it.

    ¡°That¡¯s my phone. I¡¯ll buy a new one tomorrow. You¡¯ll be using this from now on. Do you understand me?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t speak, or react. He¡¯s giving me his phone? and this is his personal phone!

    ¡°S-Sir, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s right to-¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother returning it, Tali. I don¡¯t want this to happen again in the future.¡±

    His expression made it clear that he wouldn¡¯t take back his phone. I just nodded slowly. My heart is clenching, I swallow hard when I realized more  what I felt for him.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Thank you for this, sir.¡±

    I like Rozzean.

 Real Kiss

    I stayed in my room until Rozzean finished his meal. He told me to wait downstairs so I wouldn¡¯t have to go up again to get his dishes. As I observed him eating, every little movement he made seemed perfect in my eyes.

    So¡­ this is what it feels like when you like someone? He is the first man I¡¯veid my eyes on, so I didn¡¯t really know.

    When Rozzean finished his meal, I went downstairs and cleaned the kitchen, but my thoughts were still upied by him.

    ¡°I will confess. I will tell Rozzean that I like him. After that, I will return home to talk to Daddy. I won¡¯tplete the two months that I promised.¡±

    The next day, I woke up early, prepared breakfast, and cleaned the garden. I didn¡¯t have the pool cleaned by Manang because I did it myself. I wiped the tiles, arranged some furniture in the living room, and provided breakfast to the guards outside.

    ¡°How hardworking you are, Tali. Is there something happening?¡± Manang asked me. I saw her carrying a vacuum cleaner.

    I¡¯m just inspired¡­ maybe?

    ¡°N-Nothing really, Manang. I¡¯m always this busy in this house, right?¡±

    I saw that she was having a hard time on the vacuum cleaner because it was heavy, so I approached her.

    ¡°Manang, where are you gonna take this? I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±

    She looked up at the stairs, ¡°I will clean Sir¡¯s room, Tali.¡±

    Mty lips parted. I¡¯ve been waiting for Rozzean toe down, but it seems he woke upte today. I wanted to see him. It¡¯s different when you like someone; you just want to see that person all the time.

    ¡°Ah, never mind, Manang. I¡¯ll do it,¡± I insisted.

    ¡°Are you sure? You¡¯ve done so much already this morning. You¡¯re not tired?¡± she asked.

    I shook my head and smiled, showing her my arm. ¡°I¡¯m strong, Manang!¡±

    Sheughed and patted me on the shoulder.

    The truth is, I just wanted to see Rozzean.

    ¡°Well, then, I¡¯ll head to the back and water the vegetables.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s quite challenging to bring this up.¡±

    The vacuum cleaner is too heavy. It should be on the third floor, where his room is, to avoid having to carry it up every time he needs to clean.

    ¡°Sir?¡± I knocked on the door.

    ¡°Sir, I¡¯ll clean your room.¡±

    It¡¯s quiet. Is he still sleeping? but he usually woke up early. Or maybe he is busy doing his work?

    ¡°Sir-¡±

    The door suddenly swung open, revealing a disheveled Rozzean, who looked half-asleep with his eyes barely open. I gulped, my cheeks heated with his gaze. He had never appeared this way in my eyes before! Definitely, my liking for him has caused this.

    He looks so cute. Oh, Thaliana!

    ¡°Sir, I¡¯m going to clean your room-¡±

    I couldn¡¯t finish my sentence because he turned away from mem he didn¡¯t say anything. Is he in a badmood? bad morning? I entered his room and closed the door behind me.

    After I went inside, I found Rozzean lying on the long couch with a nket.

    ¡°Sir, did you sleep there? Why not on your bed?¡±

    He didn¡¯t respond. It seems like he¡¯s already asleep again. How can he fall asleep so quickly? I think he overworked himself again! but what should I do? Clean while he¡¯s here?

    ¡°Sir, I¡¯m going to clean now, okay? The vacuum can be quite noisy.¡±

    But he didn¡¯t still say anything, so I started cleaning. I began with his bedroom. There wasn¡¯t a lot of things that needs to clean. Rozzean keeps his space tidy, and he doesn¡¯t like his things scattered all over the ce.

    I changed the bed linens and pillowcases and wiped his bedside table. I noticed a few books on the couch, so I picked them up and ced them in the cab.

    After finishing the bedroom, I stepped out and saw Rozzean still asleep on the long couch.

    Isn¡¯t he ufortable?

    ¡°Sir, the vacuum is noisy, I will use it now,¡± I told him again.

    He didn¡¯t say a word, as he seemed to be in a deep sleep. I turned on the vacuum and started cleaning. I kept ncing at Rozzean, concerned that the noise might wake him, but his expression remained calm. He was sound asleep.

    After vacuuming the area, I moved to clean under the couch. When I reached his side and focused my eyes on his face, I couldn¡¯t help but pause.

    His dark eyebrows, long eyshes, luscious lips, and strong jawline.

    ¡°His eyshes are so long,¡± I muttered to myself.

    His lips were also a beautiful shade of red, even while he slept.

    I can¡¯t believe my month-long stay here has led to this.

    Who wouldn¡¯t be attracted to him? I was so confident because no man caught my attention since I¡¯ve learned about romance.

    ¡°But it¡¯s not just his physical appearance that¡¯s appealing,¡± I said, continuing with the vacuuming.

    I was in front of Rozzean, just gazing at him as I vacuumed, unable to take my eyes off his deeply sleeping face. But as I moved forward with one foot, I was taken by surprise when I identally stepped on the vacuum cleaner hose.

    ¡°Oh!¡±

    Damn. The shock of what happened sent my heart racing.

    I fell on top of him! Startled, I couldn¡¯t regain my bnce right away. When I saw Rozzean¡¯s eyes move and his eyebrows furrow, I was about to get up. But it was toote, as his eyes slowly opened.

    ¡°S-Sir, I didn¡¯t¡­ I mean, it¡¯s the vacuum cleaner¡¯s fault¨C¡±

    He frowned at me, and as I tried to get up, I was surprised to feel his hand tightly gripping my waist.

    Rozzean,e on! what are you doing?!

    ¡°Good morning?¡±

    I was taken aback! He smiled and greeted me! His face lifted, and our noses were just inches apart. Our lips were almost touching. I-I should ge up! but how? his hands were tightly on my waist!

    My heart was beating so fast; I felt like he could hear it because of our proximity.

    I looked at him, my mouth hanging open. I was searching for something to say to him. But the rapid thumping of my heart was deafening, confusing my mind, and I couldn¡¯t figure out what to say due to our current position.

    ¡°Are you seducing me, Tali?¡±

    W-What?!

    ¡°Are you going to kiss me?¡±

    My eyes widened at his words.

    ¡°K-Kiss? Of course not! I won¡¯t kiss you, sir!¡± I hurriedly exined.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I-I identally stepped on the vacuum cleaner hose, and I just¡­ I mean¡­¡±

    I couldn¡¯t continue what I was trying to say when I saw his gaze lower to my lips.

    ¡°You are not going to kiss me?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t speak. Is he really expecting me to kiss him?

    ¡°Then, let me do it.¡±

    Before I could respond, I was stunned and couldn¡¯t move when I felt his lips on mine.

    W-What is this¡­ how did it turned like this?

    Rozzean is passionately kissing me. His left hand was on my back, and his other hand held my nape.

    I was too stunned to move! This is not a dream¡­

    Rozzean is kissing me.

    My heart was pounding so fast. My mind was clouded as his lips moved against mine. He was trying to get a response from me!

    Unable to resist any longer and encouraged by the teasing of his lips, I closed my eyes and followed his movements.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    His kiss was a revtion, a feeling I never knew I needed until it happened. My heart raced as I continue kissing him back.

    ¡°Tali¡­¡± he whispered when he let go.

    ¡°S-Sir, this is wrong. I- I am your maid and y-you are my boss.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t fckng care,¡± after he said that he kissed me again.

    H-He doesnt?

    ¡°Hmm¡­ S-sir¡­¡± I let out a moan.

    Now I am feeling overwhelmed with emotions as I held on him tighter. Damn. He is drowning me, his lips expertly move in mine. I didn¡¯t stop myself, I followed his lips movement and I felt him smiled because of that.

    This is¡­ crazy.

    I am on top of Rozzean, and we are kissing deep, hard and needy.

 Rozzean Cyronéˆ¥æªš POV

    Rozzean Cyron Valleje¡¯s POV

    ¡°Good morning, sir!¡±

    ¡°Good morning, Mr. Valleje!¡±

    It was not a good morning because I am not feeling well today, but I had to smile back at the workers who greeted me.

    ¡°Good morning, Mr. Valleje.¡±

    I nodded to my secretary. She¡¯s walking with me while reminding me of my schedules for today.

    I arrived early at mypany for the work that needed to be finished. I looked at my watch to check the time.

    7:45 am.

    ¡°What¡¯s my first meeting for today, Miss Ss?¡± I asked my secretary.

    It¡¯s early, but my head is already aching. This is probably the effect of working overnight.

    ¡°You have a meeting with the production team about the new RCV product at exactly 9:00 am, Mr. Valleje.¡±

    RCV is my ownpany. I can say that I¡¯ve worked hard to establish thispany. I¡¯ve had setbacks that nearly shattered my self-confidence before I reached my current position.

    ¡°As far as I can remember, I already talked to the production teamst week. I approved everything. All the materials look good to me, and I don¡¯t see any problems. What¡¯s the issue this time? They¡¯re really working hard, huh?¡±

    Miss Ss smiled at me. ¡°Maybe they just want to impress you, sir.¡±

    It¡¯s actually about the new product we¡¯reunching this month. That¡¯s why everyone is busy. This is what I like about my employees ¨C they¡¯re hardworking and professional.

    ¡°Sir, Bizz Entertainment wants to schedule an interview with you. It¡¯s for their new magazine. They want to feature you again in this year¡¯s bachelor magazine for sessful bachelor businessmen. Based on your schedule, you have some free time this afternoon¡­¡±

    I raised my hand and looked at Miss Ss.

    ¡°I¡¯m going home early. If they want to do it next week, I¡¯ll attend the interview then.¡±

    She nodded, and I continued walking. This week had been a hectic one for me. There were numerous meetings that needed to bepleted and papers to sign before the end of the day. I massaged my temples as I began to feel a headacheing on.

    I needed to go home early; otherwise, this headache could be worseter.

    As I entered my office, I was surprised to see my father there. What was he doing here?

    ¡°Mr. Valleje,¡± I greeted him.

    The expression on his face suggested that he had something important to discuss. I approached him and gave a slight bow. I showed him respect because, in the workce, he was not my father but Mr. Valleje.

    He was one of the highly respected and sessful businessmen in the country.

    ¡°You¡¯re here early.¡±

    ¡°I should be, Mr. Valleje. Thepany has a lot of work to do, and the CEO should start as early as possible.¡±

    He nodded in agreement and then walked over, taking a seat on the sofa.

    ¡°When are you going to visit us, Cyron?¡±

    I thought he was going to discuss business matters.

    I set my suitcase down and walked closer to my father. Taking a seat in front of him.

    ¡°I have a lot of work to do, Mr. Valleje. Thepany isunching a new product this month. We are running out of time, and if-¡±

    ¡°Reasons. You¡¯re working even on weekends, Cyron?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Valleje. I¡¯m ensuring that everything in mypany is running smoothly.¡±

    He shook his head, as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. I remained silent, waiting for him to continue. I knew that he was a hard worker, too, and I inherited that trait from him. I had seen his dedication to his work when I was younger. I understood that he worked hard to secure a better future for us, as he always reminded us.

    ¡°Even on the weekends?¡± He shook his head again.

    Despite having started my ownpany, he rarely acknowledged my achievements. He only seemed to focus on my brothers¡¯ sesses. I couldn¡¯t remember thest time he had acknowledged my aplishments. In fact, when I faced difficulties with my business and thought I had enough knowledge to run it, he invested in it at first. But when I experienced setbacks, he didn¡¯t offer words of encouragement or moral support; instead, he med me for my perceived ipetence.

    He had told me back then that I was too young to have my ownpany.

    I actually started RCV when I was 28. My brother Aloncious supported me and invested in thepany, and so did Dad. However, I knew he did it more to be able to say he¡¯d contributed in some way.

    But when RCV encountered difficulties, heughed at me and imed that I had been hasty. That¡¯s not how business works, he said.

    From that point on, I stopped seeking help from Dad and crawled my way up alone.

    As mypany gained more investors, I worked diligently to maintain their trust. As the business grew, so did the number of people who believed in me.

    ¡°I am working even on weekends, Mr. Valleje,¡± I continued. ¡°Alright, when I have some time, I¡¯lle home for a visit-¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait, Cyron. Your mother wants to see you. I expect you next week.¡±

    He got up, and I followed.

    ¡°Also, Taki misses you. The little kid keeps asking me where you are. Since he left your house, he¡¯s been crying a lot.¡±

    I miss him, too.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Valleje. After this month, I will bring Taki back and find a nanny.¡±

    My father nodded and left my office without saying another word.

    I loosened my tie and sat back in my swivel chair, massaging my temples as my headache grew more intense.

    ¡°The day just started, Rozzean¡­ patience¡­ you have a lot more to do.¡±

    I pressed the inte and requested for a ck coffee. I began reading the papers that had arrived, awaiting my signature.

    I didn¡¯t expect my father toe here this early. It¡¯s been a month since west met.

    But he didn¡¯t mention anything about hispany, as he usually does. I sighed. Whenever we meet at events where RCV and hispany, Larzon Inc., are invited, he always talks about how capable Luther is in running it.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    How Luther attracts new investors and garners international recognition.

    Luther Rico Valleje. He¡¯s an adopted child of my parents, two years older than me.

    ¡°Father is still the same.¡±

    He still doesn¡¯t look at me and acknowledge what I¡¯ve aplished. He¡¯s the same person who doubted my skills and knowledge in business.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Rozzean. You¡¯ve done well, you¡¯re doing very well. You don¡¯t have to prove anything to him.¡±

    I sighed heavily and rested my head.

    But I want to be noticed by Dad. Even just once. I want to hear him say he¡¯s so proud of me for all the achievements I have right now, all the rewards mypany has received. Thepany I built on my own.

    I closed my eyes and smiled with the realization.

    ¡°I am 33 and still craving for the care and love of a family.¡±

    Mr. Valleje is a strict father. There are three of us, all boys. I¡¯m the youngest. Since then, I rarely felt my parents¡¯ love.

    Our parents were so busy running all our businesses. Often, it was the maids who took care of us.

    That¡¯s why I have a soft spot for maids.

 Rozzean Cyronéˆ¥æªš POV Part II

    Rozzean Cyron¡¯s POV Part II

    When I was young, I had a nanny. Her name was Nanay Sol. She raised me and gave me the love I didn¡¯t feel from my real parents. She took care of me as if I were her own child. I was so happy when she was my nanny, but my dad kicked Nanay Sol out of our house for a simple reason.

    She was used of breaking a vase that my dad had bought at an auction. I still remember how I cried when I saw Nanay Sol leave our house. She was the only person who truly cared for me.

    Later on, my dad found out that it was Luther who had broken the vase. I was so angry that I punched Luther. We fought, and what I¡¯ll never forget is how my dad pushed me to see the injured face of his adopted child.

    ¡°Why am I reminiscing about the past now?¡±

    I returned to my work. I finished reading and signing the papers piled up on my desk.

    Time passed quickly at mypany, and my condition worsened. After all the meetings, I returned to my office andy down on the long sofa.

    I felt the need to stretch my back. My headache was also getting worse.

    ¡°Mr. Valleje, are you okay? Do you need anything?¡±

    I looked at my secretary.

    ¡°Am I done with all the scheduled meetings for today, Miss Ss?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes, sir. There are no more meetings scheduled.¡±

    I nodded, ¡°Okay, I will go home now.¡±

    After my secretary left, I grabbed my suitcase and headed outside. I really need to go home now and rest. There¡¯s a possibility that whatever I¡¯m feeling might escte.

    I can¡¯t afford to get sick. There is a lot of work to do. I can¡¯t go back to the old situation where I¡¯d hear my father¡¯s voice again about how I¡¯m running thepany incorrectly.

    I need to work hard. I need to prove to my Dad I can stand on my own.

    ¡°Damn this headache.¡±

    I unbuttoned the top three buttons of my polo and then started my car.

    While in the car, my cellphone rang.

    It was my secretary.

    ¡°Hello, Miss Ss?¡±

    ¡°Sir, there are two people who want to apply as maids in your house. I told them you¡¯ve already left. Should I send them to your house?¡±

    I almost forgot about the maids. I dismissed three of them yesterday due to their attempts to flirt with me. I¡¯ve had to let several maids go for the same reason.

    All of them seem to develop feelings for me. Most are seducing me.

    ¡°Okay, thank you, Miss Ss.¡±

    I don¡¯t have time to get involved with someone because of work. Plus, I¡¯ve already agreed to meet Mr. D Vezca¡¯s only daughter. I remember the conversation I had with my father.

    ¡°You¡¯re 33, Cyron. What are you waiting for at this age?¡±

    ¡°I am not rushing, Dad¨C¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not rushing? I¡¯ve never heard that you had a girlfriend, Cyron.¡±

    Where is this conversation going?

    ¡°What do you want me to do, Dad?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to meet Romualdo¡¯s daughter. She¡¯s a beautiful and smart woman. Shees from a respectable and well-off family. A woman like that is suitable for you.¡±

    George Romualdo D Vezca. Mr. D Vezca is one of the biggest investors in mypany and has been a supporter since the early days. I didn¡¯t know he had a daughter; I thought he had only sons.

    But I don¡¯t care where the womanes from or who she is. I don¡¯t base my decisions on social status.

    When I reached the vige, my forehead knotted when I saw the guards talking to a woman blocking the path. I parked my car and approached them.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡±

    I got their attention. I noticed the woman looking at me. It was scorching hot, but she was wrapped up tightly. She had thick bangs, a mole on her left cheek, and freckles.

    The guard informed me that the woman was applying for a maid position. Despite the headache that was starting to throb, I agreed to let her in. I headed back to my car and made my way home. My condition was getting worse.

    ¡°Manang Selya, when the woman applying as a maid arrives, please bring her to my room,¡± I told Manang Selya.

    I was 30 when I met Manang Selya.

    She¡¯s sixty-eight now. Manang Selya used to be a vendor,ter on became homeless and always hanging around outside mypany. She told me her story. Her husband had passed away, and her child had left and gone abroad with their spouse.

    She became alone after that. I remembered Nanay Sol in her.

    I pity old people like her. I immediately talked to her, asked if she could work as my maid, and when she said she had a lot of skills, I quickly hired her and had Miss Ss arrange the necessary paperwork for her benefits.

    Now, Manang Selya has been with me for almost three years in my house. She¡¯s not just a maid; like Nanay Sol, she¡¯s family.

    I went up to my room, took a towel, and left it on the sofa. Then, I headed to the bathroom. I felt like I needed a cold shower to ease the difort I was feeling.

    After I finished, I stepped out of the bathroom, but I was startled by a scream.

    ¡°Oh my gosh! I¡¯m still a virgin! Please, not that! That hotdog is so big!¡±

    I suddenly looked down.

    Ohh¡­

    I approached the sofa and grabbed the towel. I quickly covered my lower body with it. I was used to walking around without clothes on, especially in my room.

    I talked to the woman. She was the one at the guardhouse earlier, asking if she could enter to apply as a maid in my house. I observed her, and her style was quite different. She was dressed in a long-sleeved blouse and a long skirt. She wore flowery shoes.

    Okay¡­ this is the first time I¡¯ve encountered an applicant who dresses and looks like this. Weird.

    I asked her various questions, and she knew how to respond. She is a little rude for a maid. But it doesn¡¯t matter as long as she is working well and will not fall for me. I am sick of firing the maids for trying to seduce me. Some even went to my room without my permission naked and in my bed. Damn. I don¡¯t even want to remember.

    ¡°You¡¯re twenty-nine, right? Still a virgin? And don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s the first time you¡¯ve seen a d*ck?¡± I asked after an interaction with her. She just saw me naked, and the look on her face? she looks disgusted which for me is good.

    ¡°I¡¯m not used to seeing such things, sir. With all due respect, I¡¯m not the type of woman who engages in such activities before marriage. Besides, you¡¯re the one at fault for what happened earlier.¡±

    I leaned back on the sofa and crossed my arms.

    ¡°Why is it my fault? I am here inside my room¡­ in my own house, woman.¡±

    She introduced herself. She¡¯s Tali D Cruz. She doesn¡¯t  have that much knowledge as she didn¡±t finish a degree and she didn¡¯t even go to high school. It seems like I¡¯ll need to adjust to her because I really need a maid. Her looks were saying that I can trust her.

    I told her one of my house rules, which is that my housemaids should not develop feelings for me. Otherwise, they¡¯ll be dismissed. And I couldn¡¯t believe what she just said.

    ¡°Sir, no offense, but you¡¯re quite full of yourself.¡±

    I felt like I went deaf for a moment. Okay, she¡¯s in. She has the guts to talk back. I think she¡¯s strong-willed and willst in my house.

    I epted her as a new maid.

    But I need to test her to make sure she won¡¯t fall for me. I¡¯m tired of searching for a decent maid.

    I took a short nap and when I woke up, I went downstairs to the kitchen. I was hungry since I didn¡¯t have lunch earlier due to finishing my work.

    I hadn¡¯t even reached the kitchen when I smelled a delicious aroma. My eyebrows furrowed.

    ¡°Hmm, that smells good-¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that smell?¡±

    ¡°Oh, hotdog!¡±ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

    My new maid looked at me.

    ¡°Are you done cooking?¡±

    ¡°Y-You said it would take two hours before youe down-¡±

    I walked closer to her. The smell of the food was tempting me. Suddenly, my stomach grumbled, and Tali¡¯s face turned red. I needed to test her, to be sure.

    I moved closer to her, putting my hands on both sides while she moved away from me.

    ¡°S-Sir, what are you-¡±

    I nced at the spoon on the side and put my pointer finger to taste the sauce of the food she cooked.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ it tastes good.¡±

    In the next few hours, I noticed several things about my new maid. She was cheerful and attentive. We talked about the different areas of my house, and I told her the ces she could go. I didn¡¯t have many restrictions in my house, except for the garden.

    The garden was essential to me because of my older brother. I never let anyone go there because my brother was the one who nted the flowers. I took care of it, and I didn¡¯t let anyone else touch it.

    After our conversation, I went back to my room. I was feeling a bit of difort in my body. I thought a shower would make me feel better, but it didn¡¯t seem to be working.

    ¡°I can¡¯t get sick, damn it.¡±

    But there¡¯s a different itch I¡¯m feeling in my throat. My head hurts, and it¡¯s worsened by the two new applicants. Just from their initial looks, I can immediately sense their intentions.

    ¡°Maybe I should stop these interviews?¡±

 His Feelings

    Rozzean¡¯s POV  continuation

    I went to my bedroom andy down. I felt a different kind of pain in my body. I cleared my throat many times, and my head was hurting so much. I closed my eyes to sleep, hoping that when I wake up, the pain would be gone.

    But I was wrong. After a few hours, my condition worsened. I was shivering. I couldn¡¯t even move my body to get up and take a ss of water.

    ¡°D-Damn it. I-I have work tomorrow.¡±

    I reached for my cellphone and tried to call Manang Selya toe and bring me some water, but I dialed the wrong number because of my blurry vision. It¡¯s Tali¡¯s number.

    My new maid.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    It took me a while to answer because my throat was sore.

    ¡°W-Water¡­¡±

    ¡°S-Sir Rozzean?¡±

    ¡°I n-need water, bring water to my room.¡±

    ¡°Okay, sir! Just a moment!¡±

    It didn¡¯t take long before I heard the door of my bedroom open. I could hear the sound of my air conditioner. It seemed like she adjusted my air conditioner.

    ¡°S-Sir?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Water.¡±

    ¡°Sir, you¡¯re sick. You need to eat. This tin is still hot, you can sip the broth. There are also medicines here.¡±

    She brought food? I didn¡¯t ask her that.

    ¡°I wish, sir, you had told us you weren¡¯t feeling well, so we could have taken care of it sooner.¡±

    I closed my eyes. This maid is really different. She¡¯s talkative, even answering back to her employer.

    I took the water and had a sip. The pain in my throat didn¡¯t ease up. Despite the difficulty, I tried to sit up against the headboard of my bed.

    ¡°Sir, you should have worn something. That¡¯s why you¡¯re shivering. The air conditioner was strong when I came in, and you still don¡¯t have anything on the top. Where is your drawer?¡±

    I looked at her. Damn. Is she scolding me?

    ¡°Sir, where is your drawer? You need to get dressed. Do you want to get sick? You surely don¡¯t want to get hypothermia, right?¡±

    I looked in the direction of my belongings. It seems she understood what I was trying to say, so she stood up immediately.

    Iy down and closed my eyes again. I really feel terrible. I can¡¯t be like this until tomorrow.

    ¡°Sir, please put on your clothes.¡±

    ¡°Are sleeping, sir?¡±

    ¡°C-Can¡­ a sleep person¡­ answer?¡± I asked.

    I forced myself to sit up again, leaning against the headboard of the bed. I tried to pick up my clothes, but I struggled to raise my arms. Fck. I can¡¯t even lift my arms.

    ¡°Sir, let me do it,¡± Tali said.

    She didn¡¯t wait for me to respond. She picked up the clothes and approached me. I gulped when she was so close to me. This is the first time I¡¯ve let someone touch me, especially another maid. I could smell her, and the scent lingered.

    I looked at her as she put the shirt on me. I had a chance to see her face closer.

    She has round, expressive eyes and pouty lips. Her face was so close to mine. I found myself staring at her lower lip as she bit it while looking at me. I suddenly felt a strange sensation when she did that.

    Ahh¡­

    Her lips look so soft, and inviting-

    Fck.

    What the hell am I thinking?

    When she put the clothes on me, she adjusted them. I just watched her while she did it. Then her hands went to my hair and brushed it. I was momentarily surprised. She did it as if it were a normal thing.

    I was too weak to speak and ask her.

    But what she did made me notice her. Now, my new maid has caught my attention.

    She¡¯s like my Nanay Sol. She makes sure that I have all the things I need. She even puts medicine on my prepared breakfast. I like the food she cooks. I enjoy watching her on CCTV.

    She gets along well with Manang Selya.

    When I needed to go home to Man to visit my family, I often looked at the CCTV on my phone to see what was happening in my house. I saw Tali and Manang eating together, watching TV, andughing together.

    At least, somehow, Manang has someone she gets along with.

    After spending three days at home, I didn¡¯t spend the night in our mansion. Mama wanted me to stay there, but I said I would go home. I suddenly missed the food at my house.

    It didn¡¯t used to be like this.

    ¡°Manang, where¡¯s Tali?¡±

    When I arrived home, that was the first thing I asked Manang Selya. She seemed surprised by my arrival.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

    ¡°Sir, we thought you weren¡¯ting home,¡± she replied.

    I grabbed a beer from the fridge and nced at Manang, ¡°Sorry, Manang, I wasn¡¯t able to inform you.¡±

    I went up to the rooftop to have a drink. But when I looked down by the pool, I was surprised by what I saw.

    ¡°What the hell?¡±

    A woman was in my pool. And damn, she swims so well.

    Wait, a woman?

    ¡°Fck? Is that Tali?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t make out her face very well because of the darkness below, but I knew it was her. I could see the fairness of her skin, and her curves were visible because of her fair skin.

    Damnit. She¡¯s wearing a ck bikini.

    I didn¡¯t even have a clue that my maid had a sexy body-

    ¡°W-what? What are you thinking, Rozzean? Are you going crazy?¡±

    I took a sip of the beer I was holding, but I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off her as Tali swam in my pool.

    I don¡¯t know how many times I tried to look away, but my eyes always came back to watch her swim.

    ¡°Damn it.¡±

    Just by darn watching her I could feel something growing between my thighs.

    ¡°What the fck?¡±

    I can¡¯t believe this! Just watching my maid swim turned me on.

    When she surfaced in the pool, Tali¡¯s eyes locked onto me. It seemed she noticed me watching her because she moved. When I saw her sink, I immediately went down.

    I walked quickly towards the pool. By the time I got there, she was already dressed.

    And that was one of those nights that I will never forget. I never thought I would get excited because of my maid.

    And the worst part? I let off steam, thinking about the scene that happened in the pool.

    But that didn¡¯t ends there. The strange feeling I had for my maid.

    I started to appreciate her. Her attention was always on me. Every time I arrived, I noticed she was there, ready to wait if I had any orders for her. I also looked forward to her cooking. She knew exactly what to do when it came to me.

    While watching them on CCTV, I saw her hug Manang. Something happened. When I saw that she stayed on the rooftop, I immediately went up.

    ¡°Tali.¡±

    ¡°S-Sir, what are you doing here?¡± It seemed she didn¡¯t expect me toe here.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°I am asking you.¡±

    She approached me.

    ¡°H-How did Manang Selya be your maid?¡±

    So, something really happened.

    I just stared at her and didn¡¯t speak.

    ¡°We talked earlier about her family. Her husband is no longer alive, and her child has gone abroad with their spouse.¡±

    ¡°Selya used to be a beggar. I always saw her outside mypany, waiting for someone to give her money or food. Even though the guards would chase her away many times, she would stay there. Maybe because my employees often gave her alms.¡±

    Her lips parted. I saw tears forming in her eyes. I feel the need tofort her because of her reaction.

    ¡°I decided to keep her. Three? Four? I¡¯m not sure how many years she¡¯s been here-what the hell, why are you crying?¡±

    I was surprised when she started crying. I didn¡¯t know what to do; I raised my hand but immediately lowered it.

    ¡°B-Because I feel sorry for Manang, sir.¡±

    ¡°When I found out her child left her, I felt so sorry for her. Now, I learned that she used to be a beggar and lost her home. I felt even more hurt by her life situation. She¡¯s so kind to me. I have nothing to say about her character¡­ she teaches me everything I need to know in this house.¡±

    ¡°I almost see her as my mother, and now I find out about her past.¡±

    I wanted to hug her, but I stopped myself.

    ¡°Stop crying. Manang Selya¡¯s life is better now than before. What happened in the past can¡¯t be changed, Tali.¡±

    I caressed her head.

    ¡°Stop crying.¡±

    I didn¡¯t expect that I would beforting a maid just because I didn¡¯t want to see her cry. But that moment I felt the time slow down.

    The sound of her crying and the pain on her face-I just can¡¯t stand it.

    But an unexpected moment happened. I confirmed what I felt when Tali threw her shoes at me. It is like she wake up some senses on me.

    I really didn¡¯t expect that. She was looking at me with anger.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, s-sir,¡± she said while bowing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir.¡±

    But I didn¡¯t get mad, I should be tight because I am her boss. But rather I find her cute at that moment. Perhaps she¡¯s scared of me because of my shouting earlier, and now she might think I¡¯ll scold her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t feel sincerity in your words. You¡¯re asking for forgiveness, but you won¡¯t even look at me?¡± I asked.

    ¡°S-Sorry, sir. I got carried away by my emotions¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to.¡±

    ¡°Get the first aid kit from the drawer near you, thene to me and treat what you did,¡± I ordered her, which seemed unexpected for her. Maybe she is thinking I will fire her.

    But no. I can¡¯t do that  now that I slowly realize the feelings I have for her.

    ¡°Tali, did you hear what I said?¡±

    She followed what I said, but she didn¡¯te closer to me. She just stayed away.

    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, clean my wound, Tali.¡±

    When she approached me, I faced her. I closed my eyes as she began to treat the bruises on my forehead.

    ¡°S-Sir.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°A-Aren¡¯t you going to fire me? I should be fired for what I did.¡±

    I opened my eyes at her words. Damnit she looks so cute she¡¯s even pouting.

    Of course, I will not do that, baby.

    ¡°I need help, Tali.¡±

    She was so close to me; I could smell her. I think that¡¯s her natural scent. It lingers. I fckng want her closer.

    ¡°But even so, what I did was wrong. You are my boss, and I hurt you. Any other boss would get angry and kick me out for doing this.¡±

    Her voice sounded like she was genuinely sorry for what she did. I felt like she might decide to leave, so I spoke.

    ¡°I make decisions differently. So don¡¯tpare how I manage things here to how others do.¡±

    ¡°I need you in my house.¡±

    After Iforted her on the rooftop and tended to the wound, I realized my feelings for Tali.

    It¡¯s growing.

    I never thought I could develop feelings for someone this quickly.

    I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m attracted to her-to my maid. I¡¯ve never felt like this before. It¡¯s new to me.  I never expected to feel this way about her.

    She¡¯s kind, she cooks delicious food. She gets along so well with Manang. She knows how to take care of people. The way she looks at me and takes care of me¡­ that¡¯s the care I need.

    That¡¯s what I want.

    And as days passed, I confirmed this feeling even more when my friend Maki arrived. I saw them talking in the gazebo, so close to each other.

    A strange feeling rose in me-the feeling of jealousy.

 More Kisses

    How did my womanizer friend with high standards for women notice my maid?

    Furthermore, while we were eating, he didn¡¯t take his eyes off Tali, whom I found irritating. Has his taste in women changed?

    ¡°Rozz, can I borrow your maid for three days? Looks like I want-¡±

    What the fck? That shocked my being but I didn¡¯t show it. I acted the same.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Even for a day, bud? I¡¯ll just cook at home-¡±

    ¡°I said no, Maki. Why are you so persistent today?¡± I asked, irritated. He really pushed my patience. Did he notice something?

    ¡°I need Tali here in my house.¡±

    Maki smiled at me.

    ¡°So her name is Tali,¡± I gave him a sharp look, ¡°Tali, if Rozzean fires you, tell me immediately, okay? I¡¯m willing to take in a maid even if I¡¯m not looking. I wanted a cute maid who can cook delicious food. A maid like you-¡±

    ¡°Maki,¡± I warned.

    I don¡¯t care if we¡¯re friends. I know him; he¡¯s a womanizer, he ys with women. He better not try to take what¡¯s mine because I¡¯m not afraid to lose a friend.

    ¡°Ohh¡­ Rozz, isn¡¯t it that your maids usuallyst only a week, and then you¡¯re looking for new ones again? You¡¯re lucky if onests a month because you kick them all out. In case you decide to kick Tali out-¡±

    ¡°I will never fire her, Maki,¡± I cut him off.

    Maki leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms.

    ¡°You have one rule, Rozz. What if Tali breaks that rule?¡±

    I will never fire Tali, even if she confesses that she likes me. Actually, I¡¯d be happy if that happens. Don¡¯t test me, Maki.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be annoying, Maki Lincoln.¡±

    Unable to tolerate what Maki was doing, I quickly finished my meal. I invited him to the rooftop to talk. I stood up and walked ahead, but when I felt that he wasn¡¯t following, I looked back.

    I clenched my hands when I saw him talking to Tali again. I suddenly wanted to punch Maki straight in the face.

    ¡°Why are you so mad, Rozz? Is it a crime to talk to your maid?¡±

    ¡°You are so close to her,¡± I said to him.

    I gave him a dirty look, but he justughed at me.

    ¡°Tell her to bring us beer, Rozz. I want to drink.¡±

    Her-he was talking about Tali. But there¡¯s no way I¡¯m asking Tali toe up here.

    I took out my phone and opened it. I checked the CCTV on my phone. Tali was in the kitchen, with Manang Selya.

    I dialed Manang Selya¡¯s number.

    ¡°Manang, send five beers to the rooftop.¡±

    ¡°Five beers in a can, sir?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°No problem, sir. Anything else-Okay, sir, just the five beers, Tali will be the one to bring them.¡±

    When I heard what Manang said, I nced at Maki, who was grinning. Damn it. I won¡¯t let him see her.

    ¡°You bring it, Manang. Thanks.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ should I be the one to bring it, sir? Okay, sir.¡±

    I ended the call, opened my phone, and checked the CCTV in the kitchen. I saw Tali¡¯s face. Her expression suddenly changed because of what Manang said. Is she expecting me to let her?

    I am just watching her on the CCTV on my cell phone. She looks¡­ sad.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring Tali, Rozz? I want to see her-¡±

    I gave Maki a dirty look.

    ¡°What are you saying, Maki? Are you attracted to my maid?¡± I asked, irritated.

    He shrugged.

    ¡°She has the body; her face is not good but not that bad also. And, damn, I noticed her lips-¡±

    ¡°Maki.¡±

    I warned him again. I won¡¯t let such words slide, even if he¡¯s my friend.

    He raised his hands in surrender.

    ¡°Woah, calm down. You made me want to think that you are the one who¡¯s interested in your maid, Rozz.¡±

    I looked away and didn¡¯t respond to hisment.

    ¡°Ohh, so, I am right?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Just mind your own business, Maki Lincoln. Don¡¯t talk about my maid like that. Don¡¯t even look at her. You know my temper.¡±

    He nodded with a smile.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that my long-time single friend would actually like a maid-¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with liking a maid if she¡¯s a good person and knows how to take care of me, Maki?¡±

    He smiled.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why you didn¡¯t respond when I mentioned her liking you. It¡¯s in your favor if she does.¡±

    I didn¡¯t say anything. We just continued drinking. When he decided to leave, we went downstairs following Manang. I immediately saw Tali waiting below.

    ¡°Thanks for this day, bud. I¡¯lle back when you¡¯re not busy. Also, join us again when Revo invites us. I miss our drinking sessions as friends,¡± Maki said to me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try. I¡¯m only free now; you know I¡¯m often busy with work.¡±

    I nced at Tali, quickly looking away when our eyes met.

    Maki knows that I like her-my maid.

    ¡°But if you want to have a drink again, call me, maybe in your house?¡± I turned to Maki.

    I don¡¯t want him toe back to my house.

    ¡°Huh? This is a first! You really hate leaving your house when you¡¯re on leave. But sure, because this rarely happens, next time, let¡¯s have drinks at my ce.¡±

    Maki said his goodbyes. I thought he was leaving, but he stopped in front of Tali. My lips parted in surprise. I took a step forward but didn¡¯t get closer.

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving, Tali. Thank you for the delicious meal. I ate a lot. Next time, I hope I can enjoy your cooking again,¡± he said with a smile.

    Hell no. I won¡¯t invite him again!

    ¡°S-Sure, Sir Maki.¡±

    Maki looked at me, ¡°Alright, bud, I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    I was about to say something when Maki whispered in Tali¡¯s ear. I fckng didn¡¯t expect that.

    What the hell. I warned him already!

    In irritation, I turned away.

    ¡°Manang Selya, bring me three cans of beer in my room now.¡±

    I grabbed my cellphone and messaged Maki.

    ¡°F*ck you. Don¡¯te back here to my house.¡±

    After sending that, I quickly received a reply from him.

    ¡°Hahaha bud, don¡¯t get mad, I was just being friendly.¡±

    ¡°Friendly my ass!¡±

    I mmed the door of my room and sat on the sofa. There¡¯s no way Tali will like Maki. He¡¯s a good-looking guy, but I am more handsome. I¡¯ll make sure that Tali won¡¯t see Maki again. I will ban him in this vige.

    When the beers arrived, I drank them immediately. I have work tomorrow, but I don¡¯t care. Maki really tested my patience.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I was f*cking jealous because of my friend.¡±

    After finishing the three beers, Iy down on the sofa. Even Maki couldn¡¯t believe it.

    I fell for a maid.

    I fell for Tali because of how she takes care of me. Honestly, there are other reasons, but I can¡¯t exin them.

    I always wanted to see her-what she¡¯s doing, what expression she has. When I¡¯m at home, I always watch her on CCTV. She¡¯sughing with Manang, sometimes without noticing, I¡¯m smiling too.

    And now, while thinking about her, I touched my lips. I am f*cking smiling.

    I got up and checked the time on my cellphone. It¡¯s already 11:00 pm. Feeling hungry, I went downstairs to look for food in the fridge.

    ¡°Sir, what are you looking for?¡±

    I was surprised; I couldn¡¯t speak immediately. She¡¯s still awake?

    ¡°Sir, are you looking for something-¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s the seafood you cooked? I want to eat,¡± I asked without looking at her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get it, sir,¡± she said.

    I stepped back a bit to let her approach the fridge. I was standing beside her. I noticed that she had just taken a shower.

    ¡°Wait a moment, sir, I¡¯ll just reheat it,¡± she said to me.

    I nodded and sat on the ind counter. I watched her every move. I remembered what Maki said earlier.

    ¡°You like her because she takes care of you? Bud, she¡¯s a maid; it¡¯s normal for her to do those things.¡±

    I know that. But her actions are different from other maids-how she moves, talks, and interacts with Manang and the guards. She does everything with a smile on her face. Her smiles are contagious. The way she looks at me while waiting for mymand. ¡°And?¡± I asked Maki.

    He shook his head, as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Okay, I believe you now. You really like her.¡±

    After remembering that short conversation, I looked at Tali.

    ¡°Sir, should I turn on the lights?¡±

    I shook my head; I like how she looks with dim light.

    ¡°No need. The light under the cab is okay.¡±

    ¡°Why did youe down?¡± I asked.

    She didn¡¯t look at me. She was busy heating the food, and she already warmed the rice.

    ¡°Are you hungry, sir? I haven¡¯t eaten since noon and this evening. I thought I wouldn¡¯t get hungry anymore.¡±

    I raised an eyebrow at what she said. I stood up and approached the table, sat down, and waited for the food.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you eat earlier?¡±

    ¡°U-Uh¡­ I wasn¡¯t hungry earlier, sir.¡±

    She ced the te on the table. I watched her as she put rice on my te. She¡¯s the type of person who knows what to do without being told. Sometimes, it surprises you.

    She really knows how to take care of someone. For me, I just like being pampered like this.

    We ate together. When I remembered Maki, I talked to her.

    ¡°What did Maki say to you earlier?¡±

    She seemed surprised by my question and stopped for a moment.

    ¡°Nothing, sir-¡±

    ¡°Did he say that if he treats you well here, he¡¯ll take you? Is that it?¡±

    ¡°Or that he¡¯s asking you to move to his house and resign from working here?¡±

    As if I will let that happen.

    ¡°Not really, sir,¡± she answered with a smile, ¡°but for me, if I were to be kicked out of your house, I have a backup n with Sir Maki¡¯s offer. I already have a job¨C¡±

    What?

    I stood up at her words. Does this mean she ns to move? Or maybe she¡¯s thinking of leaving my house even if I¡¯m not asking her to?

    ¡°I already told you that I won¡¯t kick you out.¡±

    ¡°Sir, maybe you forget one of your rules here in the house, which is why your maids often get dismissed. It¡¯s forbidden¡­¡± she approached me.

    ¡°To develop feelings¡­¡± she moved closer, ¡°for you.¡±

    I gulped. Her scent¡­ her body¡­ fck.

    ¡°What if I develop feelings for you, sir, huh? I won¡¯t get kicked out of your house. It¡¯s not far-fetched to happen if I stay here longer. Of course, you¡¯re handsome, wealthy, smart at work, and single.¡±

    ¡°Well, sir, you¡¯re the fantasy of people like me. And then, Manang said our neighbor, who¡¯s beautiful, sexy, and intelligent, has a crush on you. What about someone like me?¡±

    She said a lot, but what I didn¡¯t like was when she told me that she would never like me. For a man who¡¯s interested in her, it felt like a p in the face after all thepliments she just gave me.

    If that¡¯s how she sees it, why is there no hope for her to like me?

    I was mad and jealous, thinking about Maki. What if Tali finds my friend attractive, and now she¡¯s saying this because she likes Maki?

    I approached her; I couldn¡¯t stop myself from being this close to her. I hugged her by the waist, and my grip on her was tight. Her round eyes were looking at me.

    Yes. Those eyes should only look at me, Tali. You can call me selfish because it¡¯s true. I want your eyes, and everything about you, for myself only.

    ¡°S-Sir¡­¡±

    She has soft skin, and damn¡­ her smell. I haven¡¯t gotten her as close to me as I want, but her scent remains in my nose.

    Fck. I am fcking turned on again while holding her.

    I couldn¡¯t stop myself. My face went to her neck, and I sniffed her. Daman. She really smell good.

    ¡°Tali¡­¡± I whispered.

    I didn¡¯t get drunk on beer. It¡¯s her smell. It¡¯s so addicting to me.

    When she tried to push me away, I tightened my grip on her even more.

    ¡°S-Sir, your rule, okay?! I don¡¯t want to get kicked out of this house. And you¡¯re getting too close to me! No wonder your maids develop feelings for you because you¡¯re enticing them!¡±

    My hands on her waist moved up to her back.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never been this close to any woman.¡±

    ¡°Damn, you smell good.¡±

    But that night, instead of expressing my true feelings for her, I ended up saying that I did that to test her.

    I remembered what Maki told me on the phone. It was an advise as he said.

    ¡°Let her take her time first and observe her. Don¡¯t rush things. She¡¯s in your house, after all.¡±

    But it didn¡¯t help because I noticed that Tali distanced herself from me. I observed that she wasn¡¯t looking at me anymore. She also stopped serving when I asked Manang to bring things to my room.

    She became different in the past few days. I felt bad, remembering what happened that night. I couldn¡¯t focus on work; she was constantly on my mind.

    F*ck you, Maki! Why did I listen to you?!ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

    Then came the night when I thought I lost Tali.

    ¡°S-Sir, Tali hasn¡¯te home yet. I-I called her cellphone, but a man answered. When I called again, it said ¡®cannot be reached.''¡±

    I suddenly felt nervous. I tried calling Tali¡¯s cellphone, but Manang was right; it couldn¡¯t be reached.

    ¡°Manang, call me if shees back home. I¡¯m going to the market.¡±

    I called the police for help. When I arrived at the market, there were hardly any people. Some of the stalls were already closing.

    ¡°Where is she?¡±

    I went back home. The police were already there and told me they hadn¡¯t found any missing woman. They asked a few questions, but no one had seen anything. I looked at the clock, and it was 9:19.

    F*ck. Where is she?

    While talking to the police, I noticed someone running. When I saw who it was, I walked towards her. Damn, my baby is here.

    Tali¡­

    ¡°S-Sir, are they here to arrest me¨C¡±

    I hugged her tight. Fck it. My heart was pounding fast from fear and worry. I thought I lost her.

    I thought I would never see her again.

    I¡¯m d she¡¯s safe and okay.

    Now going back where we stopped¡­ I am so sure of what I feel about her. The jealousy I felt because of Maki, the anger when Vidar insulted her, and the fear when she suddenly disappeared. All those emotions had onemon reason.

    Tali is still on top of me while I continue to kiss her. And damn I was right about her lips. It was so soft and sweet.

    ¡°S-Sir¡­¡±

    I smiled when she kissed me back. I chased her lips to kiss her again. I couldn¡¯t stop kissing her.

    ¡°Uhm¡­¡±

    I hugged her tightly and kissed her while she was on top of me. When I stopped and pulled away, I saw her blushing face.

    I got up, and she was sitting on myp.

    ¡°W-What, s-sir,¡± she nced at the vacuum cleaner.

    ¡°I-It¡¯s the vacuum¡¯s fault that I fell on top of you. I d-didn¡¯t mean to¨C¡±

    Ahh, she¡¯s so cute. I can¡¯t help it. I gave her a quick kiss. She pressed her lips together because of what I did.

    ¡°S-Sir, you¡¯ve kissed me a lot, huh? w-why are you stealing kisses from me?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Stealing? Is it stealing when you respond to my kisses?¡±

    She gasped at what I said.

    ¡°T-This isn¡¯t right, huh? It¡¯s against the rules! It¡¯s in your rule!¡±

    I held her by both cheeks and pressed our foreheads together.

    ¡°Tali, I never said that liking my maid is against my rule.¡±

    ¡°When did I say it¡¯s not allowed for me to have feelings for my maid?¡±

    I saw her lips part. Was that an invitation for another deep kiss?

    ¡°S-Sir¡­¡± her round eyes widened.

    I will not hold myself this time.

    ¡°When did it be forbidden to have feelings for you?¡±

    I fell in love with my maid. Hard and deep.

 Tali Not Thaliana

    Thaliana Tangi D Vezca

    can¡¯t believe what¡¯s happening. I really can¡¯t believe it. I was on Rozzean¡¯sp. He was looking at me, his hands were on my back. We were looking at each other, and no one was speaking.

    Is he saying that he likes me? That h-he fell for his maid?

    ¡°Did your voice escape you, Tali? Why aren¡¯t you speaking? And why are you looking at me like you can¡¯t believe it?¡±

    His breath hit my face. It felt like I suddenly got dizzy, early in the morning, but this is how our scene started. Earlier, I was on top of him, and we kissed, and now he¡¯s not letting me go, holding me tightly with his hands.

    ¡°p me, sir.¡± I said in a low voice.

    He raised his eyebrows at what I said.

    It¡¯s just that. I can¡¯t process what¡¯s happening. Rozzean kissed me, indirectly saying he likes me. Now, th way he holds me, it¡¯s like he doesn¡¯t want me far from him.

    ¡°What? What are you thinking?¡±

    When I raised my hand to p my own cheek, he caught it.

    ¡°Do you think you¡¯re dreaming?¡± he asked.

    I really thought I was just dreaming. Even when I threw a shoe at him, the images of him just suddenlye out, and I¡¯m drawn to them. I feel like this is fake too.

    ¡°You¡¯re tempting me, this is just another dream!¡± I said. Remembering the hot night.

    ¡°Again? What are you saying, Tali? This is not a dream.¡±

    He said to me with augh. No?

    Rozzean took my hand that he was holding and kissed its back. My lips parted when he looked at me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you believe me? Isn¡¯t it unbelievable?¡± he asked.

    It is! I am his maid!

    ¡°S-Sir¡­¡± I slowly shook my head.

    Who would believe him? Who wouldn¡¯t think this is just a dream?

    Rozzean is a freaking young billionaire.

    Handsome, sexy, many girls like him. Our neighbor, who seems to have it all, is waiting for him and doesn¡¯t like any other guy. And now he¡¯s making me feel like he likes me?

    He likes me?

    His maid who looks weird? His ugly maid whose mole is alive and moving?

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    I quickly stood up and moved away from Rozzean.

    ¡°Tali-¡±

    ¡°Sir, are you ying with me?¡±

    I asked him seriously. I still remember what he said in the kitchen that night. The night we ate together. He was so close to me, he even sniffed my neck. He hugged me so tight.

    So what if there¡¯s a kiss now? What¡¯s the difference? He is just testing me again!

    ¡°Why are you¡­ wait, Tali, I am telling the truth-¡±

    ¡°Are you testing me again, sir?¡±

    His lips parted and I continue to speak.

    ¡°For what? I already told you I won¡¯t like you. Isn¡¯t one month enough in your house for you to know I¡¯m serious about my job?¡±

    I¡¯m going home. I¡¯ve made up my mind, why is it suddenly be like this?

    ¡°Tali, look¡­¡±

    He sighed and stood up. When he approached me, I stepped back.

    ¡°Do you think I would just kiss a maid? I¡¯m not like that.¡±

    I shrugged. I didn¡¯t answer him.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a test to know if you like me. I also want to rify what happened that night. I wanted to say sorry. It was Maki¡¯s idea, actually.¡±

    Maki? My damn cousin?

    I can remember what That ass said. I should go home, and I won¡¯t regret it¡­

    What the hell¡­ does this mean she knows about this? Does she know that Rozzean likes me?

    I slowly lowered my folded arms and looked at him in disbelief.

    ¡°I was out of control that night. I couldn¡¯t contain my emotions in the kitchen. I said that because I didn¡¯t want you to be surprised when you found out how I feel about you.¡±

    Sht. My heart clenched. I-is he for real?

    ¡°Tali¡­¡±

    Rozzean took a step, and I couldn¡¯t move right away because I was just staring at his face while he exined.

    ¡°It¡¯s true. I like you. Is that not allowed?¡±

    H-He fckng likes me¡­

    ¡°Do you have a rule?¡±

    ¡°Do you have a rule that you can¡¯t like someone?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t speak. I just looked at Rozzean while he was talking. This is what Maki meant. Sht. He knows that Rozzean likes me, that¡¯s why his words that day have meaning.

    Maybe Rozzean¡¯s actions that day were different for a reason. My suspicions, my thoughts that he might be jealous, were probably true.

    But, he can¡¯t like Tali!

    ¡°Sir, this is not why I came to your house. What I want is a job.¡±

    I saw his expression change. It became serious. I can¡¯t face him like this.

    I looked away from him and continued speaking.

    ¡°Whatever you feel towards me, please forget it. I will only ruin your image. You¡¯re a respectable person, rich, handsome, and many beautiful and well-off women like you. Maybe you¡¯re just confused about your feelings¨C¡±

    ¡°I have never uttered words I¡¯m not sure of, Tali.¡±

    I looked at him.

    He¡¯s serious.

    ¡°If you can¡¯t ept my feelings, then at least respect it.¡±

    I swallowed hard. He was always strict and I saw his angry side but this is the first time I see Rozzean got mad like this.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t have feelings for me, I¡¯m not forcing you to like me. I just want you to know how I feel about you. I¡¯m not asking for anything in return. Just let me prove to you that my feelings are genuine.¡±

    Oh God. This wasn¡¯t part of the n¡­

    But he¡¯s so serious.

    He really fell for Tali D Cruz.

    ¡°Sir¡­¡±

    ¡°And one more thing, stand by your kiss to me. You don¡¯t like me, right? But why did you kiss me back?¡±

    My lips parted at what he said. I didn¡¯t expect that. Yes, I responded, who wouldn¡¯t respond to his kisses?

    ¡°You kissed me back, don¡¯t say you just got carried away because I kiss well?¡±

    T-That¡¯s true, but fck you, Rozzean! You¡¯re cornering me! Of course, who wouldn¡¯t kiss back? You are a hot billionaire, and you are fckng Rozzean Cyron Valleje!

    I can¡¯t deny it. Yes, I like him. I have feelings for him, but the situation has be moreplicated because of what I learned now, that he likes me too.

    That he likes Tali, not Thaliana. How am I going to face him after this confession?

    ¡°S-Sir!¡±

    He took a step, and I stepped back.

    ¡°Do you want me to repeat it?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t speak; my gaze suddenly lowered to his lips, and I swallowed. I can still feel his lips on mine. But as I looked at his lips, it seemed like I wanted it again.

    Sht.

    ¡°Tali.¡±

    When I raised my gaze to him, he crossed the distance between us. He lifted me and sat me on top of his cab. His hands were on both sides of me. He looked up, and his eyes were serious as he stared at me.

    ¡°S-Sir Rozzean-¡±

    ¡°I like you.¡±

    I felt like I stopped breathing for a moment when I heard what he said.

    I can feel the sincerity in his words.

    I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re a maid, I don¡¯t care what other people or even my family will say. I don¡¯t fckng care. What matters to me right now is what you¡¯re going to say, what¡¯s on your mind. I will respect whatever decision you make, Tali.¡±

    I shook my head at him.

    ¡°Even rejection.¡±

    Rozzean¡­ it shouldn¡¯t be like this.

    He moved closer to me. I looked away because I couldn¡¯t handle his gaze, but before long, as I looked away, he held my chin and turned me to face him.

    ¡°Now tell me straight to my eyes that you don¡¯t like me, and there¡¯s no reason for me to continue my feelings for you.¡±

    I like you too, but¡­ I don¡¯t like this, Rozzean.

    I don¡¯t want you to like me as Tali.

    I swallowed hard. I can¡¯t say that I don¡¯t like him. Even if I¡¯m Tali, I can¡¯t directly tell him that I don¡¯t like him, especially with the way he¡¯s looking at me now.

    When I remained silent, Rozzean stepped back. His face had no emotion when he spoke.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Okay, go down now.¡±

    My lips parted.

    ¡°S-Sir¨C¡±

    He turned away from me and then went into his bedroom. He closed the door without looking at me anymore.

    I got down from the cab. I held my chest when I felt a pang there.

    I suddenly got scared of my situation now. Rozzean likes Tali. The way he looks at me, the way he expressed his feelings, and the expression on his face tell me that he¡¯s not lying.

    I left his room, carrying the vacuum cleaner. I can¡¯t believe what just happened.

    ¡°Oh, Tali? Are you done cleaning sir¡¯s room?¡± Manang greeted me.

    ¡°Y-Yes,¡± I replied.

    I returned the vacuum cleaner to its ce.

    Throughout the whole day, all I could think about was what happened between Rozzean and me. He also didn¡¯te down for breakfast and lunch. I kept ncing at the stairs because I was waiting for him.

    It was already two in the afternoon, and he still hadn¡¯t eaten.

    ¡°Why do you think sir hasn¡¯te down yet?¡± Manang asked. We were in the living room, passing the time.

    I sighed. I stood up, unable to wait any longer. I would prepare some food for him.

    ¡°Manang, I¡¯ll prepare some food. Maybe sir isn¡¯t feeling well. I¡¯ll just bring him some food.¡±

    ¡°Oh, okay, that¡¯s a good idea¨C¡±

    Manang paused when someone knocked on the door. I immediately went to open it.

    I raised an eyebrow when I saw the visitor.

    ¡°Hello, Good Afternoon.¡±

    ri.

    I bowed to our neighbor.

    ¡°Good Afternoon, ma¡¯am.¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    I looked her up and down. She¡¯s wearing a white top and a red skirt. It¡¯s not too revealing, just right.

    ¡°Do you need something, ma¡¯am?¡± I asked.

    But before ri could answer my question, her gaze shifted away from me. She waved to someone behind me.

    ¡°Rozz!¡±

    I quickly turned around. I saw Rozzean, folding the sleeves of his ck polo shirt. He was dressed.

    W-Where is he going?

    ¡°Manang Selya, I won¡¯t be having dinner here.¡±

    I swallowed hard. W-What?

    He won¡¯t be eating here? I looked back at ri. So she¡¯s here because¡­

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, ri,¡± he said to her.

    I lowered my head as Rozzean passed by me. He didn¡¯t even look at me. As they walked away, I followed them with my gaze.

    My eyes fixated on his hand touching ri¡¯s waist.

    I clenched my fists when I saw that.

    Damn you, Rozzean. Just a while ago, you said you liked me, and now you¡¯re fckng touching another woman?

 Luther Rico

    ¡°Tali, you¡¯ve been standing there for a while now, huh?¡±

    I closed my eyes tightly before turning to Manang. I shut the door and approached her. While we walked to the kitchen, I bit my lower lip in frustration.

    Respect your feelings? Damn you, Rozzean. Not even a day after you confessed that you like me, and now you¡¯re going with that orange girl? What? Because I didn¡¯t admit that I like you too? Is your ego so fragile that you can¡¯t ept that I didn¡¯t give you the answer that you want?

    Damn it, I just wanted him to wait, to give me some time. I¡¯m also caught in this situation because I like him too.

    But I don¡¯t want to confess as Tali. I want him to know my feelings as Thaliana. Honestly, this is painful for me. Rozzean likes the fake image I created.

    But it¡¯s here and I need to face the consequences.

    ¡°It seems like sir and ri are getting along well. At least, ri¡¯s waiting is worth it.¡±

    I nced at Manang when she said that.

    I approached the fridge and took a bottled water. I took a sip, trying to contain my anger.

    ¡°ri is beautiful, wealthy, has her own business, not dependent on her parents. She¡¯s helpful, and oh, I have nothing bad to say about her. When she moved to this vige, she immediately gave us freshly picked fruits.¡±

    Manang was really going on about ri. She seemed to really like the orange girl. Honestly, I don¡¯t see anything wrong with the woman¡¯s personality, which makes me even more frustrated. There¡¯s a possibility that Rozzean might like her, especially now that I¡¯ve made it clear that I don¡¯t like him.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be happy if they end up together.¡±

    I tightly gripped the bottle, creating a sound that caught Manang¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Tali, why?¡± she asked.

    I looked at Manang seriously.

    ¡°Manang, will you believe me if I say that sir likes me?¡±

    She looked me up and down, took a step back, and raised her eyebrows. From Manang¡¯s expression alone, I knew she wouldn¡¯t believe me.

    ¡°Are you feeling unwell, Tali?¡±

    ¡°Do you feel anything unusual? Did you hit your head yesterday?¡±

    Oh, see! Even Manang is having a hard time believing!

    Rozzean¡¯s taste in women is really different.

    ¡°Manang, I¡¯m not joking.¡±

    Sheughed at me, then sat down, grabbing a squash to peel for our dinnerter.

    ¡°Tali, I don¡¯t want you to leave this house. You¡¯re already close to me. You know the reason why sir keeps losing his maids, right?¡±

    She sighed, ¡°Control yourself from developing feelings for sir.¡±

    How can I convince her that Rozzean really likes me?

    That¡¯s when I sat in front of Manang and stared at her. She lowered the peeler and looked at me.

    ¡°Manang, I¡¯m not joking, and my head is perfectly fine, that¡¯s why I can say these things. Last night, you saw, right? Sir hugged me when you thought something bad happened to me. Then, Manang, earlier¡­¡±

    I was trying to convince her through my gaze, hoping she¡¯d understand.

    ¡°Sir talked to me, he told me he likes me.¡±

    ¡°He even said he doesn¡¯t care if I¡¯m his maid, or what others or his family would say. Manang, what I¡¯m saying is true. I have nothing to gain, and I can¡¯t lie to you.¡±

    When Manang stood up and went to the sink, I lowered my head. She really didn¡¯t believe me.

    ¡°Oh, Tali, just go to the back, pick some mangoes. Those mangoes are ripe now, right?¡±

    I nodded even though she wasn¡¯t looking at me. I stood up and approached Manang.

    ¡°Okay, Manang, I¡¯ll be at the back.¡±

    When she nodded, I left the kitchen. I went to the back of the house and headed to the mango orchard. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have told Manang. I saw that she wouldn¡¯t believe me, and she didn¡¯t.

    ¡°Rozzean really likes me. It¡¯s not like I was dreaming a while ago, and he kissed me several times.¡±

    I touched my lips.

    He kissed me like he¡¯ll never get enough of me. That was my first kiss in my entire life, and I¡¯m still happy that it was with Rozzean.

    But I¡¯m upset with him now. He left the house with ri. He said he would respect my decision, show me that he really likes me. When I said that it¡¯s not fitting for a maid and someone like him is more suited with someone else, he suddenly changed his mind.

    ¡°Did he consider not pursuing his feelings for me?¡±

    ¡°Maybe¡­ he thought about it. Realized that he doesn¡¯t really like me. Maybe he was just pleased with how I took care of things at home¡­ perhaps.¡±

    I sighed, grabbed the picker from the side, and started plucking mangoes.

    The image of ri from earlier kept lingering in my mind. Of course, she likes Rozzean, she was so delighted to be with him.

    ¡°I wonder what they¡¯re doing now?¡±

    ¡°Ugh, annoying.¡±

    I ced the picked mangoes in the basket and then went inside the house. As I entered the living room, my eyebrows furrowed when I saw a man standing. He was talking to Manang.

    ¡°He¡¯s not here? That¡¯s a shame, but maybe I can spend the night here, Manang Selya? I¡¯ll go home tomorrow. I wanted to have a drink with Cyron. I¡¯ll just wait for him.¡±

    I approached them. I put the basket on the table and faced the man. I looked him up and down.

    He¡¯s handsome too, huh?

    But Rozzean is more handsome.

    Who could this be?

    ¡°Maybe sir will be homete, Sir Luther. What he told me is that he won¡¯t be having dinner here, so he¡¯ll likelye home in the evening.¡±

    Luther?

    The man looked at Manang again.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Manang Selya. It¡¯s my fault too because I didn¡¯t immediately message Cyron that I wasing to his house. I visited the Orlina Museum with a business partner, and since Cyron¡¯s house is here in Tagaytay, I thought it¡¯s best to drop by and check on him.¡±

    Could this be their friend?

    I walked over to Manang.

    ¡°Tali,e here, let me introduce you to our guest.¡±

    Manang and I stood side by side, and I looked at the man named Luther.

    ¡°This is Sir Luther Rico Valleje, Sir Rozzean¡¯s older brother.¡±

    Ohh, he¡¯s Rozzean¡¯s brother.

    ¡°Hi,¡± he said to me and then turned to Manang, ¡°a new maid? Where are the others? She looks different from the other maids thest time I went here.¡±

    I winced. Here we go again with the ¡®she looks different¡¯ without explicitly saying that I look bad.

    ¡°Oh, they¡¯re not here anymore, Sir Luther. Some of the maids have been let go. Tali and I are the only ones left as Cyron¡¯s maids.¡±

    When Luther looked at me, I introduced myself.

    ¡°I¡¯m Tali D Cruz, sir.¡±

    Luther nodded and nced at me. I bowed slightly before he turned away.

    ¡°Can you make coffee for me, Manang Selya? At the gazebo, please.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, sir. Alright, just a moment.¡±

    Rozzean¡¯s brother walked away. I kept my eyes on him until he disappeared from my view.

    They share the same height and body build. He seems kind too, but there¡¯s something about his smiles that gives me a different feeling.

    ¡°Manang, I¡¯ll prepare the coffee. You can continue with what you¡¯re doing.¡±

    Manang handed me the cup and smiled.

    ¡°You¡¯re so diligent and kind, Tali. Just don¡¯t fall for sir, okay? I don¡¯t want you to leave this house.¡±

    I already have feelings for him, Manang. Our feelings are mutual, you just don¡¯t want to believe that he likes me too. Hmp.

    After preparing the coffee, I headed to the gazebo. It¡¯s quite a distance to carry the coffee. When I arrived, it was already cool, as expected.

    Rozzean¡¯s house is so spacious. His brother prefers to have coffee here at the gazebo, even though it could have been done in the living room.

    ¡°Sir Luther, here¡¯s your coffee.¡±

    I ced the coffee on the table. He was standing, gazing at the fish swimming. When he heard my voice, he turned to me and smiled. He approached, took the coffee, and sat down.

    ¡°Tali, right?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°How long have you been here in Cyron¡¯s house?¡± he asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a month, sir.¡±

    ¡°One month¡­ you haven¡¯t had a hard time with the chores, have you?¡±

    I raised my eyebrows at his question. Why would I have a hard time? His question¡­

    ¡°What do you mean, sir?¡± I asked with a smile.

    He shook his head, ¡°Nothing.¡±

    ¡°Ah, okay, sir. If you don¡¯t need anything, I¡¯ll go back inside.¡±

    As I turned away, Luther didn¡¯t immediately respond. But just as I was about to move away, I heard his voice.

    ¡°Tali¡­ ana.¡±

    That mase me stopped. D-Did he¡­ called my name?

    I paused upon hearing it. When I looked at him, he was smiling at me.

    ¡°Tali-ana.¡±

    Slowly at first, but when he repeated it faster, I swallowed hard.

    ¡°What is this game you are ying, hmm?¡±

    ¡°S-sir?¡± I said, pretending I didn¡¯t get it.

    But his smiled widened while shaking his head.

    ¡°A maid¡­¡±

    ¡°What is a D Vezca doing in my brother¡¯s house?¡±

    My lips parted in surprise upon hearing what he said.

    ¡°Huh? Thaliana Tangi D Vezca?¡±

    Sht.

 He Knows Me!

    I couldn¡¯t move because of surprise. He¡¯s Rozzean¡¯s brother, and he recognizes me. As in me as Thaliana Tangi D Vezca. A daughter of a Billionaire! not just a maid!

    How did this person knows me?This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    But no, I should keep my identity a secret. Not now, especially when I found out that Rozzean has feelings for me. He would hate me if his brother tells him the truth. Our meeting might not happen if I return. I won¡¯t have a chance to exin my reasons.

    That¡¯s what I want to avoid.

    I just need time¡­ that¡¯s all.

    ¡°Sir, what are you saying?¡± I asked with a smile.

    So that¡¯s why he said that to me earlier. He knows that I am not just a simple person.

    ¡°Oh? Why are you denying it? We¡¯re the only ones here. That¡¯s why I sent coffee to the gazebo to talk to you.¡±

    Oh no. It means he noticed me in the kitchen earlier. He recognized me. But how? I wasn¡¯t in the spotlight when my father and brothers celebrated their sess in their businesses.

    He stood up and approached me. He was smiling, but it felt different.

    ¡°So, what are your intentions? You entered my brother¡¯s house as a maid. Tell me, Miss D Vezca, are you ying with him?¡±

    When he took another step, I stepped back. I couldn¡¯t find words to say. I felt cornered.

    He seemed sure, but I needed to deny what he was saying.

    ¡°Sir, it seems you¡¯re mistaken. I don¡¯t know-¡±

    I stopped when he took out his cellphone from his pocket and showed me the screen.

    Damn.

    ¡°I am not dumb.¡±

    My lips slightly parted. I bit the inside of my cheek. I tried not to show my surprise. When he approached again, I was about to step back, but he grabbed my arm.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this you?¡±

    He was showing me my photo. It looked like he had been looking at it since it was the first thing that appeared when he opened his cellphone.

    ¡°Sir, let go of me,¡± I gave him a stern look.

    ¡°I will let go of you if you tell me your reasons. Also, why are you denying it?¡±

    He put his cellphone back in his pocket, and I was surprised when he put his arm around my waist.

    ¡°What the hell?!¡± I shouted at him and tried to push him away, but he held onto my waist tightly.

    ¡°What a childish act, Miss D Vezca.¡±

    I was shocked when he lifted my bangs and brought his face close to mine.

    ¡°You can fool my brother, but you can¡¯t fool me.¡±

    My heart was beating fast because of fear.

    I¡¯m scared that he might tell Rozzean the truth. I can¡¯t even imagine what would happen next. I don¡¯t want Rozzean to be angry with me. Not now¡­

    ¡°The disguise you did was not that hard for me to notice you, Miss. D Vezca.¡±

    I lowered my head. It seemed like there was no reason to deny the truth to the man in front of me.

    ¡°Let me go.¡±

    He didn¡¯t move. When I looked up at him and gave him a stern look, he smiled at me. He smirked.

    ¡°Scary. No wonder, you really are a D Vezca.¡±

    When he let go of me, I took a deep breath and fixed my hair.

    I thought my two months in Rozzean¡¯s house would end without anyone recognizing me. I was confident because Dad didn¡¯t require me to attend business parties. I am a private person; I choose to live my own life away from the mess of running a business.

    I saw how Dad and my siblings struggled in running ourpany. There were problems that almost ruined our family. I didn¡¯t want our family to have conflicts because of the business. So when Dad gave me the choice of a high position in hispany or my own business, I immediately said that I wanted to have a flower shop.

    My own business that has nothing to do with big people. It means, in their world of businessmen, I¡¯m not known as a D Vezca.

    Few people know about me.

    That¡¯s why I am confident. Even if Maki recognized me, I managed to handle it.

    And this¡­ I didn¡¯t expect that Rozzean¡¯s brother would notice me. I¡¯m not sure if I can get through this.

    ¡°How did you know me?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know the D Vezcas-¡±

    ¡°I do not ept the reason that people know me because I am a D Vezca. Yes, my family is wealthy, Mr. Luther Rico Valleje, but only a few know me, especially if they are not colleagues of my father and brothers.¡±

    That was the truth. Many people didn¡¯t know that George Romualdo D Vezca had a daughter. It was always my brothers who were in the business world. Dad didn¡¯t force me to be involved because he noticed I had no interest in our businesses.

    ¡°So, you know about it, that only a few know you. Is that why you had the courage to pretend to be poor and work as a maid in my brother¡¯s house?¡±

    I red at him.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know my reasons-¡±

    He brought his face close to mine and held my cheeks. I moved my face away because of what he did. I don¡¯t like other men touching me like this. This man is getting on my nerves.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I want to know. What are those reasons for you to fool my brother? Are you ying with his feelings?¡±

    ¡°I am not!¡± I shouted angrily at him.

    I am shaking in fear. It¡¯s scary to think that he might stay here for the night and talk to Rozzean. The man clearly wanted me to be exposed.

    ¡°That¡¯s not my intention. I went here because I wanted to know if he-¡±

    ¡°If he deserves you? If he¡¯s a good person?¡±

    I paused at what he said. I-If that¡¯s the case, he knows about my meeting with Rozzean.

    ¡°N-No¡­¡±

    Tears are threatening to fall from my eyes. I don¡¯t know how to get through this situation because of Rozzean¡¯s brother.

    ¡°N-No¡­ not like that.¡±

    Tangi, you decided to pretend to be a poor woman who wanted to apply as a maid in Rozzean¡¯s house because of one reason.

    You don¡¯t want to go through with the marriage that your Dad wants.

    ¡°I am thankful that our Dad told me about this woman that Rozzean will be meeting next month. I was curious because it was Cyron we were talking about. I did my research. I was surprised that the woman is a D Vezca. I didn¡¯t know that Mr. D Vezca has a daughter. I¡¯ve already met your brothers, but they never mentioned that they also have a beautiful sister.¡±

    ¡°But be thankful.¡±

    I was looking at Luther, and my eyes were filled with tears.

    ¡°Be thankful that Rozzean was not interested in any woman-no matter how beautiful, sexy, or famous she is. Even the daughter of George D Vezca, who was supposed to marry him, didn¡¯t catch his interest. Be thankful that Rozzean didn¡¯t bother to ask about you or what you look like.¡±

    I made a mistake. I know that.

    He¡¯s not like the man I thought Rozzean was.

    ¡°He¡¯s not interested because he was busy running hispany. Now, what do you think he¡¯ll feel if the woman he¡¯s supposed to marry enters his house to deceive him and-¡±

    I held Luther¡¯s hand. My tears fell. I don¡¯t want it to reach the point where I see Rozzean looking at me with anger in his eyes.

    ¡°P-Please¡­¡±

    I looked into his eyes while crying.

    ¡°P-Please¡­ give me time. I-I¡¯ll leave here on my own, don¡¯t tell Rozzean. I-I¡¯ll leave willingly. I want to be the one to tell him the truth and exin why I did this.¡±

    I felt Luther hold my hand.

    ¡°Why are you crying now? Didn¡¯t you choose to enter this? You should be prepared for whatever might happen.¡±

    I am crying because I was wrong. The decision I made backfired. I developed feelings for Rozzean, and that was unexpected.

    ¡°I really don¡¯t want to get married. I wanted a peaceful life alone. I-I don¡¯t want to get married because my life is already in order. When Dad told me that there was a man he wanted me to marry-a good man, I doubted him. I told him that he couldn¡¯t be sure if this man would treat me well.¡±

    ¡°But Dad was so sure of the man. He even said that if I proved he was wrong-that Rozzean is not good for me-then I could do whatever I want with my life. I was content with my life as Thaliana, the owner of a flower shop. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here now, that¡¯s why I pretended because I wanted to see Rozzean¡¯s qualities that my father wouldn¡¯t like.¡±

    ¡°I wanted the meeting and the marriage that my Dad wants to not happen.¡±

    Luther wiped the tears from my face.

    ¡°B-But I didn¡¯t expect that my Dad was right. T-That Rozzean i-is a good person. That h-he is a great person.¡±

    My lips quivered. I can¡¯t control my emotions right now. Rozzean said he likes me, I declined him, then he went out with ri, and now I am here with Luther-his brother who found out my real identity.

    I am feeling a mix of emotions.

    ¡°I-I was wrong. I know and I regret what I did, s-so please, give me time and I will leave this house. I¡¯ll go.¡±

    I was looking at Luther. He sighed and wiped the tears from both sides of my face. When I was about to speak again, I was surprised when he pinched my right cheek.

    ¡°You are cute.¡±

    ¡°W-What-¡± I was a little surprise because of what he said. Is he fooling around?

    ¡°Okay, I will not tell my brother. Stop crying.¡±

    But when he said that I felt relieved. ¡°T-Thank you!¡±

    He smiled and caressed the side of my head. But his smile disappeared when he looked behind me.

    ¡°What¨C¡±

    ¡°Fix yourself, Thaliana because my brother has arrived. Let¡¯s talk againter. I don¡¯t know, but¡­ he looks mad while looking in this direction.¡±

    Oh gosh.

 I Am Not Jealous!

    ¡°S-Sir-¡±

    I was startled when Rozzean grabbed my hand and ced me behind him. I saw Luther nce at my hand held by his brother.

    ¡°You can wait inside my house, Luther.¡±

    He said it with a cold tone. I couldn¡¯t shake off the nervousness in my chest, even though Luther assured me earlier that he wouldn¡¯t tell Rozzean the truth. From what he said before we approached Rozzean, I heard that we would talk again.

    This means I can¡¯t be too confident.

    ¡°You came back quickly, Cyron. It¡¯s been only ten minutes since I messaged that I¡¯m here at your house. What happened to your ns?¡± Luther asked.

    I looked at Rozzean. Oh, right! He left with ri. He also mentioned that he wouldn¡¯t have dinner at home, so what is he doing here now?

    My gaze dropped to his hand still holding my arm. I winced; Luther had looked at that spot several times. So, I took my arm back from Rozzean.

    He nced at me.

    ¡°It¡¯s not important. Let¡¯s go inside my house.¡±

    Luther nodded, and I thought he would walk and enter the house, but he went back to the table and took the coffee I had prepared for him.

    ¡°She made this for me. It¡¯s good that you finally saw a decent maid, Cyron.¡±

    I saw Rozzean give his brother a disapproving look. What am I feeling about the two of them? It seems like they have a strained rtionship.

    ¡°You don¡¯t drink coffee, Luther.¡±

    My lips dropped in surprise at what I heard.

    This man! It seems like he did that just to leave the house and confront me about my true identity. He knows that there¡¯s no CCTV in the gazebo.

    When I looked at Luther, he was smiling at me. He took a sip of the coffee and then started walking ahead.

    But before he could get too far, he spoke again.

    ¡°Now, I do.¡±

    What is this man doing? Even though he said earlier that he wouldn¡¯t tell Rozzean the truth, I still feel uneasy. It feels like he¡¯s nning something not good.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me right away when a visitor arrived?¡±

    I nced at Rozzean when he spoke. His eyebrows were furrowed, and he had his hand on his temple as if I did something wrong. Why does it feel like it¡¯s my fault? I didn¡¯t even think of calling him because he seemed happy to leave with ri.

    ¡°Sir, you were on a date earlier. It would be embarrassing to disturb you on your date with Miss ri.¡±

    I want to p you.

    ¡°It was not a date, Tali.¡±

    It was not a date.

    What¡¯s that? They just went out as friends? They ate as friends? He knows that ri likes him, and then he even had his arm around her waist.

    ¡°Sir, I was not born yesterday to not know that it was a date. Please don¡¯t deny it. And what¡¯s wrong with that? Miss ri is beautiful, sexy, smart, has her own business, and ording to Manang, many are interested in her, but she¡¯s waiting for you because she likes you. Oh, please, Sir Rozzean-¡±

    I paused in my speech when the corner of his lips lifted. He stepped forward, and I took a step back.

    ¡°O-Oh? there you go again, sir.¡±

    ¡°You are jealous.¡±

    What?

    He was smiling. His eyes were fixed on me. Was I jealous? W-Well, maybe a little. I mean, why did he have to put his arm around her waist? Is that necessary, huh, Rozzean?

    But I should deny it. I won¡¯t give in to him!

    ¡°I¡¯m not jealous, sir! In fact, you and Miss ri looked good together before. Should I repeat her good qualities to refresh your memory?¡±

    Rozzean smiled at me, and before I could speak again, he quickly kissed me on the lips. My eyes widened as I looked at him. I covered my mouth and looked around to make sure no one saw us.

    So, Rozzean is a covert flirt. I¡¯ve also proven that he¡¯s indeed a thief.

    A thief of kisses.

    ¡°Tali, you have nothing to be jealous about. ri and I weren¡¯t alone. ri¡¯s dad invited me to join them. Her father is one of the investors in mypany. I also didn¡¯t expect ri toe to the house earlier.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not jealous!¡± I shouted at him.

    I heard hisugh. I looked at him while he wasughing. I was stunned for a moment. Since when did someone¡¯sughter sound this soothing to my ears?

    ¡°You are jealous, baby.¡±

    B-Baby?!

    ¡°You are jealous. I should be thankful to ri foring to my house. If ri didn¡¯te to the house earlier, I might not have known that you were jealous.¡±

    Rozzean moved closer and snaked his arm around my waist.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Tali, no matter how beautiful the woman in front of me is, no matter how sexy or intelligent, I will still choose you.¡±

    My lips parted, and I couldn¡¯t speak. I¡¯m sure my face ispletely red now because of what he said.

    Is he giving me assurance that he won¡¯t look at other women?

    ¡°I-I¡¯m not-¡±

    ¡°If you continue saying that you¡¯re not jealous when you actually are, I¡¯ll kiss you again, a longer kiss than you think.¡±

    I covered my mouth again because of what he said. When he released me, he took my hand and pulled me inside the house.

    ¡°S-Sir, let go of my hand; someone might see us! Your brother is still here!¡± I told him.

    But he didn¡¯t listen; in fact, I felt him tighten his grip on my hand. As we entered the house, I saw Luther in the living room, looking at his cellphone.

    I gulped when I remembered the picture he showed me earlier. It was a close-up picture of me wearing a red swimsuit. He¡¯s crazy; that¡¯s the picture he has of me.

    ¡°Are you going to stay here tonight, Luther?¡±

    When Luther looked up and saw us, his gaze dropped to the hand Rozzean was holding. I saw him smile at me. His smile¡­ it was the same smile he had before he revealed to me that I am Thaliana.

    I took my hand back from Rozzean and excused myself, leaving the two brothers behind.

    ¡°S-Sir, I¡¯ll go to the kitchen first; I¡¯ll help Manang prepare dinner,¡± I said.

    Rozzean looked at me, about to say something, but I quickly escaped and left the two of them. My heart was pounding fast. Luther saw twice already that Rozzean was holding my hand. Judging by the smile and look he gave me earlier, I¡¯m sure something different is running through his mind.

    ¡°Oh, Tali? Why is your face so red? Did something happen to you? Are you feeling unwell?¡± Manang asked when I entered the kitchen.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m okay, Manang. It¡¯s just hot,¡± I replied and headed to the sink to wash my hands.

    I took a deep breath. So much happened today; I didn¡¯t expect that in just one day, I would experience various emotions.

    I told Luther that I would leave Rozzean¡¯s house. I pleaded, and he agreed to let me go until I exin my reasons to Rozzean. But the truth is¡­

    I know it will be difficult for me to leave this house.

    Just thinking about leaving Rozzean makes my chest tighten. I don¡¯t want to. But I have no other choice.

    ¡°Manang, what are we going to cook?¡± I asked her.

    But as I mentioned to Luther earlier, I will leave this house. I need to fulfill my promise.

    Manang and I cooked dinner. When I went out of the kitchen and passed by the living room, the two brothers were no longer there. As it got dark, I checked all the appliances in the house and also gave food to the guards at the front and back of the house.

    By seven o¡¯clock, Manang and I served dinner.

    ¡°Manang, are Sir Luther and Sir Rozzean already in their rooms?¡± I asked.

    I was sitting on the ind counter while leaning back. I noticed something in the way Rozzean talked to his brother earlier. It wasn¡¯t the usual interaction I¡¯d expect between siblings.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, Tali. I rarely see those two together. Since Sir moved out and started living here, he seldom goes back to their house. His family doesn¡¯t visit either.¡±

    ¡°Sir Luther has only been here a few times. So, I¡¯m not quite sure if they¡¯re close as siblings. Why do you ask?¡±

    I shook my head, ¡°No reason, Manang.¡±

    When I heard some noises, I quickly stood up. I approached Manang and pretended to attend to something.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just find a hotel to stay in?¡± Rozzean asked. I poured myself a ss of water and took a sip.

    ¡°Why would I stay in a hotel when my brother has a house here? Come on, Cyron. It makes me wonder if you¡¯re hiding something from me.¡±

    I almost choked when Luther¡¯s eyes shifted to me.

    Damn. He¡¯s enjoying this. I told you, there¡¯s more to his words. We really need to talk againter.

    ¡°What would I be hiding from you, Luther?¡± Rozzean asked as he took a seat.

    The food was already served. Luther also sat down but kept ncing at me. His smile was irritating, actually. Is he teasing me?

    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re hiding something from me, or maybe someone is hiding here in your house that-¡±

    I coughed because of what Luther said. He¡¯s testing my patience!

    ¡°Tali, are you okay? Oh no, you might be getting sick. Earlier, your whole face turned red when you entered the kitchen, and now you¡¯re coughing.¡±

    Rozzean looked at me, stood up, and approached. From the corner of my eye, I saw Manang¡¯s reaction, as if she didn¡¯t expect Rozzean toe near me.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked in a soft tone.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Instead of answering, I looked at Luther, who had already started eating but had a constant smile on his face. Damn. You¡¯re really enjoying yourself, huh?

    ¡°Tali.¡±

    When I heard Rozzean¡¯s voice again, I looked at him. His face was serious as he stared at me. I swallowed hard because when he looks like this, there¡¯s definitely going to be a confrontation.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay, sir, just tired,¡± I said.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s what I¡¯ve been saying, Tali. Maybe you overworked yourself. This morning, you did so much-you even went around the whole house alone tonight,¡± Manang said.

    I looked at Manang, about to speak, but Luther beat me to it.

    ¡°Oh, really? Your maid, Cyron, is quite impressive. Your house is so big and a lot of ces needs cleaning, she did everything alone this morning, I heard.¡±

    Won¡¯t this guy ever stop?!

    ¡°Sir Luther, it¡¯s my job, and¨C¡±

    ¡°I wish I had a maid like you, Tali. Hardworking and dedicated. How much do you pay her Cyron? Maybe I can match it.¡±

    I knew he was just joking, but suddenly, I felt uneasy.

    I didn¡¯t say anything more. I didn¡¯t know what Luther was trying to achieve now. Whether he was testing my patience or nning to reveal the truth to Rozzean in this way.

    ¡°Tali, go to your room and rest.¡±

    I looked up at Rozzean. I winced when I saw his serious expression. Oh, God.

    ¡°But, sir¨C¡±

    ¡°Right now.¡±

    I walked away. When our eyes met, Luther gave me a smirk.

    Ugh! Annoying asshole!

 Pissed Off

    Rozzean Cyron Valleje

    Tali is really different.

    My previous housemaids tried to get my attention. They attempted to seduce me, but they failed. No matter what allure they used, no one ever caught my interest. But Tali was genuinely different.

    She hasn¡¯t done anything to grab my attention yet here I am.

    ¡°I¡¯m fckng thinking right now about how I will make her fall for me.¡±

    Why doesn¡¯t she believe me? Is it truly impossible for a man like me to fall for a simple woman like her? I¡¯ve never felt the kind of care she showed me.

    That¡¯s what I want, that¡¯s what I desire, and she¡¯s what I need in my life.

    ¡°And now I am pissed because she said that I should forget my feelings for her. How am I going to do that?¡±

    This is the first time I became interested in a woman, and it happens to be a maid I never expected to catch my attention. She¡¯s simple and beautiful in her own way. Her beauty, simplicity, and intelligence surpass those of the women around me.

    When my cellphone rang, I nced at it. Mr. Barios was calling me, one of my investors and ri¡¯s father.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Barios?¡±

    ¡°Rozzean, are you busy?¡±

    I sat up. I was busy contemting how my maid would fall for me, damn it.

    ¡°I am not, Mr. Barios.¡±

    He invited me to an early dinner with his daughter. Since I don¡¯t refuse invitations from my investors, I agreed. I got up and went down immediately.

    As I approached the door, I saw Tali talking to someone. When I saw that it was ri, an idea crossed my mind.

    I know Tali is just holding back. I know she likes me. I think she¡¯s just thinking I¡¯m not serious, and she¡¯s still testing me until now.

    That¡¯s the reason I¡¯m considering.

    ¡°Rozz!¡± ri called out to me.

    I didn¡¯t actually expect her toe to my house. Maybe her father mentioned that we would go to the restaurant together. I straightened the sleeves of my ck polo shirt and walked towards them.

    I could see that Tali was looking at me, but I didn¡¯t nce at her.

    How long are you going to say that you are not for me, Tali?

    I looked at Manang Selya, ¡°Manang Selya, I won¡¯t be having dinner here.¡±

    I wanted to smile when I saw Tali¡¯s lips twitch upwards.

    I wanted to smile, but I kept my stern face.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, ri.¡±

    I felt bad because I used her to make Tali jealous.

    From the corner of my eye, I saw Tali just looking at us until we left the house.

    ¡°Rozz, I¡¯m sorry if the invitation was so sudden. I told Papa that you might be busy.¡±

    I looked at ri and noticed she was struggling to walk in her heels, so I offered support at her waist.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I wasn¡¯t doing anything anyway.¡±

    We arrived at the ce, but my mind was still at home. What is Tali doing? How does she look right now¡­ damn it. My thoughts were filled with things about her.

    ¡°Do you still not have a girlfriend until now, Rozzean?¡±

    I looked up at Mr. Barios because of his question.

    ¡°No, Mr. Barios.¡±

    He nodded, ¡°Really? It seems challenging to get the attention of someone like Rozzean Cyron Valleje.¡±

    I gave a faint smile. I don¡¯t have a girlfriend yet, but maybe I¡¯m close to having one.

    ¡°My daughter also doesn¡¯t have a boyfriend. I¡¯ve been telling her that I want a grandchild, and I¡¯m getting old, but she still hasn¡¯t introduced anyone to me.¡± Mr. Bariosughed and looked at ri beside me.

    ¡°Dad, it¡¯s not that easy. Don¡¯t worry, when I¡¯m being courted by a guy I like, I¡¯ll introduce him to you right away,¡± ri replied and nced at me.

    I know that ri likes me. Now, with Mr. Barios talking about his daughter, I have an idea of the purpose of this early dinner.

    I made it clear to ri. From the beginning. I told her that I have no interest in her. If I did, I would have made a move, and she wouldn¡¯t have to approach me.

    While the father and daughter were chatting, and I was listening, I received a message.

    My eyebrows furrowed upon seeing Luther¡¯s name.

    ¡°I am here in your house, Cyron.¡±

    That was the first message. What is he doing in my house?

    I was about to type a response when I received another message expressing Luther¡¯s appreciation. I saw a picture.

    ¡°Your new maid is kind, Cyron.¡±

    I tightly held my phone, looking at the picture of Tali, who seemed to be heading towards the gazebo. She was holding a cup.

    Is it coffee?

    Luther doesn¡¯t drink coffee. Fck.

    ¡°Mr. Barios, I¡¯m sorry, but I need to go now. There¡¯s an issue at home.¡±

    I stood up, and the father and daughter looked at me.

    ¡°Oh, okay, take care!¡±

    I turned away and headed towards my car. I hadn¡¯t even gotten inside when I heard ri¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Rozz!¡±

    I looked at her.

    ¡°ri, your father clearly wanted to set us up. But you know my decision on that, right?¡±

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already developed feelings for someone else. I am serious about her. I¡¯m sorry, ri.¡±

    I got into my car and headed home.

    Yes. I am serious about Tali. I¡¯ve never felt this kind of feeling before. It¡¯s not just temporary. I know that.

    I always wanted to see her, to hold her. I want her close. Always.

    I tried calling Luther, but he wasn¡¯t answering. Damn it.

    Why is she always near other guys? First Maki, and now Luther?

    When I reached my house, I quickly headed to the gazebo. Even from a distance, I could see Luther talking to Tali. He was so close to her.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Before I could get closer, I saw him caress the side of Tali¡¯s head. I clenched my fists and red at him.

    That wasn¡¯t a good scene for me.

    First of all, why did he send coffee when he doesn¡¯t drink it? Second, why did he need to take a picture of Tali as she approached and send it to me?

    When Luther entered my house, Tali and I were left alone.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me immediately when a visitor arrived?¡± I asked her.

    I saw her forehead furrow.

    ¡°Sir, you were on a date earlier. It would be embarrassing to disturb you on your date with Miss ri.¡±

    I knew it.

    She likes me too, but she¡¯s in denial, thinking I¡¯m just testing her.

    ¡°It was not a date, Tali.¡±

    ¡°Sir, I wasn¡¯t born yesterday to not know that it was a date. Don¡¯t deny it. And what¡¯s wrong with it? Miss ri is beautiful, smart, has her own business, and ording to Manang, many like her, but you¡¯re the one she¡¯s waiting for because she has feelings for you. Oh, please, Sir Rozzean¨C¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but smirk at what she said. A date, huh? I didn¡¯t mention earlier that I was leaving for a date with ri.

    I need to stay calm. I can¡¯t smile like an idiot just because I found out she¡¯s jealous.

    ¡°Oh? There you go again, sir.¡±

    ¡°You are jealous.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but smile. At least now I know she likes me. There¡¯s hope. Damn. I never thought I could feel this kind of excitement.

    ¡°You¡¯re jealous,¡± I said.

    ¡°I am not jealous, sir! In fact, you and Miss ri looked better together. Should I repeat her good qualities to enlighten you?¡±

    There she goes again.

    She¡¯s infuriating. I wanted to kiss her deeply.

    I quickly kissed her on the lips. She was surprised and covered her mouth. I continued to smile at her.

    ¡°Tali, you have nothing to be jealous of. ri and I are not just together. ri¡¯s father invited me to join them for dinner. ri¡¯s father is one of mypany¡¯s investors. I also didn¡¯t expect ri toe to the house earlier.¡±

    ¡°I am not jealous!¡± she shouted.

    She¡¯s so cute that she made meugh. Damn. I¡¯m whipped.

    Can¡¯t you see what¡¯s happening to you, Rozzean?

    ¡°You are jealous, baby.¡±

    ¡°I am not!¡±

    After our conversation, I took her hand, and we went inside the house. In the living room, I saw Luther, staring at his phone.

    ¡°Are you going to stay here tonight, Luther?¡±

    Instead of answering my question, Luther looked behind me.

    I furrowed my brows. He was looking at Tali. When I saw him smile at Tali, I immediately blocked his view.

    What is this feeling? This is the same feeling I felt when Maki was in my house.

    ¡°T-Tali, sir, I¡¯ll help Manang prepare dinner in the kitchen,¡± Tali said to me.

    I was about to speak, but she quickly left. I looked at Luther. He kept his gaze on Tali. I turned around and sat in front of him.

    ¡°Stop looking at my maid, Luther.¡± I said irritably.

    I heard himugh.

    ¡°What? Before, you didn¡¯t care about your maids. Now that you¡¯re just looking, you¡¯re getting all grumpy.¡±

    I didn¡¯t respond. I invited Luther to the library to talk there.

    ¡°Your house is huge but you¡¯re still single, Cyron. When do you n to get married?¡± he asked.

    Instead of answering the question, I threw the same question back at him.

    ¡°When do you n to get married?¡± Heughed loudly.

    I don¡¯t feel the need to exin myself to him. Also, I don¡¯t know what his real purpose is for being here.

    ¡°You are always grumpy, Cyron,¡± he said.

    ¡°What¡¯s the real reason you¡¯re here?¡± I asked.

    He settled into his seat and ced his cellphone on the coffee table.

    ¡°I visited a ce here with a business partner. I passed by your house to say hi since I¡¯m already here. I wasn¡¯t in the house when you came and stayed for three days.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t there when I arrived. Dad mentioned he was abroad for a business transaction.

    ¡°We don¡¯t see each other often. You¡¯re hurting my feelings, Cyron. I visited you, and it seems like you¡¯re not happy.¡±

    He ced his left hand on his chest as if genuinely hurt.

    ¡°I¡¯m busy, Luther¨C¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing that reason for three years after what happened to our family, Cyron.¡±

    His voice was serious now as he looked at me. I averted my eyes. How can I forget that?

    How?

    Don¡¯t start, Luther. I am not lying. I am busy with mypany.¡±

    I saw him nod out of the corner of my eye.

    ¡°So busy, Cyron? Taki often looks for you. Mom always asks Dad when you¡¯re going to visit us. I heard from Mom that Dad even went to yourpany just to tell you to visit us at home.¡±

    That day, I thought Dad wanted to discuss business, which is why he came early to mypany. It was unexpected for me that he wanted me to go home. So unexpected. Usually, it¡¯s Luther who talks to me abouting home to visit them.

    ¡°I¡¯m sad I wasn¡¯t there when you came. But now I¡¯m here. So, can we have a drink? I¡¯ll stay here. You don¡¯t need to worry about me going home drunk.¡±

    I smirked, still not looking at him.

    ¡°Who would worry? Not me.¡±

    Lutherughed heartily at my remark.

    ¡°By the way, Cyron. Where did you find your maid?¡±

    His question caught my attention, so I nced at Luther.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Oh, nothing¡­¡± he said.

    But what I didn¡¯t like was when he smiled.

    Damn it. Why does everyone notice you, Tali?

    ¡°Luther.¡±

    ¡°What? I was just asking about your maid. She makes a great cup of coffee.¡±

    I narrowed my eyes. I gave him a disapproving look.

    ¡°Why are you pissed?¡± he asked,ughing.

    ¡°Damn you, Luther. You don¡¯t drink coffee.¡±

    He never drank coffee, not even when we were kids. What is he saying? Is he trying to fool me?

    ¡°I did. Earlier. Looks like I might start drinking more often, but it seems I¡¯ll only have it here.¡±

    Why the hell does my woman attract the attention of these men?

    First, Maki, and now Luther-my brother.

    When Luther stood up, I nced at him.

    ¡°I am hungry. Maybe there¡¯s food? It¡¯s quitete. How about you? Are you going to eat? Let¡¯s eat first before we drink.¡±

    I stood up as well.

    ¡°Don¡¯t eat.¡±

    Luther raised his eyebrows at my words.

    ¡°What? Why? I haven¡¯t eaten since noon. You are so mean.¡±

    Tali cooked. I¡¯m sure of it. I don¡¯t want him to taste the food my baby cooked.

    ¡°I will order your food,¡± I said.

    He looked at me with a puzzled expression.

    ¡°Why are you ordering, Cyron? You have maids. There¡¯s food here. Let¡¯s go down. I¡¯m really hungry.¡±

    When he turned away, I quickly walked over and held him by the arm.

    ¡°Let¡¯s order,¡± I insisted, but he just shook his head at me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s on your mind, but I am really hungry.¡±

    I sighed in relief when Luther finally left the library and went downstairs. I followed him.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat in the dining room¨C¡±

    ¡°Cyron, I¡¯m fine eating at the ind counter.¡±

    Damn it. I don¡¯t want him to see Tali! I don¡¯t want him to taste the food that my baby cooked!

    While we were heading to the kitchen, I talked to Luther.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you find a hotel to stay?¡±

    I don¡¯t want him here.

    ¡°Why would I stay in a hotel when my brother has a house here? Come on, Cyron. It makes me wonder if you¡¯re hiding something from me.¡±

    I saw Luther nce at Tali.

    I¡¯ve been noticing it since earlier, and I¡¯m not happy about it.

    ¡°Hiding what, Luther?¡± I asked. I¡¯m getting confused with him and his thoughts. He¡¯s been like this since earlier.

    Luther sat down and started putting food on his te. But while eating, I noticed he kept ncing at Tali.

    What¡¯s with him?

    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re hiding something from me, or maybe there¡¯s someone hiding in your house¨C¡±

    I looked at Tali when I heard her cough.

    ¡°Tali, are you okay? Oh no, you might be getting sick. Earlier, your whole face turned red when you entered the kitchen, and now you¡¯re coughing,¡± said manang.

    I quickly turned and approached her. I felt her forehead and neck.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± I asked.

    But what made me a little mad was that instead of answering my question, she looked at my brother.

    What¡­

    Is she interested in Luther? I immediately felt jealous. I¡¯m right in front of her, yet she¡¯s looking at my brother.

    ¡°Tali,¡± I said. I couldn¡¯t hide my annoyance in my tone.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m okay, sir. I¡¯m fine. Just a bit tired,¡± she said to me.

    ¡°See, that¡¯s what I¡¯ve been saying, Tali. You must have overworked yourself today. This morning, you did so much already, even going around the whole house, and now tonight,¡± Manang said.

    ¡°Oh, really? Your maid is quite impressive, Rozzean. Considering the size of your house and the amount of cleaning needed, she did everything by herself this morning?¡±

    I nced at Luther when he spoke. I am at the end of my patience right now. Why are they looking at each other?

    ¡°Sir Luther, it¡¯s part of my job, and¨C¡±

    ¡°I wish I could have a maid like you, Tali. Someone diligent and dedicated to her work.¡±

    I breathed hard.

    ¡°Tali, go to your room and rest.¡±

    Her gaze only turned to me then.

    ¡°B-But, sir¨C¡±

    ¡°Now.¡±

    Once Tali left the kitchen, I faced Luther. He was smiling while eating.

    ¡°Why are you acting strange, Luther?¡± I was irritated. Jealousy started consuming me.

    ¡°Nothing¡­¡±

    I left the kitchen and went upstairs to Tali¡¯s room. I don¡¯t like this feeling. Earlier, I was sure she liked me too, but now I¡¯m having second thoughts because of Luther.

    Why the hell are they looking at each other?

 No Longer A Dream

    Thaliana Tangi D Vezca

    I am lying on my bed while looking at the ceiling of my room.

    What did I do again?

    Why does he seem angry with me again?

    Just earlier at the gazebo, he was smiling and even stole a kiss, and now his gaze feels cold again. And his look is so serious.

    Is it because of Luther? Did he notice the tension between us when his crazy brother was around?

    I took a deep breath. I don¡¯t feel bad. I just blushed earlier because of what Rozzean did at the gazebo. And then, I coughed because of his brother Luther¡¯s attitude.

    Yes, and it seems like he didn¡¯t tell Rozzean the truth about me, but what he¡¯s doing now is directing it at me.

    I got up and was about to head to the bathroom to take a shower when I heard a knock on my door. I quickly approached and opened it. When I saw that it was Rozzean, my eyes widened. What is he doing here?!

    I was about to close the door, but he blocked it with his hand.

    ¡°W-What do you need, sir?¡±

    Hey! he looks like he was about to eat me with his serious look!

    ¡°We need to talk.¡±

    I winced.

    Talk?! But judging by his look, it seems like he wants to chew me alive!

    He grabbed my arm and pulled me in. He closed and locked the door to my room.

    ¡°W-We don¡¯t have to talk¨C¡±

    But words were cut when Rozzean pulled me and made me sit on my bed. He faced me and his arms were formed into crossed. I was looking up at him. What¡¯s his deal? he¡¯s giving me such a serious look¨Cthat I felt I am in danger.

    ¡°You were smiling at me a while ago, and now you¡¯re giving me a that expression. W-What¡¯s wrong, sir?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Why are you looking at my brother? What happened at home when I wasn¡¯t here earlier? And why does Luther look at you like that? Tell me.¡±

    My lips parted in response to his questions. I couldn¡¯t speak immediately.

    Is he¡­ jealous again?

    ¡°N-Nothing happened. He just talked to me and asked where you were.¡±

    Rozzean approached me, and I stood up, but I didn¡¯t move from where I was standing.

    ¡°A-Are you jealous?¡± I asked him.

    But he avoided eye contact. Just a while ago, he was trying to get me to admit to jealousy. Now, he¡¯s the one feeling jealous because of my interactions with Luther. His brother is really annoying. And I think he did that to make Rozzean really jealous.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like you looking at other men while I am in front of you, Tali.¡±

    Pretending not to hear what he said, I grabbed the edge of his ck polo shirt and pulled it to get his attention. His gaze lowered to me.

    ¡°There¡¯s no other reason for that¡­¡± I said in a low tone.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like what you¡¯re thinking.¡±

    He held me by the chin. As his stern expression softened, I breathed a sigh of relief. He¡¯s really incredibly jealous.

    Overly jealous.

    Apparently, I can¡¯t even look at others, let alone think about it. it¡¯s just him who attracts me.

    ¡°I am very territorial,¡± when he slowly tilted his head, I knew what was about to happen next.

    ¡°I told you. I¡¯m serious about you, Tali. And I don¡¯t like what I see earlier, I don¡¯t even like Luther looking at you¨C looking at what is mine.¡±

    My breathings was heavy, I fckng nervous because I know, with the things happening between us right  now. One things was on  my mind that he will do.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡± I called his name. With only a few inches separating our lips, he spoke once more.

    ¡°Your eyes should only be looking at me, Tali. Call me selfish if you want because it¡¯s true. I want your eyes and everything  for myself only.¡±

    Damn you and your possessiveness, Rozzean.

    I clung to his neck as he kissed me. His arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer. This is it, there¡¯s no way I could deny thister. I responded, kissed him back. I let out a soft moan as he bit my lower lip.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± His kiss was so deep that I couldn¡¯t keep up.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­ w-wait.¡±

    But instead of giving me a chance to catch my breath, he walked and carefullyid me down on my bed. Damn it. His kisses were so addicting.

    Rozzean¡¯s lips moved down to my neck. I didn¡¯t know whether to hold onto his arms or let my hands follow wherever his head was going. I was drown with his lips moving into mine.

    ¡°Damn¡­ you smell really good, Tali. And your lips taste heaven.¡±

    This wasn¡¯t a dream, Thaliana. This is real. Rozzean was in front of you, kissing your neck and making you feel good.

    When his lips returned to kiss me, I responded with a kiss, following every move of his lips on me. When Rozzean stopped, he looked at me. I could feel his breath, his skin, and I could see the desire in his eyes while looking at me.

    ¡°S-Sir, I am your maid¡­¡± I reminded him but he smiled.

    ¡°I know, baby. I fckng know,¡± he said and kissed me hard and needy again. I will not stop him, I will ept what will happen between us because I, too, wanted this.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I kissed him back the way he wanted me. Rozzean¡¯s left hand started to explore my body.  When I felt his hardness against my thighs, I knew there was no way to stop what was about to happen.

    ¡°Fck. I don¡¯t want you looking at other man, Tali,¡± he said when he stopped the kiss and look at me.

    My right hand lifted, holding his cheek.

    ¡°D-Don¡¯t worry, sir, no matter how handsome the man in front of me is, no matter how sexy or smart, I would still choose you.¡±

    That was his statement earlier.

    You won, Rozzean. You won. You got me.

    I saw his smile. He bit his lower lip and kissed me on my forehead. He moved away from me for a moment and started to unbutton the second button of his ck long-sleeve polo.

    When I saw that, I immediately got up. He looked at me as I started unbuttoning his polo myself. Damn it, Thaliana. You saw it all, you know the size, you probably prepared for this.

    ¡°Tali¡­¡±

    I looked up at him.

    I nced at his lips. I didn¡¯t wait for him to kiss me; I reached for his lips and kissed him. Rozzean pulled me closer. Heid me down and began to undress me while we were kissing.

    His hands went to my back to unlock my bra. His hands were busy removing theyers from my body. Meanwhile, I was busy running my fingers through his hair. The sensation was so addictive.

    The kisses, his breath, and his skin touching mine.

    His lips momentarily left mine and descended to my neck. My mouth opened in pleasure. He¡¯s biting my neck hard.

    ¡°A-Ahh¡­¡±

    His kisses moved down to my chest. When he removed my bra, I looked at him. He paused for a moment. Before I could ask him why he stopped, Rozzean¡¯s right hand cupped my breast. This is a new feeling for me¡­ b-but damn, so good.

    ¡°S-Sht. Ahh¡­¡± I moaned.

    My back arched as he lowered his face. My lips parted when he stick out his tongue and lick my nip¡¯ple.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡± I moaned as he was sucking on one breast while his right hand yed with my other crown. I was catching my breath while watching him pleasure me.

    ¡°Uhhmm¡­¡± This is crazy¡­ I felt high. Rozzean continued to lick my nipples with his tongue.

    Damn it.

    It feels so good.

    ¡°O-Ohh, R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    He paused. When he looked up at me, I saw the desire in his eyes. He smiled and bit his lower lip.

    ¡°Keep¡­ moaning my name, Tali.¡±

    His kisses returned to my breast. I tilted my head back while my hands clutched his hair. He kissed my stomach, his kisses descending until he was in front of thest piece of clothing on my body.

    I heard him cursing. My breathing was so fast. When I felt Rozzean¡¯s lips kissing my center, my lips parted in surprise. I was still wearing my panties, but it still felt good because of his lips!

    When I remembered that I haven¡¯t showered yet, I felt a sense of embarrassment.

    But Rozzean was unstoppable. He gave kisses. He pressed his lips so hard on my womanhood.

    ¡°A-Ahhh¡­ w-wait, R-Rozzean.¡±

    Oh gosh! i-it is so good¡­

    ¡°O-Ohhh¡­ w-wait¡­ just a moment¡­¡±

    But he didn¡¯t stop. As I sensed him slowly removing the final piece from my body, I released his hair and gripped the bedsheet tightly when it finally removed. My throat became dry, and I could sense the coldness of the room against my exposed naked body.

    ¡°Fck, Tali¡­¡± he said while looking at me. And after a few seconds Rozzean slightly spread my legs. He then dipped his head on my center causing me to arch my back.

    ¡°N-No¡­ not t-there¡­ ahh!¡±

    I was surprised when I sensed an unusual sensation between my thighs.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    I felt his tongue yfully moving on my womanhood. It was fast, as if he was searching for something he couldn¡¯t find. The feeling of pleasure enveloped my being. I didn¡¯t know where to turn my head because of what Rozzean was making me experience right now.

    His tongue still moved rhythmically on my core. It felt so good, damn it. It was even more enjoyable than in my dreams. I didn¡¯t know this kind of feeling e-exist.

    ¡°Ohh¡­ i-it feels so good.¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    When Rozzean stopped, I took a deep breath. I looked so sensual right now. I was naked. My face was flushed, my mouth slightly open as I gazed at him.

    ¡°Beautiful Tali¡­¡± he said.

    When our eyes met, I saw the hunger and desire in his eyes as he stared at me.

    ¡°You are mine¡­¡±

    Oh, Rozzean¡­ I am.

    ¡°Everything about you is mine, only for me, Tali.¡±

    He continued to explore my body with his eyes, and a warmth spread through me. I could feel his gaze tracing every curve, creating a tingling sensation. As his eyes lingered, I became more aware of his presence, and the room seemed to pulse with anticipation.

    ¡°Mine¡­¡±

    He leaned in, his breath warm against my skin, and pressed a soft kiss on my lips. The intimacy of the moment intensified, and I couldn¡¯t help but respond to him. I felt the time seemed to slow, and all that mattered was the intensity of our desire.

    Rozzean bit his lower lip while looking at me, and that¡¯s when I felt his fingers cupping my center.

    ¡°You are fckng soaked.¡±

    Even his voice felt really good, giving me a shiver down my spine. Making me feel how much he wanted me.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± I moaned when his finger move and yed my cl¡¯t.

    ¡°You are only mine, Tali.¡±

    Ohh, is this really the moment I¡¯ll give myself to him? Because if it is¡­ I¡¯m ready.

 Hot Night

    My purpose for entering this house was clear.

    I needed to see Rozzean Cyron Valleje¡¯s negative qualities to show them to my dad. I wanted to find out if he¡¯s someone who treats women badly or has a bad attitude. I must prove that he is a womanizer.

    But, after a month of staying here, I realized my dad was right.

    Rozzean is the kind of man who listens to your exnation before making a decision, no matter your life status.

    For someone like me, or even Manang Selya, I didn¡¯t expect to be treated like we¡¯re not just maids in his life.

    He treats us like his own family.

    He also appreciates small things done for him. On my first day in his house when he got sick, a simple ¡®thank you¡¯ unexpectedly made me happy.

    Now, I see him in apletely different light, not just as his maid but as a woman.

    ¡°A-Ahhh¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t help but moan in pleasure when his finger touched my womanhood.

    I feel like I¡¯m being swayed by my emotions. Rozzean lowered his head to my neck while kissing my center. He¡¯s cursing, and I can hear him. When I touched his chest, he momentarily pulled away as if he got burned.

    When his hand left my entrance, it moved to my breast. He was busy ying with my nipples while kissing my neck. D-Damn¡­ I never thought this is so good.

    ¡°Ohh¡­ Rozzean¡­¡±

    It was a strange feeling for me. I never thought that it would feel like this when a man pleases you in bed. I have never ever had any idea about this. I am a virgin in everything!

    When my hands went down to his stomach and to his private area, Rozzean stopped me. He raised my hands, surprising me with his action.

    ¡°D-Don¡¯t¡­ not yet.¡±

    After saying that, he kissed me again on the lips, biting, sucking ahh sht. My lips were numb from his kisses. Our tongues battled while he pressed his body against mine.

    Damn it.

    I could feel his manhood. It was hard and ready.

    And so am I.

    What else is there to stop what should happen tonight? I like him, and he likes me too. We are both adults and mature enough to do things like this.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡±

    Rozzean separated from me for a moment.

    ¡°A-Ahh¡­¡±

    When I heard his moan, I opened my eyes. Even I was surprised, and it wasn¡¯t expected. Seeing the desire on his face parted my lips in awe. We wanted to do this; I wanted to do this with him so badly.

    My body aches for me.

    I won¡¯t regret it something happens.

    ¡°Aahhh¡­ uhhmm¡­¡±

    Rozzean sucked on my left breast. His tongue yed my nipple. He bit it so well that my left hand went to the back of his head. I wanted him to know that it feels good. So good.

    ¡°Tali¡­¡±

    But when I heard that name, my hand on his head slowly went down.

    I suddenly got scared. Not in our current situation where I know something is about to happen that I never thought of nning.

    I¡¯m afraid of going back to my real world as Thaliana and seeing him.

    How do I exin everything to him?

    Rozzean leaned down on me. He was smiling at me. His genuine smile. He gently held my cheeks and pressed his forehead against mine.

    ¡°We should stop here.¡±

    That stunned me.

    Stop? Why?

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to think I¡¯m rushing too much. I want to make it clear to you that this wasn¡¯t my intention.¡±

    My lips parted. How many times will Rozzean surprise me with these words? With these decisions?

    We can actually do it because I gave in. I allowed him.

    Ohh, Rozzean!

    ¡°This is not what I intended when I came here. This is not what I wanted to happen. My emotions took over when I saw you naked.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if we reached this point too quickly. I don¡¯t want you to think that I¡¯m only interested in your body.¡±

    He took the nket from the side and immediately wrapped it around me. He helped me sit up too.

    I was looking at him. I couldn¡¯t believe what he said.

    He doesn¡¯t want to continue! Indeed a gentleman!

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    He kissed my forehead, then my nose. When his gaze reached my lips, I thought he was going to kiss me, but he only ran his finger below my lips.

    ¡°Let¡¯s take everything slow.¡±

    ¡°Let me show you that I¡¯m sincere about what I said to you, that I like you and I want a good life with you.¡±

    Truthfully, I saw that he was serious when he said he likes me. He¡¯s jealous to the point that even looking at his brother seems forbidden. Several times earlier, he emphasized that him going out with ri was not a date.

    He tried to make me understand that I have no reason to be jealous.

    This is the kind of assurance that women want. Something that doesn¡¯t require them to ask, where the man they love tells them to dispel any doubts or insecurities they may feel.

    And Rozzean did his best to exin what really happened when he and ri left the house, even though I didn¡¯t ask about it.

    Now, he doesn¡¯t want to continue what¡¯s happening between us because he¡¯s afraid I might think he¡¯s only interested in my body.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say sorry. I never thought that you only liked me for this or t-to have s¡¯x with me.¡±

    When I looked up at him, I held his cheeks.

    ¡°Make love, baby¡­ make love not s¡¯x¡±

    Damn. I was stunned by that for a moment. He¡¯s really a good man like what my father said.

    I can¡¯t think of the right word to describe him.

    ¡°I-I like you too, b-but I just didn¡¯t want to believe it at first because of what happened in the kitchen that night we talked.¡±

    But I know that was just an excuse for me. In admitting and giving a reason why I didn¡¯t tell him my feelings, I was still lying to him. I just couldn¡¯t confess the truth to him because of my situation as Tali.

    If I am in front of him as Thaliana, I would confess my feelings without thinking of what would happen next.

    But, this is my fault. I was so into the thought that I am already content with my life and I don¡¯t want to get married. That¡¯s why I came up with the decision of pretending as a housemaid to spy on him.

    I didn¡¯t expect that I would fall for him.

    ¡°It¡¯s my fault, so I understand. You can¡¯t ept my feelings because you might think I¡¯m just ying with you.¡±

    No, Rozzean¡­ this is not your fault. Clearly, in this situation, in our situation, I was the one ying with you.

    ¡°Do you think anyone would take a maid like you seriously?¡±

    I bit my lower lip.

    ¡°But I am not that kind of person, Tali.¡±

    He wrapped his hands around my back and hugged me slowly. My tears are about to fall because of my mixed emotions.

    Fear, joy, apprehension¡­ all mixed up.

    ¡°I don¡¯t look at a woman¡¯s social status, whether she¡¯s rich or not, or if she can contribute to my business like how you see ri. And I certainly don¡¯t judge based on looks, I¡¯ve proven that to you, right?¡±

    I chuckled and punched him a little, making himugh. Okay, but I don¡¯t look that bad as Tali.

    Fake freckles, a mole, thick eyebrows that aren¡¯t obvious because of my thick fake bangs.

    ¡°But, why me?¡± I asked him.

    I felt his face on my neck. He¡¯s sniffing me again and it tickles.

    ¡°I felt the care that I wanted to feel for a long time.¡±

    The smile faded from my lips when I heard what he said.

    I turned my face to Rozzean. That was an unexpected reason. I pulled away from him and looked at his face. When I saw his eyes, my eyebrows furrowed as I discerned sadness in them.

    ¡°I felt in you the feeling I¡¯ve been searching for all my life. The care that I longed for since I was a kid. Those eyes that always look at me, waiting for my arrival. Always eager to see me. The nurturing you do¡­¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Why¡­

    ¡°Rozzean¡­¡±

    I felt concern as his expression changed. I lifted my right hand and held his cheek. He ced one of his hands there and closed his eyes.

    ¡°I never felt this kind of feeling before.¡±

    ¡°The feeling that someone is always looking for you and waiting.¡±

    What happened to him? I felt his sadness, and even in his eyes it shows it. He seems to be going through something hard. I felt and noticed it when I first came here because of what Manang said.

    And now Rozzean¡¯s words and the look in his eyes convey a depth of emotion I haven¡¯t seen.

 Stay With Me

    I want to ask what happened to him, but I remain silent. Ick the courage because I feel guilty about what I did. I know it¡¯s my fault; I didn¡¯t think through this decision well. Now that I¡¯ve fallen for Rozzean, I don¡¯t know how to tell him the truth.

    ¡°I love you, Tali¡­¡± he whispered and I closed my eyes firmly. I felt the pain already of what I did.

    He will surely be angry.

    He will think I deceived and yed with him.

    ¡°Thank you for being here with me.¡±

    He hugs me again. He holds onto me tightly, his head resting on my neck.

    ¡°Don¡¯t leave me, Tali. I don¡¯t want to be alone.¡±

    I bite my lower lip upon hearing his words. How can I leave this house? I can¡¯t leave him if he¡¯s like this with me. How do I tell him the truth?

    ¡°Thank you foring into my life and making me feel whole.¡±

    I lifted my hand and gently stroked his hair. I bent down and kissed him on the head.

    I can¡¯t believe what happened to us.

    I came here as Tali and entered his house as a maid. I saw him naked on my first day. I thought he was a bad person, but he¡¯s not. Now, I regret this decision because I¡¯m scared he¡¯ll hate me when he finds out my true identity.

    The tears I¡¯ve been holding back finally fell. How could I leave him ande back as Thaliana?

    It¡¯s so difficult to leave someone in this situation, Rozzean, but I can¡¯t live as Tali. I need to go back and face you as Thaliana. I need to clear everything, apologize for my mistakes. But it¡¯s scary. I¡¯m extremely scared.

    This is the first time in my entire life that I¡¯ve felt this afraid.

    The fear I have now, when I tell him the truth, he might leave me.

    ¡°You won¡¯t leave me, will you?¡±

    He pulled away from our hug and looked into my eyes. His facial expression seemed to be urging me to say yes. I didn¡¯t want to lie, Rozzean¡­ it would only add to the pain.

    ¡°You won¡¯t leave my house, right?¡±

    ¡°You are not going to leave me because you said that you like me too. I wanted to know. I wanted to make sure.¡±

    My lips parted to answer him, but no words came out.

    When Rozzean stepped back, I reached for his hand.

    My lips gasped as a sudden reaction to his movement. I¡­ got nervous.

    Look at yourself, Thaliana. Look at how scared you are.

    ¡°Do you have ns?¡± He asked seriously.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    I shook my head repeatedly. It¡¯s not like that. I don¡¯t want to leave. But I can¡¯t stay in his house as Tali, I can¡¯t stay in his life and love him as Tali the maid.

    I need toe back here as Thaliana. Yes, I will leave, I¡¯ll return to my old life, but I won¡¯tpletely leave him.

    ¡°N-No, not like that-¡±

    He stepped back again, and I pulled his hand.

    ¡°What is it? Why do your reactions tell me that this is temporary?¡±

    He raised his eyebrows at me. I don¡¯t want this, Rozzean. It¡¯s so difficult¡­

    ¡°R-Rozzean, it¡¯s just that our situation is not easy. What if your family doesn¡¯t ept me?¡±

    I just need to find a reason to escape this conversation. That¡¯s it. But he seems really determined with me. With the kind of look he¡¯s giving and the firm grip he has on my hands now.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. What if they don¡¯t ept you? I don¡¯t need the opinions of others or even my family about you, Tali. I¡¯ve already said it; the only thing that matters to me is you and your decision. You want me too, right?¡±

    ¡°You love me¡­ and you wanted to be with me?¡±

    I nodded at him.

    ¡°Then, why? Why do I feel like everything is temporary because of what you¡¯re showing and saying to me?¡±

    I¡¯m starting to struggle with my situation, but I shouldn¡¯tin. I have no one else to me but myself.

    I don¡¯t want to see Rozzean like this. It¡¯s like he doesn¡¯t know what to do while waiting for what I¡¯ll say. I lowered my eyes to my hands, which he¡¯s holding tightly now.

    Just a while ago, I was the one holding onto him.

    We don¡¯t want to let go of each other. But, Thaliana, you¡¯re the reason if Rozzean decides to let go of you.

    ¡°I-it¡¯s just that I can¡¯t stay here in your house, I need to go back for a while to where I came from, and¨C¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    He let go of my hands. He gently held both sides of my face and brought his face close to mine.

    ¡°You¡¯re not leaving, you won¡¯t leave me.¡±

    I bit my lower lip at his words. I¡¯ll just be gone for a moment; I¡¯lle back to him. I just need to return to clear up all the foolish things I did.

    ¡°I feel like once you leave my house, you won¡¯te back.¡±

    I shook my head at him, ¡°I love you too, but I can¡¯t stay here in your house as a maid if there¡¯s something going on between us. What will others say about you, and what about your reputation¨C¡±

    ¡°Then stay here with me not as a maid but my woman.¡±

    I was stunned by what he said.

    ¡°I told you, Tali. I don¡¯t care about what others will say. If that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about, starting tomorrow, you won¡¯t work as my maid anymore. But I won¡¯t allow you to leave my house.¡±

    He¡¯s serious. He really wants me here. How can Ie back if he¡¯s like this?

    ¡°Wherever you want to go, I¡¯ll apany you. You can¡¯t leave alone.¡±

    Rozzean, please¡­

    I can¡¯t think of any excuse to tell him. He has an answer for everything.

    ¡°Do you still doubt me?¡±

    I shook my head while looking at him. The intensity in his eyes was heavy.

    ¡°Tali, I love you so much.¡±

    I lowered my head, unable to match the intensity of his gaze.

    ¡°I-I believe you.¡±

    It¡¯s just difficult, Rozzean. But because of my mistake and wrong decision, I find it hard to give you what you want ¨C for me to stay in your house. I have a life as Thaliana.

    I need toe back, but you are making it hard for me to decide now because of your hold.

    It¡¯s so tight.

    ¡°Then, stay. Just stay here with me.¡±

    I took a deep breath, a sign of surrender. My n to return and not finish the two months has changed. I can¡¯t let Rozzean be alone, to feel that he was alone again. But while I¡¯m here, I need to gain his trust. And if ever I ask for permission to leave, maybe he¡¯ll allow me.

    Maybe he¡¯ll change his mind.

    ¡°Please?¡±

    I looked at him and nodded slowly.

    ¡°O-Okay, I¡¯ll stay here.¡±

    Damn you, Thaliana. You¡¯re weak.

    ¡°Thank you, baby,¡± Rozzean said and quickly kissed me on the lips.

    He¡¯s smiling again. I sighed deeply. This is what I wanted to see on his face, not the sadness I saw in his eyes earlier. Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind. What could have happened to him?

    ¡°Uhh¡­¡±

    I nced at Rozzean when I heard his voice. He¡¯s looking away. He¡¯s still naked. I bit my lower lip while looking at his body.

    ¡°Do you want to take a bath?¡±

    ¡°W-What?¡± I raised my eyes to him when I heard what he said.

    I swallowed. Are we going to continue?

    ¡°U-Uh, yes,¡± I stood up. But because the nket was wrapped around me, I stepped on its edge, and I would have tripped if Rozzean hadn¡¯t supported me.

    The problem is the nket fell to the floor, exposing my naked body in front of him again.

    I saw Rozzean¡¯s eyes look at my body. He swallowed hard. The desire in his eyes returned. If he wants to, why not? I fought against it earlier!

    ¡°Tali¡­¡±

    I closed my eyes when he lowered his face to me and kissed me deeply on the lips. My hands moved up and touched his chest down to his stomach. My hands were busy tracing his body while Rozzean was pulling me closer to him.

    When I felt him walking while supporting me, I opened my eyes.

    Where is he going?

    His lips slightly moved away from mine, and he smiled at me.

    ¡°Can I take back my words earlier, baby?¡±

    ¡°Maybe we can continue?¡±

    Damn it, yes. I¡¯ve given my permission a while ago!

    ¡°Let¡¯s take a bath together.¡±

    He didn¡¯t wait for my answer. He kissed me hard again. But before we could enter the bathroom and do intimate things, we heard a knock on the door.

    Rozzean and I both looked at the door.

    ¡°Cyron, I can¡¯t wait for another hour.¡±

    Sh*t. Luther?!

    ¡°Get out of there and let¡¯s drink.¡±

    I saw Rozzean firmly close his eyes and take a deep breath. He moved away from me and grabbed the towel nearby, wrapping it around my body.

    ¡°Uhmm, I think you should go and bond with your brother,¡± I said.

    He harshly sighed. ¡°I forgot about Luther.¡±

    ¡°Go take a bath and rest, okay?¡±

    I nodded slowly as he picked up his ck shirt and put it on. He buttoned it, but I noticed that he buttoned it incorrectly. His hair was also messy.

    ¡°We all have time in my house to bathe together. I¡¯ll deal with my annoying brother now.¡±

    After Rozzean said that, he kissed me on the forehead. I thought he would turn away, but he kissed me deeply on the lips.

    ¡°O-Okay.¡±

    As he walked away and opened the door, I heard Luther¡¯sment before they left.

    ¡°You can continue itter though.¡±

    Oh my!

 My Home

    Rozzean Cyron Valleje

    ¡°You are looking at me like you wanted to punch me.¡±

    Because I fckng do.

    When I heard what my brother said, I red at him. It means he noticed what¡¯s going on between Tali and me. Nothing escapes his eyes. On the first day at my house, he immediately learned about Tali and me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t test my patience, Luther.¡±

    He shrugged off myment.

    I am in a good mood. I swept my hair upwards and restrained myself from smiling.

    What I felt earlier was a sensation that I never thought would happen to me after a month of letting a strange woman into my house.

    That strange woman-my maid, who now happens to be my lover. Fck. I fell so deep.

    ¡°So, when are you going home, Cyron?¡±

    When we reached the bar, Luther quickly grabbed something to drink. I was just looking at him. He knows where things are in my house. He doesn¡¯te here often; he has only been to my house a few times, but he already knows the ins and outs of the ce.

    Once he sees something, there¡¯s no need to repeat it to him.

    He¡¯s observant of the surroundings and details. Also, he is smart. Dad liked him so much when we were kids because he¡¯s clever and can really capture everyone¡¯s attention with how his mind works. Especially in business.

    And I think that¡¯s one of the reasons why Dad was so fond of Luther even if he¡¯s just adopted.

    ¡°I just got home, not even a month yet,¡± I replied.

    He¡¯s now looking at the drinks we¡¯ll have.

    ¡°Oh? reasons. I know why you don¡¯t want to leave your house.¡±

    He nced at me for a moment and smiled. He knows it. I have no intention of hiding it either.

    ¡°Mind your own business, Luther. Don¡¯t get close to Tali. You¡¯re inside my house and I am warning you.¡±

    Instead of reacting to what I said, Luther just showed me the vodka.

    ¡°Vodka?¡±

    ¡°Up to you.¡±

    After choosing our drinks, he sat beside me. He opened the vodka and filled my ss. Until what time will this drinking sessionst? I wish my baby is still awake when we are done here.

    ¡°You¡¯re a bit distant, Cyron. You¡¯re here beside me, but your mind is on the second floor¡­ in Tali¡¯s room,¡± he said and smirked.

    I raised my eyebrows and gave him a stern look.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even say her name, Luther, and stop acting cute. It doesn¡¯t suit you.¡±

    He smiled and took a sip. I can¡¯t tell if he¡¯s telling the truth when he said that he was here because he wanted to have a drink with me. It¡¯s also challenging to read and know if he¡¯s being honest.

    ¡°Are you not going to deny what I noticed, Cyron?¡±

    I took a sip as he questioned me. I raised my eyebrows.

    ¡°Why would I deny it? I love Tali.¡±

    I looked at Luther. He was swirling his ss while studying it.

    ¡°Even if she¡¯s a maid, Cyron? I saw that she has a great body. Is that the reason¨C¡±

    ¡°If you want to have a good conversation with me, Luther, then think a thousand times before you say a word about my woman.¡±

    I tightened my grip on my ss. When Luther looked at me, he had a smile on his face. He lowered his ss and raised his hands briefly. He tapped my shoulder and then drank his vodka.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was just teasing you. I can see that you are serious about her. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen you look at a woman like you would take her away at any moment. You were so protective of her earlier that made me think you thought I was going to get her from you,¡± heughed.

    ¡°And besides, Cyron, I know you only leave your house on weekends for work or if you have business partners to meet.¡±

    That was right. For people who know me, my time was so precious even on the weekend. My time, even on Saturdays and Sundays, is dedicated only to work, even when I¡¯m at home.

    ¡°But when I said that I was in your house, apanied by your kind maid and sent you a photo of her, you were so fast. In just ten minutes, you were here and ring at me.¡±

    Why wouldn¡¯t I look at him with a frown? He touched Tali¡¯s head. He touched my woman.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like you being close to her and touching her, idiot.¡±

    Heughed loudly at what I said. I drank vodka, and when it was finished, I poured again into my ss.

    ¡°Damn, brother, so you are the in-love Rozzean Cyron? I am liking this.¡±

    I looked at him, ¡°Don¡¯t do things that will make me mad, Luther. Don¡¯t test my patience because you know I have feelings for Tali. Don¡¯t try to make me jealous. You might not step foot in my house anymore.¡±

    I know what¡¯s running through his head. I know him.

    ¡°What? I am not doing anything.¡±

    The truth is, I don¡¯t like the idea that Luther knows about my feelings for Tali. Even though we are brothers and we grew up together, there¡¯s still a barrier between us. When I saw how he looked at Tali earlier, I felt annoyed.

    While he was looking at Tali earlier, in the gazebo, living room, and in my kitchen, there¡¯s something in his eyes that I don¡¯t really like.

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying, Luther. The way you look at my woman tells me that something¡¯s running in your head.¡±

    He poured vodka into his ss. He looked at me and brought his ss closer.

    ¡°Maybe I was just thinking about Dad, Cyron. Didn¡¯t you have a conversation about George D Vezca¡¯s daughter?¡±

    Instead of bringing my ss closer, I drank its content. The truth is, I just said that I¡¯ll meet to end the discussion. I¡¯ve been talked to by our father several times about marriage matters.

    During those times, my attention wasn¡¯t really there.

    ¡°The days pass quickly, Cyron. It¡¯s been a month, and you need to face what you told Dad. You can¡¯t avoid it. What will be your reason to him? Also, do you think he will agree with Tali? Your maid?¡±

    I held my ss tightly, poured myself another shot, and drank it again.

    When I put down the shot ss, I looked at Luther. I smirked at him.

    ¡°Do you also think that I care if Dad will like my woman or not, Luther? If he will approve?¡± I asked him.

    He got my full attention now.

    ¡°You, or even Mama? Do you think I¡¯ll ask for your opinions about the woman I want to be with for the rest of my life?¡±

    I looked away from Luther for a moment.

    ¡°Cyron, he¡¯s still your Dad.¡±

    ¡°He is, Luther. I still respect him as my father. I respect him as Mr. Valleje. I never forget that, and it will never leave my mind. But can you also think about me? That this is the first time I got interested in a woman?¡±

    Luther let go of the shot ss and faced me. His face was serious, but he sighed a few times.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

    ¡°I understand you, Cyron. But you know Dad¨C¡±

    I smiled and shook my head.

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    I stood up.

    ¡°When did you remember me anyway? All of my decisions don¡¯t matter because of what I did. Because of what happened to our family. Because all of you med me. Especially Dad.¡±

    Luther stood and was about to hold my shoulder, but I took a step back. I saw concern on his face as he looked at me.

    ¡°We don¡¯t me you for what happened, and Dad¡¯s decisions now have nothing to do with that, Cyron. Can¡¯t you see he¡¯s trying to make things right with you?¡±

    How can I believe that? It¡¯s so difficult.

    I will never forget that night.

    The hatred in my father¡¯s eyes while looking at me.

    And when he almost disowned me.

    ¡°We are all trying to make things right, Cyron. We don¡¯t me you. Mama even wants you toe back home and live there. Taki misses you so much. He keeps on asking where his Daddy is. Mama is having a hard time exining to him.¡±

    My mind was clouded because of the sadness I was feeling.

    I didn¡¯t respond. I turned away from Luther and took big steps towards the second floor.

    When I was right in front of the door, I knocked. It opened immediately. And when I saw Tali, I hugged her tightly.

    ¡°R-Rozzean? Why?¡±

    I didn¡¯t speak. I was breathing hard. My embrace became tight. I needed to breathe slowly and calm down.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    I felt Tali¡¯s hands on my back. She was caressing me, and that¡¯s when I foundfort.

    ¡°Did something happen? Tell me¡­¡±

    I buried my face in her neck. Tali¡¯s soft voice reassured me that everything is going to be okay because she was here.

    ¡°Mama wants you toe back home.¡±

    Luther¡¯s voice echoed in my head. But I am not going back to the ce that made me feel like I don¡¯t belong.

    ¡°Rozzean¡­¡± Tali called my name with worry but I just held on her tightly.

    I will note back because my home is here¡­ in my arms.

 Morning Kisses

    Thaliana Tangi D Vezca

    I can see that something happened from his heavy breathing. Did he have a disagreement with Luther? I noticed that he treated his brother differently when they met at the Gazebo. Is there a problem between them?

    But Luther talks casually, and he doesn¡¯t seem to have negative feelings about Rozzean.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    When Rozzean separated from me, I held both of his cheeks. His eyes were closed, and his thick eyebrows were furrowed. The worry in my chest eased when I saw his face.

    ¡°What happened? Tell me¡­¡±

    When he opened his eyes, he shook his head slowly. He held my left hand and, as he pulled me, my foot pushed the door to close.

    ¡°I just had an unpleasant conversation with Luther,¡± he told me. He sat on my bed while I stood in front of him, and he still held my hand.

    I knew something happened because they left only a few minutes ago, and he¡¯s back already, just after I finished showering.

    I examined his face and even his hands for any signs of a fight. It doesn¡¯t seem like they physically fought as brothers.

    ¡°I just got annoyed.¡±

    I can smell alcohol on him, but he doesn¡¯t seem drunk. My gaze dropped to my hand that he tightly held.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t like what I heard from him. I also don¡¯t like that he¡¯s forcing me to go home.¡±

    I wonder what Luther said to upset him. I noticed his brother¡¯s behavior earlier. It seemed like he wanted to test my patience, and it looks like he did the same to Rozzean.

    I can feel that Luther was teasing me earlier. From what he said before he and Rozzean left earlier, he has an idea of what happened between us. That man knows a lot. It¡¯s only his first day here, but he already found out a lot.

    But I wanted to know if he is a threat, so we need to talk again. I¡¯ll also tell him about my n to stay here for another month.

    When I heard Rozzean sigh, I pulled his hand.

    ¡°I think you need to rest. Whatever misunderstanding you have with Luther, you can work it out. He¡¯s your brother, and family issues can be resolved.¡±

    He looked up at me, sadness in his eyes again. I waited for him to speak, but he remained silent. I was surprised when he let go of my hand and took off the ck polo he was wearing.

    ¡°W-What¡¯s are you doing¨C¡±

    Hey on my bed and patted the space next to him. When I didn¡¯t move, he pulled my hand, and I ended up sitting on the bed right beside him.

    ¡°Sir!¡± I eximed.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep here.¡±

    Oh¡­ My eyebrows shot up at what he said. That¡¯s why he removed his shirt. I remember him sleeping without shirt on.

    ¡°I¡¯ll sleep here beside you.¡±

    When I tried to get up, he wrapped one of his hands around my waist and pulled me back.

    His head rested on my neck while his hand held me tightly at the waist. How can I leave if he¡¯s holding me like this?

    But is he serious? What if his brother looks for him in his room? And I didn¡¯t lock my room door!

    ¡°Sir, I think it¡¯s better if you sleep in your room. It¡¯s just a few steps away on the third floor. If you¡¯re feeling dizzy from the alcohol, I can even escort you there¨C¡±

    He took a deep breath and tightened his hold on my waist.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Rozzean?¡± he asked.

    I looked at him. It seems he really has no intention of going back to his room, so I let it be. My right hand lifted to his hair, and my fingers gently brushed through it.

    ¡°Why are you calling me ¡®sir¡¯ again?¡±

    I bit my lower lip. I really don¡¯t know what to call him now.

    ¡°Sir because you¡¯re still my boss,¡± I replied.

    He chuckled. ¡°Boss, huh?¡±

    I nodded, feeling a bit unsure.

    He was sniffing my neck again.

    I noticed that he had been smelling my neck several times. I¡¯ve also heard him say a few times that I smell good.

    ¡°I like your smell, Tali. What¡¯s your perfume?¡±

    ¡°Perfume? I don¡¯t wear any, sir,¡± I replied.

    I¡¯m not into wearing scents.

    ¡°I¡¯m sleepy¡­¡±

    Those were thest words I heard from him. I was brushing his hair. Rozzean didn¡¯t say a word after mentioning he was sleepy. And in a few minutes, I heard his deep breathing, a sign that he had fallen asleep.

    I never thought he could fall asleep so quickly. Maybe it was the effect of the alcohol that made him sleep so fast.

    I got up from lying down and straightened his face. His hand was still tightly gripping my waist as if he thought I would leave at any moment.

    When I tried to move away a bit, he furrowed his eyebrows and snuggled closer to me.

    This is getting hard for me. But, Tangi, you need to be brave to face whatever Rozzean will do when he learns the truth.

    It¡¯s difficult, but I need to ept it because I got myself into this. It¡¯s my fault.

    ¡°Just one month, okay?¡±

    ¡°After one month, I¡¯ll fix everything.¡±

    I lowered my face and kissed him on his forehead.

    Lost in thoughts about the events of the past month and what could still happen, I didn¡¯t notice when I fell asleep while Rozzean held me tightly.

    The next day, as soon as I heard the rm in my room, I opened my eyes. I was about to get up to go to the bathroom when I heard something.

    ¡°Good morning, baby¡­¡±

    ¡°H-Huh?!¡±

    My eyes widened at what I heard. I looked to my left and saw Rozzean looking at me. His elbow was propped up, and he was smiling at me. His hair was messy, and he didn¡¯t have a shirt on.

    Instead of greeting him, I instinctively covered my face. I sighed in relief when I felt my mole.

    Safe.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to greet me good morning?¡± he asked.

    Oh right! He slept herest night. I almost forgot!

    ¡°G-Good morning-¡±

    I was about to continue speaking when he leaned in and quickly kissed me on the lips. He even brushed my hair away from my face. Too early for this, Rozzean!

    ¡°Your bed is small, Tali. I just noticed.¡±

    ¡°H-Huh?¡± I asked, my eyebrows raised at what he said.

    He looked behind him and even underneath. I found myself ncing at my bed too.

    ¡°We can¡¯t stay here¨C¡±

    I gasped as I realized what he meant.

    ¡°W-Wait!¡± I interrupted him.

    I got up and stood in front of him, arms crossed. It¡¯s only five in the morning, and this is what he¡¯s thinking about! I gave him a disapproving look and pointed at the clock in my room. He shouldn¡¯t have slept here because this isn¡¯t his room.

    What if the maid hade inst night? Or Luther? We didn¡¯t even lock my room door!

    He nced at the clock but quickly returned his gaze to me.

    ¡°Go back to your room, sir-¡±

    ¡°Rozzean,¡± he corrected me.

    I closed my eyes.

    ¡°Sir Rozzean-¡±

    I yelped as he suddenly pulled me by the hand, causing me to fall on top of him. I tried to push myself up to move away, but he hooked his left hand around my waist.

    ¡°I had a good sleep. It¡¯s been a while since I slept so well, Tali. I always have bad dreams, butst night was different. No nightmares. If you allow me, I want to sleep here beside you all the time.¡±

    My lips parted in shock at what he said. He continued speaking.

    ¡°I can¡¯t, sir! We¡¯re not married, so we shouldn¡¯t sleep beside each other all the time. Only married couples do that, right?¡± I told him.

    He was smiling at me. Thankfully, he was smiling again.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we get married then?¡±

    I was taken aback.

    I always get surprised by what Rozzean says. But as I looked at him now, I noticed that he wasn¡¯t joking about what he said.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure about what I feel for you. If you say yes and want to be with me forever, I¡¯ll marry you today.¡±

    T-Today?!

    I was too shocked to respond.

    When I didn¡¯t say anything, Rozzean lowered his gaze to my lips. He swept my hair aside and tucked it behind my ear.

    He reached for my lips and kissed me quickly. When he looked into my eyes, he smiled. I didn¡¯t expect him to be this flirtatious so early in the morning.

    ¡°I-I need to get up. I still have to prepare your breakfast¡­ it¡¯s Monday, and you have work at yourpany,¡± I said, realizing he was just staring at my lips while I spoke. I sighed.

    I called him by his name to get his attention.

    ¡°Rozzean¡­¡±

    But he still wasn¡¯t listening. He was fixated on my lips. I swallowed hard when his hand moved. His hand went to my nape and pulled me closer.

    ¡°I like¡­¡±

    He bit his lower lip.

    ¡°Morning kisses, baby¡­¡±

    My heart was racing again, not out of nervousness but out of anticipation to feel his lips on mine once more. I looked at him, and his smile never left his face.

    He seemed to have had a really good morning.

    Rozzean¡¯s face descended slowly, his pointed nose touching mine. It felt like slow motion when his lips gently brushed against my parted ones.

    My hands went on both sides of his face and I gave in. He smoothly switched our positions without breaking the kiss. Now, I was beneath him, and he continued to kiss me passionately.

    Rozzean said it was just a kiss?

    ¡°Damn.¡±

    I kissed him back, and our tongues intertwined. When he pulled away, I was left catching my breath. I took deep, long breaths because of the intensity of our kiss.

    It looks like I need to get used to not breathing for a while due to Rozzean¡¯s kisses.

    ¡°You are doing great in kissing,¡± he smirked, touching my slightly swollen lips.

    ¡°Good morning, baby.¡±

    Rozzean said, kissing me on my forehead.

 Taki

    Rozzean didn¡¯t let me get up right away. When I finally persuaded him to go back to his room, it was already six o¡¯clock. Fortunately, Manang didn¡¯te to check on me in my room. She knows that I usuallye down by 5:30 in the morning.

    But this morning, I came down around seven. When I arrived in the kitchen, Manang had already prepared breakfast. I suddenly felt embarrassed because, normally, I¡¯m the one assigned to cook.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Manang,¡± I apologized.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about it! I know you¡¯re not feeling well, so I expected you to wake upte. How are you feeling now? Is everything okay?¡± she asked.

    I wanted to grimace. Rozzean is so persistent. He didn¡¯t leave me alone earlier, even wanting to shower in my room and insisting that we do it together. I just threatened him that if he didn¡¯t go back to his room, I wouldn¡¯t open my door to him at night.

    Well, he quickly got up and left to return to his room.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m feeling better now, Manang, not too bad,¡± I replied.

    We were in the kitchen now, having breakfast. Rozzean left for the office at eight. Manang told me that Luther was still sleeping in the guest room. It means I could talk to Luther if he¡¯s still here.

    Rozzean¡¯s statement fromst night about being annoyed with Luther lingered in my mind. I wondered what Luther could have said.

    ¡°Good morning,¡± someone greeted, pulling me from my thoughts.

    Speak of the devil, and the devil shall appear.

    ¡°Good morning, Sir Luther. Will you be having breakfast?¡± Manang asked him.

    Instead of answering, Luther looked at me. I turned my face away and finished my meal. Then, I stood up, went to the sink, and washed my dishes.

    ¡°I am not hungry, Manang,¡± I heard him say, ¡°Tali.¡±

    I swallowed hard when Luther called me.

    ¡°Y-Yes, sir?¡± I responded.

    ¡°Make me coffee. Bring it to your pool area.¡±

    After giving his instructions, Luther left. I noticed that he was squinting, suggesting that hecked sleep.

    He ordered coffee again. Rozzean said he doesn¡¯t drink coffee. What¡¯s with his preferences?

    I followed Luther¡¯s orders, preparing his coffee and heading to the pool area. He was standing by the edge, talking on his cellphone.

    ¡°Yes, Mama, did you tell Cyron? So he¡¯s aware.¡±

    ¡°Ah, he¡¯s not answering his phone? Maybe he¡¯s busy.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here in his house. I can go home tomorrow if that¡¯s the case. Who will pick me up, Mama?¡±

    He¡¯s talking to his mother?

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    After ending the call, Luther faced me.

    ¡°He went into your roomst night, right?¡±

    I looked at him. That¡¯s the first thing he said to me. Did he follow Rozzean? Or did he peek into my room? Luther¡¯s gaze on me was serious, not yful like yesterday.

    ¡°Thaliana, my brother likes you so much. And you know that.¡±

    I felt nervous with the way he looked at me.

    ¡°L-Luther¨C¡±

    ¡°Wait, you are not Thaliana here¡­ you are Tali,¡± he said, smirking.

    I tightened my grip on the saucer. Luther sat down, and I ced his coffee on the table beside him.

    ¡°What are your ns?¡±

    He wasn¡¯t looking at me; he picked up his coffee cup and took a sip.

    ¡°I-I told you I¡¯m leaving, but give me one more month here, Luther. It¡¯s hard for me to say goodbye to Rozzean. He doesn¡¯t even want me to go out alone because¨C¡±

    ¡°And whose fault is that? You are the one who put yourself in this situation. Now, you don¡¯t even know what to do,¡± he said to me.

    I took a deep breath and closed my eyes tightly. I know. I know very well.

    ¡°My brother likes you so much, Tali. He even defended you to me. He told me that he doesn¡¯t care if you or our family don¡¯t ept you. He even said that he thought he might punch mest night because of the anger he felt.¡±

    S-So that¡¯s why¡­ that¡¯s why Rozzean looked like that when he came to my roomst night.

    ¡°I am trying my best to escape the situation now and go home, Luther. It¡¯s hard for me, but I know I have no right toin,¡± I told him.

    I saw him sigh.

    ¡°You walked into the fire, Thaliana.¡±

    I lowered my head.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°Just¡­ give me a month. I asked my father for two months before, and the n was to go home after that. But now, it¡¯s getting difficult because of Rozzean¡¯s hold on me.¡±

    Luther lowered his coffee cup and looked at me.

    ¡°Funny how your ns turned out like this, Thaliana. From spying on my brother to falling in love with him.¡±

    I gulped at his words. I couldn¡¯t deny it because it was true. I fell for Rozzean. I developed feelings for him, and that was not part of the n when I decided to enter his house and pretend to be a maid.

    Now, I didn¡¯t know what to do.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Unexpected¡­¡±

    I couldn¡¯t find any more words to say.

    ¡°But, okay, I am not that evil. I will let you stay here for another month. I will not ruin your ns; in fact, I am actually enjoying what¡¯s happening.¡±

    Those were Luther¡¯s final words. When I said goodbye and headed back inside the mansion, he didn¡¯t say anything more.

    I spent the rest of the day cleaning the house, thinking about how I would exin to Rozzean what I did-entering his house and pretending to be someone I¡¯m not. I pondered if there was a way for him not to be extremely angry, but no matter how I looked at my situation, there was no reason for Rozzean not to be furious with me.

    Haaa¡­ What now? The day passed by quickly¡­ I didn¡¯t even realize I¡¯ve been here for a month.

    I continued wiping surfaces while letting out several sighs.

    It¡¯s already four in the afternoon. In an hour, Rozzean will be here. Luther, on the other hand, is in front of me, reading a book. Until now, the impish fellow earlier has been engaging me and deliberately calling me Thaliana. I¡¯m giving him stern looks, afraid that Manang might hear him.

    ¡°Why are you looking at me? Don¡¯t you like Cyron anymore? Is it me now?¡±

    I scowled at what he said.

    ¡°That will never happen, Luther.¡±

    I continued wiping surfaces until I heard the doorbell. I approached the door and opened it. My eyebrows furrowed at what I saw.

    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Luther asked. I heard his footsteps approaching.

    ¡°Luu¡­¡±

    I looked down at the child who spoke. He looks like¡­

    W-wait¡­

    ¡°Taki.¡±

    Luther approached the child and lifted him. He looked at the man apanying the child. The man bowed, and then he handed Luther the baby bag.

    ¡°Thank you for bringing Taki, Desmond. Take care on your way back,¡± Luther said.

    I didn¡¯t know how to react because I was just staring at the child Luther was holding. Even after he called the man Desmond who left, I was still looking at the closed door.

    Who is this kid?

    Once the door was closed, Luther sat on the sofa, still holding the child he called Toto.

    Luu?

    ¡°Taki, we¡¯ll wait for your father here, okay? I know you miss him so much.¡±

    I swallowed hard at what Luther said. I quickly walked towards him, looking at the child again. My heart was pounding fast as I looked at the child¡¯s face, so much resembling¨C

    ¡°Luther.¡±

    I looked towards the door when it suddenly opened. I saw Rozzean¡¯s serious face.

    It¡¯s not yet five¡­

    Luther stood up while holding the child. I could clearly see how the child¡¯s expression changed upon seeing Rozzean. The child got down from Luther¡¯s arms and quickly ran towards Rozzean.

    ¡°Daddy! Daddy!¡±

    My heart raced as I heard the child calling Rozzean. I also felt the chill in my hands.

    D-Daddy?

    I saw Rozzean nce at me after lifting the child who looked so much like him.

    ¡°I told you, Cyron, Taki misses you so much. Your son misses you so much,¡± Luther said, looking at me.

    W-What? Rozzean has a child? W-Who is the mother?

 I Love Him

    Rozzean continued looking at me. However, in the way he nced at me, I didn¡¯t see any indication that he felt the need to exin something. It was just a normal look that I always get from him.

    ¡°Did you receive my message?¡± Luther asked Rozzen and he nodded, then turned his gaze to the child he was holding. The child had closed its eyes and seemed to be falling asleep.

    ¡°I received. I also got Mama¡¯s message. Why did you let the driver bring Taki here? I told you I¡¯d pick him up next week, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    I longed to hear something from Rozzean about the child in his arms.

    I wanted an¡­ exnation. In one month I spent in his house, I didn¡¯t hear anything about him having a child, not even from Manang or him directly. Rx, Thaliana.

    My hands were trembling. I could feel it. When I noticed Rozzean¡¯s eyes dropping to my hands, I quickly hid them behind my back.

    ¡°The schedule of their flight changed, Cyron. I didn¡¯t expect it either; Mama just called me earlier. I told her to wait for your response, but Taki¡¯s bags are ready, and she already spoke to the person who will bring him here.¡±

    Rozzean closed his eyes and looked at the child on his shoulder.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go to my room now.¡±

    My lips parted in surprise as Rozzean turned away. He didn¡¯t even speak to me or greet me by name. As he ascended the stairs, I kept my gaze fixed on him, holding the child.

    Taki looks like him.

    Taki called him Daddy.

    He has a child¡­

    ¡°Thaliana.¡±

    I turned to Luther when he mentioned my name. He had a mischievous grin on his face. Is this the reason why he didn¡¯t tell the truth to Rozzean? Because he had a n? He knew I didn¡¯t know about Rozzean¡¯s child.

    He¡¯s ying with me here.

    ¡°Surprised? so, he didn¡¯t tell you?¡±

    I gave him a defiant look. But my heart aches because of  his question.

    ¡°You know I¡¯ve been looking for a way to avoid the wedding, that¡¯s the real reason I came to this house. And you also know that I have feelings for Rozzean. Tell me, Luther, is this your n?¡±

    He raised an eyebrow and smiled.

    ¡°What n?¡± he asked, taking a step closer to me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a n, Thaliana. It¡¯s true that our parents are going somewhere, and there¡¯s no one to take care of Taki. Of course, if Mama is leaving, Taki will stay here at Cyron¡¯s house because he¡¯s the father.¡±

    I narrowed my eyes. My heart was pounding fast. I didn¡¯t expect this. Luther emphasized the word ¡°father.¡±

    ¡°Luther-¡±

    ¡°Changed your mind? Because you found out that Cyron has a child?¡±

    ¡°You can use this reason with your father, Thaliana. You don¡¯t want to get married, right?¡±

    I gave him a stern look. The situation had changed!

    ¡°I love your brother, Luther,¡± I said seriously.

    ¡°Even though he has a son¡­¡±

    But why did he keep this a secret? Why didn¡¯t he tell me that he has a child? I will ept it. I would have epted it.

    ¡°No, Thaliana.¡±

    Luther approached me and wiped my cheeks. I couldn¡¯t hold back the tears in my eyes.

    ¡°Be honest. If you had known from the beginning that Cyron has a child, you would have gone home immediately and told your father about it. You don¡¯t want to get married to him, right? You wanted a reason to avoid the wedding. You stayed here for a month. Many things happened, you fell for my brother, but admit the truth. If you had known about Taki earlier, you would have gone home immediately and used that as a reason to cancel your wedding with Cyron.¡±

    My lips quivered at his words. He¡¯s right, Thaliana. If you had known earlier that Rozzean has a child, you would have gone home immediately and told your father.

    ¡°I know that George D Vezca doesn¡¯t know that Cyron has a son. Only those close to us know about it,¡± he said.

    Dad doesn¡¯t know that Rozzean has a child. In Dad¡¯s eyes, Rozzean is perfect and worthy of being my husband.

    ¡°I-I don¡¯t care now if he has a son. I will ept the child, I-¡±

    I bowed my head and covered my mouth as tears continued to stream down my face.

    ¡°I l-love him, Luther. I-I already said that, right? That¡¯s why I¡¯m struggling now because of my situation. The reason I entered into this. I¡¯m afraid he will despise me after knowing my reason.¡±

    Luther cupped the top of my head and stroked it.

    ¡°You are cute when you cry.¡±

    I looked up at him. His gaze was distant.

    ¡°I will leave tomorrow, I can help you escape-¡±

    ¡°Tali.¡±

    I froze upon hearing Rozzean¡¯s voice. I didn¡¯t immediately turn around because I first wiped away the tears from both cheeks. When I heard his footsteps, I finally looked.

    I felt Luther¡¯s hand move on my head. He tousled my hair for just a moment before I saw him retract his hand.

    ¡°Why are you touching her, Luther?¡± Rozzean asked after turning me to face him.

    I noticed his furrowed brows as he looked at me. His eyes madly looking at his brother.

    ¡°Did you cry?¡± he asked me.

    My lips trembled. I wasn¡¯t sure whether to say yes or no. It¡¯s probably evident on my face that I had been crying.

    ¡°She cried,¡± Luther spoke when Rozzean looked at him. I was surprised when Luther pulled my hand closer to him. Rozzean let go of my hand because of that.

    What is he doing?

    ¡°Luther,¡± Rozzean¡¯s voice carried a warning as he called his brother.

    ¡°She cried. She was crying because her head hurt. That¡¯s why I touched it. You asked me why I touched her, right? That¡¯s the reason.¡±

    He¡¯s good at making excuses.

    ¡°T-That¡¯s right, Sir Luther. My head hurt, so I cried. He touched the top of my head to help with the pain. That¡¯s why,¡± I exined and looked at Rozzean. I just agreed with Luther.

    As I looked at Rozzean, I was waiting for him to say something about his child, but he remained silent.

    ¡°What time are you leaving? Don¡¯t you have work?¡± he directed the question to Luther.

    I kept my head down, and Luther still held my hand. Was he nning to let go of my hand soon?

    Did he have any ns of letting go of my hand?

    When I looked at Rozzean again, I saw that his eyes were downcast, looking at my hand held by Luther. I was surprised when he took my hand and ced me behind him.

    He looked at me.

    ¡°Go to my room and can you watch Taki? he is sleeping.¡±

    I didn¡¯t say anything; I just bowed to them and headed to his room. So many thoughts were running through my mind right now. The child looked like it was two or three years old. It resembled Rozzean so much. Where is its mother? Who is she?

    And why is the child living with its grandparents?

    Why¡­ why didn¡¯t Rozzean tell me about this?

    When I reached Rozzean¡¯s room, I headed for the bedroom. On the bed, I saw his child sleeping soundly. I approached and sat beside the child. I rested my elbows and gazed at the child in front of me.

    He really looks like him¡­

    ¡°Daddy¡­¡±

    My lips parted when I heard the child whisper.

    From what I saw earlier, it seems like Taki really misses Rozzean a lot. He ran eagerly to meet his dad. The smile on his face¡­ even in his sleep, he¡¯s calling out his father¡¯s name.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°He¡¯s handsome too,¡± I said with a smile.

    I gently ran my fingers through his hair.

    ¡°When you grow up, many girls will surely like you. Oh dear¡­¡±

    As Taki moved, I was surprised. He snuggled up to me and his small hands wrapped around my waist.

    ¡°Ma¡­ ma.¡±

    I was taken aback when he said that.

    ¡°Ma¡­ ma.¡±

    When I heard it again, I patted him gently on the shoulder. I saw him furrow his brow and it looked like he was about to cry.

    I hummed a song.

    Slowly, the furrow disappeared from Taki¡¯s forehead, so I continued tapping his shoulder gently while humming a luby.

    While I was doing that, I fell asleep too.

 No Turning Back

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡±

    What is this f-feeling?

    My hand pushed away the thing touching my face. My eyebrows furrow as ites close to my face again. What the hell is it¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m sleeping, what-¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    I opened my eyes as somethingnded on my lips. I saw Rozzean with closed eyes, hovering over me.

    W-What the hell?! Has he been here the whole time? I was about to turn and check on Taki, who was sleeping next to me, but Rozzean grabbed me and deepened the kiss. I was stunned and I couldn¡¯t react! but when I pulled away, I looked at him.

    ¡°W-wait, what a-are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°What? This is my room, baby, of course I will be here,¡± he replied, attempting to kiss me again. I covered his mouth with my hands and nced at the bed.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Taki? Where is your child?¡±

    Instead of answering, Rozzean lowered his head to my neck and kissed me there. I gulped.

    ¡°R-Rozzean, I¡¯m asking you-¡±

    But he didn¡¯t stop, his hand went on my back and removed the lock of my bra. I gasped. Shouldn¡¯t he be exining who Taki is right now? Why is he doing something else?! and he is so fckng fast!

    ¡°I really like your smell, Tali¡­¡±

    Upon hearing what he said, my eyes widened, and I pushed him away. I quickly got off the bed. S-Smell! I¡¯ve done a lot of things this afternoon! I¡¯m sweaty and smelly! What doeshe mean by ¡°he really likes my smell¡±? It¡¯s embarrassing with how I smell right now, and the sun was scorching outside earlier!

    Rozzean looked at me, his forehead furrowed in confusion. He stared at me in wonder as if something was wrong.

    ¡°S-Sir, what¡¯s happening? where is Taki?¡±

    His face turned serious. I stepped back, looking at him who was still on the bed.

    ¡°Sir?¡± he empashized. ¡°What happened to Rozzean?¡±

    I avoided his eyes. I winced at the tone of his voice.

    ¡°And why are you avoiding my kisses, Tali? Don¡¯t you like my kisses anymore?¡±he asked, sounding like a child sulking.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that-¡±

    ¡°Why are you moving away from me now?¡±

    ¡°Sir-¡±

    ¡°Is this because of Luther?¡±

    What? I shook my head.

    ¡°Is it because of my brother again?¡±

    Does he want to scold me or something?!

    And what does Luther have to do with this?

    ¡°Sir, Luther has nothing to do with this. What I want to know is, where is Taki? he was beside me earlier, why did it turn out to be you when I woke up? And you were even kissing me,¡± I said to him.

    ¡°Taki is downstairs with Luther, and is it so bad to be beside you here in my room?¡±

    I gulped at his look. He¡¯s grumpy again!

    ¡°Not¡­ really,¡± I whispered.

    ¡°Come here.¡±

    I shook my head as he extended his hand. He¡¯s going to kiss me again! I haven¡¯t even taken a bath yet! we can kiss and d-d more after my bathe!

    ¡°Tali.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    But by the tone of his voice and the expression on his face it seems like he¡¯s losing patience as he called my name.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to overthink about it, I am getting jealous because many thoughts have crossed my mind about you and my brother-¡±

    I took a step back upon hearing what he said. Is that really what¡¯s on his mind?

    ¡°What are you thinking? about me and Sir Luther? there¡¯s nothing between us, Rozzean,¡± I said.

    ¡°I saw in the CCTV that you were looking at my brother so much, Tali.¡±

    That damn CCTV. I was looking at his brother because Luther was teasing me! I also red at Luther for calling me Thaliana. What if someone hears it? There are guards, and suddenly, sometimes Manang appear out of nowhere.

    ¡°Maybe he has some orders for me, I¡¯m just observant, and-¡±

    When Rozzean shifted on the bed, I stepped back towards the door of his bedroom.

    ¡°Tali,e closer to me.¡±

    ¡°I-I don¡¯t want to!¡±

    He closed his eyes firmly. I saw him take off his white long sleeve. My lips parted, and my eyes widened.

    ¡°R-Rozzean!¡±I gasped as he threw it to the side of her room.

    He had nothing on top now, facing me and on the bed. He looks so damn sexy, but no, Thaliana, be ashamed, he tasted your pus¡¯sy once without you taking a bath. Don¡¯t let it happen again even if Rozzean says you smell good!

    ¡°Are youing closer, or should Ie to you?¡± he asked with a warning. My throat went dry. He is not joking!

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to! y-you are scaring me! y-you looked like you are going to eat me whole.¡±

    And after I said that, Rozzean smirked.

    ¡°I will really eat you, Tali,¡± he said in his seductive voice. Damn it. What I wanted was an exnation about Taki, how did we end up in this situation?

    When I saw Rozzean move and get off the bed, I turned around and was about to grab the doorknob to get out, but I felt him already behind me.

    ¡°Baby, you don¡¯t know how much I tried to control myself while looking at you sleeping in my bed. Don¡¯t make it difficult for me now.¡±

    I swallowed hard hearing his deep voice. I faced him, but as I did, his lips met mine. His hands went to my back, caressing. I clung to his arms because of the intensity of his kiss.

    When he parted his lips from mine, he held me by both cheeks.

    ¡°I can¡¯t work properly because my mind was here in my house. I can¡¯t forget what we didst night. And do you know what I thoughts I had earlier? it is you and me only¡­¡±

    I don¡¯t want to give in because I wanted to know first who is Taki, if he is really the child¡¯s father but damn you, R-Rozzean¡­

    I moved closer o him then he smiled and kissed my forehead and returned to my lips again.

    ¡°Fck, Tali. I want you so bad,¡± he imed my lips after he said that. I know this what I want too, I won¡¯t stop him anymore.

    ¡°Rozzean¡­¡± I held on him and responded to his kissed Okay, after this, I will ask him about Taki!

    My hands went up to his neck, kissing him back deeply. While he was busy on my lips, his hands went to my breast. I also felt him unbuttoning my uniform.

    When he removed it, he followed with the ck long sleeve I was wearing along with my bra. My chest was exposed. When I tried to cover my breast, he took my hands and put them on his nape. He lifted me and kissed me again on the lips.

    ¡°Damn it¡­ I will kill Luther if hees here with Taki.¡±

    Those were the words I heard from Rozzean before he walked while carrying me.

    ¡°W-Where-¡±

    Before I could ask where he was taking me, we entered his spacious bathroom.

    ¡°R-Rozzean, what-¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re continuing what we startedst night¡­ here,¡± he smirked.

    My face heated up at what he said. My breasts are exposed, and he looked at them. I saw him bite his lower lip.

    And again, before I could say a word, his lips met mine, and he kissed me hungrily.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Rozzean kissed me hard and repeatedly. His tongue teased me. Drowning in his kisses, I tried to reciprocate. Our bodies were so close, and I could feel his manhood.

    I¡¯ll deal with the exnationter!

    ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± I moaned when his head went to my neck. He was biting me. When I felt the water in the shower, I nced at the mirror behind Rozzean.

    Sht. My mole mighte off. I subtly touched it.

    Hold on, please¡­ I¡¯ll be the one in control now; don¡¯t join me in this.

    Rozzean went down, and I looked at him as he removed the lock of my cks pants. When he lowered it, I saw that he was smiling. I was biting my lips while looking at him. The desire in his eyes, his wet look.

    There¡¯s no turning back, Thaliana.

    My whole body tingled after he removed my panties. Rozzean kissed my belly and my thigh then went back to my lips.

    ¡°Ahh, damn it. I¡­ couldn¡¯t get enough of you.¡±

    He removed his pants along with his boxers and that¡¯s when I gasped because I felt his manhood on my thighs. He was already hard and ready to be inside of me.

    ¡°Tali¡­¡±

 His Brother

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± I¡¯m holding back a sound. I don¡¯t know where to put my hands when his lips touch my chest. One of his hands is on my other breast, ying with the top of it.

    Rozzean¡¯s mouth took my nipples; he sucked on them like a baby. I could really feel the top of my chest inside his mouth. He yed with it using his tongue.

    ¡°Ohhh¡­ R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    I felt a strong desire for him and I want to do more¡­ feel more of his touch.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­ ahhmm¡­¡±

    ¡°Sht, Tali¡­ I like your moan. Moan my name.¡±

    He kissed me again on the lips, and we had a passionate tongue battle. Our bodies were close under the shower. Rozzean took the soap and washed me, doing it so well that I almost forgot who I was in his house.

    Tali¡­ not Thaliana.

    ¡°A-Ahh¡­ s-sht.¡±

    My eyes widened when his hand reached my womanhood, touching it gently. I looked at him, and our eyes met.

    ¡°Oohhh, R-Rozz¡ªhmmp¡­¡±

    He suddenly kissed me while gently touching my womanhood with his finger.

    The water was cold, but we felt the heat. When Rozzean turned off the shower, I looked at him, panting. In the mirror behind him, I could see my face turning red. My lips were slightly parted.

    Rozzean dried my body with a towel, and he did the same for himself. Then, he lifted me and walked towards the bed. When heid me down, I looked at him.

    I looked at his manhood. I swallowed hard.

    He¡¯s hard.

    That thing caught my attention on my first day. I didn¡¯t think it would catch my attention now that I am naked.

    As Rozzean hovered over me, he kissed me again on the lips. His kisses moved down to my neck and then to both of my breasts. His lips traveled lower until I felt him kissing my stomach. He kissed both of my thighs, and when I felt his lips on top of my womanhood, my body arched in pleasure.

    Rozzean parted my thighs. His tongue teased my entrance.

    ¡°A-Ahhh¡­¡±

    Then, his hands went up to my chest, ying with the top while his lips were busy in between. He was exploring me slowly. His tongue was moving in circles on my womanhood.

    ¡°O-Ohhh¡­ R-Rozzean¡­ ahhh¡­¡± I moaned, unable to keep my voice quiet because of the pleasure.

    I¡¯ve never done this before. Never. All of these feelings were new to me. Everything was new, and I was experiencing it all with the person I love.

    ¡°O-Ohhh¡­ w-wait¡­¡±

    I was about to reach my climax.

    ¡°A-Ahhh¡­ R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    When he stopped, he looked at me, and our eyes met.

    ¡°I will take it slow, Tali¡­ I will be gentle.¡±

    He kissed my forehead. I nodded, and I hugged him tightly when I felt the tip of his manhood against me. He was trying to enter me.

    ¡°D-Damnit.¡±

    I gasped as my lips parted with pain. It felt like I was being sliced inside. I felt his manhood entering me slowly. It hurt.

    ¡°A-Ahh¡­¡±

    ¡°So fckng tight¡­¡±

    Rozzean¡¯s face was on my neck. He was slowly filling me. Meanwhile, I had my lips slightly open, feeling the pain. Damn, why does it have to hurt so much? His size is just too much.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­¡±

    When I heard Rozzean moan, I suddenly wanted to see his face. I held his cheeks and brought his face close to mine. We looked at each other while he was trying to fully enter me.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    I nodded at him. He pressed his forehead against mine and then kissed me on the lips. Once he pushed himselfpletely inside me, I clung to his back. I paused for a moment, feeling both pain and another kind of sensation.

    ¡°Oohh¡­ R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    My lips formed a circle. I could feel him inside me.

    ¡°I will move now, baby.¡±

    I nodded. When he started to move, I felt a mixture of pain and pleasure.

    ¡°A-Ahh¡­ ahhh¡­ R-Rozzean.¡±

    ¡°Sht, Tali, you are so good¡­ so tight.¡±

    His lips moved down to mine, and he kissed me passionately as he moved on top of me.

    Rozzean thrust himself harder into my core. I felt like I was going crazy as I moaned. The pain gradually turned into pleasure.

    ¡°Damnit, baby¡­ ahh¡­ damn.¡±

    He moved faster on top of me, his hands ying with my breasts, and his lips kissing me intensely.

    When his kisses moved down to my neck, the moans escaped my lips.

    ¡°Aahhh¡­ Rozzean, it feels so good¡­¡±

    ¡°Fck,¡± I heard him say as he quickened his movements on top of me.

    I was whining with pleasure, feeling that I was almost there.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­ I-I¡¯m about to¡­ ahhh¡­¡±

    I sensed that he was close too because of his movements. He increased his pace even more.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­ Tali¡­¡±

    We both reached climax. I felt Rozzean¡¯s warm fluid filling my womb. I caught my breath. When he looked at me, he smiled and quickly kissed me on the lips.

    ¡°Thank you for giving yourself to me¡­¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t let you down, Tali.¡±

    Rozzean removed himself from me andy beside me. He pulled me close and hugged me tightly. He covered our bodies with the nket. My eyes were getting heavy. Suddenly, I felt drowsy.

    ¡°I love you.¡±

    Before I could fully close my eyes, I heard him say those words.

    ¡°I love you, Tali.¡±

    I opened my eyes and scanned the room. I wasn¡¯t in my own room. Oh, sht. It feels like I¡¯ve been through a beating because of the pain I¡¯m feeling now. My private part hurts too. It¡¯s a different kind of pain.

    Where am I¨C

    Gosh¡­ right. Rozzean and I had sex¨C no, we made love. Sht. Something happened between me and Rozzean. The images of what happened earlier are still vivid in my mind. Our moans, how he pushed hard inside of me. His kisses all over my body.

    ¡°Baby¡­ you are awake.¡±

    I blinked as I looked at him. He was smiling at me, a wide grin on his face. When I checked the clock in his room, I was surprised to see that it was already eight in the evening.

    ¡°Oh!¡± I abruptly sat up but winced as I felt the pain in my middle.

    Eight in the evening?!

    ¡°Ay!¡± I yelped as Rozzean pulled me back down onto his chest.

    ¡°I-I need to go downstairs. Who cooked dinner?¡± I asked Rozzean.

    He was ying with my hair.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Luther?¡± I noticed Rozzean furrowed his brow at my question. He pouted his lips and moved closer to me.

    ¡°Why are you looking for Luther again?¡±

    Luther wanted me to go home.

    ¡°And Taki¡­ where are they? I¡¯m thinking if they¡¯ve already eaten, I-I¡¯ll be the one to cook dinner, right?¡± I made an excuse.

    It seemed like Rozzean wasn¡¯t convinced because he still had a furrowed brow. So, I hugged my left arm around him.

    ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much again,¡± I said.

    He took a deep breath. Based on his expression, I could tell what was going on in his mind. The way he furrowed his eyebrows and wrinkled his forehead. He¡¯s incredibly jealous! Even if I tried to exin to him multiple times that I have no ill intentions towards his brother, he still wouldn¡¯t understand.

    Maybe it¡¯s better not to look at Luther when he¡¯s around.

    ¡°Luther and Taki went home. I went down earlier and talked to him. Luther told me he took a week off, so he¡¯ll be taking care of Taki at their house.¡±

    What?! He left already?! We haven¡¯t even talked again with Luther. And I thought he was supposed toe back tomorrow?

    ¡°Why does it seem like you don¡¯t want him to leave?¡± Rozzean asked me with a serious tone.

    ¡°Huh? I-I don¡¯t! Why would I?¡±

    But the truth is, Taki crossed my mind.

    He must miss Rozzean so much. How did he convince him to go home again?

    ¡°I-Isn¡¯t it that Luther said your son misses you so much? Taki could just stay here¡­ I can take care of him. I know how to take care of kids. I¡¯ve taken care of my nieces and nephews before.¡±

    I have several nieces and nephews. I have an idea of how to take care of even a baby.

    Rozzean¡¯s expression softened as he looked at me. He was gently touching my face. After ying with my hair earlier, now his attention was on my eyelids.

    I instinctively touched the mole on my face.

    Safe. It¡¯s still here.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he kissed me on my lips and gave me a smile.

    He seemed to enjoy surprising me with sudden kisses.

    ¡°He¡¯s a smart child. Taki is intelligent. I can easily exin situations to him. I told him that I¡¯ll visit him again next week. I just have a lot of work to attend to.¡±

    When he lowered his gaze to me, he traced his finger over my lips.

    ¡°Tali, why don¡¯t you ask me about Taki?¡±

    ¡°H-Huh?¡±

    He started to caress my face.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about Taki.¡±

    I swallowed. This is what I wanted to happen earlier, but things took a different turn between us.

    ¡°I know Luther lied when he said you were crying earlier because of a headache. I¡¯m not dumb enough to believe him. Did you cry because you found out about Taki?¡±

    ¡°Tell me, Tali.¡±

    ¡°Please tell me¡­¡±

    I bit my lower lip.

    ¡°I just thought, why didn¡¯t you tell me about him¡­ it¡¯s okay with me if you have a child. I-I can ept that. And¡­¡±

    I looked into his eyes, ¡°He¡¯s a very important part of your life, and anyone who¡¯s a part of your life, I will ept because¡­¡±

    ¡°Because?¡± Rozzean asked with a smile.

    ¡°B-Because I-I love you.¡±

    I lowered my head and hugged him. I buried my face in his chest. I heard Rozzean chuckle and hug me back. This feeling is not just like before. I know it¡¯s deeper now. That¡¯s also the reason why I can¡¯t leave his house. I¡¯m thinking about him, about what he might feel.

    And more¡­ what I feel. I love him¡­ I love him, and even if I leave for just a while, I¡¯ll surely miss him immensely.

    ¡°What? Now, after everything that happened, you¡¯re feeling embarrassed just because you told me you love me? Tali¡­¡±

    ¡°Why are you like this?¡±

    He cupped my face and lifted it so we could look into each other¡¯s eyes, then he kissed the top of my head.

    ¡°Tali¡­¡±

    I just looked at him.

    ¡°Taki Cytho Valleje is actually myte brother¡¯s son.¡±

    W-What?

    I remembered Luther¡¯s words earlier. Damn that man. He¡¯s really ying with me. He made me believe that Taki is Rozzean¡¯s real son when he knew the truth. No wonder he was smirking at me.

    You¡¯ll pay for this one day, Luther Rico.

    B-But wait, did I hear it right?

    Lte brother¡¯s son?

    The expression in Rozzean¡¯s eyes changed.

    ¡°Taki is turning three, and my brother has been dead for three years.¡±

    I felt Rozzean¡¯s hug tighten. I could sense his heavy breaths. I couldn¡¯t find the right words to say to him because I was utterly shocked by what I just learned.

    ¡°And it¡¯s my fault why he died.¡±

 Painful Past

    When I heard thest words he said, I suddenly felt a pain in my chest. Taki is his nephew. But why is he recognized as the father?

    ¡°Aloncious is the eldest among us siblings. He¡¯s three years older than me. He¡¯s the total opposite of me. He¡¯s cheerful, always smiling, and gets along with everyone because of his good nature. My parents love him so much. He was my refuge whenever Luther and I used to fight as kids. He¡¯s the kind of person who doesn¡¯t take sides.¡±

    Rozzean looked at me and cupped my face.

    ¡°During the time when I started my ownpany, he was the only one who believed in me¡­¡±

    I don¡¯t like the look in his eyes right now. Full of pain, I can see the intense pain from the past that he still carries with him.

    ¡°At the beginning of mypany, there were already many problems. My Dad got angry, he said I was being too arrogant and that I should have worked for hispany for a few more years before starting my own.¡±

    ¡°Heughed at me and said my head had grown too big because of the praise I received from investors in hispany. When RCV faced consecutive problems and was on the verge of closing, there was only one person who helped and encouraged me.¡±

    ¡°That was Aloncious.¡±

    ¡°My brother who was always at my back. He was the only one who never left me and believed that I could do it.¡±

    Rozzean started to caress my face.

    ¡°Do you know? He designed this house. He also started nting the nts in my garden. He loved nts¡­¡±

    My lips parted in surprise. So that¡¯s why¡­ that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t want anyone else in his garden because it held such value for him. It was one of the memories left by histe brother.

    ¡°Aloncious¡¯ dream was to be an architect. But because Dad wanted him to inherit thepany, Aloncious was forced to study business management and follow our father¡¯s wishes,¡± he smiled at me and tucked the hair that fell on my face behind my ear, ¡°This house is his first andst design, Tali¡­¡±

    I bit my lower lip and took a deep breath. As I listened to him, it felt like I could also feel the pain in his heart right now. Rozzean¡­ I can¡¯t imagine the pain he went through when he found out about his brother.

    ¡°When mypany started gaining investors, Aloncious was so happy. He quietly celebrated my sess, he was so proud of the rise of mypany. Our Dad even congratted me, but in that moment, I could still sense the bitterness¡­ maybe because he thought I was going to lose everything.¡±

    ¡°Luther was also there, but he just silently looked at me. He didn¡¯t say a word. That night of celebration for the sess of mypany, I promised that I would dedicate my time to growing RCV. I wouldn¡¯t let it sink or face any problems that Dad could use against me.¡±

    ¡°I became busy managing mypany. I didn¡¯t want to be embarrassed by Dad or be a burden to my brother Aloncious. I became a workaholic. All work.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    I remained silent, allowing him to share his story with me. But as I looked at his face, it felt like I was pped several times.

    Rozzean has been through a lot¡­ he suffered a lot, and here I am still lying about my identity.

    ¡°When I heard that Aloncious was going to propose to his girlfriend, I immediately called him. I asked if there was anything I could do to support him. He just told me that everything was ready, and all he needed was for me toe and witness how happy he was. He knew how busy I was with work. They sometimes find it hard to invite me, even for a family dinner, because I want to finish everything I need to do in RCV.¡±

    He smiled faintly.

    ¡°Aloncious knows how much I work.¡±

    ¡°That night at his engagement party, I was so happy. He had been in a ten-year rtionship with his girlfriend, Annaliez. He told me that one of his dreams was to have a family with her. Before they got married, Anna was already pregnant. That¡¯s when I saw a different kind of happiness in Aloncious¡¯s face.¡±

    ¡°After they got married, Aloncious seemed to be the happiest person I¡¯ve ever seen. After a few months of their marriage, we rarely saw each other because I was busy with work again. But even then, he never forgot to send messages to check on me. He would ask if we could have a drink. But I always declined because of the many things I needed to finish at RCV.¡±

    ¡°Until that horrible night happened for my brother. A night I never expected to happen in his life as a father.¡±

    Rozzean paused for a moment, so I reached out and gently held his cheeks. I could tell he was trying to share what happened, taking his time.

    ¡°Anna died during childbirth. She safely delivered Taki, but Anna didn¡¯t make it¡­¡±

    Oh my god¡­

    ¡°I rushed to the hospital when I heard from Luther what happened. When I arrived at the hospital, I saw Aloncious kneeling in front of our parents. He was crying, begging them to tell the doctors to do everything. He said Anna was his life, that he couldn¡¯t continue living without her.¡±

    ¡°I approached Aloncious at that moment. I hugged him. In all the years we¡¯ve been siblings, I never saw Aloncious show any sign of weakness. It was the first time he knelt down and begged.¡±

    ¡°After Anna was buried, our parents took care of Taki. Aloncious changed. He didn¡¯t visit Taki at our house because he stayed in their home with Anna and drowned himself in alcohol. He became different, became an alcoholic, and even neglected Dad¡¯spany, which angered him. That was the time when Luther took over Larzon Inc. while I was busy with my ownpany.¡±

    When Rozzean closed his eyes and took a deep breath, I became concerned. His heavy breathing indicated that he was about to share the most painful part of his past.

    ¡°One of my shorings as Aloncious¡¯s sibling was that I didn¡¯t ask how he was doing after everything happened. I didn¡¯t check on him because I was so f*cking busy with mypany. I didn¡¯t pay attention to his condition because I was focused on enhancing mypany¡¯s image. I was entirely engrossed in maintaining RCV¡¯s good image.¡±

    ¡°T-That was my biggest mistake, Tali¡­¡±

    He¡¯s trembling. Until now, he carries the weight of what happened back then. Oh God¡­ I never thought I would see him like this. A vulnerable Rozzean.

    ¡°It was a Friday night, and I worked until ten because of the pile of tasks in mypany. I didn¡¯t realize that Luther and my mother had called me several times. When I opened my cellphone, I immediately read Luther¡¯s message. His message hit me. H-He said I should go to St. Luke¡¯s hospital. Thest message said that Alocious tried to kill himself. Luther was the one who saw our brother.¡±

    ¡°I was so scared. My hands were shaking as I drove to the hospital. When I arrived, I immediately saw Dad. He was facing the wall, my mother was crying, and Luther had clenched fists.¡±

    ¡°When Dad saw me, he rushed at me and knelt before me. He was so mad. He looked at me with intense anger. H-He said Aloncious asked for me¡­ that he was trying to call me.¡±

    I wiped the tears that flowed from his eyes. We were both crying¡­ I don¡¯t know what to do¡­ I want to ease the pain he¡¯s feeling, but I don¡¯t know how.

    ¡°I took out my cellphone from my wallet and checked the missed calls. That¡¯s when I saw over twenty missed calls from Aloncious that I didn¡¯t answer. Dad pushed me. I fell to the ground, looking at him with eyes full of rage. He said it was my fault if something bad happened to Aloncious. He said he would never forgive me.¡±

    ¡°When the doctor came out and exined what happened to my brother, I heard my mother scream. It was like I went deaf¡­¡±

    ¡°Dad pleaded, and I could hear Mama crying along with Luther¡¯s continuous cursing.¡±

    ¡°Aloncious died that night, Tali¡­¡±

    ¡°I was so wrong¡­¡± Rozzean looked at me with tears streaming down his eyes.

    ¡°I opened my inbox and saw Aloncious¡¯s messages. I cried while reading hisst words for me. He said in the message that if I coulde to his house to have a drink together. He wanted us to share a drink because it had been a long time since we did that,¡± Rozzean breathed heavily.

    ¡°When I read hisst message, it was about Taki. He told me that he would be happy if I took care of Taki. If I would be recognized as his father. That was a hint that he was going to end his life that night¡­¡±

    I wasforting him. I was stroking his hair and his cheek. This is so painful. Oh God¡­

    ¡°T-Tali¡­ if I had read his message right away and gone to him, it wouldn¡¯t have happened¡­ Aloncious wouldn¡¯t have died. It¡¯s my fault¡­¡±

    I shook my head at what he said.

    ¡°Shhh, don¡¯t say that.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that my brother was suicidal that time because I know how tough he is. How positive he is. I didn¡¯t know¡­ I didn¡¯t know¡­¡±

    My lips quivered, and tears kept falling from my eyes. I hugged Rozzean, and he responded with an even tighter embrace while crying on my neck.

    It hurts so much.

    ¡°He was there when I needed him¡­ he was there, when no one believed in me. He was the only one who believed in me through everything¡­ but when he needed me because of what happened in his life, I couldn¡¯t even say hello. I was so fckng busy with mypany that I forgot my brother was suffering.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s my fault¡­ my fault that he died.¡±

    I shook my head repeatedly while holding him tightly.

 How Much I Love Him?

    After Rozzean told me everything, he fell asleep. I got up and took a t-shirt from his closet to wear. It was a mistake toe here without meeting him as Thaliana first.

    I rushed into this n without thinking carefully. I never expected that this n would end up hurting me. Even though I haven¡¯t told Rozzean the truth yet, I¡¯m trembling with fear. He¡¯s been through a lot; he lost his beloved brother, the person who first believed in him and never left his side. He has suffered so much, and the pain from the past still haunts him.

    Iy down next to Rozzean again, gently touching his cheek. There¡¯s nothing I can do now, even if I regret my actions. I am here.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    I leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. Then I went out of his room and quickly went to my own. I picked up my phone from the drawer and saw two messages.

    Number only. I know this isn¡¯t Rozzean¡¯s or Manang¡¯s number.

    ¡°I wille back next week. Don¡¯t drag your deception with my brother, Thaliana. Don¡¯t prolong your lies to him.¡±

    ¡°Maybe a week is enough for you to think.¡±

    Luther¡­

    How did he find out this number?

    I was surprised when my cellphone suddenly rang. I saw that it was the same number that messaged me.

    Luther¡­

    I locked my room and went to my bathroom to answer Luther¡¯s call.

    ¡°H-Hello¡­¡±

    ¡°How are you? Are you awake now?¡±

    I squinted as I heard what he said. Of course, Luther has ways. He probably knows that something happened between Rozzean and me before they left Rozzean¡¯s house. There¡¯s no need to speak for Luther to figure out what urred earlier.

    ¡°Yeah. Why did you call?¡±

    ¡°I was just thinking if you saw my messages. I also checked if you¡¯re awake and can talk.¡±

    I looked at myself in the full-length mirror in my bathroom. My chest was flushed because of Rozzean¡¯s kisses. Even my arms had his marks. I saw that my thighs also had kiss marks.

    He was really unstoppable earlier. Damn.

    ¡°Thaliana, are you listening?¡±

    I jumped a bit when I heard Luther¡¯s voice again. I almost forgot that I was talking to him because of the kiss marks I saw all over my body.

    ¡°I¡¯m still here. What do you want to talk about?¡±

    ¡°Leave the house next week.¡±

    After learning about Rozzean¡¯s past, it¡¯s no longer in my mind to stay in his house for another month. I won¡¯t wait for him to let me out. I don¡¯t want to stay here and deceive him any longer. From the beginning, I shouldn¡¯t have, Luther is right. But because of my stubbornness and my feelings for Rozzean, I stayed here.

    But it¡¯s wrong,pletely wrong.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me twice, Luther. I will leave this house next week as you said. I¡¯ll go. I can¡¯t continue staying here after what I¡¯ve learned.¡±

    Until now, I feel the pain after Rozzean told me about their eldest sibling. That¡¯s why every corner of the house is important to him. He doesn¡¯t like it getting dirty, including the garden. He doesn¡¯t allow anyone to go there, and he takes care of the nts because histe brother nted them.

    Also, Taki¡­

    He fulfilled his brother¡¯s wish to be the one to act as Taki¡¯s father. Not only is he a good and responsible son, but he is also a kind brother.

    My god, Thaliana, he¡¯s a walking green g.

    ¡°What did you find out? I¡¯m sure that¡¯s big because you are-¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Taki is not Rozzean¡¯s real son, Luther. He¡¯s the child of yourte brother-Aloncious Valleje.¡±

    A brief silence settled between us. I wiped away the tears that welled up in my eyes. Every time I remember Rozzean¡¯s brother and the pain he¡¯s going through since his death, I can¡¯t help but cry.

    Even now, Rozzean mes himself for his brother¡¯s death.

    ¡°So¡­ he told you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and why did you lie to me about Taki?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°Because I was testing your love, Thaliana. I also wanted to see your reaction, whether you would ept the reason that Cyron has a child.¡±

    Why wouldn¡¯t I?

    In my eyes, Rozzean will never change, even if he has a child. He will remain a good man. After learning about his past, I am convinced that he is an amazing person.

    ¡°I know my brother, Thaliana. When he finds out that you deceived him, you¡¯ll face Cyron¡¯s intense anger.¡±

    I took a deep breath.

    I know that. When I return as Thaliana, I will fix everything. I will talk to Rozzean and exin everything. I know it won¡¯t be easy, but because it¡¯s my fault and I got into this mess, I won¡¯t give up until Rozzean forgives me.

    ¡°I am still hoping that he will forgive me, Luther. I will hold on to his love-¡±

    ¡°Do you really think that you can hold on to his love? That he will forgive you because he loves you? Let me remind you, Thaliana, it¡¯s not you he loved, but his household help, Tali¡­¡±

    My tears fell, and my lips quivered. My hands trembled at Luther¡¯s words.

    ¡°Leave my brother¡¯s house next week. I will help you. When our parentse home, I¡¯ll message you right away, maybe the day after tomorrow, just wait for my message. I will help you go home. My brother has suffered enough. When I realized that he¡¯s really serious about you, I was scared. Cyron has been hurt too much because of the past, Thaliana. Don¡¯t prolong the truth any longer.¡±

    Our conversation with Luther ended with my promise to leave. I will tell him the truth when I face him as Thaliana.

    The next day, I woke up at the usual time. I showered and got ready, even though my body still ached. While looking in the mirror, I thought about what happened between Rozzean and me.

    The intense moment we shared inside his room. I didn¡¯t expect that our supposed conversation about Taki would lead to that. But I will never regret what happened with him. I am even happy that he¡¯s the man who took my virginity.

    After the final look in the mirror, I went downstairs to prepare Rozzean¡¯s breakfast. It¡¯s only Tuesday, and Rozzean has work today. I need to cook his breakfast because he might bring it to work again.

    ¡°Good morning, Manang.¡±

    She smiled at me. She had her coffee, just like what I usually see every time Ie to the kitchen.

    ¡°Good morning, Tali. I didn¡¯t see youst night; sir said you were resting.¡±

    I winced while grabbing a cup. Yes, I was resting because he exhausted me. Rozzean was quite something in bed; I didn¡¯t expect that.

    ¡°I got tired, Manang, and I¡¯m not feeling well.¡±

    I poured a ss of milk.

    ¡°You also didn¡¯t see Sir Luther and Mr. Rozzean¡¯s sone home.¡±

    When I heard what Manang said, I looked at her.

    ¡°Do you know, Manang, that sir has a child? I mean nephew,¡± I asked.

    She didn¡¯t mention it to me. I don¡¯t remember her saying anything about Taki. The information she shared about Rozzean was limited, and I only found out about Luther when he visited the house.

    It means that Manang really respects privacy. She¡¯s a good housekeeper.

    ¡°Yes, I know, but since there was no reason for me to tell you about Taki, I just kept quiet.¡±

    True¡­

    ¡°That¡¯s why I mentioned before that sir doesn¡¯t just need a helper here at home. He also needs someone trustworthy to take care of Taki. The helpers who applied here before couldn¡¯t be trusted, so he initially had Taki taken care of by his mother.¡±

    T-That is the reasony why¡­

    I do remember Manang mentioning that to me.

    ¡°But now, it seems Taki will be staying here again because of you. I overheard Sir Rozzean talking about it. He told Sir Luther that next week Taki cane back here since you¡¯ll be around. Sir has a lot of trust in you, Tali. It¡¯s heartwarming.¡±

    A sudden pang of pain struck my chest at Manang¡¯s words. Sir Rozzean has ced a lot of trust in me, even though I¡¯m hiding behind the identity of Tali instead of revealing myself as Thaliana, the daughter of billionaire George Romualdo D Vezca.

    I took a deep breath and sipped my milk. Luther called me because next week, Taki will be brought back here. That might be the reason he told me I need to leave.

    ¡°You can take care of a child, right, Tali?¡± Manang asked me.

    I looked at her, smiled, but it was forced.

    ¡°Yes, I can,¡± I replied.

    When half of the milk was gone, I stood up and prepared three cups of coffee for the guards.

    ¡°Manang, I¡¯ll handle washing the cups for your coffee. I¡¯ll also start cooking Sir¡¯s breakfast,¡± I told Manang.

    She stood up, ced her cup in the sink, and took the tray with the three cups of coffee that I prepared. As usual, Manang would go to the guards and bring them their coffee. She would be backter because she would likely visit the guard house.

    ¡°Okay, dear, thank you.¡±

    I nodded and smiled. After Manang left, I opened the fridge and looked at what I would cook. I nned to fry chicken, hotdogs, and bacon.

    I took out five chicken thighs. I marinated the chicken while I washed rice to cook.

    I sighed as I remembered Rozzean¡¯s face while he narrated what happened to his brother. His expression was filled with regret. Who wouldn¡¯t be hurt by what urred? He didn¡¯t even have the chance to face his brother again just because he wanted to maintain thepany¡¯s good image.

    ¡°I really need to leave this house immediately,¡± I whispered.

    As I lifted the rice cooker, I was surprised when hands wrapped around my waist. I immediately turned to see Rozzean.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    He was back-hugging me, his face on the side of my neck. Again, he was sniffing me!

    ¡°Good morning, baby¡­¡±

    Why did he wake up so early? It¡¯s only six in the morning.

    ¡°Good morning, why are you early?¡± I asked.

    He still didn¡¯t let go as I walked to the side to plug in the rice cooker.

    ¡°Rozzean, I¡¯m cooking,¡± I told him, but he still didn¡¯t let go of his hug.

    ¡°And? What¡¯s the problem with that?¡± he asked, giving small kisses to my neck.

    I took a deep breath, turned to face him, but as I did, he greeted me with a quick kiss.

    ¡°I like morning kisses, right?¡± he said, smiling.

    I just looked at him. This kind of smile is what I want to see on his face all the time, not the face filled with regret and sadness.

    ¡°Let me cook properly, okay? And maybe Manang wille into the kitchenter; she might see us.¡±

    He still had his hands on my waist while I was looking at him seriously. However, even with my serious look, it seemed to have no effect on him.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay with me even if Manang or Luther sees us, Tali. My brother knows about us.¡±

    I yfully hit his arm and walked towards the ind counter. He still followed me. When I picked up the cloth lying on the ind counter, I was surprised when Rozzean suddenly lifted me.

    ¡°W-What are you doing?¡± I said to him. He sat me on the ind counter while his hands were on both sides of me.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were going back to your roomst night?¡± he asked.

    And damn! he was pouting! Why is he trying to be cute now?

    ¡°S-Should I have told you?¡± I asked him.

    I¡¯m sure my face is all red now. Rozzean looked up at me with slightly pursed lips, looking like he¡¯s really sulking.

    ¡°After taking advantage of me, you just leave like that?¡±

    My lips dropped open at what he said. I yfully hit his shoulder for that. Heughed loudly at my reaction.

    ¡°I¡¯m the one taking advantage? You barely wanted to let go¨C¡±

    I paused in speaking when he reached my lips. I instinctively held onto Rozzean¡¯s shoulders as his kiss deepened.

    When he pulled away, I took a sharp breath as he guided my right hand to his chest.

    ¡°Exactly. I don¡¯t want to let you go and then you just leave abruptly. Don¡¯t do that again, Tali. If you are going to leave me, tell me, okay? Don¡¯t just leave because my eyes are always looking for you.¡±

    I was stunned by what he said.

 Iéˆ¥æª’l Go Home

    Rozzean has left, but before he went to thepany earlier, he told me that he would call me when he had free time. I didn¡¯t realize he was clingy because on my first day in his mansion, he seemed intimidating. He was stern, and looking at him would make you step back.

    I sighed, not sure how many times. I was contemting the conversation with Luther and Rozzean¡¯s actions towards me.

    ¡°Exactly. I don¡¯t want to let you go and then you just leave abruptly. Don¡¯t do that again, Tali. If you are going to leave me, tell me, okay? Don¡¯t just leave because my eyes are always looking for you.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t immediately recover from what he said to me. He¡¯s the sweetest. Several times, I¡¯ve heard words from him that I¡¯ll never forget.

    In truth, it feels like everything. That¡¯s why I¡¯m so scared. I don¡¯t want him to change because of me. Considering the decision I made just to be here.

    ¡°Do you have a problem, Tali?¡±

    I looked at Manang. I¡¯m currently at the gazebo, feeding the fish.

    I have a big problem, Manang.

    ¡°Nothing, do you need anything from me?¡± I asked her.

    She had a basket filled with fruits. I frowned; I think I know who it¡¯s from. Orange girl doesn¡¯t seem to stop. Even though Rozzean said she has a crush, ri continues.

    But, sorry for her¡­ Rozzean is head over heels in love with me.

    However, that could change, and that¡¯s what I fear. I just hope that when Rozzean finds out the truth, he won¡¯t hate me. I¡¯ll do everything to earn his forgiveness, and I know it won¡¯t be easy.

    Especially after what Luther told me.

    ¡°I just noticed that you seem to be deep in thought. Anyway, I¡¯m going inside to wash these fruits from ri.¡±

    I nodded at Manang. When she left, I sighed.

    ¡°That woman¡­ doesn¡¯t she believe what Rozzean said about having a special someone? It seems like she needs to see it upfront to believe it.¡±

    I was about to go back inside when something caught my eye. I raised my eyebrows when I saw who was approaching. What is this guy doing here?

    ¡°Thaliana.¡±

    I looked around when Maki called my name.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked him. Maki had a serious expression as he looked at me.

    ¡°You need to go home now, Thaliana,¡± he said firmly.

    I approached Maki upon hearing what he said.

    ¡°I will go home, Maki. Next week. I¡¯ll tell¨C¡±

    ¡°Go home now. Your father is in the hospital, Thaliana. Uncle George was rushedst night because of a heart attack. And do you know the reason? They found out that you are not in Pwan. Your brothers are looking for you now. You were reported missing.¡±

    I froze at what Maki said. D-Dad? Is D-Dad in the hospital?

    I held onto his arm.

    ¡°H-How is he, Maki?¡± I eximed.

    I couldn¡¯t believe what¡¯s happening¡­

    ¡°They were trying to contact you, Thaliana. It¡¯s been two weeks already, and your brothers told me about it. Uncle George and Aunt Thatiana were so worried about you. Where did you put your cellphone?¡±

    I closed my eyes tightly upon hearing Maki¡¯s words. I didn¡¯t bring my personal cellphone because I trusted that no one would call me. I also told Dad and Mom that I didn¡¯t want to be disturbed, so they would have a hard time reaching me.

    I didn¡¯t expect this to happen.

    ¡°You¡¯re so stubborn, Thaliana. I told you thest time I visited here to go home. Rozzean already liked you at that time! Did you know that?¡±

    I wiped away my tears and slowly nodded at Maki¡¯s words. He looked into the distance, and I heard him curse after my nod. I didn¡¯t realize that the situation would be this serious.

    ¡°Look what happened! Rozzean will be furious, Thaliana, once he finds out your true identity. And look at what happened to Uncle George! He had an attack upon learning that you¡¯re not in Pwan and cannot be found! They all think something terrible has happened to you.¡±

    ¡°Our family is in chaos, Thaliana! Your brothers have a suspect. Do you know that there was an attempt on Grand¡¯s life because of thepany¡¯s problems? They thought that person was the one who kidnapped you!¡±

    W-What? Grand is my brother. He¡¯s the second among us siblings.

    My hands were shaking as I held onto Maki.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Maki. I-I didn¡¯t know this would happen-¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s toote to apologize. We can¡¯t undo the past, Thaliana. Do you know what¡¯s best to do now? Go home. Come with me back home. I can¡¯t tell them where you are because I promised to keep it a secret. But enough, Thaliana, many have already been affected by what you¡¯ve done.¡±

    Rozzean¡¯s smiling face suddenly shed in my mind when he said earlier that he¡¯d being home early.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go home¡­ I-I¡¯m going home, Maki. Save my number. I¡¯ll call you. Tonight. I¡¯ll wait for you at the convenience store near your vige.¡±

    Maki took out his cellphone, and I told him my phone number. After nodding at me, Maki left Rozzean¡¯s house. I was left alone at the gazebo, crying.

    I didn¡¯t expect that what I did would be this serious. I-I was so sure that my family wouldn¡¯t look for me because I already told them that I need to be alone for two months. But I forgot¡­ Dad will reach out to me, my brothers would. I-I didn¡¯t know that there was an attempt on Grand¡¯s life.

    You¡¯re so stupid, Thaliana.

    So stupid.

    When I saw that it was already three o¡¯clock, I went inside the house. Thank God that there¡¯s no CCTV in the gazebo. Rozzean won¡¯t see the conversation I had with Maki. Later, if he asks why Maki came here, I¡¯ll just say that he was looking for him.

    For sure, the guard will report to Rozzean that Maki came here. He might also see on the CCTV in front of his house that my cousin entered.

    I took a deep breath and got water from the fridge. I poured it into a ss and drank. As I was about to return the water container to the fridge, I felt Rozzean behind me.

    He hugged me again.

    ¡°I¡¯m home¡­¡±

    My lips trembled. This is all your fault, Thaliana; you rushed things. Now you¡¯re the one hurting because of your decision.

    ¡°Y-You¡¯re home early,¡± I said, facing him.

    It¡¯s only three o¡¯clock. Earlier than expected.

    When Rozzean saw my face, his eyebrows furrowed. He held my cheeks and brought his face closer to mine.

    ¡°Did you cry?¡±

    ¡°Why are your eyes red, and your nose too? Did you cry?¡±

    Concernced his voice. I distanced myself for a moment, taking a deep breath. I pretended to arrange something on the table behind him, even though there was nothing to fix. I¡¯m emotional right now; I might suddenly cry if he keeps acting like this.

    ¡°C-Can you change your clothes first? And, do you want to eat something? Snack?¡± I asked him.

    Instead of answering my questions, I felt his hands on my waist. He embraced me from behind again. My inner turmoil intensified, especially since I would be leaving himter in the evening and returning as Thaliana.

    ¡°What about you? Can I eat you?¡± he teased.

    His remark made me smile. He¡¯s quite the joker.

    I chuckled and yfully pped his hands that were tightly wrapped around my waist. I heard his heartyughter again. I hope he stays this happy.

    He deserves to be happy¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m serious, Rozzean,¡± I said, facing him.

    ¡°Why? Am I too much? Does it still hurt?¡±

    I yfully hit him again, this time on the arm. His grin widened, and I could tell he wasn¡¯t joking.

    ¡°You¡¯re too much, you know!¡± I told him, smiling.

    I released myself from his grasp and then looked around.

    ¡°Manang mighte in, and we might get caught. Go upstairs, change your clothes. I¡¯ll prepare your snack.¡±

    Rozzean quickly kissed my lips and stepped back.

    ¡°Prepare yourself, then.¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Those were his words before leaving the kitchen to go to his room. As he walked away, I sat down. He¡¯s so happy¡­ It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen him this joyful in the month I¡¯ve been staying in his house.

    I don¡¯t want to ruin his happiness, but I really need to go home. I¡¯m not like Tali, who has no family.

    I¡¯m Thaliana Tangi D Vezca, and my family is waiting for me. I can¡¯t continue to pretend forever here. I also can¡¯t bear it because my conscience is bothering me. Rozzean is a great man, he deserves only the truth.

    I cooked carbonara that afternoon for Rozzean¡¯s snack. He still hadn¡¯te down.

    ¡°Tali, are you done cooking?¡± Manang asked me.

    ¡°Yes, Manang. Why?¡±

    Manang nced at the food I was preparing.

    ¡°Bring it to sir¡¯s room; I just came from there. He received a letter. Looks like he has some work to catch up on.¡±

    That exins why he didn¡¯te downstairs. Rozzean is indeed a workaholic.

 Proposal

    ¡°Okay, manang.¡±

    After preparing the carbonara on the tray, I also made some juice. Then, I headed to Rozzean¡¯s room.

    I knocked when I was in front of the door. Instead of waiting for him to open it, I opened it myself as I lowered the tray.

    It seemed like Rozzean didn¡¯t even notice that his room¡¯s door had opened. I looked at him. He was wearing sses again, facing the monitor. But when he heard my voice, he looked up.

    ¡°Manang said I should just bring it here. Are you busy?¡±

    He smiled at me and took off his sses. Too bad he removed them; it suited him.

    ¡°Come here.¡±

    I followed and ced the tray on the coffee table. As I was taking his snack off the tray, I was surprised when he grabbed my hand.

    ¡°Oh! Rozzean, really?¡± I said to him, giving his arm a yful hit.

    I ended up sitting on hisp because of his pull.

    ¡°I thought I could have some time with you. Suddenly, work came up.¡±

    Hearing what he said, I looked at theptop. It seemed like he was indeed busy, but would he finish if I stayed here, sitting on hisp?

    ¡°If you have a lot of work, I can leave so you can finish quickly. Just call me when you¡¯re done eating.¡±

    Instead of responding and letting me go, he held onto me even tighter. I also felt his lips on my neck. I took a deep breath when his hands moved up to my chest.

    ¡°Maybe work can wait¡­ I¡­ can do itter.¡±

    I nced at the clock in his room. It was 4:10 pm.

    ¡°Rozzean, you don¡¯t stop working until it¡¯s finished, right?¡± I asked as he started to unbuttoned my top. Once he removed it, he held my breasts and massaged them.

    I bit my lower lip when I felt his hands. Damn.

    ¡°Before, yes, but not anymore. You are more important than work. I missed your scent. I came home early because I wanted to see you. Next time, can youe with me to my office? Hmm?¡±

    My lips parted, not in surprise at what he said, but because his fingers were teasing the top of my chest. Shit. My nipples are already hard.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± I moaned.

    When I turned to answer him, he greeted me with his lips. I closed my eyes and responded to his kiss. It was intense. His tongue entered my mouth. Rozzean undid the sp of my bra and ced me in front of him.

    My legs were on the side of him as I faced him now. His eyes were filled with desire as he looked at me, and he was biting his lower lip. When he removed my top, his lips descended to my chest.

    He began to suck and y with my nipples. I arched my back as I felt his warm mouth on my breasts. His tongue tasted and bit my nipples, making me moan his name.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­ hmmm¡­¡±

    When I heard him swear, my eyes opened. At the same time, he lifted me and we entered his room where his bed was. He put me on his bed and started to undress.

    I shouldn¡¯t avoid it anymore¡­ I¡­ I will give what he wants because I¡¯ll leave himter.

    As Rozzean removed his shirt, he loomed over me. He began to take off my cks, then passionately kissed me again on my lips.

    I squirmed as Rozzean¡¯s hands once again lingered on my chest. He was massaging it. His fingers asionally yed at the top of it. It felt so good that I didn¡¯t know where to turn my head because of what I was feeling.

    ¡°Should I stop, Tali?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t answer him because I was savoring the movement of his hands on my chest. The pleasure he was giving me.

    ¡°Do you like what I¡¯m doing?¡±

    When he asked again, our eyes met. Instead of answering, I lifted myself and reached for his lips. I held onto his nape and deepened the kiss.

    Our lips and tongues battled. I could hardly breathe because of our intense kiss. When our lips parted, and I looked at Rozzean, I saw him looking at me with a smile.

    ¡°Tali¡­¡±

    He took something from his pocket. My lips trembled when I saw that ck box.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    ¡°I was never this sure in my life. I¡¯m certain about my feelings for you. I love you¡­¡±

    I covered my mouth when he opened it. No¡­ oh my Gosh.

    ¡°I love you very much. Will you marry me?¡± he said and opened the box. I looked at the ring inside. I was emotional because of what I learned from Maki earlier and what I am seeing right now.

    The proposal was so sudden! What¡¯s happening never crosses my mind. I didn¡¯t know that Rozzean was this sure with me-Tali, his maid. But the ring made me feel like everything was real.

    Oh God¡­ I never thought that a young billionaire bachelor like him would fall for a simple maid.

    I don¡¯t know what to say, but I¡¯m sure that I want to marry him. I don¡¯t care if I¡¯m still Tali right now.

    I nodded at him and smiled. He put the ring on my finger, then kissed me again on the lips. When he pulled away, he held my cheeks and pressed his forehead against mine. Then he smiled and spoke.

    ¡°Thank you, Tali¡­ I promise you. I will take care and love you for the rest of my life. I love you, baby¡­¡±

    Rozzean kissed me again. We continued where we left off before he proposed to me. He removed my underwear, and I took off his pants. We are both rushing.

    When I felt his fingers between my legs, I squirmed in pleasure.

    ¡°A-Ahhh¡­ Rozzean, j-just go on¡­¡±

    He was touching me there. His fingers were careful, massaging between my legs. His fingers gently yed with my cl*t, and I was lost in the pleasure Rozzean was giving me.

    ¡°Ohhh¡­ it feels so good, R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    Rozzean continued to explore, and each touch sent waves of pleasure through me. His movements were gentle yet intense, and I couldn¡¯t help but moan in delight. D-Damn¡­

    ¡°R-Rozzean, a-ahhh¡­ d-don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t stop,¡± I whispered, my body responding to his every caress.

    He kissed me passionately as the sensations were overwhelming.

    I heard him curse multiple times. He was also grinding his hard manhood on my thigh. When I felt it, I lowered my hand and touched him. He flinched. When our eyes met, I saw pleasure in his eyes. His lips were slightly parted, as if he was thoroughly enjoying my touch.

    It was hard and erect, ready to be inside me.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

    I moved my hand up and down while still looking at Rozzean¡¯s face. I wanted to see his reaction while I was pleasuring him.

 Pleasure And Pain

    I saw him close his eyes and bite his lower lip. His finger that was moving on my core suddenly stopped. When I sped up my actions, I heard him groan.

    ¡°Ohhh¡­ baby¡­¡±

    His moan encouraged me to continue moving my hand up and down on his shaft. As I increased the pace, he took my hand. When he opened his eyes and looked at me, I saw the desire in his gaze.

    His mouth was slightly open.

    ¡°D-Don¡¯t you want it?¡± I asked him.

    Rozzean smiled at me, ¡°I want to¡­ but I don¡¯t want to release in your hands. I want to release my seed inside of you. I want to make sure that something good¡­¡± he held my stomach, ¡°will happen soon.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t speak. Rozzean kissed me on my forehead and gave me a deep kiss on my lips. I just looked at him while he left kisses on my body. When I saw him between my legs, I bit my lip.

    He parted my thighs, and then I felt his breath between my legs.

    ¡°This is what I want to eat¡­ since earlier¡­¡±

    My lips parted in surprise, and I arched my back when I felt him kiss me intensely. When his tongue licked my womanhood, my hand gripped the bedsheet.

    ¡°O-Ohhh¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you like this, Tali? Do you like what I¡¯m doing? Hmm?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t answer because his tongue moved again. I was lost. He was really skilled at this. His fingers parted the lips of my womanhood while his tongue moved in circles. His kisses were so good that I almost forgot to lower my voice. I was moaning loudly.

    ¡°A-Ahh¡­ ahhh¡­ Rozzean¡­ f-faster¡­¡±

    ¡°Baby¡­ g-go faster¡­ it feels so good¡­¡±

    When I felt him stop, I looked down. He was looking at me seriously. Suddenly, I remembered what I said.

    Did I say faster?

    ¡°W-Why? W-why did you stop?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You called me baby¡­ it feels so good to hear it while you are moaning,¡± he said and looked away.

    I noticed his ears and cheeks. He was blushing!

    When Iughed, Rozzean looked back at me.

    ¡°Baby¡­¡± I called him. When he was in front of me, I reached for his cheeks.

    ¡°Baby¡­¡± I repeated.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    I saw Rozzean smile, and then he positioned his manhood at my center.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡±

    He entered me slowly. It was painful at first, but I could endure it because I knew the difort would fade.

    ¡°Ohhh¡­ damn it, baby¡­ why are you so tight¡­ ahhh¡­¡±

    I held onto Rozzean¡¯s back as he began to move on top of me.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­ hmm¡­¡±

    As my hips moved to meet him, I heard Rozzean uttering deep curses. I also sped my hands around his neck and kissed him deeply again.

    ¡°S-Sht¡­ Tali¡­ you¡¯re driving me crazy¡­¡±

    When I felt him quicken his pace, I opened my legs wider. I felt like I was losing my mind as he moved rapidly back and forth inside me, and I eagerly met his motions.

    ¡°Uhmm¡­ R-Rozzean¡­ ohhh¡­ like that, k-keep going¡­ ahhh¡­¡±

    Rozzean¡¯s lips moved down from my neck to my chest. While he went in and out of me, his lips yed with the top of my chest.

    ¡°A-Ahhh¡­ ahhh¡­ R-Rozzean¡­ it feels so good. K-Keep going¡­ ohhh¡­¡±

    I moaned continuously as Rozzean relentlessly moved on top of me. His manhood was deep inside me. When I felt a change in his rhythm, I knew he was getting close.

    ¡°Ahmm¡­ ohh¡­ oohhh baby¡­¡± I moaned.

    Rozzean sucked on my neck. When I felt his intensity, I knew he was about to climax.

    ¡°Fck¡­ ahhh¡­¡±

    As I felt him release inside me, I lowered my hands that were gripping his back. We both breathed heavily, savoring the moment.

    ¡°I love you¡­ I love you so much, Tali¡­¡±

    That¡¯s what I heard before I fell asleep.

    When I woke up, I was wearing a white polo. I had my panty on, but no bra. When I turned to my side, I smiled. I brushed his hair upward and gave him a deep kiss on his lips. It seemed like Rozzean was in a deep sleep.

    I slowly got up. As I fixed the nket, I nced at my finger and saw the ring he put on me earlier.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back, Rozzean¡­¡±

    I leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. When I looked at the clock in the room, it was already eleven at night. I tiptoed out of Rozzean¡¯s room and headed to my own.

    I picked up my cellphone and saw a message.

    ¡°This is Maki, Thaliana. Tell me what time. I¡¯m just in the city near Rozz¡¯s house.¡±

    Before going into the bathroom for a shower, I messaged Maki, asking he to wait for me at the convenience store around twelve.

    After sending that, I took a shower and prepared myself. I had no intention of bringing any belongings, as the guards outside might be suspicious.

    Once I was ready, I headed out, taking the back route. When I reached the gate, I immediately spotted the two guards.

    ¡°Where are you going, Tali?¡± one guard asked.

    ¡°Oh, just to the 8/12 store, I¡¯m going to buy some ice cream. Suddenly had a craving. I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± I said.

    The guard nodded, and he let me out. As I approached the guardhouse, my chest tightened. This time, I truly left Rozzean. What if he wakes up and I¡¯m not there?

    When he finds out that I¡¯m no longer in any corner of his house? It hurts¡­ but this is just temporary. I wille back and exin.

    ¡°What took you so long, Thaliana? It should¡¯ve been ten.¡±

    That¡¯s Maki¡¯s wee as I entered his car. I recognized his car, and it was the only one parked near the convenience store, so I quickly spotted it.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just go home, Maki. I am tired.¡±

    Not physically tired, but emotionally drained. Before we even leave Tagaytay, I already want to return to Rozzean¡¯s arms.

    I am sorry, baby¡­ I¡¯ll be back. I¡¯lle back to you¡­

 My Family

    Before leaving, I made sure to delete Luther and Maki¡¯s messages from the phone I used. I erased both dialed and received calls. I reset the phone to ensure there would be nothing left to see. I took out the SIM card.

    I left the phone on the bed before I left earlier. Rozzean won¡¯t find any traces of my conversations with Luther. Luther won¡¯t be able to send messages or make calls anymore because the SIM card is gone.

    ¡°How¡¯s Daddy, Maki?¡± I asked. I threw the SIM card out of the window.

    I¡¯m feeling an overwhelming sense of worry now that I know about what happened to Dad. This is the first time he had an attack in five years. I remember it vividly because I was the one who found him lying on the floor.

    It was a traumatizing experience for me. It was so frightening that the thought won¡¯t leave my mind.

    ¡°Good thing, he was immediately brought home, and the doctor will check on him there. Uncle George didn¡¯t want to stay in the hospital, so Grandma agreed.¡±

    I breathed a sigh of relief hearing Maki¡¯s words. I wouldn¡¯t forgive myself if something bad happened to Dad. I was the one who started all of this. Even my siblings have started to act on the assumption that I was kidnapped.

    ¡°Thank you for keeping your words, Maki. I really appreciate it.¡±

    I owe him a lot for keeping my secret. Maybe if he was just ying around, he would have told Rozzean or my parents the truth. I also didn¡¯t believe that he was scared of me, so that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t tell Rozzean what really happened.

    ¡°I owe you.¡±

    He looked at me for a moment.

    ¡°You know me, I keep my word, but what you did, Thaliana, was really wrong. Even though I wanted to tell the truth to your parents, especially your brothers, I held back because I knew you were okay. What I did was just visit you to let you know what happened.¡±

    I looked out the window.

    ¡°But how did you tell Rozz that you¡¯re leaving? I thought for sure he wouldn¡¯t agree, especially considering the time you left the house.¡±

    I didn¡¯t look at Maki. I just stared out the window, twisting the ring Rozzean gave me on my finger. How? From the beginning, I had no intention of confessing to him while I was at his house.

    I know it was wrong. I should have told him the truth before leaving, but I wanted to face him at the time my Dad set for us to meet. I wanted to exin everything to him.

    That I, Tali, intruded into his house to get proofs that he is not a good man, just because I really didn¡¯t want to get married. But everything changed when I met him.

    He is indeeda great a man. And now¡­ I-I don¡¯t know if he would forgive me, but I¡¯ve already decided that if Rozzean hates me, I will do everything to regain his trust.

    I know his love for me won¡¯t easily vanish, because I am still Tali.

    I am still that person; that¡¯s what I¡¯m holding on to.

    ¡°Thaliana, how did youe up with this idea? You are old enough to know what¡¯s right and what¡¯s wrong. And how did you say goodbye to Rozzean? The man was so in love with you.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say goodbye. I ran away. Don¡¯t lecture me. Every day at Rozzean¡¯s house, after realizing I liked him, I regretted pretending to be a maid. Every day, my conscience ate at me for deceiving the man I love. I also struggled with what I did, Maki. I didn¡¯t know that my curiosity about him would lead to love.¡±

    Lovees when you least expect it. At twenty-nine years old, I even dered back then that I had no ns of getting married. I just wanted to take care of my pets and run my flower shops.

    But this love¡­ is truly unexpected.

    My gaze dropped to the ring on my finger. I already wanted to go back; I already missed him.

    This is what it feels like to love.

    When Rozzean told me that his eyes were always searching for me, I realized how it felt.

    I also want to see him always. My eyes are searching for him too.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say to you, Thaliana. I was really surprised to see you there. Be thankful that Rozzean doesn¡¯t have any idea about you as Thaliana Tangi D Vezca. But what if he recognizes you while you¡¯re at his house? I know my friend; he¡¯s so honest with his feelings, dear cousin. If he¡¯s mad? He¡¯s mad.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why when I noticed and learned that he liked you, I gave you a warning, but you still went and stayed longer. Now, I think Rozzean¡¯s feeling was so deep. His mood changed. When I went to hispany yesterday, he was always smiling like a fool.¡±

    I quickly looked at Maki and gave him a disapproving look for what he said about Rozzean.

    ¡°And I know the reason for that, Thaliana.¡±

    I didn¡¯t say anything. I returned my gaze to the window.

    When we reached my parents¡¯ house, I ran to the gate. It was already 2:30 in the morning. They¡¯re probably resting.

    ¡°Let me call Grand; I¡¯m sure he¡¯s still awake. He told me he¡¯s staying here at your parents¡¯ house for now to keep an eye on Uncle George.¡±

    Grand is one of three brothers.

    ¡°Yes, please, thank you, Maki.¡±

    But before Maki could even make the call, Grand approached therge gate of my parents¡¯ house. I immediately recognized him. His eyebrows furrowed as he approached and opened the gate.

    ¡°Maki? Who are you with-what the heck, is that you, Tangi?¡±

    I hugged Grand when I saw him. I couldn¡¯t hold back the tears that welled up in my eyes. The chaos in our family was all because of my foolishness, and even Daddy got involved.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Grand. I¡¯m sorry for worrying all of you.¡±

    Grand pulled away from me and held both sides of my face. He stared at me, and I saw tears welling up in his eyes too.

    ¡°Thaliana Tangi! Goodness, I thought something bad happened to you! Thank goodness you¡¯re safe! Dad and Mommy will be relieved.¡±

    ¡°Wait, I¡¯ll call Grecion and Griz to let them know that you¡¯re here.¡±

    I really made them worried.

 Regrets

    We were walking inside the house. I looked at Maki. He was smiling at me, so I mouthed ¡®thank you¡¯ to him. I know Maki has yed a big part in my craziness until now that I¡¯ve returned to my life as Thaliana.

    ¡°Yes, yes, she¡¯s here already¡­ tomorrow? Okay, I¡¯ll tell Dad.¡±

    When Grand lowered his phone, he looked at me.

    ¡°Where have you been? You said you were going on vacation, right? And why do you look like that? Did you cut your hair? You have bangs, and your mole, you don¡¯t have a mole, Tangi?¡±

    I took off my fake bangs and the fake mole, putting them in my pocket.

    ¡°This is nothing. Just a prank, brother.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay, what¡¯s important is that you¡¯re home,¡± Grand looked at Maki. ¡°Thank you for bringing her home, Mak, but where did you find her? Do you have contact with Tangi? You should have told us.¡±

    I turned to Maki. I stared at him.

    ¡°I-It happened that she was on an ind with no connection, Grand. Fortunately, a friend of mine who knows her happened to be there and immediately told me. I didn¡¯t want to get your hopes up, so I went there myself, and there she was.¡±

    I breathed a sigh of relief at what Maki said. I owed him again for lying for me.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Grand faced me.

    ¡°Are you okay? We were so worried. What ind is that?¡±

    ¡°I-In Pwan, I didn¡¯t tell you what exactly, but it¡¯s a small ce. A-Are you sure you searched the whole Pwan?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I am sure, Tangi. Especially since I know many people who own resorts there. Even in small inds.¡±

    I held my brother¡¯s arms because he seemed deep in thought.

    ¡°But what¡¯s important is that I am here now and safe. I am sorry for making you all worried, especially Dad who had an attack.¡±

    Grand hugged me again. I am close to all my siblings, but my rtionship with Grand is different. He¡¯s like Dad when ites to worrying and taking care of me.

    ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t worry about you? You are one of our sources of happiness, Tangi. And you know Dad and Mom, even if they don¡¯t say it, you are their favorite.¡±

    ¡°I was also scared because I thought someone with a grudge against me kidnapped you.¡±

    When he let go of me, he looked into my face again.

    ¡°Rest for now,¡± he said, looking at Maki. ¡°You too, Maki, the guest room is clean. Sleep here, don¡¯t go home. You might get scolded for waking upte.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I might get an earful from Maze; I¡¯ll call her to open our house door for me.¡±

    After saying goodbye to my brother and Maki, I headed to my room in my parents¡¯ house. Iy on the bed and raised my hands, looking at the ring Rozzean gave me.

    I will talk to Dad to set an appointment as soon as possible. I can¡¯t dy telling the truth to Rozzean any longer.

    I got up and went to the bathroom. I undressed and looked in the mirror. There were many kiss marks on my body. We made love twice without protection; he¡¯s making sure I get pregnant because of his words.

    But if I get pregnant, my situation will be difficult, especially since he still doesn¡¯t know the truth.

    ¡°I will do everything to get his forgiveness.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t give up on him. No matter how painful it is, I won¡¯t give up on him.¡±

    I stepped under the shower and bathed. After finishing, I took a silk sleepwear from my closet and put it on. I looked in the mirror. I saw my face.

    No fake things on my face.

    ¡°I am back¡­¡±

    The next day, I jolted awake in bed upon hearing consecutive knocks. When I checked the time, it was already nine in the morning. Despite the difficulty of getting up, I headed to the door and opened it.

    ¡°Tangi!¡±

    Mommy greeted me with a tight hug. I immediately felt the movement of her shoulders.

    ¡°O-Ohh, thank God, b-because my baby is safe!¡±

    Mommy is crying. I gently stroked her back, and then we left my room together.

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t cry. Where¡¯s Dad? Is he okay? Does he know that I¡¯m here now?¡±

    I wiped the tears from both sides of my mother¡¯s cheeks. I felt guilty. I made them all worried because of my selfish reasons.

    ¡°He¡¯s okay. He¡¯s waiting in the dining area. When Grand told us that you came home, your Daddy wanted to see you, but he stopped himself because he knows that you are sleeping and taking a rest.¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Dad¡­

    As we reached the dining area, I saw Dad, looking at me. He stood up, immediately assisted by Grand.

    ¡°T-Thaliana¡­¡±

    I quickly walked towards him and hugged him tightly. My shoulders shook with emotion. I felt a deep sense of guilt for the trouble I caused them. I worried them all. And now, our family faces another problem.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dad¡­ sorry for being such a rebellious child. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    Dad patted my back, and then he gently pulled away. He wiped away my tears and smiled at me.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. What matters is that you¡¯re safely back home. Are you hungry? Let¡¯s eat!¡±

    Isn¡¯t he going to ask me where I¡¯ve been?

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask me what happened?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Your brother exined everything to me while you were sleeping, Tangi. It¡¯s enough for me. Let¡¯s eat now, okay? I am happy that you are back.¡±

    I smiled and nodded at Dad. When I turned to Grand, he was also smiling at me.

    All I need to do now is correct my mistakes.

    This is my life¡­ this is my real life. I am Thaliana Tangi D Vezca, the daughter of a billionaire. Far from the image of Tali D Cruz that I created. A poor girl without a family who worked as a maid in Rozzean Cyron Valleje¡¯s house.

    I will make things right this time.

 Flowers

    Two days have passed since I returned, and I stayed at my parents¡¯ house for the meantime. I haven¡¯t heard anything from Rozzean. I tried asking Maki, but he didn¡¯t answer my questions, saying it¡¯s his punishment for me.

    He¡¯s annoying. But I think he is punishing me this way for the mistake I did.

    ¡°Dad, about the man that you wanted me to marry¡­¡±

    I saw Dad look at me. We were outside in Mommy¡¯s garden.

    ¡°What about that?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I am ready to meet him, anytime. Do I need to wait for 2 weeks, as I said, because of the two months?¡±

    Dad smiled at me.

    ¡°Look, Tangi, before, I was the one initiating this conversation just to persuade you to meet him. But now, it¡¯s you. What made you change your mind?¡±

    Because the man I am going to marry is a great man, Dad. A responsible and loving man.

    ¡°N-Nothing, I just thought that I¡¯m already back. There¡¯s no need to wait until the months are done.¡±

    Dad nodded.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll talk to Mr. Valleje about this. We will meet them after I talked to him.¡±

    I suddenly felt nervous. The truth is, I don¡¯t know where to start if I face Rozzean. I¡¯m scared, and I don¡¯t know what to exin first. Should I start with an apology and introduction, or should I tell him the reason why I entered his house as a maid?

    ¡°But, are you okay now, Dad? Do you feel any difort in your body?¡± I double-checked.

    ¡°I am fine, Tangi. I was just stressed because of what¡¯s happening to your brother. Grand and his family had to be guarded because he was receiving threats from an unknown person rted to hispany. And then, I found out you weren¡¯t in Pwan.¡±

    I lowered my head when I heard Dad¡¯s words. I had no idea this was happening to my family while I was at Rozzean¡¯s house.

    ¡°We thought you were kidnapped, and the threats to Grand¡¯s life were rted. We all felt intense fear, so we immediately sought help from the police to find you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dad¡­¡±

    He responded with a smile.

    ¡°When do you want to meet the Vallejes, Tangi?¡± he asked me.

    ¡°I-I¡¯ll leave it to you, Dad. I just want to say that any day is fine because I¡¯m already here. It won¡¯t be too much of a hassle for Tinatangi since my employees have been handling the work well.¡±

    He nodded at me again.

    ¡°Okay, then if they are free tomorrow, is it okay with you? You know, businessmen don¡¯t always have free schedules.¡±

    T-Tomorrow?

    ¡°S-Sure, Dad, no problem.¡±

    That noon, I bid goodbye to Dad, saying I¡¯ll be heading to the main branch of Tinatangi. I also informed them that I¡¯ll be going straight home in the evening and will just call them.

    Imuted to my flower shop because my car was at home.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am Tangi!¡± Alma greeted me.

    ¡°Wee back po! Perfect timing, someone ordered flowers! The message says they want you to arrange it. I was about to reply that the owner isn¡¯t here, but you arrived just in time.¡±

    I smiled at Alma and looked at the message from the flower order. No name was provided, just ¡°for pick up.¡± I immediately set down my bag and tied up my long hair to start creating the bouquet as requested by the client.

    ¡°Okay, sure, I¡¯ll do it, Alma. Are you the only one here right now?¡± I asked while selecting the necessary flowers. Red roses were specified in the message.

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. Lana and Ria wille inter. They told me beforehand,¡± she replied.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, we¡¯re out of floral foam and floral wire. There¡¯s an order that needs to be delivered by 4:00 pm. Can you handle it alone for now?¡±

    I nced at Alma while trimming the ends of the red roses.

    ¡°Yes, I can manage. Go ahead, buy what we need nearby, and also order our stocks, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay, ma¡¯am!¡±

    When Alma left the flower shop, I found myself staring at the bouquet I was arranging. I suddenly missed the art of arranging flowers. Thest time was when Rozzean himself picked flowers from his garden.

    I paused in my work as I remembered that. He even put the tussie mussie I made in his room.

    ¡°How is he doing?¡±

    ¡°Is he looking for me?¡±

    ¡°I miss him¡­¡±

    I really wanted to know what he was up to, but Maki refused to tell me. I sighed and continued arranging the flowers.

    When I heard the door of my flower shop open, I turned to face it. I smiled, ready to greet the new customer, but my smile faded when I saw who it was.

    ¡°You really came back.¡±

    ¡°L-Luther¡­¡±

    He approached me, his gaze dropping to the flowers I was working on.

    ¡°Is it not finished yet? That¡¯s for someone special.¡±

    I also looked at the flowers I was working on. It means¡­

    ¡°You ordered this?¡±

    He smiled at me and nodded, ¡°I ordered red roses. Was there anyone else who ordered and requested you to arrange it?¡±

    Luther touched the petals of the roses. So it was him.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you message me that you wereing back? Why so sudden? We talked about it, and I said I¡¯d bring you home next week, didn¡¯t I?¡± he asked.

    He was so close to me. I gulped and stepped back to grab three red roses. I focused on arranging the bouquet I was working on because it seemed like it was needed.

    ¡°I-it was sudden. My cousin Maki picked me up. Should I have told you?¡± I asked him.

    I can see that he was watching my every move. I felt awkward.

    ¡°You are really great at this, Thaliana.¡±

    I was surprised when he took a small-stemmed flower and tucked it behind my ear.

    ¡°It¡¯s a good idea that I stopped by your shop. You¡¯re not responding to messages or even calls. The number was unreachable.¡±

    I deleted the messages on my cellphone and left it in my room at Rozzean¡¯s house. I took out the SIM card and discarded it when Maki and I left.

    ¡°I thought something happened. I couldn¡¯t go to Cyron¡¯s house because of taking care of Taki. But as I have said, any day, I can visit you at my brother¡¯s house. When our parents arrived, I went to see you as promised.¡±

    ¡°I was surprised when Manang told me you weren¡¯t there and couldn¡¯t be found.¡±

    I looked at him when I heard hisst words.

    ¡°H-How is Rozzean?¡±

    ¡°H-How is he?¡±

    Luther¡¯s face changed its expression. He averted his gaze from me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I talked to Manang when I went to Cyron¡¯s house. Also, he¡¯s not answering my messages, even my calls.¡±

    I suddenly got worried hearing that from Luther.

    I focused on arranging the flowers. Once I tied the ribbon and had the roses positioned well, I showed the bouquet to Luther.

    ¡°Here¡­¡± I said and handed it to him.

    I felt nervous because of his expressionless face while looking at the flowers.

    He took it from me, looked at it, and when he smiled, I breathed a sigh of relief. It meant he liked it.

    ¡°Beautiful.¡± I gulped when he said that while looking at me.

    ¡°T-Thank you for trusting my shop, Luther. I hope the person you will give that flowers will like it¨C¡±

    I was surprised when Luther took my hands and made me hold the bouquet.

    ¡°That¡¯s for you actually.¡±

    W-What?

    ¡°F-For me?¡±

    He stepped back and then nced at his wristwatch.

    ¡°I need to go. I have a meeting to attend in mypany,¡± he said.

    ¡°W-Wait!¡±

    But Luther turned away from me and walked out of my shop. When I looked at the bouquet I made, I remembered what he said earlier.

    ¡°He said that this is for someone special.¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

 Why Are You Doing This?

    It was already 8:00 pm, and the night fell at my main branch of Tinatangi. Many people ordered flowers today, so my time passed somewhat without Rozzeaning to my mind.

    Truth be told, for the past two days, even though I wasn¡¯t in his house, he never left my thoughts. But due to the busyness earlier with the consecutive orders, my attention was somewhat diverted.

    I miss him so much, and I want to see him, but I have to endure for now.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, there¡¯s a bouquet that hasn¡¯t been delivered yet.¡±

    I turned to Alma. She was looking at the bouquet of red roses on the side. I remembered about it. Luther gave it to me, something I didn¡¯t expect to happen.

    ¡°Oh, a customer gave it to me. He¡¯s the one who messaged you that I would arrange it personally.¡±

    ¡°Ayie, Ma¡¯am, have you changed your perspective on life? Are you interested in men now?¡± Alma asked me.

    I just smiled at her. They know I haven¡¯t had a significant other yet. My employees here at the main branch often hear myins whenever my Dad nags me about getting into a rtionship.

    ¡°Yes¡­¡± I replied, and suddenly, Rozzean came to my mind.

    When I nced at the clock again, I grabbed the bouquet of flowers and my bag.

    ¡°I¡¯ll head home first, Alma. Are you okay alone here?¡± I asked.

    She was also tidying up the things we used earlier.

    ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am Tangi. Go ahead, I know you must be tired. I¡¯ll take care of things here.¡±

    When I heard her, I headed towards the exit of Tinatangi. I didn¡¯t bring my car, so I nned to wait for a taxi.

    But as soon as I stepped out, a ck car greeted me, and Luther was leaning against it, looking into the distance.

    What is he doing here?

    ¡°Luther.¡±

    He straightened up when he saw me.

    ¡°What are you doing here in front of my shop? Are you waiting for someone?¡±

    ¡°I was waiting for you. Heading home?¡±

    I don¡¯t know what this is, but why is he here again? Earlier, he gave me flowers, and now he¡¯s here asking if I¡¯m heading home.

    ¡°I am. Just waiting for a taxi.¡±

    ¡°I will take you home, Thaliana.¡±

    He opened the door of his car. I looked at it. I¡¯m confused about his actions. Is this normal?

    ¡°Why¡­ are you doing this, Luther?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°What, Thaliana?¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡± I looked at the bouquet, ¡°and that¡­¡± I pointed to his car.

    ¡°You gave me a bouquet of flowers, and now you want to take me home. What do you want to know about me? Or do you want me to do something?¡±

    He didn¡¯t answer, just smiled and took my hand.

    ¡°W-What is it, Luther?¡±

    He took the bouquet from me and ushered me into his car.

    ¡°It¡¯s 8:15 pm, Thaliana, it¡¯s not safe for you tomute now. Don¡¯t ask questions, let me take you home.¡±

    ¡°Do you know where my house is?¡± I asked.

    He ced the bouquet on the backseat and then moved to the driver¡¯s seat. I just looked at him.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    He approached me, and I stepped back. He handed me the seatbelt from the side and fastened it.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me because I know where you live.¡±

    I didn¡¯t ask any more questions. As he started the car, I remained silent. I met him twice today. I don¡¯t believe this is just a coincidence. Is he doing this because he knows I haven¡¯t told Rozzean the truth yet?

    Is he going to urge me to talk to his brother and reveal everything? Because that¡¯s what he wanted all along.

    ¡°What are you thinking, Thaliana?¡±

    I nced at him.

    ¡°N-Nothing.¡±

    I kept my eyes on the road; he indeed knew the way to my house. But how did he find out?

    ¡°H-How did you know my address?¡±

    ¡°I searched about you, right? I mentioned it the first time we met at Cyron¡¯s house. I know things about you. About your shop, that¡¯s why I went there. Is that your main branch of Tinatangi, right? Also, you have pets-dogs and cats.¡±

    I swallowed. He indeed knew a lot about me.

    ¡°Y-Yes, I have pets, but they¡¯re currently in my friend¡¯s pet house. There¡¯s no one to take care of them at my house because I live there alone.¡±ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

    I saw his eyebrows furrow.

    ¡°You live alone? No one with you, not even a helper? Is it safe for a woman like you to live alone?¡± he asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Luther. The security in that vige is tight. Also, my Dad and Mommy approved of me living alone in my house.¡±

    It seemed like that was something he missed in his research-that I lived alone. Luther didn¡¯t respond to what I said. When I looked at my hand to check Rozzean¡¯s ring, I nced briefly at Luther.

    ¡°Do you really have no news about Rozzean? What if¡­ if he¡¯s looking for me?¡± I asked.

    I remembered when I went to the market and came homete. Rozzean and Manang thought something bad happened to me. Rozzean had me searched by the police. Is he doing that again? Is he looking for me?

    ¡°Even Manang didn¡¯t mention anything to me. All she said was they couldn¡¯t find you. If you want, I can go to Tagaytay tomorrow to check on his condition.¡±

    ¡°D-Don¡¯t¡­ I-I will exin everything to Rozzean.¡±

    Luther nodded at me, and after that, no one spoke to us. When we reached my house, I thanked him.

    ¡°Thanks, I didn¡¯t bring my car because I came from my parents¡¯ house.¡±

    Luther handed me the bouquet of roses that I arranged myself.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Go inside; I¡¯ll leave once you¡¯re in your house.¡±

    I nodded and took the gate key from the pot on the side.

    ¡°Why are you putting the keys on the pot, Thaliana?¡±

    I looked at him. He furrowed his brows while looking at the nt pot. I smiled awkwardly. It seems he doesn¡¯t agree with it.

    ¡°Uh, because I¡¯m used to it¨C¡±

    ¡°You should cut that habit, Thaliana. It¡¯s not safe. You live alone, and you put your gate key under a pot? What if someone sees you?¡± he asked, scanning the surroundings.

    Is he scolding me?

    ¡°It¡¯s just the gate key, Luther. The front and back doors of my house have smart locks, not¨C¡±

    ¡°Just don¡¯t put the keys there, Thaliana. Is that too difficult to do? It¡¯s for your safety. You live alone in your house.¡±

    What¡¯s bothering him? Other people do that too. I sighed. Since it seems he won¡¯t back down, I just nodded.

    ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t do it anymore.¡±

    After locking the gate, I entered my house. I waved to him and headed to my door. As I entered, I saw through the window that Luther had also entered his car.

    ¡°He¡¯s weird. Maybe he¡¯s doing this to find out if I n to tell the truth to Rozzean.¡±

 Fiance

    ¡°I love you, baby¡­ I love you so much.¡±

    I opened my eyes upon hearing Rozzean¡¯s voice.

    Ahhh It was a long sleep.

    I got up and then checked my cellphone. There were emails and messages, but I decided to go to the bathroom and wash up first.

    I miss Rozzean more as his presence is even in my dreams. We are happy in my dream. But in it, I am Thaliana, not Tali. I wish he could forgive me, hoping that our recent argument could be resolved with an exnation.

    But I know it¡¯s unlikely because of what Maki and Luther said.

    Rozzean is not the kind of man who will let anyone fool him.

    What sets me apart? Even if he loves me, he will surely be hurt and angry about what I did.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I need to call Dad.¡±

    I can¡¯t wait any longer. If I can¡¯t face Rozzean this week, I¡¯ll go to his house in Tagaytay myself to exin what happened. I can¡¯t wait for Dad and Mr. Valleje to schedule our meeting.

    I prepared my breakfast while checking messages on my cellphone. My siblings messaged me, checking on how I¡¯m doing. When my cellphone rang, and I saw Dad¡¯s name on the screen, I quickly answered it.

    ¡°Good morning, Dad.¡±

    ¡°Good morning, Tangi. Do you have ns this afternoon?¡±

    I sat down and stirred my milk.

    ¡°Nothing, Dad. Maybe I¡¯ll be home from Tinatangi by then. Why? Is there something you want me to do?¡±

    ¡°Good because we will meet the Vallejes at 6:00 pm, Tangi. We agreed on the time. You are going to meet your fianc¨¦.¡±

    T-Tonight?

    ¡°O-Okay, Dad, is that all?¡±

    ¡°Yes, at Levri Restaurant. See youter, take care okay? I love you.¡±

    ¡°Take care also, Dad, and Mommy. I love you, please tell Mommy I said that too.¡±

    When the call ended, it felt like my soul escaped for a moment from what my father said. Later, I will meet Rozzean. We will see each other, and I will exin everything to him. I clutched the ring in my hand.

    Will he recognize me? If not, I would show him this ring. I¡¯m sure when he sees the ring I¡¯m wearing, he will believe that Tali and I are one.

    ¡°I may struggle, but I will do everything to earn his forgiveness.¡±

    I straightened up and went to Tinatangi that morning. I kept myself busy attending to flower orders. I personally arranged every order, even for walk-in clients.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am Tangi, it¡¯s lunchtime,¡± Ria informed me.

    I just nodded at her while finishing an online order for tulip bouquets. Even online, many people order from my shop. The demand never dwindles. Tinatangi already handles a minimum of 100 orders a day.

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring your lunch, Ma¡¯am Tangi?¡± Ria offered.

    ¡°Yes, please,¡± I replied, smiling.

    I nned to go home around three-thirty to prepare for dinnerter. I can¡¯t stay calm; I¡¯m really nervous and my chest tightens at the thought of seeing Rozzeanter.

    Not as Tali anymore but as Thaliana.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, someone ordered again, 2 bouquets of red roses. It¡¯s the same person who messaged yesterday and requested for you to arrange it.¡±

    I looked at Alma when she said that.

    ¡°Let me see.¡±

    She showed me the message. Luther ordered flowers yesterday, and he¡¯s ordering again today. He¡¯s having them sent to Larzon Inc., and he ordered two bouquets of red roses.

    ¡°It¡¯s also paid online, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Ah, okay¡­ I¡¯ll do itter because the delivery time indicated is 4:00 pm.¡±

    Time passed quickly. At around three o¡¯clock, I started arranging the two bouquets of red roses ordered by Luther. I also told Alma to arrange for the delivery to Larzon Inc. I reminded her to tell the rider to handle the flowers with care.

    I don¡¯t want to tarnish the image of my flower shop with Luther. This is already his second order from me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be going home early today, okay? I have dinner outside with my family. Take care of things here,¡± I told them while tidying up my things.

    ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am Tangi, take care!¡± they all replied.

    At exactly three-thirty, I left my flower shop and headed to my car. Once inside, I took a deep breath and looked at the ring on my finger.

    ¡°I miss you¡­ even though I¡¯m nervous and scared, the desire to see you outweighs everything.¡±

    I started my car and drove home to get ready.

    Upon arriving, I immediately looked for an outfit for tonight¡¯s dinner. I chose a white fitted dress that I haven¡¯t worn yet. Mommy gave it to me. After picking my outfit, I went into the bathroom and took a shower.

    I thought about what to say several times, but I know thatter, when I¡¯m face-to-face with Rozzean, I¡¯ll forget everything.

    My heart is beating so fast¡­ the anxiety is overwhelming.

    ¡°You can do this, Thaliana Tangi. You managed to enter Rozzean¡¯s house and pretend; now you need to have the courage to face him!¡±

    As I saw that it was almost five in the afternoon, I blow-dried my hair. I applied light makeup and wore a ne. I didn¡¯t bother with earrings since I¡¯m not fond of them.

    I curled the ends of my hair and let them fall naturally before putting on the fitted dress. I also picked out heels, and when I checked the time, it was already five o¡¯clock. I hurriedly grabbed the purse I would use.

    ¡°This is it, Thaliana,¡± I told myself in the mirror, staring at my reflection.

    ¡°You need to face Rozzean.¡±

    I took a deep breath and looked at the ring on my finger. I will not remove this ring. I won¡¯t take it off.

    After making sure I didn¡¯t forget anything, I headed to the restaurant Daddy mentioned. I also received a message from him saying they¡¯re on their way. The restaurant isn¡¯t too far from my house. In thirty minutes, I was there.

    I am nervous. So freaking nervous. My hands are getting cold.

    ¡°Calm down, Thaliana¡­¡±

    I took a deep breath. I was close to the restaurant when I received a call from Daddy. I put on my wireless earphones connected to my car and answered the call.

    ¡°Tangi, we are here, where are you?¡±

    I made a turn.

    ¡°I¡¯m here already, Daddy, I¡¯ll park now.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay.¡±

    Are Rozzean and his family already there? I forgot to ask Dad!

    As I turned off the engine, I examined myself in the mirror. I took another deep breath and grabbed my purse and cellphone.

    ¡°Whatever the result, I need to ept it. But that doesn¡¯t mean that if I ept it, I¡¯ll stop. I would do everything for his forgiveness.¡±

    I got out of my car and entered the restaurant. I saw my parents¡¯ backs, and from behind, I knew it was them. The Vallejes weren¡¯t there yet; only my parents were present.

    ¡°Mom, Dad.¡± I approached them and kissed them on the cheek.

    I took a seat in the middle as it seemed like the vacant chair in the middle of my parents was for me.

    ¡°I received a call from Royce Valleje; they¡¯re near. He apologized, but I told him it¡¯s still early, not yet six.¡±

    I swallowed nervously. I didn¡¯t speak anymore. I just waited for their arrival.

    I¡¯ve been restless since earlier.

    ¡°Where did you buy your ring, Thaliana? It¡¯s pretty,¡± Mommy said, noticing my ring.

    ¡°Uhm¡­ Mommy¨C¡±

    ¡°George!¡±

    I froze upon hearing that voice calling my Dad. I felt Dad stand up beside me.

    ¡°Royce! Long time no see!¡±

    Mommy also stood up beside me.

    ¡°Cynthia¡­ it¡¯s good to see you again.¡±

    I didn¡¯t look back. I was scared. But when Dad called my name, I had no choice but to stand up and face them.

    ¡°This is my only daughter, Thaliana Tangi D Vezca.¡±

    I put on a smile when I saw Royce and Cynthia Valleje. I kissed both of their cheeks.

    ¡°Oh, you are so beautiful, hija. That¡¯s why your father hides you! Few people know that George D Vezca has a daughter; most think he only has sons!¡±

    I smiled at Mr. Valleje¡¯s remark.

    ¡°Well, she¡¯s my only daughter, the gem of our family. I¡¯m just protecting her, Royce,¡± Dad replied, followed byughter.

    ¡°I feel like you really trust and chose my son for Thaliana. And, speaking of, our son just parked his car,¡± Mr. Valleje said, ncing around. ¡°Oh, there he is.¡±

    I also looked in the direction he was pointing, along with my parents.

    But what stunned me was when I saw who Mr. Valleje was talking about.

    I looked at him, holding two bouquets of red roses. He handed them to my mother. When he looked at me, he approached and kissed me on the cheek.

    ¡°Thaliana,¡± he said.

    I looked at the bouquet of roses he gave me.

    ¡°This is my second son, Luther Rico Valleje, Thaliana, your fiance.¡±

    W-What? W-What is happening?

 I Went Too Far

    We went to the VIP room of the restaurant for our dinner.

    I was quiet the whole time. I could see from the corner of my eye that Luther, my supposed fiance, was looking at me.

    What happened?

    Dad told me that the man who would be my fiance is Rozzean. He clearly stated Rozzean¡¯s name as the man I would marry. But why is Luther here now?

    ¡°I heard about what happened to Thaliana; it reached me because you reported it to the police. It¡¯s a relief that nothing bad happened to her.¡±

    I raised my gaze to Royce Valleje when he spoke. Luther and I were sitting side by side. The Valleje couple was in front of us, and my Mommy and Daddy were on my side.

    ¡°We were so worried, but thank God that she came home fine, Royce. We searched the whole of Pwan, but we couldn¡¯t find her. Thankfully, a friend of Maki recognized her. We thought Tangi got involved in the threats against Grand¡¯s life, so I was really scared,¡± Daddy replied.

    That was just a lie from Maki to cover me. Even if they went door-to-door throughout Pwan, they wouldn¡¯t really find me because I was in Tagaytay at Rozzean¡¯s house.

    I just ate quietly and listened to them. When I felt Luther move closer to me, I looked at him.

    ¡°We will talkter.¡±

    I nodded in response to his whispered words. It seemed like he noticed my mood. I knew Luther wouldn¡¯t overlook my surprise upon learning that he is now my fiance.

    We should really talkter.

    He knows that I and Tali are one, he knows why I was at Rozzean¡¯s house. But I¡¯m sure he also knows that this will happen-that he will be my fiance, not Rozzean.

    Is this the reason why he was so eager for me to go home? Was the concern for Rozzean that he told me just a cover for his real intention?

    I am confused and have many questions in my mind. The nervousness of seeing and talking to Rozzean has been reced by surprise, wonder, and many questions.

    When Dad and Mr. Royce Valleje talked about leaving us alone, I was truly grateful.

    ¡°Get to know each other well, okay?¡±

    I looked at my Dad. I also wanted to talk to him. He mentioned Rozzean Cyron Valleje when we talked. He told me that I would meet Rozzean and his parents. That¡¯s why I pretended to be a maid and executed my n ¨C I didn¡¯t want the marriage he wanted to push through.

    But, what is this? Dad didn¡¯t mention any changes.

    He told me I was going to meet The Vallejes and of course I am expecting Rozzean, not Luther. I want to know why Luther is in front of me, and he¡¯s now my fiance.

    ¡°We¡¯ll go ahead, Tangi,¡± Dad said to me.

    I stood up and kissed my parents on the cheek. Then, I bowed and bid farewell to Luther¡¯s parents. They¡¯ve been smiling at me since earlier, and I¡¯ve heard theirpliments multiple times. Especially when they found out that I have my own business and live on my own.

    Cynthia Valleje also invited me to their house, saying we could have a chat. I don¡¯t remember some of the things she said because my mind was preupied with Rozzean.

    Why is he not here? And why did Luther rece him?

    ¡°Next time, Thaliana, I would buy from your flower shop. I would also rmend it to my friends.¡±

    I smiled at Luther¡¯s mother.

    ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am¨C¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, call me Mama¡­ we are going to be family soon. Why do you need to be formal?¡± sheughed and looked at my Mommy.

    ¡°She¡¯s a beautiful woman, Thatiana. I¡¯m eager for her to marry Luther and be part of our family.¡±

    I bowed my head, but when I noticed Luther looking at me, I nced back at him. He was seriously looking at me. How could I hide my feelings tonight?

    I was really expecting Rozzean because I needed to exin everything and apologize for what I did.

    When our parents left, Luther spoke.

    ¡°Do you want us to talk here?¡±

    I sat back down. There was no time to move to another ce. We were already in a VIP room, simr to where his father sat earlier. Luther sat in front of me. I looked at him.

    ¡°How did this happen? You know I was expecting Rozzean, not you, right?¡±

    I saw something in his eyes after I said that. A moment of pain passed, but why? My eyes heated and after a few seconds tears fell because of frustrations.

    ¡°Do you really think he would appear and introduce himself as your fiance, Thaliana?¡±

    I wiped my tears. Yes¡­ that¡¯s why I prepared myself for the exnation. I prepared myself for his anger.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I thought you already knew what kind of person my brother is, Thaliana. And that ring on your finger, he gave it to you, didn¡¯t he?¡± Luther lowered his gaze to my finger where the ring was.

    ¡°I assumed he proposed to Tali¡­¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you consider that he might not show up? He loves Tali so much. He even had a fight with our Dad because of her. Cyron told our parents that he wanted to marry his maid-Tali D Cruz. He really said ¡®maid¡¯, Thaliana. My brother was so brave and proud to tell my parents about his love for Tali.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but sob at what Luther said. I didn¡¯t expect things to take this turn. I had no idea it would go this far. I never thought he would talk to his parents about it so soon.

    I didn¡¯t know that Rozzean was nning a life with Tali¡­ he¡¯s really sure about Tali.

    You surprised me again, Rozzean. Y-You always surprise me, baby.

    ¡°Thaliana, my brother told our parents that he would marry his maid. Do you really think he would still meet Thaliana Tangi D Vezca?¡±

    I wiped the tears from my cheeks because of what Luther said. For a moment, I forgot what kind of man I love.

    Rozzean will never fool anyone. He¡¯s so honest with his feelings. He¡¯s honest with everyone. Especially with his feelings for Tali.

    ¡°Dad was furious because they had an agreement with George D Vezca about the engagement. Cyron agreed, but he backed out because of his love for Tali. That was the first time my brother fell for someone, and I can¡¯t me him for what he did, Thaliana. Even though we¡¯re not super close, I know him very well.¡±

    ¡°When he¡¯s sure about something, he doesn¡¯t let it slip away from his grasp. That¡¯s why when he was so sure of his feelings and his future with Tali, he talked to my father and apologized because he couldn¡¯t continue to be Thaliana Tangi¡¯s fiance. Cyron bravely epted our father¡¯s painful words. I understand Dad because they had an agreement with your parents, Thaliana. Our father might be embarrassed.¡±

    ¡°But I was stunned when Cyron kneeled. Our mother was also crying at that time, but she couldn¡¯t do anything to ease our Dad¡¯s anger.¡±

    I was shocked by what I heard about Rozzean kneeling.

    ¡°K-Kneeled?¡± I asked.

    My vision became blurry as tears kept flowing while I looked at Luther. I didn¡¯t know where to put my hands due to the intense emotions I was feeling.

    ¡°He kneeled to plead with our parents to ept Tali. I didn¡¯t know he would do that because when I talked to him, he said he didn¡¯t care if we didn¡¯t ept Tali.¡±

    R-Rozzean¡­ why do you need to go this far? Why do you have to kneel?

    I lowered my head while biting my lip. I cannot believe what¡¯s happening. This is all my fault due to my selfishness and impulsiveness.

    ¡°But, I guess¡­ that¡¯s really love. You would do everything for the person you love.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t say anything. I was so hurt that the only thing I could do was cry.

    ¡°And George Romualdo D Vezca was furious, Thaliana.¡±

    I quickly looked at Luther when I heard what he said next. My heart raced when he mentioned my father.

    ¡°D-Daddy?¡±

    Luther nodded and then took out his cellphone. He showed me Rozzean¡¯s message to him. The message was almost a month old! I would have been in Rozzean¡¯s house for three weeks by now!

    ¡°He told me that he was going to talk to George D Vezca personally to apologize because he will back out as your fiance. Thaliana, Cyron fell hard for Tali that he was this sure of everything. Before I even arrived at Cyron¡¯s house, he had already nned everything.¡±

    ¡°He was so sure of his feelings that¡¯s why he settled everything. He bravely talked to our father and to your Dad. Of course, if our father got angry, your father would surely be angry too. You are a lovely woman, your father adores and loves you so much.¡±

    I suddenly became concerned about the conversation between Rozzean and my father. I know Daddy, and he can be quite fierce when angry.

    ¡°W-What happened? Did he tell you what happened when he talked to Dad?¡±

    My anxiety increased with what I learned. Daddy can be scary when he¡¯s angry, even my brothers, who are all males, never went against Daddy because they know his temperament whenever they did something wrong or broke an agreement.

    It¡¯s just me who softens Daddy¡­ and then I did this. I put Rozzean in this difficult situation.

    ¡°No. But I was also there with him when he talked to your father, so I heard everything.¡±

    ¡°I got worried about Cyron, so when I found out that he was nning to visit George D Vezca to talk about the wedding, I immediately followed. Somehow, I know how dangerous your father can be, Thaliana. He might shoot Cyron, so I followed.¡±

    I knew that thest part was a joke, but my father could indeed pose a threat to Rozzean.

    ¡°Cyron apologized to your father. He said that he couldn¡¯t marry you anymore because he has someone he loves-Tali. Your father was furious. Do you know what he said?¡±

    My hands went cold, and I didn¡¯t know if I could handle what he was about to tell me. I really went too far. Many people were affected.

    ¡°He said that he would withdraw his shares from my brother¡¯spany. He also mentioned taking the other investors. Your father has an important stake in RCV, Thaliana. He also convinced many friends to invest in Cyron¡¯spany before. He liked my brother a lot because of his hard work, but all of that changed because of you.¡±

    O-Oh God¡­

 This Is All My Fault

    I was stunned by what Luther said. Rozzean highly values hispany! I know the challenges he faced, as he shared with me the difficulties before their eldest sibling passed away!

    I need to talk to Dad!

    ¡°But Cyron just kept his head and told your father that if he¡¯s afraid of losing someone or something important in his life right now, that would be Tali.¡±

    I sobbed. I couldn¡¯t hold back the pain.

    I-I was wrong¡­ I made a big mistake.

    ¡°And now, about me¡­¡±

    ¡°Why I reced my brother.¡±

    I looked up at Luther, still wiping away tears from both my cheeks.

    That¡¯s what I wanted to hear. Since earlier, but I couldn¡¯t ask; I let him share everything.

    ¡°When Cyron turned his back after he talked to your father, I remained there standing. I talked to your father. I don¡¯t want my brother to lose everything, Thaliana. Cyron worked extremely hard for it all. I know he doesn¡¯t want to lose Tali, and I¡¯m well aware that he doesn¡¯t want to lose thepany he and our brother Aloncious worked so hard for.¡±

    ¡°I said that I could be your fiance.¡±

    I was too stunned to speak while looking at Luther. He smiled at me slightly.

    ¡°Your father knows me. He¡¯s familiar with who I am, but Cyron won his favor. I¡¯m just grateful that your father agreed. He mentioned that he wouldn¡¯t pull out his shares, but he wouldn¡¯t take back the rtionship he has because Cyron made him lose his trust. Your father loves you so much, Thaliana.¡±

    I-I know¡­ I know that Dad loves me dearly, but he shouldn¡¯t have done that. Especially since he knows how hard Rozzean worked for thatpany.

    This is all my fault.

    ¡°I-I didn¡¯t know this would happen, Luther. I didn¡¯t know it would get worse.¡±

    Luther stood up, turned to face me, and sat in the chair next to me, holding my hands.

    ¡°I told you before, Thaliana¡­ Cyron has endured a lot of pain. He suffered enough, and I don¡¯t want him to lose the things he worked hard for over the years. I¡¯ll help him as much as I can.¡±

    ¡°D-Did you bring me home because you¡¯re now my fiance?¡±

    That¡¯s what I thought when I heard what he said.

    Luther shook his head. He wiped away the tears that fell from both my cheeks.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want my brother to suffer any longer. I agreed with you, and I respected what you wanted to stay at my brother¡¯s house because I know you love him too. But I also know it¡¯s enough, Thaliana. Cyron loves Tali so much. I saw that he really changed. He¡¯s smiling often. He¡¯s doing things he doesn¡¯t usually do. He was talking to me casually, and that made me happy.¡±

    ¡°I was afraid that if you stayed longer at Cyron¡¯s house, something might happen. That¡¯s why I messaged you and called to help you leave. You want to exin everything to him as Thaliana, right?¡±

    I nodded. I will exin everything as Thaliana when we meet, but I didn¡¯t expect that Luther would be the one I¡¯d face and be my fiance.

    ¡°I got worried when you stopped responding to messages, and your number couldn¡¯t be reached. Then I learned from Manang that you were no longer at home and couldn¡¯t be found. I took a chance that maybe you had returned, so I tried ordering a bouquet from Tinatangi, specifically requesting you to make it.¡±

    T-That¡¯s the reason?

    ¡°When I received a message that the order was being processed, I immediately went to your shop. It meant the owner was there because there was no message that the owner couldn¡¯t fulfill the requested order.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t just casually pass by that afternoon. I was actually in a meeting, but I went outside in case you were leaving without me seeing you. I¡¯m sorry; I lied.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off Luther as he spoke.

    ¡°And then, I only found out recently that you left without saying anything because your family was looking for you. If there¡¯s one more thing I should ask forgiveness for, it¡¯s not telling you that I¡¯m your fiance. I wanted to talk to Thaliana, not to Tali. I wanted to exin everything that happened with Cyron and the changes our parents made.¡±

    I nodded at Luther¡¯s words. I-I understand now¡­ I understand.

    When our eyes met, Luther¡¯s gaze was serious, conveying all he said. While looking at him, I didn¡¯t feel that he was lying in everything he said.

    Everyone got involved just because of one decision I didn¡¯t think through. You¡¯re so foolish, Thaliana.

    I deserve this pain. Whatever regret I feel now is just fitting for me. No matter how much I regret it, I can¡¯t bring everything back to the way it was.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want fights in my family, Thaliana. I¡¯m doing everything to improve the rtionship between Cyron and Dad, but then this happened. I was trying my best to tighten my grip on them, hoping we could be a happy family again. Aloncious wants the same for us.¡±

    I tightly held Luther¡¯s hands when I heard him speak.

    I felt embarrassed¡­ I used to be annoyed with him, but when I learned that he sacrificed for his family and to save Rozzean from my father¡¯s anger, my perspective on him changed.

    Luther loves his family so much, and that alone is reason enough for me to give him my full respect.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    My chest tightened with pain as I apologized to Luther.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize to me, Thaliana. Apologize to Cyron and exin what you did.¡±

    I nodded repeatedly.

    ¡°T-Thank you, Luther, t-thank you so much¡­¡±

    I saw him smile again, but this time, the smile he gave was genuine.

    ¡°Everything will be alright, okay?¡±

    I nodded again.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I will try my best to help you. Exin everything to everyone, that way our parents might reconsider. Your father might still ept Cyron.¡±

    That¡¯s what I want to happen. No matter how difficult, I will do it.

    ¡°By the way, about my brother, he wasn¡¯t working. The doctor told him to take a rest after the ident.¡±

    I stood up in surprise when I heard Luther¡¯s words.

    ¡°D-Doctor? W-What happened?¡±

    ¡°I just found out from Manang. I called her, and she told me that Cyron didn¡¯t want to let us know what happened. But because Manang was worried about my brother¡¯s condition, she told me that he had an identst night.¡±

    W-What?

    ¡°Cyron was drunk. His foot was cast, and he had wounds. He was really hurt when you left him without words, Thaliana. Think about it, even though he knew he would lose everything, he chose Tali. The woman he fought for against our parents and George D Vezca, and then, she suddenly disappeared?¡±

    I tightly held Luther¡¯s arms.

    ¡°T-Take me to him¡­ p-please.¡±

    ¡°N-Now.¡±

 Rejection

    Luther asked me twice if I am sure. I had no doubt anymore. When I nodded, we left the restaurant. Even though it was night, I didn¡¯t care. I wanted to see Rozzean. I was worried, and I couldn¡¯t be at ease until I saw him now.

    It was my fault that he was hurt. Everything that happened to him in the past-about their family, his father¡¯s anger just because of his love for Tali, and the trouble in hispany when he talked to Daddy.

    Everything he did was because of his love for Tali D Cruz-the fake personality I created just to find ws in his character so that our wedding wouldn¡¯t push through.

    ¡°Did you see him, Luther? Did you visit him?¡± I asked.

    Nervous and with trembling hands, I looked at Luther who was driving.

    ¡°No, I only found out about what happened a while ago, Thaliana. Can you calm down? Manang said that Cyron is okay, just resting due to the injury he got.¡±

    How will I calm down? It¡¯s my fault that Rozzean had an ident.

    ¡°What time will we reach his house? Can you find a shortcut? What if he¡¯s not really okay, Luther? Rozzean is the kind of¨C¡±

    I heard Luther sigh, so I stopped talking. He veered his car to the side and then looked at me.

    ¡°W-Why did you stop?¡± I asked.

    He was looking at me seriously.

    ¡°We¡¯re not leaving until you calm down. I already said that Cyron is fine, Thaliana. He has a sprained foot and some wounds, but aside from that, nothing serious happened. Why don¡¯t you focus on telling him the truth now?¡±

    I know that saying the truth will never be easy, and preparing myself will not help me in the end. When I face Rozzean, everything I nned to say will surely disappear, and whateveres to my mind at that moment is all I¡¯ll be able to say.

    Seeing in Luther¡¯s eyes that he really had no intention of driving unless I calmed down, I held his arm.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, please? I am worried, you can¡¯t me me. It¡¯s my fault that he got into an ident. Come on, please¡­ Luther.¡±

    I wiped away the tears that escaped my eyes. Luther looked away and then started the car again. I stayed silent, looking out the car window. Luther asked me if I was okay, and all I could do was nod.

    When we reached Tagaytay, I took a deep breath. My heart was pounding loudly. I wanted to see Rozzean. I was worried, nervous, scared. I really wanted to see him. It hadn¡¯t been long since Maki and I left that night, and now I find out he had an ident because of me.

    I didn¡¯t care anymore about what I might say if I were to be honest with him.

    But amid all the emotions, I can¡¯t stop but to worry more.

    We reached the vige. When we were in front of Rozzean¡¯s house, Luther got out of the car first. He opened the car door for me. I was nervous. A lot. But I wanted to see him, even if all I could expect was his anger.

    But I am hoping and still holding on to his love¡­ I know he loves me, he will forgive me.

    ¡°Sir Luther,¡± said the guard whom I always prepared coffee for in the morning. I smiled at him, and he smiled back.

    ¡°Hello, Ma¡¯am, Good evening!¡±

    He didn¡¯t notice me. Of course¡­ I looked very different as Tali. No one would think that I am Tali D Cruz, the simple girl who applied as a maid in Rozzean¡¯s house.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Thaliana.¡±

    I nodded at Luther, and we walked towards Rozzean¡¯s house. I looked at his garden, my lips parting in surprise as I saw dry leaves and fallen roses on the Bermuda grass. I could see it because of the lights there.

    He¡¯s taking care of his garden¡­ what happened? Why are there so many dry leaves? Why are there so many fallen flowers?

    When we were inside the house, Luther rang the doorbell.

    ¡°Oh¡­ You¡¯re visitingte, Sir Luther.¡±

    Upon hearing Manang Selya¡¯s voice, I almost ran to her and hugged her. I missed her too. Our morning chats over coffee were something I looked forward to.

    How many days has it been? Almost three? Not even a week or a month yet, but I missed everything here so much.

    ¡°I¡¯m really worried about sir, Sir Luther; he hasn¡¯t been eating.¡±

    W-What?

    We entered, following Manang. I immediately scanned the surroundings, looking for Rozzean.

    But what did I hear? He hasn¡¯t been eating? He should be eating more, especially since he had an ident.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Cyron, Manang? Is he sleeping?¡± Luther asked.

    But I noticed Manang¡¯s eyes were on me, so she probably didn¡¯t hear Luther¡¯s question. I smiled at Manang and bowed. I approached her and held her hands.

    ¡°Good evening, Manang. How are you?¡± I asked.

    Manang¡¯s eyes shifted to Luther, asking him to look at me, and then returned her gaze to me. I couldn¡¯t figure out what Manang wanted to say.

    ¡°Luther? What are you doing here?¡±

    I froze upon hearing that voice. I swallowed hard. My chest tightened with pain just hearing Rozzean¡¯s voice. Tears welled up in my eyes.

    ¡°You¡­ a-ahm you look familiar, ma¡¯am,¡± Manang said to me.

    Instead of responding, I tightened my grip on Manang¡¯s hands and smiled at her. I still didn¡¯t look at Rozzean.

    ¡°Who¡¯s with you, Luther? It¡¯ste; why did youe now? You could havee tomorrow. Did Manang tell you what happened to me?¡±

    As his voice got closer, I immediately turned my back. I let go of Manang¡¯s hands.

    Our eyes met. He was looking at me, his eyebrows furrowed. My hands trembled, and I couldn¡¯t decide whether to approach him or stay where I was.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    He had dark circles around his eyes. He had gauze on his cheek. Since he was wearing a ck t-shirt, I could see the wounds on his arms. My lips quivered, and I wiped away the tears that escaped from both of my cheeks.

    ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡±

    There¡¯s danger in his voice when he asked me. His eyes were ring at me.

    ¡°R-Rozzean, I¡¯m sorry¡­ so-sorry¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m asking who you are!¡±

    I closed my eyes tightly when his voice echoed throughout the house. I was trembling. I was terrified, not because of his anger but because I realized he might never ept me again because of what I did.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m Thaliana¡­ Thaliana Tangi D Vezca.¡±

    Luther looked at me and approached. He seemed to notice the trembling of my hands, so I hid them on the side of my dress.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    ¡°Why do you sound like her?¡±

    He¡¯s talking about Tali¡­ he noticed¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¨C¡±

    ¡°Why the heck do your eyes look like hers?!¡±

    I bit my lower lip. Tears were streaming down my eyes continuously. My lips were trembling, and my chest tightened with the pain I felt.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°B-Because I am her¡­ Rozzean.¡±

    ¡°I-I am Tali D Cruz¡­ I-I came here to pretend as a poor woman to enter your house as your m-maid. I did this because I had an agreement with Daddy that if I found any bad behavior in you, he would cancel the marriage he wanted. M-My Dad is George Romualdo D Vezca.¡±

    ¡°B-but everything changed because I fell for you¨C¡±

    ¡°Luther!¡±

    He¡¯s so mad. He gritted his teeth while shouting his brother¡¯s name, but his gaze was still fixed on me.

    I saw the pain in Rozzean¡¯s eyes as he looked at me. I wiped away the tears on my cheeks. It hurts so much. The pain is overwhelming; I¡¯m having difficulty breathing because of the emotions I¡¯m feeling right now, but I need to endure it.

    ¡°Do you know her? Why is she saying that she¡¯s Tali?! S-she sounds like my woman¡­ and her eyes¡­ d-damn it.¡±

    ¡°I miss my baby so much, why am I seeing her with that woman? Who is she?¡± He looks helpless while looking at Luther.

    ¡°Why is she saying that she¡¯s Tali, huh? why? Luther¡­ answer me.¡±

    I know that even Luther is struggling in this situation. He can¡¯t say it when he already knows what he was going to say. He can¡¯t say it because he knows that his words will hurt Rozzean deeply.

    ¡°Cyron¡­¡±

    ¡°Cyron! Cyron! Luther, I am asking you!¡±

    Luther closed his eyes tightly before he spoke.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Rozzean looked back at me when he heard what Luther said.

    ¡°She is Tali D Cruz. Thaliana Tangi D Vezca and Tali D Cruz are one and the same. What she told you is true. She pretended as a maid, and I found out about her when I came here that day. When you weren¡¯t at home.¡±

    ¡°W-What? Y-you knew?¡±

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­ I-I will tell you the truth. I was just taking my time. I wanted to actually tell everything once I came back as Thaliana. I-I didn¡¯t expect that it would be difficult for me to return because of the feelings I developed for you. You are not the kind of person I thought you were. I regret what I did¡­ please¡­ I know this is hard for you, b-but, please¡­ forgive me¡­¡±

    No¡­ d-don¡¯t look at me like that¡­ don¡¯t look at me with h-hatred in your eyes.

    ¡°Fck¡­ what¡­¡±

    I could clearly see the pain and anger in his eyes as he looked at me. He shook his head slowly¡­ several times.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¨C¡±

    ¡°Stop¡­ w-what are you saying¡­¡± he looked at Luther again, ¡°and you knew about h-her? that ss-she was fooling me? you knew she was deceiving me and pretending to be someone she¡¯s not here in my h-house?¡±

    ¡°Cyron¡­¡±

    I stood in front of Luther when I saw Rozzean¡¯s intense anger directed at his brother. Enough, he has already gone through a lot, and because of me, their rtionship might suffer more damage.

    ¡°Luther is not at fault; I asked him not to tell you the truth. H-He actually tried many times to convince me to go home and exin what I did, but I can¡¯t because I don¡¯t want to l-leave you. I-I insisted on staying here. Don¡¯t be angry at Luther¡­¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, s-sorry, R-Rozzean, I didn¡¯t think everything through carefully. I-I was sure about my ns in life, and I don¡¯t like the idea of getting married to anyone, but my Dad is pushing me. That¡¯s why I came to your house ¨C I wanted to see some of your ws to tell my Dad and stop the wedding.¡±

    ¡°But I was wrong for thinking t-that¡­ I f-fell for you, I truly feel something for you. Y-You are a great person, Rozzean. After seeing what kind of person you are, I decided toe back and c-clear everything b-but it was hard leaving you, it was really tough. I was forced to leave when my family thought something bad happened to me. Maki helped me to leave your house that night.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so s-sorry¡­ I¡¯m sorry if it took long for me to say the truth¨C¡±

    I stopped talking when Rozzean moved to the side, a sign that he was leaving.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    No¡­ please¡­ don¡¯t turn your back on me¡­ p-please¡­

    ¡°P-Please¡­ I-I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    When he turned away from me, hope rose in my chest. But it faded away as soon as I heard what he said.

    ¡°Yes, I am kind,¡± he said in a cold tone, ¡°If I had not been this kind when I saw you begging in front of the vige, I would not have been lied to. I wouldn¡¯t fall for someone like you.¡±

    The love in his eyes wasn¡¯t there anymore. He was looking at me coldly, like I am a nobody. I slowly shook my head. My tears fell, and when a sob escaped, I covered my mouth. I saw Rozzean¡¯s warm gaze disappear, and pain reced it when his eyesnded on my hand.

    On my finger where the ring he gave me was.

    ¡°Fck this¡­¡±

    When Rozzean moved to leave, I noticed him stumble, and I immediately went to help him. I supported him by holding onto his shoulders, but he brushed my hands away.

    I miss being close to him¡­ I miss him so much¡­ So much.

    ¡°You are not Tali,¡± he looked at me. ¡°You will never be her, my baby will never ever fool me. She¡¯s the sweetest, and honest with her feelings. You¡­ you are not her.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know you.¡±

    It hurts¡­ it hurts so much¡­

    ¡°Let go of me.¡±

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­ please, let¡¯s talk about this. Let¡¯s discuss it, please¡­ I-I love you so much¡­ p-please¨C¡±

    ¡°Luther! Get her out of my house!¡±

    This is beyond what I imagined. It¡¯s more than I thought, but I don¡¯t have the right toin. This is happening because of a decision I didn¡¯t think through. Luther was right; I was the one who put myself into the fire.

    ¡°Please¡­ I love you¡­¡±

    ¡°Luther!¡±

    I felt Luther¡¯s hands on me. He was taking me away.

    ¡°Thaliana, let¡¯s go,¡± Luther said to me.

    ¡°N-No! I don¡¯t want to!¡± I shouted while looking at Rozzean, ¡°I-I will not leave until y-you said that we could work things out a-again¡­ t-that you w-will just take your time b-because I h-hurt you¡­¡±

    He turned to me abruptly.

    ¡°I will never ept a woman like you, Ms. D Vezca. Isn¡¯t it the reason you pretended to be a house helper was to find an excuse to cancel the wedding?¡±

    I repeatedly shake my head. It hurts more than I expected, and I¡¯m losing hope as I look into his eyes.

    ¡°N-No¡­ it¡¯s not like that anymore¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no marriage that is going to happen between us, Ms. D Vezca. I will never marry a woman who made me look like a fool.¡±

    When I turned to him, I saw intense pain in his eyes.

    He¡¯s livid.

    He¡¯s extremely angry with me.

    ¡°You made a fool out of me right in my own house.¡±

    No¡­ please, please¡­

    ¡°Leave. Go away. Don¡¯te back ever. I don¡¯t need you in my life.¡±

    I said, everything, all the hurtful words he would say to me, I would ept and endure. Because it¡¯s my fault. It¡¯s my fault that we¡¯re in this situation.

    ¡°I-I don¡¯t want to¡­ I-I don¡¯t want to leave¡­ I love you, I love you so much¡­¡±

    ¡°You are not going to leave my house?¡± Rozzean asked coldly. His eyes were full of anger as he looked at me.

    ¡°Then, I will call the guards to drag you out of here.¡±

    After saying that, he left us with Luther.

    I hoped, I hoped that we could fix it. Even though I knew the chances were slim.

    ¡°N-No¡­¡±

    As Rozzean slowly disappeared from my sight, I took a step to follow him, but I felt Luther¡¯s tight grip on my hand.

    ¡°Enough, Thaliana.¡±

    And I-I¡¯ve never been this scared my whole life about losing someone so important¡­ someone who I want to live the rest of my life with.

 I Wonéˆ¥æª› Give Up On Him

    I couldn¡¯t move. I was crying really hard. I didn¡¯t care if Luther and Manang could hear me, but I couldn¡¯t control the emotions I was feeling right now. Before, I only thought about Rozzean¡¯s hatred towards me if I told him the truth, but everything I imagined was surpassed.

    His anger towards me made me realize that the chance of us getting back together was very low. The chance of him forgiving me for what I did was very low. I get it because he trusted me. He was correct when he mentioned earlier that If he hadn¡¯t let me in and if he hadn¡¯t felt pity for me in front of the vige, this situation wouldn¡¯t have happened to him.

    He won¡¯t fall for me and get hurt like this.

    ¡°Tali¡­¡±

    I wiped my cheeks when I heard Manang¡¯s voice. I felt her hands on both of my shoulders. Luther took a step back. I straightened up and faced Manang with a smile. I tried to smile at her, but my lips trembled again, and I cried when I saw pity in her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Manang¡­ s-sorry if I deceived you too. There¡¯s no Tali D Cruz, Manang. It was me all those times. Thaliana Tangi D Vezca. The girl Rozzean was supposed to marry. I came here to check on him to find a bad side that I could use to ruin his image to my dad. But, M-Manang¡­¡±

    My tears fell, and Manang quickly wiped them away.

    ¡°H-He¡¯s an amazing man, a great person. When I learned what he did for you, for his family, and all his sacrifices, my mind changed. The n I had formed disappeared from my thoughts because I gradually fell in love with him. I f-fell hard, and I could not leave him. I can¡¯t leave Rozzean, Manang¡­ It¡¯s so hard for him to let go because he holds on so tightly to me as Tali. Because of my overwhelming love for him.¡±

    Manang¡¯s hands lowered, and she tightly held both of my hands. Pity was in her eyes, but I couldn¡¯t see anger or annoyance because of what I did.

    ¡°Tali¨CI mean Thaliana dear, I didn¡¯t believe it at first either that sir could have feelings for you as Tali because, for me, it seemed impossible. Not because of your looks, you¡¯re kind, obedient, and very hardworking. Besides, I know sir doesn¡¯t look at a woman¡¯s outer appearance or wealth, but maybe it¡¯s because I thought what suits him best is someone like ri, that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t believe you before.¡±

    I nodded and gave a slight smile, understanding her perspective. Even if I were in Manang¡¯s situation, I wouldn¡¯t believe that someone like Rozzean-a billionaire, with his ownpany and hobbies, extremely wealthy, handsome, and seemingly having everything-would be interested in a maid who just appeared in front of his vige.

    ¡°I was surprised by what you did; I didn¡¯t expect it. But back then, I already wondered why your skin was so smooth, why your hands were so beautiful. I believed what you said because I never thought then that you were rich, and why would a rich person bother to work as a maid here.¡±

    ¡°You did so much here at home, dear¡­ you were so good at household chores that I never doubted you. You didn¡¯t have anyins in all the tasks I assigned you. You cleaned every dirt and dust of this house, and you often volunteered when sir gave orders. That¡¯s why I never thought you were wealthy.¡±

    ¡°But, Tali¡­ Rozzean was deeply hurt when he no longer saw you here at home.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    I bit my lower lip hard upon hearing Manang¡¯s words.

    ¡°All of us here at home were rmed because he couldn¡¯t find you. At around two o¡¯clock am, he went out and personally searched for you. Sir couldn¡¯t stay calm; that¡¯s when I truly believed that he really had feelings for you. His face showed deep concern. He didn¡¯t wait the usual twenty-four hours like before when you didn¡¯te home from the market; he immediately reported you missing to the police.¡±

    ¡°But, the entire Tagaytay and nearby areas were searched, and not a single lead was found. Tali¡­ it¡¯s been three days now since Rozzean hasn¡¯t been to work. He only leaves the house when he¡¯s looking for you.¡±

    ¡°He hasn¡¯t stopped since the night you went missing. He only paused when he had an ident due to drunkenness.¡±

    ¡°Rozzean is deeply hurt, Tali.¡±

    I looked at Luther upon hearing everything Manang said. He was looking at me seriously. I knew he was also against hurting Rozzean, but because of my request, he, too, is now facing the anger of his brother.

    ¡°He loves Tali very much, dear¡­¡±

    When I returned my gaze to Manang, I gasped as I felt a pang in my chest. There was no reason to clear my name in what happened because from the beginning, what I did was wrong.

    I couldn¡¯t deny that I deceived Rozzean.

    And he was right; I fooled him. Right here in his own house.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorry, Manang. I¡¯m willing to do anything to prove that I regret what I did to him. I-I love him so much, Manang, no matter how difficult and painful the journey is to earn his forgiveness, I¡¯ll endure it. I will do everything for him to forgive me. I won¡¯t stop.¡±

    Manang wiped the tears from my cheeks again. She hugged me tightly and stroked my back.

    It would be difficult, but I wouldn¡¯t give up on Rozzean. I would return to this house even if he rejected me multiple times.

    ¡°Do what you think is best for both of you, Thaliana. I¡¯ve seen how much Rozzean loves Tali; he¡¯s angry, and there¡¯s nothing we can do about it because he has the right to feel that way. You deceived him, and he¡¯s hurt, so his feelings are justified. I can see that you regret what you did. My only wish now is for both of you to fix this and for the softness in Rozzean¡¯s heart for you to return.¡±

    That¡¯s what I want too, Manang¡­ that¡¯s what I want too.

    I bid farewell to Manang, and Luther did the same. I walked out first, tears streaming down my face. I couldn¡¯t help it. It seemed like I would cry until I got home. How Rozzean¡¯s looks at me earlier lingered in my mind. His words. The way he shouted at me¡­

    ¡°I don¡¯t know you.¡±

    ¡°You will never be, Tali.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need you in my life.¡±

    ¡°I will never marry a woman like you.¡±

    I try to tell myself that it¡¯s because of his anger. That he doesn¡¯t really mean all of that.

    When I turned to Luther, I saw that he was a bit far from me. He stood still, gazing at Rozzean¡¯s house. It looked like he was observing something.

    ¡°Luther¡­¡± I called him.

    That caught his attention, and he walked towards me again. When we finally reached the gate, I went straight to the car. I remained silent until Luther got in too.

    ¡°I warned you already about this, Thaliana.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    I looked at him. I felt ashamed for what I did, especially since he got involved.

    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Luther.¡±

    Luther took a deep breath and started his car. It seemed that because of what I did, there was another barrier in their rtionship. I saw how Rozzean looked at his brother earlier-with anger in his eyes. Luther might also be med for not telling the truth.

    Luther wanted his family to be happy again. But because of what I did, not only Rozzean and their father had a strained rtionship again, but also them as brothers.

 He Went Crazy

    ¡°I also expect Cyron¡¯s anger towards me, Thaliana. Who would be happy to find out that his brother, someone he trust, helped the woman he¡¯s supposed to marry, only to be deceived?¡±

    ¡°Cyron was hurt so bad, Thaliana. Like you, I will also ept his anger towards me-¡±

    ¡°B-But you¡¯re not at fault; I¡¯m the one at fault for why Rozzean got angry at you. The first time you found out that I¡¯m Thaliana, you immediately warned me, but I was the stubborn one. I-I¡¯m sorry, even your family¡¯s rtionship got messed up because of me.¡±

    Luther raised his hand, smiled at me, and gently touched the top of my head.

    ¡°I decided to help you; it was my own decision, not because you told me. Do you think it¡¯s easy to make someone like me follow orders, Thaliana?¡±

    ¡°L-Luther¡­¡±

    ¡°I can handle his anger, Thaliana, don¡¯t worry about me. Focus on how you can regain Cyron¡¯s trust now. You cannot expect your father to choose him again as your fiance if he¡¯s this angry, Thaliana. For the second time, because of Cyron¡¯s anger towards you for deceiving him, he might turn his back on you. George D Vezca might do something drastic.¡±

    I nodded slowly in response to Luther¡¯s words.

    He¡¯s right. But I will still talk to Daddy. I will confess to everyone what I did. That I was the one who made Rozzean back out. Daddy will surely be furious with me, but I need to face the consequences of my actions.

    Many of them got involved.

    ¡°And¡­ Thaliana, about your cousin that you mentioned. Maki, right? You told me at your flower shop that your cousin helped you to get home.¡±

    I looked up at Luther when he mentioned that.

    ¡°Why? Yes, Maki is my cousin. He¡¯s the one who helped me that night. Actually, in the morning, he went to Rozzean¡¯s house to tell me about the situation, and my family thought something bad happened to me.¡±

    I noticed Luther sighing several times.

    ¡°I just heard that he was in the hospital.¡±

    ¡°W-What?!¡±

    Maki?! What happened to him? Thest message I received from him was when I was asking about Rozzean. I haven¡¯t talked to him since then. What happened to Maki?

    My question was answered when I heard a call from Griz, my second sibling.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Where are you? You haven¡¯t arrived home yet. I called the guardhouse of your vige, Tangi. They haven¡¯t seen your car entering.¡±

    I left my car at the restaurant earlier.

    ¡°Why, Griz? I¡¯m in Tagaytay. I¡¯m with Luther. We¡¯re on our way back.¡±

    ¡°Luther? Oh¡­ Luther Valleje, your fiance. I just called to check where you are. It¡¯s almost 11:00 pm, Tangi. You know there¡¯s a threat to Grand¡¯s life, right? Anyone in our family, especially you, could be at risk, especially being outside at this hour.¡±

    Luther briefly looked at me. He stopped his car at a convenience store, got out, and went inside.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, brother, we¡¯re just in Tagaytay because there¡¯s¡­¡±

    I remembered Rozzean. I took a deep breath and continued talking.

    ¡°We just talked to an important person. I¡¯m on my way back. Luther will take me home.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Tangi, keep safe. Also, have you heard about what happened to Maki?¡±

    That¡¯s what I want to know! Our conversation was cut off when Luther received a call!

    ¡°W-What? What happened to Maki, brother?¡±

    ¡°He was beaten; Tyra found Maki unconscious and badly beaten in his own house. He was rushed to the hospital immediately. When he regained consciousness, we asked who did it, but Maki just said it was his fault.¡±

    Tyra, one of our cousins, discovered him. She lives next door to Maki. What the hell¡­

    ¡°Tyra pped him hard, not considering that he already had wounds. We all know that Maki is a womanizer, right? Maybe someone beat him up because of a woman. Perhaps the girl he took out has a connection to someone.¡±

    Oh God¡­ I feel awful about this.

    ¡°I-I will visit him tomorrow, brother.¡±

    ¡°Okay, maybe we will too, but it seems like he¡¯s trying to get out of the hospital because he¡¯s been there for two days already. He just doesn¡¯t want to leave because there¡¯s a nurse he likes, ording to Tyra. He will never change. He¡¯ll probably remain a womanizer until he dies.¡±

    T-Two days? Sht.

    After bidding goodbye to my brother, Luther entered the car. He was holding a paper bag, and he handed it to me. When I looked inside, there were bottled water and choctes.

    ¡°To make you feel better. Drink plenty of water, too. You¡¯ve been crying since we were at the restaurant.¡±

    He¡¯s kind¡­ I really feel guilty that he got involved in my mess.

    But, wait, about Maki!Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°W-What happened to Maki? My brother told me that he was beaten. Maki doesn¡¯t want to say who did it to get revenge¡­ but I have someone in mind, Luther. D-Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡±

    Luther sighed and held my face.

    ¡°If your cousin went to Cyron¡¯s house, my brother probably saw him on the CCTV.¡±

    I gasped. It didn¡¯t cross my mind that Rozzean might go to Maki!

    ¡°And because you were missing, Cyron will doubt thest person who went to his house before you disappeared. Maki was thest one to visit his house, right?¡±

    ¡°Surely the guards mentioned it. Cyron might have thought that Maki was the reason you went missing, so he beat up your cousin.¡±

    ¡°O-Oh¡­ God¡­¡± I covered my mouth upon hearing what Luther said.

    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that your cousin didn¡¯t file a case, Thaliana. Maki would have a strong case against Cyron if he sued him because my brother was the one who went to his house just to beat him up.¡±

    Luther started his car again, and I took out my cellphone. My hands were trembling as I called Maki. It was a video call so I could see his face.

    I can¡¯t wait to see him tomorrow, so I am calling him now. I am worried. It¡¯s my fault that this happened to him!

    ¡°When you visit tomorrow and see Maki, please tell him thank you for not filing a case against Cyron.¡±

    What Luther said sounded like he¡¯s not serious about it. I looked at my cellphone. After a few rings, my cousin answered the video call. When I saw him, I covered my mouth again.

    ¡°Hey, Thaliana, I guess what happened to me reached you already. Who told you?¡± he asked andughed.

    How could he stillugh?! He was really beaten to a pulp!

 I Am So Sorry!

    ¡°I will go there and visit you, Maki! Why didn¡¯t you tell me? Was it Rozzean? Did Rozzean do this?¡±

    I nced at Luther briefly as I said that. I noticed the corner of his lips lifted. How could Rozzean hurt his friend?! Knowing Maki, he would not reveal the truth to our family. Just like what he did to my family about my n, he would wait for me to confess.

    Thaliana, the damage you¡¯ve caused has gone too far. You not only emotionally hurt people close to you, but now Maki has been physically harmed by Rozzean because of you!

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to visit me, Thaliana; I¡¯m fine, cousin. I just didn¡¯t want to go out because I have a crush on a nurse here in the hospital. I¡¯m feeling better now. What I want to know is about you. I heard from Griz that Luther Valleje was with you and he is your fiance. What happened to my friend?¡±

    I looked at Luther again. His facial expression turned serious once more.

    ¡°T-That¡¯s why I¡¯m with Luther now. I went to see Rozzean and told him the truth.¡±

    ¡°How are you? Is he angry, right? When you asked me about Rozz¡¯s condition, I didn¡¯t want to tell you. I can¡¯t lie to you, you know that. But he was devastated, Thaliana. He really looked for Tali all over Tagaytay and nearby areas. He seemed like crazy. I told him that I didn¡¯t hide you, but he didn¡¯t believe me.¡±

    ¡°He used me of taking you out because I was the only one who went to his house that day. He was so damn furious. Luckily, he didn¡¯t kill me.¡±

    Oh¡­ Rozzean.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorry, Maki¡­ I didn¡¯t know it would be this bad. I regret it now. That¡¯s why I also n to talk to Dad. I¡¯ll tell him and confess everything I did. It shouldn¡¯t be like this¡­¡±

    I heard Maki sigh. He winced when he spoke, his whole face seemed painful due to the injuries he got. I know Maki; he really hates getting his face injured. He loves his handsome face so much.

    ¡°Thank you so much, Maki. I don¡¯t know how I can make it up to you. T-Thank you for not filing a case against Rozzean. He even went to your ce and did that to you. If Uncle found out, they might not hesitate to have Rozzean jailed.¡±

    I know Maki¡¯s parents, even our male cousins. They absolutely hate when someone harms our family. There are only a few of us girls, and almost all are boys. No one dared to court us because they fear them, especially my brothers.

    Griz, Grand, and Grecion will never let anyone who hurts our family and get away with it. My siblings are crazy; they are ready to go to extremes if necessary.

    ¡°I will never sue Rozzean, Thaliana. First, I was really the reason why you disappeared from his house. I took on the anger of my friend, not because I deserve it, Thaliana, but because I pitied him that night.¡±

    I was stunned by what Maki said.

    ¡°He looks so lost. His appearance was exhausted, probably from searching for you. He loves Tali so much that he even hurt me, his friend. I understand what Rozz was going through at that time, so I didn¡¯t fight back. I¡¯m just thankful he didn¡¯t kill me. I just let him release his frustrations.¡±

    Tears welled up in my eyes, and my lips quivered as I heard what Maki said. I will never forget Rozzean¡¯s reaction when I told him the truth-how deeply he was hurt upon learning the reality from me.

    ¡°My worries for my friend was higher than thinking about myself that night, Thaliana. He really loves Tali. I told you that from the beginning. You left his house, but you didn¡¯t listen.¡±

    I wiped away the tears that escaped my eyes upon hearing Maki¡¯s words. I nodded repeatedly.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know it¡¯s toote to ask for forgiveness from all of you. I promise I will fix this.¡±

    ¡°Haaa¡­ Thaliana, if I didn¡¯t really love you, I wouldn¡¯t have done that!¡±

    I smiled at what he said.

    ¡°What? Did Rozzean forgive you? What did he do?¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t¡­ b-but I will do my best, Maki. I will do everything to earn his forgiveness. I won¡¯t give up on him. I love him, and I have no intention of letting him go, especially when I¡¯m the one at fault for all of this.¡±

    Maki nodded in understanding.

    ¡°Good luck, Thaliana. Rozz has a different way of getting angry. But I hope if he truly has no intention of forgiving you, he¡¯ll tell you. I know you made a mistake, and you didn¡¯t expect to fall in love with Rozzean. You regret it now, and you¡¯re hurting a lot. So, if there¡¯s really no hope, I hope Rozzean tells you. And please, Thaliana, know when to stop when you¡¯ve done everything, and you¡¯re still not epted.¡±

    ¡°You are precious. You made a mistake, but you shouldn¡¯t forget your value because of that one mistake, Thaliana.¡±

    What Maki said hurts me. Rozzean already said that he doesn¡¯t need me in his life, but I will still try my best to earn his forgiveness. What I want is for Rozzean to forgive me, but it¡¯s not likely¡­ it¡¯s not likely that, in his intense anger, his love for me as Tali will disappear.

    After bidding farewell to Maki as he said he would rest, I ended the call. I lowered my head and wiped away the tears from both cheeks.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to fix this, Luther. I don¡¯t know how to make things right with Rozzean. I never thought it woulde to this point, and now, I¡¯m scared that I might lose him forever. I love him so much, and I can¡¯t bear the thought of him hating me.¡±

    Luther looked at me with sympathy, but I could also sense a bit of frustration in his eyes. He¡¯s caught between his loyalty to his brother and his understanding of my mistakes.

    ¡°Thaliana, I¡¯ve known Rozzean for a long time, and I¡¯ve never seen him that angry before. You really hurt him. But, I can see that you regret what you did. The question now is, how do we make him see that and forgive you?¡±

    I took a deep breath, wiping away the tears that continued to fall.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Luther. I really don¡¯t know. I just want to fix things, but it seems like everything I do only makes it worse.¡±

    Luther sighed, ¡°Give him some time, Thaliana. Right now, he needs to cool down. Let him process everything. Maybeter on, when he¡¯s calmer, we can find a way to make things right. But you need to be patient and show him that you¡¯re sincere.¡±

    I nodded, realizing that Luther was right. I needed to give Rozzean space and time to process his emotions. But the fear of losing him was eating me alive.

    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit, Thaliana. Love has its way of healing wounds. Give it time, show him your sincerity, and maybe, just maybe, he¡¯ll find it in his heart to forgive you.¡±

    Luther¡¯s encouraging words somehow brought a glimmer of hope, but the uncertainty still lingered. I knew the road to forgiveness wouldn¡¯t be easy, especially with the heaviness of my mistake.

    ¡°Thank you, Luther. I appreciate your support and understanding, even in the midst of all this chaos. I just hope that someday, things will get better.¡±

    Luther nodded, giving me a reassuring smile. ¡°I hope so too, Thaliana. Let¡¯s focus on taking things one step at a time. We¡¯ll figure this out together.¡±

    As we continued to go back, my mind was filled with thoughts of Rozzean and how I will try to win him back. The night seemed endless, and the weight of my actions hung heavily in the air. All I could do was cling to the flicker of hope and pray that love would indeed conquer all.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

    After fifteen minutes, Luther and I remained silent. I gazed out the window, contemting how Rozzean would forgive me and thinking about what I should do.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you gonna eat the choctes? Eat them so you¡¯ll feel better. Also, drink plenty of water.¡±

    I turned to Luther, nodded at his suggestion, and then grabbed the choctes from the paper bag. He also bought arge bottled water for me.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry? You didn¡¯t eat much at the restaurant earlier,¡± he asked.

    ¡°A bit¡­¡±

    When the car stopped, I looked outside. We were at a 24-hour restaurant. We were still in Tagaytay.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat. I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    I nodded in agreement with Luther. I also felt hungry, and the chocte he gave couldn¡¯t satisfy it. As I stepped out, I hugged my arms due to the cold. Luther approached me and took off his leather jacket, putting it on me.

    He made me wear it and guided me into the restaurant.

    Luther is also kind. Maybe if I didn¡¯t meet Rozzean first and fall in love with him, and if Luther were really my fiance, there might be a possibility that I would like him. He¡¯s caring, kind, and understanding with the family.

    He¡¯s a great person.

    No wonder Daddy also agreed to Luther. Considering my father¡¯s nature, he wouldn¡¯t easily agree for me to marry someone he doesn¡¯t fully know. He knows Luther for sure. As Luther mentioned to me, Daddy prefers Rozzean, but he also knows Luther well.

    Daddy must be aware of Luther¡¯s personality, and that¡¯s why he agreed to let him rece Rozzean as my fiance.

    As we sat down to order food, I looked at Luther. He still has work tomorrow, but here he is with me now. He shouldn¡¯t be doing this. First, I¡¯m the reason why Rozzean and his father were not in good terms again, and now Luther had to step in as my fiance just to save Rozzean¡¯spany.

    I sighed at the trouble I caused him.

    ¡°Luther¡­¡± I got his attention.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± He was looking at his cellphone. He nced at me briefly when he heard me call him.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to take me home. My car is at the restaurant; you can just drop me off there.¡±

    ¡°No, I will take you home.¡±

    ¡°But your house is far from mine, you¡¯ll probably get home in the morning. You still have workter.¡±

    That¡¯s what I thought too. CEOs like him are busy; I¡¯ve witnessed it with Daddy and my siblings. We rarely had meals with Daddy because his time was consumed by thepany. He often came homete at night due to the workload.

    ¡°I can go home by myself.¡±

    Luther put his cellphone down on the table and looked at me seriously.

    ¡°I said I will take you home, Thaliana.¡±

    I took a deep breath. As I said, I won¡¯t insist anymore.

    I just nodded at what Luther said. I checked the time on my cellphone. It was already 2:00 am; we were definitely going home in the morning.

    ¡°I already informed your father that you are with me here in Tagaytay. They might get worried because you haven¡¯t returned home yet.¡±

    ¡°T-Thank you¡­ although I could have told them myself¨C¡±

    ¡°Do you really love my brother, Thaliana?¡±

    Out of nowhere, Luther suddenly asked me that.

    His eyes were serious as he looked at me. It¡¯s like he¡¯s waiting for my reaction and answer to his question. But he already knows my answer¡­ why is he still asking?

    ¡°Luther¡­ you know my answer, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Why not me?¡±

    I paused at his question.

    ¡°Why not me, Thaliana?¡±

 Hard Decisions

    I couldn¡¯t immediately recover after hearing what Luther said. The way he looked at me made it clear that he wasn¡¯t joking. My heart suddenly raced as I stared at him. I couldn¡¯t think of anything to say except to call his name.

    ¡°L-Luther-¡±

    ¡°Here¡¯s your food, ma¡¯am and sir. We have a free parfait for couples. Enjoy your meal!¡±

    I just thanked the waiter as he brought our food and ced it in front of us.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said to the waiter and smiled. After he left, leaving us alone again, I looked at Luther as he picked up the two tes of steak.

    ¡°Forget about what I said, Thaliana. I don¡¯t want you to feel awkward around me because of what I told you.¡±

    I took a deep breath. That might be the n, but does he really think I can just forget about it so easily?

    What he said about why not him?

    I love Rozzean, I love him dearly. Am I just a pity case for Luther now because he witnessed his sister¡¯s anger? I have no intention of giving up; I already told him that. Even if I have to work hard to win Rozzean¡¯s heart, even if I have to kneel down next time, I will do everything just to reconcile with him.

    ¡°You don¡¯t really mean that¡­¡± he paused in cutting the steak and looked at me, ¡°you¡¯re serious about what you said, right?¡±

    Many thoughts are running through my mind right now, but what I want from Luther is for him to just be joking about what he told me earlier. He¡¯s my fianc¨¦ now, and the decision of whether the wedding will proceed or not is out of my hands because I¡¯ve agreed to Daddy¡¯s wishes.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    The problem is, the entire time I thought I was going to marry a man named Rozzean, not Luther. Daddy didn¡¯t inform me of the changes that urred. But it¡¯s my fault. I was too confident that when I returned, I would still face Rozzean.

    Little did I know that while I was still at his house, he was already doing a lot for Tali. He was already making ns with Tali.

    ¡°Do you think I am kidding?¡±

    Luther ced the te with neatly sliced steak in front of me. He set down the cutlery and then gave his full attention to me. I felt a bit awkward under his gaze, so I lowered my eyes to the steak he had cut for me.

    ¡°I- I don¡¯t know¡­¡±

    ¡°Just eat, don¡¯t think too much about what I said.¡±

    I nodded at Luther¡¯s words and began to eat. Neither of us spoke after he made that statement. When we finished eating, we headed to his car. I didn¡¯t notice the passage of time.

    It was already four in the morning when we left the restaurant. Luther told me earlier not to dwell on what he said, but even after two hours, it still lingered in my mind.

    I nced at him while he was driving. He had a serious expression as he focused on the road. If he¡¯s serious about what he said, I feel sorry now because there will never be a chance for us to be together.

    Luther is kind, responsible, and shares some qualities with Rozzean. But in my eyes, he¡¯s just a friend. He was one of the people who helped me when I was still at Rozzean¡¯s house and continues to assist me in finding a way to be forgiven by him.

    I witnessed Luther¡¯s kindness, but it¡¯s Rozzean whom I truly love. There¡¯s no one else on my mind to love but Rozzean.

    ¡°Thank you, Luther.¡±

    I unlocked the seatbelt and nced at him. Lost in thought, I almost didn¡¯t realize that we were already in front of my house.

    ¡°Are you going to his houseter?¡± he asked.

    I smiled slightly. I will cook for Rozzean. I found out that he hasn¡¯t been eating, so I n to cook for himter and bring it to him.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go there, but you don¡¯t need to take me. I¡¯ll use my car,¡± I replied.

    Luther just nodded. I opened the door of his car, about to get out when he called my name.

    ¡°Thaliana¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    His lips parted, but no words came out. When Luther shrugged, I raised my eyebrows. I wondered what he wanted to say.

    ¡°Nothing, go inside. I¡¯ll leave once you¡¯re inside your house.¡±

    I nodded at him and thanked him again. As I descended, I took the key to my gate from my bag and then entered the house.

    Just as Luther mentioned, he would leave once I was inside.

    ¡°A lot of things happened, but this is because of your impulsive decisions, Thaliana.¡±

    I took a deep breath and headed to my room. Quickly, I grabbed a change of clothes and went to the bathroom, taking a quick shower. After bathing, I checked the time. It¡¯s almost 6:00 am.

    I remembered Luther; he has work, and he¡¯ll probably be sleepy at his job.

    What can I do to make up for his kindness?

    ¡°Why not me, Thaliana?¡±

    I put down the hairdryer, recalling Luther¡¯s words. He didn¡¯t say it as a joke, which means it could be true¡­

    ¡°I don¡¯t like what I¡¯m thinking.¡±

    Does he have feelings for me? Is that why he suggested it should just be him? Oh God¡­ I hope not. He knows how much I love Rozzean; he saw how I begged to stay at his housest night.

    But after witnessing everything, he still asked me that.

    I set down my wireless blower and went to my bed, letting my body copse. That¡¯s when I truly felt exhausted. I nced at my cellphone.

    When it vibrated, I immediately saw Luther¡¯s name on the screen. I opened his message.

    ¡°Take a rest. I will talk to Cyron for you. I will exin everything to him.¡±

    Luther¡­

    He¡¯s doing a lot for me.

    I quickly typed a response.

    ¡°Thank you so much, Luther. Please, take a rest too. I¡¯m sorry for the trouble I caused you and your family.¡±

    After putting down my cellphone, drowsiness suddenly overwhelmed me. I wasn¡¯t sure if Luther replied again; in my exhaustion, I didn¡¯t notice.

    I woke up because of the continuous vibration of my cellphone. Struggling to open my eyes, I groped for it and immediately checked the caller. I saw my brother Grecion¡¯s name on my cellphone screen.

    ¡°Hello¡­ brother?¡±

    ¡°Hey, Thaliana Tangi, I heard from Maki that you went to Tagaytay with Luther Valleje. Daddy said you just met himst night. I¡¯m just telling you, Tangi, marriage first, okay?! And please, let us meet the man first instead of going everywhere with him.¡±

    I scratched my head and slowly sat up. I headed to the kitchen and grabbed some water from the fridge.

    ¡°Brother¡­ it¡¯s early¨C¡±

    ¡°What early?! What time did youe home? It¡¯s already 1:00 pm, Tangi. Is this early for you?¡±

    I almost spat out the water at what Grecion said. I nced at the kitchen clock, and indeed, it was already one in the afternoon! What the hell! My n to cook lunch for Rozzean suddenly vanished!

    ¡°Grecion, don¡¯t lecture me; your mind is in another again¨C¡±

    ¡°And why shouldn¡¯t I think about things, Tangi? Dad has nothing to say, he¡¯s calm, because he likes Luther Valleje for you. But not me. Even though I also know Luther, I prefer to meet him first not just as a businessman but as your brother. Come on, Tangi, even if you¡¯re already twenty-nine, you can¡¯t just do whateveres to your mind. Marriage first. Marriage.¡±

    I wonder how they¡¯ll react when they find out that something happened between Rozzean and me? And not just once?

    ¡°Brother, as you said, I¡¯m already twenty-nine, I¡¯m old. Please, stop it. Also, I don¡¯t have any feelings for Luther. We¡¯re just friends.¡±

    There was sudden silence on the other end.

    ¡°Grecion?¡±

    I sat up and leaned back, waiting for my brother¡¯s response. When I checked the time, I wondered what time I would arrive in Tagaytay after cooking.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t like him, why did you agree to the marriage, Tangi?¡±

    My brother¡¯s voice turned serious. Griz, Grand, and Grecion-my brothers don¡¯t like the idea of arranged marriages, especially for me. But they can¡¯t do anything because I haven¡¯t introduced anyone to Dad, so he took matters into his own hands.

    ¡°You can tell Dad that you don¡¯t like the man, Tangi.¡±

    Suddenly, Luther¡¯s face came to my mind. There¡¯s nothing wrong with Luther; I just don¡¯t have feelings for him. It¡¯s just that I love Rozzean. As I said, if I had met Luther first, and if he was the one I was supposed to marry, I might have developed feelings for him.

    ¡°I think he will not force you to marry someone you do not like. We will help you talk to Dad, Tangi.¡±

    I sighed. If, in case¡­ if Rozzean can¡¯t forgive me and his love for mepletely fades away, why not Luther?

 I Canéˆ¥æª› Give Up On Him

    I shook my head. Why am I thinking about that now? I¡¯m giving up too quickly. I haven¡¯t even done anything yet, and now I¡¯m already thinking that Rozzean won¡¯t forgive me. I need to take back my fighting spirit. I¡¯m not Thaliana if I don¡¯t try every possible way to win Rozzean back.

    So, I decided to apply as a house help to see his attitude and criticize him in front of Dad. And just when he found out the truth, that¡¯s when I lose hope?

    ¡°I just made a mistake, brother. That¡¯s why Luther is my fianc¨¦ now.¡±

    ¡°What? What mistake?¡±

    Since he¡¯s the eldest, and I know I can be strong around him, I¡¯ll tell him the truth.

    I took a deep breath and exined to Grecion what I did.

    ¡°You know I don¡¯t want to get married, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I was surprised, and even Griz and Grand were surprised when Dad said you agreed. But at that time, we didn¡¯t know which man you were going to marry. Daddy didn¡¯t tell us.¡±

    ¡°Dad trusts the man he wants me to marry. He said he¡¯s kind, and he¡¯s sure that the man won¡¯t deceive me. Dad and I had an agreement, brother. Since I don¡¯t want to get married, I told him that if I see any bad behavior from the man he wants me to marry, he shouldn¡¯t force me to marry him, and he should let me do whatever I want. He agreed.¡±

    ¡°What? And then?¡±

    ¡°My real fianc¨¦ is Rozzean Cyron Valleje.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    ¡°Grecion, don¡¯t shout,e on!¡±

    I heard my brother¡¯s wife¡¯s voice on the other end.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t go on vacation to Pwan, Grecion. What I did was pretend to be poor and went to Tagaytay. I applied as a maid in Rozzean¡¯s house.¡±

    ¡°Holy sht, Tangi. You really did that?! No wonder we couldn¡¯t find you in Pwan no matter how hard we looked!¡±

    ¡°I know it was wrong, brother. But I can¡¯t take it back; it¡¯s done. I thought Rozzean would be my fianc¨¦, but everything got messed up. Rozzean fell for Tali-my identity as his maid. I-I didn¡¯t know what to do then, brother, I couldn¡¯t leave because I also love Rozzean. I couldn¡¯t abandon him.¡±

    A moment of silence passed by. I felt like my brother was drawing patience from somewhere because of what I said.

    ¡°Does Daddy know about this, Thaliana Tangi?¡±

    I bit my lower lip when he called me by my full name.

    ¡°Not yet. I¡¯ll tell him; I¡¯ll talk to Dad. I don¡¯t want him to lose trust in Rozzean when it¡¯s my fault. Dad got angry with Rozzean because he backed out of the agreement to marry me. That¡¯s because of Tali, brother, because Rozzean loves Tali, the way he loves me.¡±

    ¡°Rozzean¡¯spany is at risk because of me. That¡¯s why Luther became my fianc¨¦; he saved his brother from Dad¡¯s anger. I-It¡¯s really my fault, brother.¡±

    ¡°My God, Thaliana. What have you done? I know that Rozzean Cyron. If that¡¯s the case, he¡¯s really your fianc¨¦. Dad really likes him, Thaliana; Griz and Grand can attest to that. During events, Daddy always praises Rozzean. He¡¯s a monster in business, and as he said to you, he¡¯s indeed a great man. What have you done, Thaliana?¡±

    I nodded several times, sniffled, and wiped away tears that I didn¡¯t realize were falling.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I am making things right this time. I love Rozzean, I love him so much. The reason I went to Tagaytay with Luther is that I talked to him, but he¡¯s angry with me. He¡¯s really furious, and he doesn¡¯t want to ept me anymore.¡±

    ¡°After I heard what you did, Rozzean will not take your apology easily, Tangi. Even though you¡¯re my sister, you need to hear the truth.¡±

    I knew. I absolutely knew that.

    ¡°I will not lie to you to make you feel better.¡±

    ¡°I will talk to Dad, brother; I will tell him everything I did. I¡¯m also scared; it might affect thepany that Rozzean worked hard to build.¡±

    ¡°You better exin everything as soon as possible. But what does Luther Valleje think? Does he know about your love for his brother?¡±

    I suddenly remembered what Luther said.

    ¡°H-He knows, brother. He knows that I love Rozzean deeply, and he¡¯s also helping me.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Tangi, my head is throbbing from all the things you¡¯ve said. Dad will surely scold you severely.¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    I¡¯ll ept all their anger because it¡¯s really my fault.

    When my brother ended the call, I quickly looked for something to cook in my fridge. Rozzean¡¯s dinner is surely ready to bring to him. I¡¯ll bete in arriving, but it should be just in time for his meal.

    I started cooking.

    It took me an hour and a half to prepare the food. I cooked caldereta and sisig, cing the containers inside a paper bag. Once I was sure the meals were packed neatly, I headed to my room and quickly took a shower. After showering, I just tidied up in a hurry.

    Once my hair was dry, I grabbed my cellphone. I saw two messages there.

    ¡°Luther?¡±

    I immediately opened it.

    ¡°Thaliana¡­¡±

    That was all he said in the first message.

    ¡°If you are going to Cyron¡¯s ce, I can take you there.¡±

    The time of the message was just a few minutes before I entered the bathroom to shower. I replied, saying I could manage on my own. I also thought he might not have slept yet and needed to rest.

    After making sure I looked presentable, I took my bag and left the room. I would go to the restaurant to get my car.

    I took public transportation to the restaurant where we atest night. When I arrived there, I immediately got into my car. It¡¯s already 4:00 pm. I¡¯ll probably reach Tagaytay by 6:30 or 7:00 pm.

    I¡¯m nervous, but I have to endure it. Even if he rejects me again or if he asks the guard to throw me out, I¡¯ll ept it.

    While in the car, I heard my cellphone ringing.

    It was Luther.

    I quickly put on my earphones and answered the call.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Where are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m on my way to Rozzean¡¯s house, Luther. I told you in the message that I¡¯m going today, right?¡±

    The surroundings were getting darker.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I said that I can take you there, Thaliana. Where are you now?¡±

    I had already passed the Tagaytay arch. In twenty minutes, I¡¯d be in Rozzean¡¯s vige, so there¡¯s no need for Luther toe.

    ¡°I¡¯m already in Tagaytay, Luther. I¡¯m okay being alone. I can manage¡­¡±

    I heard him sigh on the other end.

    ¡°You¡¯ll being homete, Thaliana. I wish you had let me take you.¡±

    I knew he had a lot of work, and I also knew he hadn¡¯t rested yet, so I didn¡¯t want to bother him anymore. Besides, I can drive. I can handle long drives.

    ¡°I am okay, and I will be okay, Luther. Thank you so much for thinking about me. Rest, I know you haven¡¯t had any rest today.¡±

    ¡°Thaliana¨C¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m already in front of Rozzean¡¯s house; I¡¯ll end the call now, Luther,¡± I lied.

    ¡°Okay, just¡­¡±

    I nced at my cellphone when Luther¡¯s words were cut off, but the call hadn¡¯t ended yet.

    ¡°Just take care, and do not hesitate to call me if something bad happens. Be careful, Thaliana.¡±

    Luther disappeared from the other line, but my mind lingered on hisst words. His voice sounded worried about me. It¡¯s not like Luther can drive me to Rozzean¡¯s house every time I go there.

    He has work. He has done more than enough for me.

    When I reached Rozzean¡¯s house, I parked my car on the side. I grabbed the paper bag containing the food I cooked and headed to the gate. It seemed like the guards recognized me from thest time with Luther because they nodded at me and greeted me.

    They opened the gate for me, and I walked in. I looked at Rozzean¡¯s garden; some nts looked withered. Hasn¡¯t he allowed anyone else to enter his garden? It seems like the flowers haven¡¯t been watered.

    ¡°The flowers didn¡¯t look like this before I left¡­¡±

    When I was in front of the door, I rang the doorbell. I was about to press it again when the door suddenly opened, and Manang greeted me.

    ¡°Oh, Thaliana¡­ it¡¯s already night, what are you doing here?¡±

    She looked down at the paper bag in my hand.

    ¡°I cooked for Rozzean, Manang. Has he eaten?¡± I asked.

    Manang took my hand and ushered me in. I quickly scanned the entire house, hoping to catch a glimpse of him.

    ¡°He hasn¡¯t eaten yet; he hasn¡¯t eaten since this morning, and I¡¯m getting worried, dear. He moved temporarily to the guest room downstairs because it¡¯s difficult for him to walk.¡±

    What? Since this morning? What time is it now!

    ¡°W-Why, Manang, hasn¡¯t he eaten yet? Have you tried bringing him some food?¡± I asked.

    I headed to the kitchen with Manang. I set down the food I cooked and started reheating it.

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t say anything, dear. I knocked again earlier, but he didn¡¯t respond. I¡¯m getting worried because he hasn¡¯t been eating properly since you left.¡±

    Rozzean¡­ why are you not taking care of yourself?

    ¡°Thaliana, I want to call sir¡¯s parents, but he surely wouldn¡¯t like that. But I¡¯m really worried about him¡­ not eating and not taking the medications the doctor prescribed.¡±

    I bit my lower lip upon hearing Manang¡¯s words. I quickly transferred the caldereta into a bowl and ced it on the tray. After reheating the sisig, I added it to the container. I also scooped some rice.

    I grabbed juice from the fridge and ced it on the tray. Once the meals were ready, I looked at Manang.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take it to him, Manang,¡± I said.

    I saw the sadness in Manang¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Okay, Thaliana, I hope sir eats¡­ I am truly worried.¡±

    I went to the guest room. When I turned the doorknob, I found that it wasn¡¯t locked. Without a word, I entered the room.

    And there, I saw him sitting on the side of the bed.

    If only the situation were different, I might run to him and hug him from behind. I miss him so much. I really miss him.

    Rozzean¡­

 Unbearable Pain

    I saw him sitting on the corner of his bed, facing away from me.

    ¡°Manang, I said I don¡¯t want to eat. How many times do I have to tell you¨C¡±

    I noticed a brief surprise in his eyes when he saw me, quickly reced by anger.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t move from where I stood, holding the food I cooked for him. I saw him grab his cane for support and stand to approach me.

    ¡°Which part of what I saidst night didn¡¯t you understand, huh? Miss. D Vezca?¡±

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­ Manang told me that y-you haven¡¯t eaten since this morning. I c-cooked food for you¨C¡±

    As he approached me, I hesitated in speaking when he overturned the tray, and I gasped as the food spilled onto my hands. I felt the intense heat of the dishes, but I bore it.

    ¡°You don¡¯t care if I haven¡¯t eaten, who do you think you are?¡±

    This is so difficult¡­

    This is so painful.

    I didn¡¯t know it could hurt even more thanst night.

    The stinging sensation in my hands seemed insignificantpared to the pain in my chest as he stared at me with his furious eyes.

    ¡°I-I made a mistake¡­ but I regret it, Rozzean¡­¡±

    ¡°I introduced m-myself as someone else, but everything I showed you in your house was real. Even my feelings for you, I love you. I love you very much¨C¡±

    ¡°Shut up! Just shut up! You made me look like a fool! You yed with me, and now you¡¯re telling me that you love me? That you fckng love me very much?! Damn that love!¡±

    I stepped back because of his anger.

    ¡°Were you happy?¡±

    When he stepped towards me, I retreated again. Tears continued to flow from both of my eyes as he stared at me.

    It seems like¡­

    H-His anger might not go away.

    ¡°Were you happy while ying with me in my own house, huh? And what love are you talking about?¡±

    I shook my head repeatedly in response to his questions. My stay in his house is something I won¡¯t forget for the rest of my life. It was never my intention to y with him.

    ¡°N-No¡­ not like that, R-Rozzean. I-I made a mistake, I regret it, b-but please don¡¯t question my love for y-you.¡±

    ¡°I love you¨C¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t fckng say those words to me, Miss. D Vezca. If you love me, why did you continue to deceive me?¡±

    ¡°If you love me, why did you make a fool out of me?¡±

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    ¡°Leave.¡±

    ¡°L-Listen to me¡­ p-please¡­ I made a mistake, I regret it, I shouldn¡¯t have done that. I-I¡¯m so sorry¡­ I know it¡¯s wrong, I just had a hard timeing back and exining everything because I couldn¡¯t leave you.¡±

    When he turned away from me, I let out a sob.

    ¡°Manang!¡±

    After a few seconds, Manang entered the room upon his call.

    ¡°S-Sir¡­¡±

    ¡°Get her out.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    Manang looked at me, her gaze shifting to my reddened hands and arms due to the burns.

    ¡°A-Are you okay, dear?¡± she asked.

    I nodded at Manang and faced Rozzean again.

    ¡°I-I¡¯ll leave now, but I won¡¯t stop until you fully forgive me. I hope¡­ I hope you¡¯ve eaten, Rozzean. P-Please, take care of yourself.¡±

    He nced at me once more.

    ¡°Throw her cooked dishes in the trash, Manang.¡±

    I was stunned in my ce after what I heard.

    ¡°S-Sir?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything in this house rted to her.¡±

    Is it over?

    I-Is it really over?

    ¡°Thaliana.¡±

    I quickly turned my head upon hearing Luther¡¯s voice. I was surprised to see him.

    ¡°L-Luther¡­¡±

    He went to me and check my arms.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go and I will take you home. You¡¯ll ride in my car.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m fine, Luther. I can manage,¡± I insisted, but he shook his head.

    ¡°No, Thaliana. You cannot drive with those burns. We¡¯ll take a cab or my car, but I won¡¯t let you drive in that condition.¡±

    I nodded, feeling a mix of gratitude and exhaustion.

    Luther turned to his brother, his expression stern.

    ¡°Rozzean Cyron, I don¡¯t know what happened, but I expect you to treat Thaliana with respect. I won¡¯t let her get hurt again. If I find out you¡¯ve harmed her intentionally, you¡¯ll regret it. And I am warning you.¡±

    Rozzean¡¯s re met Luther¡¯s, and for a moment, the room felt charged with tension.

    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll get my things,¡± I whispered to Luther, moving towards the door. I didn¡¯t want to be the cause of further conflict between the two brothers.

    Luther nodded, still maintaining a stern gaze at Rozzean.

    As I packed my belongings, the realization of the situation sunk in. I had hurt Rozzean, and now, the aftermath was proving to be more painful than I could have imagined.

    I nodded. When I faced Rozzean, I saw that he avoided eye contact with us until he turned awaypletely.

    ¡°W-We¡¯re leaving, R-Rozzean. I hope you¡¯ve eaten¡­ please take care of yourself.¡±

    That¡¯s what I said before I left the room ahead of Luther. I couldn¡¯t stop my tears from falling because of the pain. I kept reying Rozzean¡¯s looks from earlier in my mind.

    His intense anger.

    I¡¯ve only tried to seek his forgiveness twice, but I quickly lose hope. Even though I repeatedly tell myself that I can handle his words and endure, it¡¯s different when I¡¯m actually facing him.

    It hurts, my chest tightens with pain. Each word he said earlier felt like a knife stabbing into my chest.

    ¡°Thaliana, do you really need to go this far? Do you have to get hurt just to earn Cyron¡¯s forgiveness?¡±

    I ignored what Luther said until we were outside the house. We were in front of the garden when I looked at him.

    I wiped away my tears. I sighed before answering him.

    ¡°I-I really don¡¯t know, Luther, b-but it¡¯s my fault why Rozzean is doing this. W-We can¡¯t me him because I fooled him.¡±

    It¡¯s getting hard for me to speak because of crying. I can¡¯t help it; crying lets out the pain in my chest.

    ¡°You fooled him, yes, but he loves you. I don¡¯t believe that¨C¡±

    ¡°Luther¡­ do you think he really loves me?¡±

    I saw Luther pause at my question.

    ¡°D-Do you think R-Rozzean really loves me?¡±

    I am doubting his love now. Could everything have happened so quickly for him, and he realized it?

    ¡°Thaliana¡­¡±

    ¡°B-Because I don¡¯t know if he still loves me¡­ I don¡¯t know if after everything I¡¯ve done, he¡¯lle back to me. B-But I don¡¯t want to s-stop, Luther¡­¡±

    ¡°I-I love Rozzean so much¡­¡±

    ¡°Even though it hurts so much, I¡¯ll endure it because I love him so much.¡±

    Luther didn¡¯t say a word. He pulled me closer and embraced me. I couldn¡¯t help but cry on his chest.

    ¡°I never k-knew I could feel this kind of p-pain in my life because of one mistake. I m-miss him and it hurts so much. I regret what I did to him, Luther¡­¡±

    The pain is too much.

    It¡¯s unbearable.

 The Truth

    I came early today to my parents¡¯ house becauseter I¡¯ll cook again and go to Rozzean¡¯s house. Even though my visitst night didn¡¯t go well, it didn¡¯t diminish my desire to try again to seek his forgiveness.

    ¡°What are you doing here early this morning, Tangi?¡±

    I stood beside Daddy while he was having coffee. My hands, still reddened from the burnsst night, were hidden behind me.

    I didn¡¯t inform them that I¡¯d being today. I didn¡¯t send a text or call my siblings, nor did I leave any messages or calls for Mommy.

    ¡°I know that look on your face, Tangi.¡±

    Mommy looked at me, smiled, and didn¡¯t say anything. I¡¯m nervous about what I¡¯ll confess to them, including the burns on my hands and arms. They will surely worry about me.

    ¡°Dad¡­ I just want to know about¡­ Luther.¡±

    ¡°Why him? Weren¡¯t you the one who told me that Rozzean would be my fianc¨¦e? How did it end up being Luther?¡±

    Even though I knew the answer, I still asked him. I wanted to know his current thoughts about Rozzean, especially after he withdrew from the agreement. I knew that Daddy¡¯s anger towards Rozzean wouldn¡¯t easily fade due to her backing out of the deal, but I needed to clear his name.

    Daddy lowered the newspaper he was holding and looked at me for a moment. Then, he took his coffee and had a sip.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit so we can talk about what happened, Tangi?¡±

    I immediatelyplied with Daddy¡¯s suggestion and sat on the sofa in front of him and Mommy.

    I wanted to save the rtionship between Rozzean and Daddy. After learning from Luther and Grecion that Daddy really liked Rozzean, the burden on my chest became even heavier.

    It¡¯s my fault that Daddy got angry with him.

    Rozzean did the right thing. Luther was correct when he said that Rozzean wouldn¡¯t continue meeting Thaliana because he¡¯s already in love with Tali. I was foolish not to think about it when I was at his house.

    I was confident that Rozzean would still meet Thaliana, so I didn¡¯t tell him the truth. I preferred exining everything when I returned as Thaliana, but not everyone agreed with me. My n fell apart.

    Why did I forget what kind of man I love?

    He backed out because he¡¯s madly in love with Tali.

    That¡¯s what should happen-to step back not because he doesn¡¯t want to marry me, but because he already loves someone else. He¡¯s brave to talk to my Dad. Why would he continue the marriage talk with my Dad if he already loves Tali so much?

    He could have a happy life with Tali. He doesn¡¯t need to see Thaliana or get to know her.

    But the problem is¡­ I am also Tali.

    I hurt him so much. Last night, because of what happened, I questioned his love for me. But after talking to Luther about how I wanted to get Rozzean¡¯s forgiveness, everything I did in his house came back.

    I remembered how kind he is, how great he is.

    It¡¯s my fault, so I have no right toin or question what he¡¯s doing now.

    I¡¯m hurting, but I know that when he found out the truth, he suffered even more.

    I looked at my father.

    ¡°You said that the man I was going to marry was Rozzean Cyron Valleje. I am sure about that, Daddy¡­¡±

    Daddy nodded and then took another sip of his coffee. I am here because I want to make things right, and I am hoping that my father will listen to me.

    ¡°You gave me information about him. But why did it end up being Luther, Dad?¡±

    ¡°I was wrong when I said that Rozzean is good for you.¡±

    I was taken aback by Daddy¡¯s words.

    ¡°I thought he would stick to our agreement. But I found out that he already loves someone else. He knew about our arrangement, Tangi, and then he told me that the reason he can¡¯t marry you is that he loves his maid?¡±

    R-Rozzean told him that?

    ¡°D-Did he really tell you that she loves his maid?¡±

    Daddy nodded slowly. He wasn¡¯t angry; maybe he already moved on because he knows that Luther will marry me.

    But¡­ wait, I can¡¯t get over the fact that Rozzean told my Dad that he loves his maid! I thought he only told his parents about that. Luther only told me that he talked to my Dad and said that he loves someone else. But Luther never mentioned to me that Rozzean specifically said he loves his maid.

    ¡°I am not judgmental, Tangi, but it was unexpected¡­ I was so angry when I talked to Rozzean before, so maybe that¡¯s why I don¡¯t feel as much anger now while telling you what happened.¡±

    ¡°It took courage for him to face me and say that he can¡¯t marry you.¡±

    Daddy sighed and shook his head.

    ¡°D-Dad¡­¡±

    ¡°I was so mad, Tangi. Who wouldn¡¯t I be? I value you so much, I thought he would be my son-inw. I know him, he¡¯s a good young man, skilled in business, and many of his qualities are things I truly liked. I trusted him¡­ I liked Rozzean for you, but he disappointed me. I was so disappointed.¡±

    It¡¯s my fault¡­ even Daddy¡¯s trust is gone now.

    ¡°D-Daddy¡­¡±

    I couldn¡¯t hold back my emotions anymore. Tears had been welling up, and now they were streaming down my face. Seeing this, my parents became rmed. Mommy grabbed a tissue and came over to me.

    ¡°Why are you crying, Tangi? D-don¡¯t you like Luther? Don¡¯t you want to marry him? He¡¯s a good man. He won¡¯t hurt you. I am sure,¡± Mommy said, trying tofort me.

    I know that Luther is a kind and good person. It¡¯s not that I dislike Luther, but I want to marry Rozzean. Rozzean is the one I love.

    I looked at Daddy.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m the one at fault for Rozzean backing out of our agreement¡­¡±

    My father gave me a puzzled look.

    ¡°What do you mean, Tangi?¡±

    ¡°W-We had an agreement, right? B-because I really didn¡¯t want to get married, I pretended to be a maid in Rozzean¡¯s house to see his bad side and tell you about it, Daddy¡­¡±

    I heard Mommy gasp beside me.

    ¡°W-What? W-what did you do?¡±

    ¡°D-Dad¡­ I¡¯m the maid he¡¯s saying he loves, so he can¡¯t marry Thaliana.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the reason he backed out of the agreement. I a-am Tali. I pretended as Tali D Cruz a poor woman and enter Rozzean¡¯s house.¡±

    I saw Daddy clutching his chest. Mommy and I were rmed. I stood up and went to Dad in fear that he might be having another attack.

    ¡°D-Dad! D-daddy!¡±

    My father took a series of deep breaths while I held onto him.

    ¡°M-Mommy, l-let¡¯s bring him to the hospital¨C¡±

    I couldn¡¯t continue what I was saying when Dad grabbed my arm. When I saw his breathing returning to normal, the fear in my chest subsided. I thought something bad had happened to him!ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

    ¡°W-What did you say, Thaliana Tangi? W-what did you do?¡±

    I shook my head, unable to answer out of fear that his condition might worsen.

    ¡°D-Dad¡­ w-we shouldn¡¯t talk right now, y-you might get worse¡­¡±

    Tears filled my eyes as I looked at my father. I couldn¡¯t discern any anger on his face.

    ¡°You are telling me that the maid Rozzean was talking about was¡­ you?¡±

    I nodded slowly to Daddy.

    ¡°Oh God¡­ what have you done?¡±

    I bit my lower lip upon hearing Daddy¡¯s words.

    ¡°I-I really didn¡¯t want to get married, Dad. H-haven¡¯t I told you several times? S-so, I thought of doing that. D-Dad¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I regret it now.¡±

    Daddy ced his hand on his forehead.

    ¡°Luther is your fiance now, Thaliana Tangi. He talked to me to save his brother¡¯spany because I told Rozzean that I would pull out my shares from hispany. Rozzean didn¡¯t hesitate to tell me that if there¡¯s something or someone he¡¯s afraid to lose, it would be the woman he loves.¡±

    ¡°Are you the woman he¡¯s talking about?¡±

    I nodded and showed Daddy the ring I was wearing.

    ¡°H-He proposed to me when I was Tali. I epted because I also love Rozzean, I love him so much, and I thought he would still be my fianc¨¦, but I was wrong. Luther exined everything to me. D-Dad¡­ please¡­ it¡¯s not Rozzean¡¯s fault, it¡¯s all my fault. Please don¡¯t change how you see him.¡±

    ¡°I hurt him. I deceived him with another identity because of my selfishness. He was hurt because of me. H-He also knows the truth now. I told himst night, that¡¯s why we¡¯re in Tagaytay with Luther. He apanied me.¡±

    ¡°H-He was so mad at me¡­ s-so mad that he doesn¡¯t want to see me, D-Daddy.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s my fault, so I¡¯m doing everything to make him forgive me.¡±

    My father looked at Mommy and held her hand.

    ¡°I want to be angry at what you did, Tangi, but I can¡¯t because I know you¡¯re hurting too.¡±

    I hugged Daddy and cried on his chest.

    ¡°I-I didn¡¯t know, Dad, that everything you said about Rozzean was right. H-He¡¯s a great man. I fell hard, I love him so much, and now we are both suffering because of what I did.¡±

    I felt my father¡¯s hand gently rubbing my back. What I didn¡¯t expect was that Dad would understand what I did. He¡¯s not angry. He¡¯sforting me.

    ¡°I am so sorry, D-Daddy. S-Sorry for what I did. Y-You had amotion at home because you thought I was missing. I-I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    I cried while embracing my father. When he took my hand, I pulled away from the hug. He looked at my hands with burns.

    ¡°What happened to your hands, Tangi?¡± Mommy asked with concern.

    ¡°Sweetheart, what happened?¡± Mommy asked again when I didn¡¯t answer.

    ¡°I just spilled some hot food, I-I¡¯m okay now.¡±

    Dad brushed my hair aside. ¡°Your hands are very important, Tangi. You use them to arrange flowers. Please be careful next time, okay?¡±

    I nodded to Daddy and smiled.

    ¡°And about Rozzean, I understand why he¡¯s making it hard for you to talk to him. But, do you want me to help you?¡±

    I nodded quickly.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it, I don¡¯t want him to forgive me just because you said so.¡±

    Daddy kissed my forehead and gently touched my cheek.

    ¡°Okay, sweetheart, but if you need Daddy and Mommy, we¡¯re always here, okay?¡±

    I am so blessed to have them in my life. I hugged Mommy and Dad and expressed my gratitude.

    After talking to my parents that morning, I immediately went home and prepared food again for Rozzean. I won¡¯t give up on him; I¡¯ll do everything to make him forgive me.

    I know I just need to endure his anger; he will eventually forgive me. His love won¡¯t easily disappear because I am still Tali. That¡¯s what I¡¯m holding onto.

 The Ring

    ¡°Thaliana¡­¡±

    At the gate of Rozzean¡¯s house, I saw Manang. It looked like she was going somewhere as she was dressed up. She approached me and then touched my arm. She looked at my hands and the part of my arm that got burned.

    ¡°Are you okay now? I-I¡¯m sorry for what sir did the other day.¡±

    I shook my head at Manang, and we entered the house together.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Manang. I understand his anger. I¡¯ll do everything to make Rozzean forgive me.¡±

    ¡°I believe you, dear. He will forgive you, just endure it, okay? I can¡¯t help you much, sorry.¡±

    This is a big help because he always opens the door for me and lets me in. If Rozzean knew I wasing, maybe Manang wouldn¡¯t let me in.

    When we entered the house, I went back to the kitchen with Manang.

    ¡°Oh Thaliana,, I forgot theundry I hung at the back, just a moment, okay? I¡¯ll leave you here in the kitchen for a while.¡±

    ¡°Sure, Manang. I¡¯ll just warm up the food, then I¡¯ll bring it to Rozzean¡¯s room.¡±

    Manang nodded at me. I busied myself warming the dishes I cooked. After finishing, I transferred them to a bowl and ced them on a tray. I took the juice from the fridge while holding the ss.

    ¡°Manang.¡±

    I paused when I heard Rozzean¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Manang, did you¨C¡±

    I was taken aback when he was now in front of me. He wasn¡¯t using a cane anymore, but he was still struggling to walk.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    I took a deep breath, tightly gripping the ss as I looked at him.

    ¡°Manang is at the back, tending theundry, but she¡¯ll be back soon,¡± I said. He didn¡¯t speak; his eyes were serious, not angry, just seriously looking at me.

    He was so close.

    He only took a few steps, but it felt like he was far away.

    ¡°What are you doing here? I told you not toe back, didn¡¯t I?¡± he asked.

    He seemed calmer than before.

    I nced at the table where I had prepared the food for him.

    ¡°I-I cooked because¨C¡±

    ¡°I am thankful that you ate the food I cooked, Rozz. Manang said you haven¡¯t eaten sincest night. I¡¯ll cook for you againter.¡±

    The word ¡°surprise¡± is not enough to exin how I felt when I saw ri entering the kitchen. She was smiling while holding a tray. My eyes were fixed on what she was holding. My breath became heavier when I realized what she said.

    S-She cooked for Rozzean? And he¡­ ate the food?

    The tes are clean, with a little leftover food in the bowl. H-He ate what ri prepared for him, but my food was thrown away?

    ¡°Who are you?¡± ri asked me.

    Oh yeah¡­ who am I? Like Rozzean¡¯s questionst night, who am I? The pain in my chest resurfaced. My eyes blurred with tears. The ss slipped from my trembling hands, creating a noise as it broke.

    What are you doing, Thaliana?!

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    I quickly kneeled and set down the juice I was holding. I picked up the broken ss. I know they¡¯re looking at me. My mind was on Rozzean and ri.

    What is ri doing here?

    S-She seems to havee from Rozzean¡¯s room. She was holding a tray. Manang is not here, so it seems like she came from outside. They were left alone here. Is she taking care of him? She was smiling¡­ they seem to be getting along. Is this the first day ri came?

    I winced as a shard of broken ss cut my fingers. The tears I¡¯ve been holding back started to fall. Not because of the pain from the ss, but because of the ache I felt seeing them together.

    ¡°O-Oh, Tali!¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    I felt Manang kneel beside me, taking my bleeding hand.

    ¡°Tali?¡± I heard ri¡¯s voice.

    Manang helped me stand, then led me to the sink to wash my fingers that were cut by the broken ss. But my fingers, cut by the ss, didn¡¯t stop bleeding.

    ¡°Oh dear, you shouldn¡¯t have picked that up. Now, you¡¯re hurt.¡±

    Manang looked at me with concern. I wiped away my tears with one hand and smiled at her. I didn¡¯t look at Rozzean. I couldn¡¯t muster the courage to look at him, especially with ri by his side.

    It hurts to see them together.

    Is there really no hope for him to forgive me?

    ¡°Manang, here¡¯s the tray. Rozz has finished eating.¡±

    From the corner of my eye, I saw Manang approach ri and take the tray. After taking it, ri assisted Rozzean. That¡¯s when I found myself facing them.

    I was waiting¡­

    I was hoping he¡¯d tell ri that he can manage on his own now, that he doesn¡¯t need her help. I was waiting for him to create some distance, but Rozzean¡¯s hand found its way to ri¡¯s waist for support.

    My lips fell open in shock. It felt like my chest was being stabbed repeatedly.

    D-Do I¡­ really need to see this?

    ¡°We¡¯ll go back to the room, Manang. If we need anything, we¡¯ll just call you,¡± ri said.

    A-And they are heading inside his room. Rozzean is letting ri take care of him. I-It looks like he¡¯s okay now, he seems to be getting better. He¡¯s eating, walking without his crutch¡­ he¡¯s okay without me.

    ¡°S-Sure,¡± manang replied, then nced at me.

    But before they could leave the kitchen, I spoke up.

    ¡°W-Wait.¡±

    I faced both of them. It was a painful sight, witnessing the man I love being taken care of by another woman.

    Damn it. Why is this so painful?

    But I tried my best, maybe this is okay now? Too see that Rozzean¡¯s okay. He ate, he looks fine now¡­

    Perhaps¡­ it¡¯s time to let go¡­

    ¡°Wait¡­ please¡­¡±

    Maybe his love for me isn¡¯t deep enough that he can¡¯t forgive me for betraying him. If he truly loves me, he won¡¯t endure this.

    He won¡¯t show this to me.

    ¡°Do you need something from us, miss?¡± ri asked me.

    She had a serious expression while looking at me. But I turned my eyes to Rozzean.

    I forced a small smile even though my eyes were filled with tears.

    ¡°I¡­ I will ss-top here.¡±

    He looked at me intently.

    ¡°I won¡¯t bother you anymore. I can see that you are recovering now, and that¡¯s enough for me. If¡­¡± I quickly wiped away the tear that fell from my eyes, ¡°if you can¡¯t forgive me, it¡¯s okay. I won¡¯t do anything, I w-won¡¯te back to your house. Just eat and take care of yourself.¡±

    I clung tightly to the hope of his forgiveness, but as I looked at him now with ri, that hope slowly faded away. It vanishedpletely¡­ e-everything.

    I didn¡¯t know that loving someone could be this painful.

    I-I made a mistake, and I regret it deeply. But I never expected that the consequence of that mistake would be this agonizing.

    ¡°T-Take care of yourself, hmm?¡± I tried to smile at him.

    I took a deep breath, step back and removed the ring he gave me. I ced it on the kitchen ind.

    I saw Rozzean¡¯s eyes fixate on it.

    ¡°I-I love you. I love you so much, Rozzean, but I-I won¡¯t insist anymore.¡±

    After saying that, I quickly walked past them. I hoped he would call me, but even as I left the house, I didn¡¯t hear him calling my name, even faintly.

    I went outside and headed to my car.

    My eyes were blurry with tears as I left Rozzean¡¯s house.

    I guess¡­ This is really the end for us.

 Accident

    I tightly hold the steering wheel as tears continue to flow from my eyes. The pain is intense. It hurts seeing ri at her house before, and now they¡¯re together?

    He allowed her to take care of him.

    ¡°I-I can¡¯t handle it anymore. I-I admit I¡¯m weak, but I can¡¯t bear the pain. I can¡¯t bear seeing them together. If ri can help him, I won¡¯t force myself anymore.¡±

    He was with ri, and she¡¯s taking care of him. And me? Every time I go to his house, he¡¯ll shoo me away, speak unkind words.

    ¡°I have a heart too. It hurts even more because I love him so much. Just because I made a mistake doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m a bad person. Isn¡¯t forgiveness supposed to be a thing? It¡¯s so difficult¡­ so painful.¡±

    My eyes blur with tears. When my cellphone rings, I nce at it.

    But as I reach for it, I suddenly hear a loud horn. I look at the road and quickly realize I¡¯m out of myne and about to collide with another vehicle.

    ¡°Ah, sht.¡±

    I quickly turn the steering wheel, and my car hits a tree by the side of the road. Because of the crash, my head hits the side mirror of my car.

    I endured the pain in my head from hitting the side. I felt dizzy because of its intensity.

    ¡°You¡¯re really s-so foolish, Thaliana.¡±

    I cried even more because of what happened to me. When I felt something dripping on the side of my head, I touched it. When I looked, I got scared seeing blood.

    ¡°Am I going to die?¡±

    I heard my cellphone ringing again. When I picked it up, I saw that Luther was calling. I answered immediately due to my situation.

    ¡°L-Luther¡­¡±

    ¡°Thaliana? I¡¯ve been calling since earlier. Your Dad called me that you went to Cyron¡¯s house. I am on my way. I¡¯m already in Tagaytay. I warned youst night. It wasn¡¯t good what happenedst night; I told you¨C¡±

    ¡°Are you crying?¡±

    Before I could respond, I looked at the car door when I heard a knock.

    ¡°I-I got into an ident, Luther¡­¡±

    ¡°What?! Where? Are you still in Tagaytay? What¡¯s your location¨Csht. I saw your car already. Are you okay?¡±

    I tightly closed my eyes when the guy outside knocked again.

    ¡°I-I am okay, I¡¯m o-okay.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    A few secondster, I heard a series of knocks, and when I looked, it was Luther. I quickly opened my car door and went out. Luther greeted me immediately, looking very worried.

    ¡°You are fckng bleeding, Thaliana, and you told me that you are okay?!¡±

    ¡°I-I don¡¯t feel anything else, Luther¡­ I¡¯m okay.¡±

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, it might be better for you to go to the hospital; who knows what could happen to you,¡± the guy said. He was the one who knocked on my car door earlier to check on me.

    ¡°Thank you, sir. I¡¯m sorry, is anyone else hurt?¡± I asked, scanning the area. There were few people passing by, and I managed to avoid my car quickly earlier, so it seems no one else got involved.

    ¡°No, Ma¡¯am, it¡¯s a self-ident. Please go to the hospital to make sure you¡¯re safe and that there¡¯s no internal bleeding.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, I am sorry for the trouble,¡± I replied to the man.

    Facing Luther, I saw anger on his face.

    ¡°I will call your family.¡±

    He guided me to his car. As he started the engine, I sat in silence, feeling like I almost died because of negligence.

    I grabbed a tissue and pressed it to my finger, which was cut by the broken ss earlier. It was still bleeding. Luther noticed and focused his gaze on it.

    ¡°Did you injure your fingers? Was anything broken inside your car?¡± he asked.

    I shook my head.

    ¡°I-I got this when I picked up a broken ss.¡±

    ¡°Where? At Cyron¡¯s house?¡± Luther¡¯s voice had anger in it when he asked. I saw him grip the steering wheel tightly.

    ¡°Y-yes, but it¡¯s my fault. I dropped the ss; it¡¯s not Rozzean¡¯s fault.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand him anymore, Thaliana. He loves you, but he¡¯s treating you like this?¡±

    I lowered my head.

    ¡°I¡­ I saw ri. She was there, taking care of him.¡±

    ¡°Rozzean l-looks okay now, he¡¯s recovering. He ate the food ri cooked. ri is taking care of him, Luther.¡±

    ¡°He¡­ d-doesn¡¯t need me. I saw it again.¡±

    ¡°I-I saw it¡­¡±

    I choked up, wiping away the tears on both cheeks with a tissue. What I witnessed earlier hurt more than the ident I went through. I wished my head hit harder so I could forget.

    ¡°I¡­ already return the ring he gave me when he proposed to Tali. H-He doesn¡¯t want me anymore, Luther. E-ven if I beg in front of him like I did before, it seems like it¡¯s really over. He didn¡¯t even call me earlier. I was waiting. I was hoping, but nothing¡­¡±

    ¡°You need to stop.¡±

    I nodded slowly.

    ¡°I-I¡¯ve said it, I¡¯ll stop bothering him.¡±

    Luther didn¡¯t speak until we reached the hospital. He had me checked immediately, all kinds of tests to make sure I was okay. He also called my family because of what happened to me. My parents were extremely worried. They went to the hospital in Tagaytay and then took me home..

    Luther followed me to my parents¡¯ house. My siblings also came, and they were extremely worried when they learned what happened to me.

    ¡°Are you sure there¡¯s no problem with the results? C-can we get a second opinion, George? I can¡¯t rx,¡± my mom said while sitting beside me, holding my hand.

    ¡°Tangi¡¯s head is so hard, Mom, so it won¡¯t easily break. Mom¨Couch! That hurts, hon,¡± Griz said as his wife pinched him on the side.

    ¡°I had the tests repeated at the hospital, ma¡¯am, and everything was clear. There¡¯s nothing to worry about,¡± Luther reassured my mom.

    ¡°I am just worried. This is the first time this happened to Tangi. Thank you, Luther. It¡¯s a good thing you¡¯re close, and you immediately went to our daughter.¡±

    Luther bowed to my mom and then looked at me.

    ¡°Thaliana.¡±

    I looked at Dad when he called my name. I gulped when I saw his serious expression.

    ¡°You went to Rozzean¡¯s ce, right?¡±

    I nodded slowly. When I couldn¡¯t meet Daddy¡¯s gaze, I lowered my head.

    ¡°I respect your decision of trying to win him back, sweetheart, but I¡¯m finding it hard to see what you¡¯re going through. You¡¯re my only daughter, and we are all protecting you. We won¡¯t allow you to be hurt again after one mistake, and Rozzean won¡¯t still forgive you?¡±

    I felt nervous about his words. Yes, I gave up on Rozzean, but I don¡¯t want Dad¡¯s opinion of him to change. I still want to bring back their rtionship to how it was before. I want Dad to have that good impression of Rozzean.

    ¡°D-Dad¡­ you understand him, right? I-I betrayed him, it¡¯s natural for him to¨C¡±

    ¡°At first, yes. But now? No, Thaliana Tangi.¡±

    ¡°You got into an ident because of him.¡±

    I quickly shook my head. It was my fault! Not Rozzean¡¯s!

    ¡°N-No! It¡¯s my fault! Dad¡­ you shouldn¡¯t me him for my mistake. I was the one driving, I wasn¡¯t focused on the road. It¡¯s my fault!¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯s the reason why it happened. You weren¡¯t yourself, right? Your swollen eyes tell us that you¡¯ve been crying so hard. And where were youing from? If I ask you what happened at Rozzean¡¯s house, will you tell me?¡± my dad sternly said to me.

    I remembered ri and Rozzean. I felt the intense pain in my chest again. I covered my mouth and tried not to make a sound because of my crying.

    ¡°I¡¯m taking care of and protecting you so you won¡¯t get hurt like this, Thaliana.¡±

    I shook my head again. I was afraid he might get angry with Rozzean. When Dad left, Mommy followed him. The situation worsened because of my ident.

    ¡°Rozzean? Rozzean Cyron?¡± Griz asked.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Luther replied.

    I looked at my siblings. They were looking at me seriously.

    ¡°If I see your brother Luther, can I punch him?¡± Grecion asked.

    ¡°Go ahead. I will not stop you.¡±

    What are they thinking?! They just learn that it was an ident!

 Luther Rico Valleje

    Luther Rico Valleje

    I was driving my car on my way to Cyron¡¯s house.

    I took deep breaths because of what happened earlier. Thaliana¡¯s ident shouldn¡¯t be taken lightly, even if she only suffered minor injuries. It could happen again if she doesn¡¯t take care of herself, and that¡¯s what worries her parents.

    It¡¯s a good thing that I immediately followed her when I learned from her father that she went to Cyron¡¯s house again to seek his forgiveness.

    I told her to refrain from trying for a while, to give it a few days, but she¡¯s stubborn. She loves Cyron so much that she doesn¡¯t want a day to go by without seeing him and attempting to earn his forgiveness.

    And it hurts me because I like her.

    I like Thaliana.

    I sighed as I remembered our first meeting. She was trying so hard to deny herself. She was so cute.

    I started liking her since then. I didn¡¯t expect to develop feelings for her even though I knew she already loved Cyron.

    ¡°And here I am now, helping her so that Cyron can forgive her.¡±

    Before I left their mansion earlier, Thaliana¡¯s father talked to me.

    George D Vezca already knew about what his daughter did to Cyron. He also requested me to watch over her. He said he understands Cyron¡¯s anger, but this is beyond what he imagined.

    Even I didn¡¯t know it would escte to the point of Thaliana having an ident.

    I don¡¯t understand why Cyron is acting this way when it¡¯s so obvious that he still loves Thaliana. Even I can feel the anger.

    I know, and my brother¡¯s eyes clearly show it, he still loves her. Yes, he¡¯s angry; Thaliana betrayed him. His feelings are valid. I thought he could understand her after she exined everything, but no¡­ and right now, Cyron is making things worse with the D Vezca¡¯s after Thaliana¡¯s ident.

    I tightened my grip on the steering wheel as I recalled Thaliana¡¯s emotional state at the hospital earlier. She was crying so hard in front of me while exining what happened at Cyron¡¯s house.

    ¡°He was with ri, Luther¡­ I saw them. She¡¯s taking care of Rozzean, and Rozzean was letting her. Do you think he still loves me? Maybe not anymore? Maybe he lost his love because I wasn¡¯t really the one he liked, but T-Tali.¡±

    Tali or Thaliana, it¡¯s the same person. She¡¯s still the same. And I don¡¯t believe that Cyron no longer loves her.

    I clenched my hands as I entered my brother¡¯s house. As soon as I left the D Vezca¡¯s mansion, I drove fast to Tagaytay to talk to Cyron. He needs to wake up to what he¡¯s doing.

    Thaliana has been hurt multiple times. She regrets what she did, and I saw how she tried to exin everything and make things right. I understand that Cyron has the right to be angry, but this is too much. He still loves her, so why is he acting like an asshole?

    I know my ce. I know where I should stand because they both love each other. But I¡¯m hurting so much seeing Thaliana like this. If it¡¯s true that Cyron¡¯s love is lost, then I will take action. I¡¯m here supporting Thaliana, but after witnessing everything in the past days, especially now, I can¡¯t stay silent anymore.

    ¡°I¡­ I said that I will stop. I said I won¡¯t force myself on him anymore. It hurts, Luther. I¡¯m doing everything I can to be forgiven by Rozzean, but it seems like he doesn¡¯t want to anymore. And then ri is there.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t stand seeing Thaliana cry again. It hurts me. I had no way to ease her feelings.

    ¡°Sir Luther¡­¡±

    As Manang opened the door for me, I immediately entered. My eyes searched for Cyron.

    ¡°Is Sir Rozzean the one you need?¡± Manang asked.

    ¡°Yes, Manang, where is he?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s in the guest room, sir.¡±

    I thanked Manang and quickly headed to the guest room. As soon as I entered, my stomach churned at the sight of Cyron and ri eating together.

    I suddenly remembered Thaliana¡¯s crying face, how she told me what she saw here earlier.

    ¡°H-He was with ri¡­ h-he ate the food she cooked while mine was thrown in the garbage. He was so angry with me, Luther. I lost hope that he would forgive me. I just told him not to neglect himself and that I won¡¯t bother him anymore. But it hurts. It hurts that ri was immediately there, am I that easily receable, Luther? I love Rozzean so much.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    When their eyesnded on me, Cyron lowered the utensils. He stood, no longer using the cane. He slowly approached me, his eyes fixed on mine. I couldn¡¯t contain the anger I felt while looking at him now.

    When I saw him here with ri, I suddenly doubted if it was true that he still loved Thaliana.

    Damn it. This is not him. This is not the Cyron I know.

    I found it hard to believe that his love was gone, considering what I witnessed and heard him say.

    He kneeled in front of our parents. He talked to George D Vezca. He wasn¡¯t afraid to lose everything, even thepany he worked hard for, because of his love for Tali.

    Even if Thaliana fooled him, she¡¯s still Tali. The Tali he loves so much. I didn¡¯t believe before that Cyron would forgive her until I saw him now with this woman.

    ¡°What are you doing here, Luther?¡±

    Instead of answering his question, I punched him. He fell to the floor.

    ri shouted. My eyes were full of anger as I looked at Cyron on the floor, gradually getting up with ri¡¯s help.

    ¡°Luther, what are you doing?! Can¡¯t you see that Rozzean is still recovering?!¡± ri shouted at me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t f*cking care!¡± I shouted back.

    Thaliana regrets what she did. I saw that she¡¯s trying her best. She was injured and got into an ident because my brother here is being an asshole.

    ¡°Why are you so mad, Luther?¡± Cyron asked me, wiping the blood from his lip.

    This is the first time I hurt him after our previous argument years ago because of the housemaid near him that Daddy fired. After several years, I¡¯m hurting him now, and I¡¯m not doing it for myself.

    I¡¯m doing this for the woman I care about, the woman who¡¯s already hurting too much.

    ¡°Thaliana came here, right? She came here and tried to talk to you again. She tried to seek your forgiveness, but what did you do, Cyron? What did you fckng do?¡±

    Instead of Cyron answering, ri spoke up.

    ¡°Thaliana? You mean that b*tch earlier? That Tali? Rozzean didn¡¯t do anything to her, Luther! He didn¡¯t even acknowledge her when she left the house earlier! And why are you so angrily against your brother? Shouldn¡¯t you be on Rozzean¡¯s side?¡±

    ¡°I heard from Manang that b*tch is the maid who used to work here. She fooled Rozzean, and you¡¯re defending her right now? She¡¯s the one at fault for Rozz¡¯s ident because she went looking for him! You should be siding with your brother, Luther!¡±

    I turned sharply towards ri upon hearing her words.

    ¡°Don¡¯t f*cking call her that, ri. I am warning you,¡± I said.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about what¡¯s happening. Also, I am not talking to you. I am talking to my brother.¡±

    I know that this woman has liked Cyron for a very long time, but my brother doesn¡¯t have any interest in her. Until now, it seems she¡¯s still here trying to get my brother¡¯s attention.

    ¡°She came here, then left right away. What¡¯s your problem, Luther?¡± Cyron asked me.

    He has a nk expression on his face. I got even angrier because it seems like he doesn¡¯t care who we¡¯re talking about right now.

    I approached him and knelt down. My eyes were filled with anger as I looked at him. I don¡¯t care right now if I will ruin our good rtionship, but he needs to wake up.

    He¡¯s bing blinded by his anger.

    ¡°She got f*cking hurt. Thaliana got into an ident after she left your house, Cyron,¡± I said in a stern voice.

 My Fiancee

    I took my cellphone and showed him the screen. It was a photo of Thaliana in the hospital, being treated for the head wound she got when her car collided earlier. I was so f*cking worried when I saw her in that situation. I was terrified when I saw that her head was bleeding.

    ¡°She got into an ident, and that is because of you.¡±

    Shock registered on his face. Cyron looked away, and I saw his jaw tighten.

    I know. I know this kind of reaction from him very well. I know him inside out.

    I know that he¡¯s still in love with Thaliana, but Cyron is blinded by his anger. Thaliana fooled him, but with what he¡¯s doing now, I won¡¯t stay silent anymore. Thaliana did enough. She tried her best. She has nothing left to do.

    I will take action now. I won¡¯t just stand by and watch the woman I care about cry and suffer because of my messed-up brother.

    ¡°Thaliana regrets what she did to you. Can¡¯t you see it? Can¡¯t you feel it? She tried to seek your forgiveness, but you are being an asshole, Cyron. How many times? Three times, she came here to your house even if it¡¯s far. Her efforts are all wasted. She was hurt not just once, not just f*cking twice! And she had an ident, and it¡¯s because of you!¡±

    ¡°Luther! Why are you ming Rozzean?! She didn¡¯t do anything when that woman came here earlier! What does she have to do with this ident? Is it Rozzean¡¯s fault if she¡¯s acting like a fool¨C¡±

    ¡°Shut up, ri!¡± I shouted, ncing at her. My patience with the woman behind Cyron is running out.

    ¡°You are so desperate to get Cyron¡¯s attention; that¡¯s why you are here! You are giving an opinion about Thaliana, but you don¡¯t really know what happened! You are just making Thaliana look bad in his eyes just for your own good because you like Cyron! So, shut up! You are no match for Thaliana!¡±

    ri stepped back because of what I said. No words came out of her mouth. Cyron didn¡¯t defend her either as my gaze returned to my brother. I gripped his shirt tightly.

    My chest heaved up and down with the anger I felt towards him.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to do this. Are you enjoying thepany of that woman, Cyron?¡±

    He swallowed hard, avoiding eye contact.

    ¡°Thaliana keeps saying that ri was here, taking care of you. She insists that you don¡¯t need her anymore, that you no longer love her. Thaliana was crying so much. The pain became too much for her, didn¡¯t it?¡±

    I pointed to the ring he gave her. Cyron still didn¡¯t speak, so I continued.

    ¡°Do you no longer care for her? Has your love for her disappeared? Well, then¡­¡±

    I pushed Cyron without breaking eye contact.

    ¡°I will make her fall for me.¡±

    ¡°I like her. I have feelings for Thaliana.¡±

    He turned quickly. I could see a mix of surprise and anger in his eyes as he stared at me. His expression changed from nk to furious, but I didn¡¯t care. I had no more concern.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure Thaliana forgets everything about you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll make her fall for me so deeply that she¡¯ll forget all about you.¡±

    Now, he approached me and red at me. His eyes were filled with anger, and he was breathing heavily.

    ¡°Luther Rico!¡± Cyron shouted madly.

    I smiled. I knew it. He still loves her, but why is he acting like this now?

    ¡°Thaliana is now my fianc¨¦e, Cyron.¡±

    He froze, his lips slightly parting.

    ¡°W-What?¡±

    I saw fear in his eyes.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    I didn¡¯t need to hear it from him. I knew he still deeply loved Thaliana.

    ¡°We had dinner with her parents and ours about the engagement, Cyron. Thaliana Tangi is now my fianc¨¦e.¡±

    He didn¡¯t know that. After he turned away from his conversation with George D Vezca, and I took over, I didn¡¯t tell him. Cyron thought he would lose everything, but because I offered to be Thaliana¡¯s fianc¨¦, everything remained normal in hispany.

    Our parents didn¡¯t say anything either because he severed ties with them when he had a fight with Dad.

    ¡°I talked to George D Vezca to save yourpany, and I told him I could be his daughter¡¯s fianc¨¦. And he agreed. Thaliana knows about this, but she still tried to get your forgiveness because she loves you so much.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s enough. I can¡¯t let her keep getting hurt just because you can¡¯t forgive her.¡±

    ¡°She returned the ring. She said she would forget about you, and I will make sure she does, Cyron. I will help her.¡±

    He gritted his teeth. His eyes were furious as he looked at me, but I didn¡¯t back down. He needed to hear all of this to wake up, to realize that what he¡¯s doing is enough.

    ¡°Luther, why are you doing this?!¡± he asked dangerously.

    ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, because I like her. I want Thaliana. I don¡¯t want to watch her get hurt because of you.¡±

    Cyron tightly gripped my cor, his eyes burning with anger.

    ¡°She¡¯s mine¡­ she¡¯s only mine.¡±

    I smirked at him and pushed him hard.

    ¡°See? You still love her. You love her so much, whether she¡¯s Tali or Thaliana, but my words won¡¯t change.¡±

    ¡°Even if you regret what you did to her now, my mind won¡¯t change, Cyron.¡±

    ¡°I like her. And I¡¯ll do everything just to make her like and love me.¡±

    I turned away, but before I left, I looked at him again.

    ¡°I¡¯m not joking about what I said.¡±

    ¡°I like Thaliana. I will make her fall hard until she forgets all about you.¡±

 Doubts

    Thaliana Tangi D Vezca

    I¡¯m closely guarded now and not allowed to leave my parents¡¯ mansion. Daddy has be strict, and I understand why he¡¯s doing this to me. I don¡¯t want to go against him; his anger has taken a different form now.

    When he assured me that he had no intention of meddling with Rozzean¡¯spany, I felt relieved. That¡¯s all I really care about. I don¡¯t want him to be angrier at Rozzean because of what happened to me.

    It¡¯s not Rozzean¡¯s fault.

    It¡¯s my own carelessness.

    ¡°Thaliana, sweety?¡±

    I looked towards my room¡¯s door upon hearing Mommy¡¯s voice. I got up from bed and approached her.

    ¡°Mom?¡±

    She smiled at me as I opened the door and saw her.

    ¡°You have a visitor.¡±

    Before I could ask who it was, Thes suddenly emerged from the side, my friend. Therese Catalina.

    ¡°Tangi!¡± she eximed and hugged me.

    ¡°Thes¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you two alone, okay? I¡¯ll just bring some snacks upter for you girls.¡±

    I nodded to Mommy and smiled. When Thes entered my room, I closed the door and approached her. She sat on my bed, and I took a seat on my single sofa.

    ¡°You silly! Why didn¡¯t you tell me you almost died? What about your kids in my pet house? Oh God, they must be missing you so much.¡±

    I miss them too, but since I can¡¯t go home yet, I can¡¯t take them with me. Besides, they can¡¯t stay in the mansion because Mommy is allergic to cat fur.

    ¡°A lot has happened in my life, Thes¡­¡±

    She raised her eyebrows, ¡°What a lot? You¡¯ve been gone for just over a month on vacation, and a lot has happened? Why? Tell me your story.¡±

    I took a deep breath, and I couldn¡¯t help but get emotional when I remembered Rozzean. I became emotional because of him. I miss him so much, and his smiles whenever he looked at me, but it seems like I won¡¯t see that anymore.

    I love him so much, but it¡¯s over¡­ I¡¯ve given up hope that we¡¯ll ever reconcile.

    ¡°T-Thes¡­¡±

    Thes stood up when she saw me crying. She came over and pulled a chair for me to sit in front of her.

    ¡°Oh, gosh, should I call Aunt Tathiana? Is something hurting you, Tangi?¡± she asked.

    It hurts¡­ my chest hurts. What happened yesterday was so painful. I can¡¯t breathe when I remember ri and Rozzean. Until the end, she didn¡¯t want to see me.

    ¡°D-Don¡¯t call mom. I-I¡¯m okay¡­¡±

    Thes handed me a tissue, and then she gently rubbed my back to calm me down. When I stopped crying, I looked at her. I saw concern on my friend¡¯s face.

    ¡°Tangi, what happened? I was so worried when I learned from your brother that you got into an ident. What did you do in Tagaytay?¡±

    I wiped my face with the tissue before I spoke.

    ¡°The man I love was living there, Thes.¡±

    ¡°W-What? Th-the man you love? L-love? Like, romantic love, Tangi?¡±

    I nodded.

    I began to tell her everything that happened. I confessed to her the foolishness Imitted-how I didn¡¯t go to Pwan and instead pretended to be a maid at Rozzean¡¯s house. Now, here I am, suffering the consequences of my deceit.

    ¡°What the¡­ are you crazy¡­ seriously?¡± she asked in disbelief.

    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking? Would I be crying like this if I were joking?¡± I asked her.

    Thes bit her lower lip and then pinched me on the arm.

    ¡°Ouch¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s wrong! But it¡¯s done! Here you are, suffering!¡± she said, shaking her head.

    I know very well that what I did was wrong, so I don¡¯t me anyone for what I¡¯m going through now. I am making amends with Rozzean and my father. I felt reassured when Dad told me that he won¡¯t take any action that could jeopardize Rozzean¡¯spany. I also talked to my siblings and pleaded with them not to do anything rash because of what happened to me.

    I deserve this pain, especially Rozzean¡¯s anger. I¡¯ve alsoe to realize that he might not forgive me, but I¡¯m holding on to hope because I love him so much. I¡¯m holding on to hope because I know he loves Tali¡­ m-me.

    But now, it seems like it¡¯s really over. The way he spoke about love doesn¡¯t match how deep I thought it was.

    ¡°Is he worth it, Tangi? If not, then move on. Your siblings know a lot of handsome guys; maybe you should go on a blind date.¡±

    I pulled Thes¡¯s hair because of what she said. I just noticed it now. Her hair color has changed again. It¡¯s red now. It used to be blonde.

    ¡°Ouch, seriously! It¡¯s just friendly advice, don¡¯t overreact.¡±

    ¡°I love Rozzean, and he loves me too-¡±

    ¡°If he loves you, why did he let you suffer just to forgive you?¡±

    She rolled her eyes and sighed in front of me.

    ¡°Thes¡­¡±

    She looked serious now. This woman changes moods so quickly.

    ¡°Because for me, based on your stories, it¡¯s enough for me to say that you regret what you did. Your baby boy¡¯s heart should have softened by now, but why involve another woman suddenly? What¡¯s her name? Tari?¡±

    ¡°ri¡­¡±

    She raised an eyebrow, ¡°Oh, there¡¯s another persistent girl who can¡¯t move on. She¡¯s a threat to you because she likes your baby boy. Who knows what they¡¯re doing, Tangi.¡±

    Thes¡¯s words made me anxious. Especially since I knew that ri was there, taking care of Rozzean. Also, Rozzean was allowing her to look after him. That hurt me deeply. A lot.

    ¡°T-Thes¡­ please don¡¯t make me overthink.¡±

    ¡°Oh, why? I thought you gave up? I thought you surrendered?¡±

    I bowed my head at her words. That was really my n. I even returned Rozzean¡¯s ring to start forgetting him. I was hurt so much when I saw him with ri. What mattered to me at that time was for him to get better and take care of himself. I also told Luther that I wouldn¡¯t try to seek forgiveness from Rozzean anymore because I clearly saw his anger towards me.

    But I knew it was impossible, and everything was just words. Rozzean was always on my mind. I couldn¡¯t sleep well because I kept thinking about himst night. I cried a lot because of what happened. I truly love him. So much. That¡¯s why I¡¯m hurting so much right now because even though I said I wouldn¡¯t try to seek his forgiveness anymore, here I am, still hoping that one day we¡¯ll reconcile.

    ¡°I-I love him¡­¡±

    Thes sighed and rubbed her forehead.

    ¡°I understand, but, Tangi, stop. Don¡¯t try to go after that man anymore. If he truly loves you, he¡¯lle to you willingly. I just hope he realizes his mistakes soon.¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    ¡°But it¡¯s my fault-¡±

    Thes gave me a stern look.

    ¡°You¡¯re still defending him! You know that your efforts to seek Rozzean¡¯s forgiveness are enough, and you know he has already pushed you away too much. Why are you still defending him? Because you love him? Tangi, that Rozzean is blinded by his anger, and you are blinded by your love for him! Haven¡¯t you thought that you¡¯ve done more than enough for a mistake you regret?¡±

    ¡°He loves you so much, right? But just because of one mistake, he¡¯s denying the happiness you both deserve?¡±

    I wiped away the tears that escaped from both my cheeks due to Thes¡¯s words. Her words pierced through my heart.

    ¡°If he really loves you, then he will understand what you did. Especially since you¡¯ve shown sincere remorse for deceiving him. You entered his house and pretended to be a maid. He fell for you. You even said he loves you so much. He even proposed and gave you a ring, which means he¡¯s really serious about you.¡±

 Crazy Friend!

    Even I, at first, couldn¡¯t believe what Rozzean did for Tali. It was not part of my n when I entered his house. I also never thought that Rozzean Cyron Valleje could fall for the maid, Tali. During my stay in his house, I encountered many things that surprised me because of his personality.

    ¡°For me, if Rozzean really loves you, he will forgive you. Who is Tali and Thaliana? They are just one person. Did you change your attitude?¡±

    I shook my head. I didn¡¯t change anything. I¡¯m still Thaliana.

    ¡°See? The only difference between you and Tali or Thaliana is the physical appearance and life status. Why is your bebe being an asshole, Tangi?¡±

    ¡°B-Because I deceived him, Thes-¡±

    ¡°We are already there, Tangi. You deceived him because at first, you didn¡¯t want to get married, so you entered his house and pretended. He fell in love with the personality of Tali, and while you were there, you fell for him too because you saw how great he is. And now, you¡¯ve told the truth and hurt him a lot because of your deception.¡±

    ¡°But you know what? True love will not fade with just one mistake, Thaliana Tangi. If Rozzean¡¯s heart is clouded by anger, then what he feels for you is not true love.¡±

    Thes looked directly into my eyes as I continued to cry. This was the first time I had ever loved someone. I didn¡¯t know much. Everything was new to me, and as I listened to Thes, I began to understand why my family was so angry.

    Even Luther.

    ¡°Tangi¡­¡±

    Thes approached me, wiped away my tear-filled cheeks, hugged me, and gently stroked my back.

    ¡°If he really loves you, he wille to you this time after you said that you will stop seeking his forgiveness. You did your best, you did everything you could, but it¡¯s enough, okay?¡±

    ¡°Enough, take a break for your heart. You even had an ident because of your efforts to be forgiven. Is he made of gold or something?!¡±

    I chuckled at what Thes said.

    ¡°He is, Thes.¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    ¡°He has his ownpany, one of the billionaires in the country. He has been featured in many magazines. But beyond all that, he¡¯s also a great man. Really great. That¡¯s why I fell for him.¡±

    Thes moved away from me and returned to her seat in front of me. Somehow, her words lightened my heart.

    ¡°But I just want to know one thing, Tangi,¡± she said with a serious expression, looking at me.

    I suddenly felt nervous.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°You said you pretended to be a maid in his house, and then you¡¯re both already in love with each other, and he doesn¡¯t want to let you go. He even proposed. Tell me, did anything happen between you two?¡±

    A moment of silence filled the air after Thes¡¯s question. She had a very serious expression, looking at me while waiting for my answer. My emotional state suddenly shifted because of the intensity in her gaze.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell this to anyone, okay? You¡¯re quite the gossip.¡±

    She nodded eagerly, clearly showing her curiosity in her response. I knew this reaction of hers.

    ¡°We did it. Only two times so far.¡±

    ¡°Aaahhh!!¡±

    I was startled when Thes suddenly screamed. Quickly, I stood up and covered her mouth. Her eyes widened while I held her mouth. Her voice was really loud!

    ¡°T-Thes!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t scream! Mommy might hear you!¡± I told her.

    She nodded and tapped my hand that covered her mouth. I immediately removed it.

    ¡°Haaaa! You¡¯re annoying! I couldn¡¯t breathe!¡± she said to me.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re so loud¡­¡±

    How could I not cover her mouth? She screamed so loudly.

    ¡°You¡¯re silly¡­ you had sex?! Really? Twice? Where?¡±

    I rolled my eyes at her.

    ¡°Love making!¡±

    ¡°Oh! Love making! Yes! But where? And how many times? Only 2? Silly!¡±

    Iughed at her expression.

    ¡°In the bathroom¨CI mean, in his room.¡±

    Thes covered her mouth in shock at what I said. I saw her look into the distance and tap her foot. When she faced me again, she spoke.

    ¡°Shwet! Tangi, have you felt heaven? I envy you!¡±

    ¡°Tell me!¡±

    My eyes widened at what she said. She¡¯s really crazy! Asking me to narrate the love making I had with Rozzean!

    I suddenly remembered how we did it.

    ¡°Oh! You are blushing! Damn it, Tangi! Remember, right? Silly! Was it good? What positions? Is Rozzean wild? Does he spank?¡±

    I yfully hit her arm for what she said.

    ¡°Ouch! Just asking!

    ¡°What about it? Did your eyes roll? Lucky you, you¡¯ve experienced it. As for me, when will it be my turn? My mattress is about to expire,¡± she said with a sad tone in herst words.

    Thes is really aedian. Just a while ago, I was so emotional, and now I¡¯mughing at what she¡¯s saying without any filter.

    ¡°So, Tangi, was it good?¡± she asked again.

    She¡¯s so persistent!

    ¡°It was good¨C¡± she hit my arm, ¡°ouch!¡±

    ¡°No wonder you can¡¯t move on! Twice, but probably super hard, right?!¡±

    ¡°But here¡¯s the next question, is he big?¡±

    I bit my lower lip at Thes¡¯ question. I turned my face away from her and covered it when the memory of my first day at Rozzean¡¯s house came rushing back. How his hard manhood greeted me.

    Until I remembered how many times I moaned.

    Wait! How did we even end up talking about this?! I wasining about chest pain earlier, right?!

    ¡°It¡¯s big! Your reaction says it all! Gosh! did you measure it?¡±

    ¡°Therese Catalina!¡± I shouted at her because my face was getting warm with embarrassment and because I was also recalling what Rozzean and I did.

    ¡°Wow¡­¡± I heard Thes¡¯ voice calm down.

    ¡°Lucky you,¡± she whispered. She walked towards my bed and sat down.

    ¡°I wish I weren¡¯t a virgin anymore. I wish I¡¯ve tasted a hotdog too. I wish I¡¯ve said ¡®ahhh¡­ ohhh¡­ more¡­ it feels so good¡­¡¯ You¡¯re unbelievable, Tangi. You beat me to it. So jealous.¡±

    Thes is really crazy!

 Moving On

    It¡¯s been a week since then. Thes invited me to go out. She told me that I shouldn¡¯t be sulking in my room and thinking about what happened between Rozzean and me. But what can I do? Even though I was hurt so much, I still hope that things will be okay between us.

    I miss Rozzean so much, really miss him. I dream of him because of how much I miss him. I still cry at night whenever I remember what happened. How his eyes looked at me with hatred. I still feel the pain of seeing them together with ri.

    The extreme happiness we had a few days at his house is now reced, and I have no one else to me but myself.

    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need a guard?¡± Mommy asked me.

    I¡¯m just waiting for Thes to arrive. She¡¯ll be driving, as I can¡¯t drive alone since the ident. My parents and brothers were so worried that they took away my car keys. I can¡¯t use both of my cars, and if I want to go somewhere special, our family driver will have to drive me.

    ¡°No need, Mom. Thes will be with me. We¡¯re just going to roam around the mall,¡± I replied.

    Mom nodded and then brushed my hair aside.

    ¡°Dear¡­ do you really love Rozzean?¡±

    Out of nowhere, Mommy suddenly brought up Rozzean and my love for him. I was surprised that she entered the conversation about my feelings for Rozzean.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°I noticed that you were always spacing out, anak. I¡¯m worried. I thought it has something to do with Rozzean Cyron and your engagement. Are we pressuring you to marry Luther?¡±

    I didn¡¯t realize that all their attention was on me.

    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t love Luther, Mommy¡­ he¡¯s just a friend. Luther knows who I love. He knows that I love Rozzean so much that I am willing to do everything for his forgiveness. I just paused because I saw a girl who likes him at his house, taking care of him. I thought maybe he doesn¡¯t love me anymore, and maybe his feelings for me aren¡¯t that deep. It hurts me. Until now, it hurts so much, Mommy¡­ but I still love him deeply.¡±

    Mom held my hands tightly. She wiped away the tears that fell from my eyes.

    ¡°I know¡­ I feel it, sweety, Mommy feels how much you¡¯re hurting.¡±

    ¡°But your father is angry; I tried talking to him if he could help you and Rozzean patch things up, but every time I bring it up, he changes the subject.¡±

    I smiled at Mommy. Dad was so difficult to please once he had made up his mind. He told me to stop, and I agreed with him. Before I agreed, I told him that I would stop trying to find a way for Rozzean to forgive me if he could promise not to involve thepany he worked so hard for. I also spoke to my siblings about work. I didn¡¯t want them to treat Rozzean badly because of me.

    I am the one who made a mistake and why I am feeling the pain right now. I fooled Rozzean because of my selfishness.

    ¡°I will be okay soon, Mommy. For now, I¡¯ll follow Thes¡¯ advice. I¡¯ll go out to somehow forget the pain. I am just thankful that I have a friend like her.¡±

    Mommy kissed my forehead and then smiled. When she looked behind me, I turned to see.

    ¡°Tangi! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Thes was entering our house. I raised my eyebrows when I saw that her hair was pink now.

    ¡°Hello, aunt! Tangi and I will be leaving, okay? She¡¯ll undergo a beauty transformation! You know, when you¡¯re heartbroken, you shouldn¡¯t look shabby and stay at home! You need to look better so that when the ex sees you, they¡¯ll say, ¡®Hi, I¡¯m the one you wasted.¡¯ Right, aunt?!¡±

    Mommy just nodded and smiled at what Thes was saying. I touched my forehead while shaking my head.

    ¡°Thank you for making her happy, Therese. But Where are you going?¡± Mommy asked.

    ¡°To the mall, to my newly opened salon, Aunty.¡±

    My eyebrows shot up when I heard what she said. A salon?

    ¡°You have a salon now?¡±

    She nodded at me, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s only been three weeks. I opened a salon in DM Mall. Let¡¯s go there!¡±

    It seems like Thes doesn¡¯t know where to put her money anymore. She has so many businesses! She owns a pet house, a clothing store with numerous branches. She also has restaurants named Catalina¡¯s. She has a bar in BGC, and now she has a newly opened salon.

    ¡°Okay, take care, okay? And Tangi, dear, don¡¯t forget to call me so I won¡¯t worry, and neither will your Daddy.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mommy.¡±

    After saying our goodbyes, Thes and I headed outside our house.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tangi, I waste. Mommy asked me to go to their house to bring some clothes from my store. I had to choose five outfits for Caitlin¡¯s one-week stay in Paris.¡±

    Caitlin is her sister, a famous model.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, but until when will your sister keep getting clothes from you? She needs to pay for it. Also, why do you have to pick her clothes? Doesn¡¯t Caitlin know how to choose outfits that suit her? Doesn¡¯t she have any knowledge about fashion?¡±

    Thes started her car and we headed to the mall where her salon is located.

    ¡°I need to do that, Tangi¡­ it¡¯s just the only way for my Mom to notice me.¡±

    Her tone changed. This is how she is when we talk about her family.

    Caitlin is a model, internationally renowned, also famous in the Philippines.

    One thing that irritates me about her sister is when Thes told me that she gave up modeling for her. Caitlin asked their mother to make Thes quit. Thes¡¯ mother requested her to stop modeling so that Caitlin could have the spotlight. It¡¯s frustrating because that was Thes¡¯ dream, and she could have achieved it by now.

    Thes¡¯ name was widely recognized in the runway world back then. At the age of fifteen, she had achieved so much because of modeling. But it¡¯s just frustrating that because she¡¯s a good daughter and sister, she let go of that dream.

    It¡¯s still really annoying.

    You can tell that her sister is very envious, and she wants everything Thes has.

    Thes has a sexy body, and she has the height. Many brands were fighting over her back then, and she was also famous both locally and internationally. She loves modeling; it was her dream, but she gave it up because of her mother¡¯s request. Because of her love for her mother and her sister.

    ¡°Tangi,e on, what¡¯s with your face? It¡¯s Good Friday, you know?¡±

    ¡°Thes, are you still following everything that Aunt Lana and Caitlin want? Isn¡¯t it enough that you stopped modeling for Caitlin to get people¡¯s attention? So that the offers that used to be for you are now going to her? Your mother talked to them, right? And indeed, all the brands that wanted to get you before are now choosing Caitlin.¡±

    ¡°Your sister is enjoying the spotlight she wanted, and now they are getting things from you without paying. It¡¯s still business, Thes. asionally, I might understand, but when it happens frequently, it¡¯s different. And they¡¯re not treating you right. I¡¯ve noticed that they only call you when they need something.¡±

    Thes gave me a restrained smile. I sighed. This is how she always is when I confront her. What she talks about others¡¯ lives is what silences her when ites to her own.

    ¡°I am just doing what I think will help my mother, even if it¡¯s always about Caitlin, Tangi. Maybe Mommy might not forget that she has another child.¡±

    I didn¡¯t say anything more after hearing Thes. I feel sad whenever her family is discussed. Thes is a jolly person, and she can stand on her own. She¡¯s so independent.

    Sometimes, I think that maybe she keeps adding to her businesses to upy her time. So that, in some way, she can forget the pain she feels because of her sister and mother.

    ¡°We are here! Wee to Catalina¡¯s!¡±

    I looked around Thes¡¯ entire salon at DM Mall. There were five customers getting their hair done.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am Therese! Good afternoon!¡±

    Three staff members approached us. Thes ced her hands on my shoulders and introduced me to them.

    ¡°My best friend needs a makeover because she¡¯s heartbroken. I need you guys to dye her hair vani blonde! Make her look beautiful, okay?!¡±

    I quickly turned to Thes and pped her on her arm, ¡°H-Hey! Just a haircut. I¡¯ll just get a short haircut.¡±

    Thes shook her head at me.

    ¡°No, the short haircut is outdated for heartbreaks. You¡¯ll get a new one now.¡±

    ¡°When you¡¯re heartbroken, you should get your hair dyed!¡± Thes pushed me into a room, and we entered.

    ¡°W-Wait!¡±

    ¡°You take care of my BFF, okay?¡±

 He Came

    I spent two hours getting pampered at Thes¡¯ salon. As she said, my hair was dyed vani blonde. I just stared at myself in the mirror while they were blow-drying. It was almost done, and I was just waiting.

    ¡°Okay, Ma¡¯am. We¡¯re done!¡± the stylist said to me.

    I stood up and looked at myself in the mirror.

    I didn¡¯t know that vani blonde hair color would suit me. It¡¯s the first time I dyed my hair, and it¡¯s because of my friend who changes her hair color every week. I approached Thes, her eyes focused on her cellphone.

    When she noticed that I was in front of her, she lowered her phone and stood up.

    ¡°Wow! Looks great, huh? Now let¡¯s go and find an outfit!¡±

    My eyebrows raised at what she said. I had no choice when Thes pulled me and took me to her shop. I let her do what she wanted. She chose a red velvet backless fitted dress and made me wear it.

    She said that we were going to her Bar. We were going to have fun, and she had already messaged Mommy and Daddy, so I didn¡¯t have to worry. But because I didn¡¯t want my parents to worry, I also sent them a message.

    I also received a message from Luther. He¡¯s asking if I¡¯m busy. He wants to discuss the uing birthday celebration of their mother in Pangasinan. Luther specifically took care of the flowers for the venue.

    When I said I wasn¡¯t at home, he immediately asked where I was. I just told him I was with Thes and that we were going to TC Bar. I didn¡¯t receive a reply after that.

    ¡°Wow! so sexy! Let¡¯s find some handsome guys at my barter to help you forget about Rozzean!¡±

    ¡°Thes, I don¡¯t intend to forget about Rozzean, and I have no ns to look for someone else because I still love him so much,¡± I told her as she dragged me out of the mall.

    We entered her car again. It was already dark, and I almost didn¡¯t notice the time because of Thes¡¯ chatter.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a week, and still no progress, right?¡± she asked me.

    My heart pinched upon hearing Thes¡¯ words.

    ¡°Thes¡­¡±

    ¡°Tangi, you are a beautiful woman, for goodness sake! If his love for you could be erased just because of what you did, then he doesn¡¯t really love you. The love he professed is shallow.¡±

    ¡°Come on, cheer up, let¡¯s party! Maybe it will help lift your sadness a bit.¡±

    I nodded at her. I just let Thes take me along. I also want to somehow get Rozzean out of my mind because every time I remember what happened, it hurts so much.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am Therese¡­¡±

    ¡°Hi! Is it crowded already?¡± Thes asked the bouncers.

    ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am, it¡¯s always lively here,¡± one of them answered with a smile.

    ¡°Okay, thank you! Take care here!¡±

    Thes pulled me inside the bar. Loud music weed us. People were dancing on the dance floor. Thes pulled me towards the bartender.

    ¡°Owen, give us two shot sses of tequ, thank you!¡±

    Luckily, we ate beforeing here, so it seems I won¡¯t be the one having fun.

    ¡°Here you go, Ma¡¯am Therese¡­¡±

    Thes handed me the tequ. She took her shot immediately. I also drank, but not as often.

    ¡°Let¡¯s party, Tangi! Forget about that loser Rozzean! Let¡¯s find a bigger hotdog here in my bar!¡±

    I quickly put down the shot ss and covered Thes¡¯ mouth because of what she said.

    ¡°Shut up, Thes! It¡¯s embarrassing, someone might hear you!¡±

    ¡°Oh! It¡¯s different when you¡¯ve tasted a hotdog!¡±

    Thes is the kind of person who hasn¡¯t even drunk yet but acts drunk!

    The whole bar was noisy, and some were cheering. Thes pulled me into the middle of the dance floor, and she started dancing. I sighed when I saw how she danced with the guys around her.

    ¡°It looks like she¡¯s making me her bodyguard.¡±

    ¡°Hey¡­¡±

    I turned around when someone suddenly grabbed my arm. I distanced myself when I saw that it was a stranger.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name? You are¡­¡± he scanned me from head to toe. I felt uneasy as he swallowed while looking at my body, ¡°gorgeous¡­ have you beening here? It¡¯s impossible I haven¡¯t noticed a beautiful woman like you before.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± that¡¯s all I said, and I turned away from the guy.

    I immediately looked for Thes on the dance floor when I couldn¡¯t see her anymore.

    ¡°Where is she¨C¡±

    ¡°Are you alone? Maybe you want somepany?¡±

    The guy followed me! My heart raced with fear!

    ¡°N-No, thank you. I¡¯m with my friend. She¡¯s the owner of this bar.¡±

    I quickly looked for Thes again on the dance floor, but I couldn¡¯t find her. When I left to search for her upstairs, I felt the guy¡¯s hand on my arm. I got scared when he pulled me closer.

    ¡°Come on. I am a Friando. Don¡¯t you know my family? My father owns apany. He is a CEO.¡±

    I winced. His father owns apany, and he¡¯s unting it. Is this what he does to get the girl he wants in this bar?

    ¡°Excuse me, but I am looking for my friend. Find someone else¨Cw-what!¡± I shouted and pped the guy when he touched my thigh.

    No one noticed us. Despite my loud shout, no one paid attention due to the music.

    ¡°You¡¯re ying hard to get. If I knew you were just one of those who dress nicely to attract a rich man. Come on¡­ I can pay you; I have a lot of money¨C¡±

    I pped him again, ¡°Rude! If you have a lot of money, I have more than you!¡±

    I turned around and was about to leave quickly when he grabbed my waist and pulled me closer. I could smell the alcohol on him, and it was evident that he was drunk.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­ you smell so good.¡±

    ¡°W-What! L-Let go of me!¡± I couldn¡¯t push him away because of the tight grip of his hands on my waist.

    He¡¯s pressing his body against me. I can feel his bulge! He¡¯s turned on! When I felt his hand creeping towards my thigh, I tried again to push him away.

    ¡°Let go of me! What are you doing! Release me, I said!¡±

    Realizing that I couldn¡¯t handle it, I looked around to ask for help.

    ¡°Help! H-Help me!¡± I screamed.

    But everyone was busy dancing, and some were making out. No one noticed me because everyone was focused on their own partners.

    ¡°Damn¡­ you¡¯re so sexy.¡±

    I closed my eyes when I heard the guy¡¯s words. I couldn¡¯t help but feel on the verge of tears due to the situation.

    N-No¡­ s-stop¡­

    Rozzean¡¯s face shed in my mind.

    I don¡¯t want anyone touching me like this except him.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡± I called out his name.

    Tears kept streaming down my face when I felt the guy¡¯s face on my neck. I tried to push him again, but he was really strong.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡± I cried his name.

    I shifted nervously on my spot when, in an instant, the guy suddenly disappeared from my view. The turn of events happened so quickly.

    My chest was heaving up and down from anxiety as I looked at the person who pulled the guy away from me.

    W-What¡­

    ¡°You, f*cker!¡±

    My lips quivered, and I covered my mouth upon hearing that voice.

    R-Rozzean¡­

    I couldn¡¯t believe it. He¡¯s here¡­

    He held onto the guy¡¯s cor, the one who harassed me.

    ¡°Who the hell are you¨C¡± Rozzean pushed the guy, causing him to fall to the floor. He pinned him down and then delivered a punch to his face.

    ¡°I will f*cking kill you!¡± he shouted in rage.

    R-Rozzean¡­ w-what are you doing here?

    ¡°Stop them!¡± people around us shouted. The loud music came to a halt as everyone¡¯s attention focused on themotion.

    ¡°How dare you put your hands on my woman? How dare you?!¡±

    I didn¡¯t know if I should approach. Rozzean was furious, continuously punching the guy whoy unconscious on the floor.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡± His hand paused in mid-air when I called out to him. Slowly, he stood up, but he didn¡¯t look at me.

    As I walked towards Rozzean, I was stopped when someone called my name.

    ¡°Thaliana.¡±

    ¡°L-Luther¡­¡±

    I looked at him. Quickly, I approached when I saw he was holding Thes, who seemed extremely drunk.

    ¡°Tangi! Who is this ugly guy? Do you know him?¡±

    ¡°Luther¡­ R-Rozzean, h-he¡¯s here¡­¡± I said, ncing back at Rozzean, but he was no longer in front of the guy who harassed me.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    I walked closer, my eyes scanning the area. I was searching for him.

    I let out a sob when I couldn¡¯t find him.

    W-Where is he?

 Not A Coincidence

    I was holding Thes inside the VIP room of her bar. My friend was already asleep. Thankfully, nothing bad happened to her.

    ¡°Luther¡­¡±

    Luther looked at me. He came with us to sort out the trouble that happened earlier. I¡¯m worried about the situation. Rozzean, the guy who punched my friend several times, is still unconscious. They took him to the hospital.

    ¡°Did you see him?¡± I asked Luther, referring to Rozzean.

    ¡°No, but he called me. He said he¡¯s willing to pay for the damages. I asked him toe back here, but he said he¡¯ll settle it, and if the man decides to sue him, they¡¯ll meet in court.¡±

    Does he not want to talk to me?

    But why is he here? He doesn¡¯t usually drink outside.

    ¡°Were you with him when he came here, Luther? I didn¡¯t know Rozzean was here.¡±

    I was surprised earlier. I called his name, but I didn¡¯t expect him to be here. My heart raced when I saw him. But I felt hurt when I called him, and he didn¡¯t even turn around.

    Call me assuming, but because of what he did, I gained a bit of hope that we might patch things up somehow.

    ¡°No. I just followed here after my work. I didn¡¯t tell Cyron that you¡¯re here, and he¡¯s not with me either. Actually, I haven¡¯t heard from him in days, don¡¯t know what he¡¯s up to. He¡¯s not talking to me either. Probably mad.¡±

    I got concerned about what Luther said. If that¡¯s the case, even their sibling rtionship is having problems.

    ¡°I am sorry, Luther¡­¡±

    He shook his head and smiled, then nced at Thes.

    ¡°I expected him to be angry with me.¡±

    ¡°Also, I was looking for you when I came here. You weren¡¯t answering your calls. I saw that woman being dragged by men.¡±

    ¡°W-What? Thes?¡±

    I asked and looked at my friend, who was still rubbing her cheek. She had no idea what happened at her bar.

    ¡°Party!¡± I lowered Thes¡¯s hand as she suddenly lifted it. She seemed to be still dreaming.

    ¡°It turns out she knows you, and she¡¯s the friend you mentioned. I helped her and pretended to be her boyfriend to save her from those men. When we got inside the bar, I asked her about you, but she was too drunk and saying all sorts of things. We went inside and looked for you until I saw that something was happening.¡±

    I sighed in relief. It¡¯s a good thing Luther saw Thes; otherwise, something bad might have happened to my friend.

    ¡°Thank you for saving my friend, Luther. She suddenly disappeared from my sight earlier.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s¡­¡±

    He looked at Thes. I waited for Luther to continue, but he didn¡¯t say anything more. He suddenly turned around and touched the back of his neck.

    ¡°Anyway, I called Maki; he¡¯ll be here shortly. He¡¯ll take you to the mansion. Your parents might be worried, Thaliana,¡± he said, turning back.

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ve already sent them a message. But¡­ about the man who harassed me. Maybe I can take action if he sues Rozzean? The truth is, Rozzean just defended me against that guy.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but I don¡¯t think the man will sue. I also found out that his father has his ownpany. In our world, it¡¯s not likely that all CEOs know each other.¡±

    I raised my eyebrows at what he said. I had already thought earlier that the man might sue Rozzean for hurting him.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Luther smirked, ¡°Who would want to have a fight with Rozzean Cyron Valleje? Thaliana, just mentioning Cyron¡¯s name is enough to make those who want to challenge him back off.¡±

    ¡°He should be thankful he only got a punch on his face.¡±

    I just looked at Thes upon hearing Luther¡¯s words. My longing for Rozzean lessened a bit when I saw him earlier. He was so close, yet I couldn¡¯t reach him.

    ¡°Do you think there¡¯s still a chance for us to be okay?¡± I lifted my eyes to Luther.

    I¡¯m still hopeful. I don¡¯t want to let go of the hope that we can patch things up.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to answer that.¡±

    ¡°But, Thaliana, do you think Cyron was here because he wanted to drink? We are in BGC. He doesn¡¯t just go to a bar to drink alone, especially far from his home. He prefers to drink alone in his house. He¡¯s alone here, and he doesn¡¯t have any friends with him. Maki wasn¡¯t with him.¡±

    H-He has a point. Rozzean is a busy person. It¡¯s all work even when he gets home. And¡­ his house is in Tagaytay.

    ¡°So, if he was here¡­ that¡¯s not a coincidence. What is it? Did he drive here for hours just to have a drink alone?¡±

    ¡°A-Are you saying that he went here because of¡­ me?¡±

    He sighed before answering, ncing at his cellphone. He approached us, lifted my friend, and carried her.

    ¡°Maki is here, Thaliana. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Luther turned away from me while carrying Thes, but I stayed in my ce. I wanted to hear his answer to my question, so I called him.

    ¡°Luther.¡±

    He looked at me.

    ¡°D-Do you think he went here b-because of me? But how? How did he know I¡¯m here?¡±

    He smiled at me, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to hope. This is just my opinion, but maybe¡­ Rozzean is following you.¡±

    Upon hearing what he said, I stood up and walked towards him. My heart was beating so fast. Is Rozzean following me?

    But if that¡¯s the case, does he want to talk to me? Why doesn¡¯t he approach me? Why doesn¡¯t he find a way for us to talk? Why did he suddenly leave when I called his name?

    ¡°Come on, Thaliana.¡±

    I nodded, and we headed towards the exit of the bar. I immediately saw Maki waiting in front of Thes¡¯s car. He was leaning against it. As soon as he saw us, he approached.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the car key?¡±

    I took the car key from Thes¡¯s bag, and Maki opened the car. Luther put Thes in the backseat, and I quickly followed. Once we were inside, I looked out the window to see Luther and express my gratitude.

    ¡°Thank you again, Luther, and thank you for saving Thes earlier.¡±

    He was talking to Maki. He approached me and peeked at Thes, who was peacefully sleeping beside me.

    ¡°No problem. Take care on your way home.¡±

    I nodded, and as I remembered his mother¡¯s birthday, I spoke again.

    ¡°About Aunt¡¯s birthday. I will show you different kinds of flowers for the venue. Maybe you can choose five varieties.¡±

    ¡°No need, Thaliana. You choose. Whatever you think is beautiful, go for it. I don¡¯t know much about flowers, and besides, the celebration is a surprise, so I can¡¯t ask Mommy about it.¡±

    I smiled at what Luther said. It was their Dad¡¯s idea to surprise their Mom. It turns out, their Mom also likes flowers, and Luther chose me to arrange the venue. I was nervous. With all the clients I¡¯ve had, this is the first time I felt this kind of pressure.

    ¡°Oh¡­ okay. It will happen next week, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not pressuring you with the designs. It¡¯s up to you. When Mommy finds out that you chose the flowers and designed everything, she¡¯ll be extremely happy.¡±

    After our conversation, Luther said his goodbyes. Maki also entered the car. He nced at me and at Thes, who was really out of it.

    ¡°Therese hasn¡¯t changed at all. Still fond of parties?¡± Maki asked, shaking his head.

    I smiled, ¡°It was just her way to release her emotions, Maki. That¡¯s why I always apanied her before. Now, it¡¯s my turn to need her, so we went to the bar. I am thankful that she was trying her best to make me feel better.¡±

    Maki faced the road and started the car.

    ¡°A true friend,¡± my cousin remarked.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± I replied, looking at Thes. I brushed the hair away from her face and adjusted her position so she wouldn¡¯t be ufortable. I leaned her against my shoulder and held her left hand.

    ¡°Mommy¡­¡±

    When I heard Thes say that, I felt a sense of sadness for her. Until now, the rtionship she wanted with her mother has not been given. Her mother still treats her differently, especiallypared to her sibling.

    ¡°M-Mommy¡­¡±

    ¡°Shhh¡­¡± I said and gently stroked her cheek.

    We arrived home safely, and my parents were already waiting. When I saw my dad standing next to my mom, I suddenly felt nervous. He had a serious expression on his face.

    ¡°I heard that you got harassed at the bar, Tangi.¡±

    I bit my lower lip upon hearing Dad¡¯s words. Thes woke up suddenly, and Maki was there to assist her. Thesposed herself and stood beside me. She bowed to my parents and apologized.

    ¡°I am so sorry, Aunty and Uncle.¡±

    ¡°No, don¡¯t apologize, Therese. You don¡¯t control the thoughts of the men in your bar. I am just thankful that you both are safe.¡±

    I held Thes¡¯s hand and smiled at her. I knew she was ming herself now.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I also found out that Rozzean was there, Tangi.¡±

    I quickly looked at Dad when I heard him say that. My nervousness increased. I paused for a moment, took a breath, and straightened my hand against my clothes.

    ¡°D-Dad.¡±

    How did he find out? Did Luther tell him? Maki?

    ¡°He was the one who saved you from the man who harassed you. Did you talk to him, Tangi?¡±

    I nodded slowly, ¡°No¡­ h-he left right away.¡±

    My dad nodded approvingly.

    ¡°Good.¡±

    G-Good?

 Phone Call

    What does my father mean by that?

    ¡°Daddy¡­¡±

    ¡°Tangi, stop chasing that man. If he loves you, he wille to you¨C¡±

    I interrupted my dad, driven by the emotions I was feeling.

    ¡°Dad, he did! H-He was there earlier. Luther told me he didn¡¯t tell Rozzean I was at the bar. And he lives in Tagaytay; it takes hours to get here. M-M-Maybe he followed me earlier? M-Maybe he was there watching m-me?¡±

    I sounded desperate, hoping that Rozzean was actually there earlier for me. I don¡¯t know¡­ I¡¯m clinging to hope. It hurts, but I¡¯m really hoping he was there for me. Even just that¡­

    ¡°Or it¡¯s just a coincidence that he was there and saw you. What if he happened to meet someone else, and that¡¯s why he was there, and he just happened to see you?¡±

    ¡°M-Meet someone else?¡± I asked. My hope was shattered by Dad¡¯s words. I didn¡¯t even consider that possibility. Who could Rozzean possibly meet here?

    ¡°Rozzean saw and saved you because that¡¯s the only thing he could do to clean his image for me. And also because he has no face to meet me after what he did to you?¡±

    I stopped in my tracks at Dad¡¯s words. If Rozzean did that for him and not for me, then¡­ it hurts. It hurts because I thought it was for me.

    Mommy held Daddy¡¯s hand. My mom had a serious look on her face as she did that.

    ¡°George, you are hurting your daughter. Stop it.¡±

    ¡°The truth will really hurt her, Thatiana. I think Rozzean¡¯s love was not that deep; it was shallow. He doesn¡¯t love Tangi that much. Because of our daughter¡¯s mistake, the love he imed to have is gone. Earlier, Rozzean might have done that just to clear his image with me because I am one of the major investors in hispany¨C¡±

    I stifled a sob.

    ¡°D-Daddy¡­ p-please stop,¡± my lips trembled as I spoke. I wiped my tears while looking at my father.

    ¡°I am still h-hoping for our rtionship to get better. I-I don¡¯t see anyone else to be with forever except Rozzean. I-I love Rozzean so much. Maybe I assumed that he was there for me, but who knows what¡¯s the real reason? Even if that¡¯s all I thought, that he was there for me, please let me believe it.¡±

    ¡°I-If he really doesn¡¯t love me anymore, I will find a way to bring back that love. He¡¯s my happiness; he showed me the meaning of love¡­ a-and if not for Rozzean, I won¡¯t love again.¡±

    ¡°Tangi¡­¡± Thes held my hand tightly as I cried.

    ¡°I n-never fall for someone. This is the first time I¡¯ve fallen in love. Now I know how hard and painful it is. I made a mistake; I was the one who ruined Rozzean¡¯s trust. I was the reason all of this is happening. That¡¯s why you got angry with him because you saw me getting hurt.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re still mad at him, that¡¯s why you¡¯re saying that to me, but I¡¯m thankful for you, Dad.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate everything that you are doing to protect me, Daddy. I¡­¡± I paused because of the pain I felt in my chest. I couldn¡¯t bear to hear from my father¡¯s mouth that Rozzean and I have no hope and that he doesn¡¯t love me anymore.

    ¡°I know that you are just protecting me, but¡­ I still hurt so much. The physical pain I got when I had an ident was nothingpared to the pain here¡­¡±

    I ced my hand on my chest, ¡°It¡¯s painful, really painful.¡±

    I saw a change in my father¡¯s expression. He wasn¡¯t angry anymore. His face softened while looking at me.

    ¡°But he¡¯s the reason why you are hurting right now. You regret it. You tried to fix it, but what did he do?¡± my father asked.

    I shook my head repeatedly.

    ¡°Daddy, you shouldn¡¯t me Rozzean for his decisions because we decide differently when we get hurt. In what I did, I know that Rozzean was deeply hurt. I saw his reaction, and I understand him. He has been through a lot of pain, and he trusted me so much with his story. It¡¯s really painful to find out that the person you love and trust so much is actually deceiving you.¡±

    ¡°We all have our own emotions. We cannot say that Rozzean should act like this or that he¡¯s being shallow because he cannot forgive me after the things that I did. I hurt him, Dad. He lost his trust in me because I fooled him, so I did what I could to regain that trust.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he is thinking right now, wondering if he forgives me, will I deceive him again? We all have different views, Daddy. I¡¯m not saying this because I love Rozzean and I¡¯m defending him; I¡¯m saying this because we don¡¯t all handle situations the same way.¡±

    ¡°But because you¡¯re all worried about me, I gave up. What I gave up was just finding a way for Rozzean to forgive me, but I will never give up my love for him.¡±

    I saw my mother smile. She gently hit Daddy¡¯s arm.

    ¡°You are like your daughter when we separated before we got married, George. You also fooled me, you did your best. You did a lot back then to reconcile with me.¡±

    I heard Daddy clear his throat and avert his gaze from us.

    ¡°Even so, my case was different. My daughter, Thatiana, is a girl. I don¡¯t want her chasing after a man. Let Rozzean be the one to approach her now.¡±

    ¡°All right, let¡¯s all go inside.¡±

    My father looked at me, his face less serious now.

    ¡°I will let you do what you want this time, aside from going to Rozzean¡¯s ce to seek his forgiveness again. I understand what you¡¯re saying, Tangi, but you did enough. Let Rozzeane to you this time. Don¡¯t make any moves. Let him be.¡±

    After Dad said that, he turned away from us.

    ¡°Your hair color suits you, darling. Oh, and, someone sent you choctes! I ced them in your room!¡± Mommy said and winked at me before following Daddy.

    Choctes?

    ¡°Tangi, why do I feel that your Dad knows something?¡±

    I looked at Thes when she said that.

    When we entered my room, I saw the choctes Mommy mentioned. They were in a small ck paper bag. There was no name indicating who they were from.

    ¡°Oh, gosh, I really thought Uncle George was going to kill me! I was so nervous!¡± Thes eximed.

    I looked at her; she had juste out of my bathroom. I lent her some spare clothes. Sheposed herself. I told her what happened earlier, and she vaguely remembered almost having an ident.

    ¡°You disappeared from my sight! Turns out, you were just on the dance floor! There were so many people there!¡± Thes said to me.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Tangi. We were supposed to enjoy the party.¡±

    Thes ran her fingers through her hair. The effects of the alcohol hadpletely worn off on her.

    I scowled at her, ¡°You¡¯re the one who enjoyed. I was surprised because you suddenly disappeared.¡±

    She just grinned and shed a peace sign. I shook my head at Thes.

    ¡°It seems like your Daddy really doesn¡¯t like Rozzean now, huh? But I felt something different in Uncle George¡¯s words earlier. He said that Rozzean¡¯s love was shallow, and he doesn¡¯t love you anymore, but he also said to let your babye to you this time.¡±

    I don¡¯t really understand Daddy. Maybe it¡¯s because he was angry when I had the ident. Perhaps he still hasn¡¯t calmed down.

    ¡°It¡¯s tough, Thes, but I¡¯ll follow Dad. I won¡¯t make any moves.¡±

    She grabbed my arm, ¡°Yes, girl! Don¡¯t do anything! What you did was enough, but¡­ what if Rozzean purposely went to that bar? Or what if he was really following you since earlier? How would he notice you if you changed your hair color? You look different now than before! You became hotter and sexier!¡±

    ¡°Also, it makes sense. Rozzean lives in Tagaytay; he drove and went to my bar to drink alone? It¡¯s fishy.¡±

    I swallowed hard at what Thes said. Luther was right; Rozzean doesn¡¯t usually go out to drink alone.

    ¡°S-She has a point¡­¡± I unconsciously touched my hair. It used to be ck, and now it¡¯s vani blonde.

    ¡°When he also attacked the man who harassed me, he came from behind¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, right?! I think he¡¯s following you! Rozzean was there in my bar watching you!¡±

    Before I could respond to Thes, my cellphone rang. I picked it up and saw that the caller had an unregistered number.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    No one spoke on the other end.

    ¡°Hello? Who is this?¡± I asked.

    I was about to hang up when my hand stopped hearing that very familiar voice.

    ¡°Thaliana.¡±

 Last Hope

    My heart beats fast. I could hardly breathe when I heard his voice.

    ¡°R-Rozzean?¡±

    I looked at Thes. I¡¯m standing now, and she¡¯s holding onto me.

    ¡°Is that Rozzean?! Is it true?¡± she whispered.

    I nodded at her, but all my attention is on the other line. Rozzean is on the phone, something I didn¡¯t expect. I hold Thes¡¯s hand tightly because of nervousness.

    He called me! He called me, and I¡¯m not dreaming! This is his voice! I can¡¯t be wrong! I know his voice so well, even a whisper, I¡¯d recognize it.

    And he said Thaliana! Not Tali, but Thaliana! Has he forgiven me? Is he not mad at me anymore?

    ¡°R-Rozzean? Hello¨C¡±

    ¡°Thaliana¡­ are you¡­ okay?¡±

    I gasped again when I heard his voice. It¡¯s really Rozzean! My eyes widened as I looked at Thes. I covered my mouth because I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m talking to him now.

    ¡°I-I am okay, thank you. Thank you for saving me earlier. A-are you okay? Where are you? Are you home?¡±

    ¡°I am¨C¡±

    When he was cut off, my eyebrows furrowed. I looked at my cellphone because of that. I pressed the screen. My eyes widened at what I saw.

    ¡°Haaa!!!¡± I shouted and quickly searched for my charger in the drawer.

    ¡°W-Why?! Why?!¡± Thes followed me. She looked worried as she stared at me.

    ¡°My battery is dead! Oh my gosh! Why now?!¡±

    Thes pped her forehead because of what I said. It was one of the unfortunate moments of my life! Why did my phone have to run out of battery now?! Just when I was talking to Rozzean again?!

    ¡°Come on,e back¡­ please¡­ please!¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    I long-pressed my phone, but it wouldn¡¯t turn on.

    ¡°Why won¡¯t it work?¡± I asked, teary-eyed, looking at Thes. She approached me and sat beside the bed while I held my phone. Thes also tried to revive it, but my phone wouldn¡¯te back to life.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s because it¡¯spletely drained, so it won¡¯t turn on. Let the battery charge for a while, and maybe it¡¯lle backter. Oh no! Just when your baby boy called! Such wrong timing!¡±

    But I can¡¯t fckng wait! It¡¯s Rozzean who called me, and that¡¯s the first time after I told him that I would stop chasing him. That I wouldn¡¯t try to make amends anymore. I took a deep breath because of holding back earlier. It happened suddenly, and I didn¡¯t expect it. He¡¯s asking me if I¡¯m okay!

    And he called me by my name! Thaliana!

    His voice is calm!

    Damn¡­

    I miss Rozzean so much¡­ I miss my baby.

    ¡°Thes¡­¡± I gazed into the distance as I called my friend¡¯s name. I saw Thes looking at me. She extended her hand towards me and waved.

    ¡°Don¡¯t lose your sanity just because your baby boy called you, my friend. I don¡¯t want to have a crazy friend just because she loved a guy with a jumbo hotdog too much.¡±

    I took her hand that she was waving in front of me and held it tightly. She seemed surprised by what I did, her eyes slightly widened. I looked at Thes, biting my lower lip. Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked at her.

    ¡°Tangi, you are creeping me out! Speak! Please!¡± she said.

    ¡°I am so happy¡­¡± I cried.

    I sniffed while looking at her.

    ¡°Rozzean called me and asked me if I am okay. Because of what happened earlier. Thes¡­ he called me.¡±

    I felt another hope because of that call. It was brief, but hope for fixing our rtionship blossomed again.

    My friend approached me, nodded, and tightly held my hand. Then she nodded repeatedly in agreement with me.

    ¡°This is a good sign, I think. Also, I sensed something fishy in your father¡¯s words. Let¡¯s see what would happen next, Tangi. Follow what Tito George said, let Rozzean take the initiative, and maybe this time, he¡¯ll be the one to make things right between you two. He¡¯ll be the one toe to you.¡±

    She wiped the tears on both my cheeks.

    ¡°You deserve to be happy, Tangi. You are one of the greatest blessings that happened to me and, of course, to your family. One of the kindest and most generous people I know. One mistake cannot overshadow all the goodness in you.¡±

    ¡°T-Thes¡­¡±

    Thes smiled at me and held my cheeks.

    ¡°Maybe, Rozzean now realizes that you are more than the mistake you made. And his love for you is still there. It¡¯s just that his anger took over. He acted foolishly, but what matters is if he understands what¡¯s more important.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s you, Tangi.¡±

    I nodded repeatedly, hugged Thes, and thanked her.

    That night, when my cellphone finally turned on, I tried calling Rozzean. But the number was unreachable. I attempted multiple times, even using my mother¡¯s cellphone, but the result was the same. I felt sad because I couldn¡¯t talk to him again.

    I med myself for not checking my phone¡¯s battery that night. It¡¯s not something I usually do, but I regretted it so much. Maybe if it didn¡¯t die so soon, Rozzean and I could have talked for a longer time.

    My cellphone took a while toe back to life due to the severe battery drain.

    It¡¯s been 2 days, and Rozzean¡¯s number is still unreachable. Out of frustration from what happened that night, when my phone died due to low battery and took so long to turn back on, I decided to buy a new one. I also made sure not to let my phone run out of battery again. I even bought a power bank, something I never thought of using before.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am Tangi, are the flowers you chose for the event in Pangasinan okay?¡±

    I looked at Alma. With Tita Cynthia, Rozzean, and Luther¡¯s mom¡¯s birthday just around the corner, I was nervous. Even though I¡¯m professional in my job, I worried that she might not like what I¡¯ll do or the flowers I selected.

    I felt more pressured when Luther didn¡¯t choose any flowers. What if their mom doesn¡¯t like my choices? Besides, she also knows about flowers.

    ¡°Yes, Alma, thank you.¡±

    I was busy that day with the numerous orders. My cellphone suddenly rang, and I saw Thes calling via video.

    I put down my pen and answered immediately.

    ¡°I¡¯m a bit busy right now, Thes, what¨C¡±

    Instead of Thes¡¯s face, I saw Rozzean and ri on the screen.

    My lips parted in shock, and mere surprise couldn¡¯t capture my expression. I even stood up from my seat.

    ¡°W-What the hell?¡±

    ¡°Tangi!¡±

    The camera moved, and Thes¡¯s face appeared. She was walking and seemed to be outside the restaurant. I can see it. I was still incredibly shocked. Why are they together?

    Why is ri with him?!

    ¡°I am here at Mazanto Restaurant in Batangas, and look what I saw?! Haven¡¯t you talked to Rozzean after he called you?! What is he doing here with a woman? And who is that woman?¡±

    I was still in awe, holding my chest. My heartbeat fastened, and my hands went cold.

    I clearly saw Rozzean and ri. They were eating together. He was in a suit, and ri was in a pink dress. The woman was smiling, looking at Rozzean while he focused on his food.

    ¡°Thes¡­ ri is the woman.¡±

    ¡°What?! ri?! That demon you told me about? What the fck? What are these two doing here?¡±

    I shook my head several times. My breathing got heavier. I bit my lower lip as I felt the pain in my chest again.

    ¡°I was really surprised, Tangi! I thought I might be mistaken. When they faced me, I saw it was indeed Rozzean. The woman called him by his name. Rozzean at first, then suddenly became Rozz! The crazy woman even used endearments! Oh, Tangi! I want to p Rozzean¡¯s face! Even that woman with him! What is happening?!¡±

    I didn¡¯t know either. Why is he with ri? In Batangas?

    M-Maybe Dad was right that Rozzean just saved me that night to clear his image and for the sake of hispany.

    That he only called me that night to make sure I¡¯m okay because George D Vezca¡¯s one of the major investors in hispany, not because of me.

    Daddy knows that Rozzean saved me. He said that Rozzean just saved me to clear his image because of what happened to me. I, on the other hand, interpreted his actions in the bar differently, hoping that it was all for me.

    That he was genuinely concerned.

    But really not.

 Time To Let Go

    It turns out that loving someone is not enough to make someone stay and wait for things to get better. Even though I¡¯ve repeatedly said that I love Rozzean so much and I won¡¯t give up on my feelings for him, I still reached this point.

    Where the pain will prevail over love.

    Seeing them together with ri twice wasn¡¯t just a pinch in my heart; it felt like a dagger repeatedly stabbing my chest.

    It hurts. It hurts so much.

    Enough. I don¡¯t want this anymore. I won¡¯t hope for things to get better because it seems like he¡¯s doing fine now. He¡¯s better off without me. He looks good without me.

    Rozzean is fine¡­ without me.

    ¡°Thaliana, you are not eating your food. You told me we would talk, but since we got here, you haven¡¯t said anything. You just moved your food around until the dishes arrived. What happened?¡±

    I looked up at Luther. I called him and asked if he had free time to talk. He immediately said he had nothing else to do after office hours.

    We met at Carnazi, a restaurant near my flower shop.

    ¡°Luther¡­¡±

    He set down his utensils, looking at me. He noticed that something was wrong, and he¡¯s giving me his full attention. I hesitated to speak immediately after mentioning his name. I wanted to talk, but my lips trembled as I recalled what Thes showed me.

    ¡°Thaliana, tell me, what happened? Why are you acting like this? I knew something was wrong the moment I saw you earlier¨C¡±

    ¡°I will stop loving him.¡±

    I saw that Luther was surprised, but it quickly faded. He took a deep breath and then drank some water. Not the reaction I expected.

    The truth is, everyone around me is saying that I¡¯ve done enough. That I shouldn¡¯t take any action and just let Rozzean find a way if he truly loves me. But I¡¯ve had enough of seeing ri and Rozzean while I¡¯m here, still holding onto the hope that we could be together again.

    I feel like a fool, endlessly hoping he¡¯lle back to me while he¡¯s out there with ri.

    I¡¯ve seen them together twice. It was already painful when I saw them at his house, but I didn¡¯t know there would be more pain toe. After hoping that we would reconcile when he saved me in the bar and when he called, I see them together again, this time with ri.

    Who knows how many times they¡¯ve been going out? Just the two of them.

    ¡°W-Why? Why? What happened? Did Cyron do something?¡±

    I smiled faintly at Luther. I wasn¡¯t foolish before; it¡¯s just now.

    It¡¯s true that when you love someone, you be foolish, blind, and deaf. Blind because I saw back then that he didn¡¯t want me anymore, yet I still tried. I saw him with ri at his house, and I still hoped. Deaf because despite being told many times that Rozzean¡¯s love is shallow, and that¡¯s why he can¡¯t forgive me, I didn¡¯t listen. I didn¡¯t listen to the negative opinions about Rozzean because I love him¡­ so much.

    I love him so much, more than words can express.

    ¡°Thes saw him with ri, and my friend showed them to me in a video call. They were eating in a restaurant in Batangas. After all the pain I¡¯ve felt, hoping that our rtionship would get better, do I still need to continue feeling this way? Especially when I see that he¡¯s doing fine now? That he¡¯s okay?¡±

    ¡°Suddenly, I thought maybe I¡¯m the only one still hoping that we¡¯ll fix things. Then, I realized my Dad¡¯s words that Rozzean might be doing this for the sake of their rtionship as businessmen. Because of what happened between us, Dad med him for the ident. Daddy and Rozzean have known each other for a long time, and I¡¯ve exined to my father multiple times that he shouldn¡¯t be angry because I¡¯m the one at fault.¡±

    I will talk to Dad again.

    ¡°Thaliana, maybe ri and Rozzean just talked about business. Do you want me to ask him about that?¡±

    And whatever business it is, I¡¯m no longer interested in knowing.

    I quickly shook my head. I don¡¯t want to be desperate. Using Luther is a desperate move. When I saw them together because Thes showed me earlier, I wanted to know why they were together again. But I realized that instead of focusing my attention on understanding, and instead of holding onto the pain in my chest, I should find a way to heal now.

    It¡¯s just too painful. So painful that I don¡¯t know when it will end.

    ¡°I will be okay, not now, but soon I will be okay, Luther. I decided to end this feeling I have for Rozzean.¡±

    He lowered his gaze, nodded three times, and then took another sip of water.

    ¡°I understand, Thaliana. Rozzean let his anger decide for him. But why don¡¯t you talk to him and end things personally?¡±

    I raised my eyebrows at Luther. What¡¯s the point? I have tried enough.

    ¡°When we went to his house together, he said that he doesn¡¯t need me in his life, Luther. You were there, right? You saw how Rozzean rejected me. He was so angry. But because I am stubborn and because I love him so much, I continued to find a way for him to forgive me. But what happened?¡±

    ¡°Things got worse. I saw ri with him. He looks fine. He¡¯s better without me, and I realized it even more now that I saw him with ri again for the second time. It hurts, Luther, everything is just pain. I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s any hope left for us to reconcile. My attention is solely focused on him. I¡¯m always waiting, always thinking about what I can do for him to forgive me¡­¡±

    I breathe hard, tears welling up in my eyes. I¡¯ve been trying to hold back my tears in front of Luther, but because of the emotions, these tears fall one after another.

    It¡¯s just pain. It¡¯s just crying.

    It¡¯s so hard to keep these tears because I am in so much pain right now.

    ¡°Even though my father told me not to take any action, I can¡¯t help but think about what I can do to make him forgive me because I love him so much. But, Luther¡­ seeing Rozzean with ri, I said, ¡®Enough.¡¯ I was so jealous and hurt. Do you know what I felt? What entered my mind?¡±

    I never thought that love could really make a person this weak and vulnerable. I was a brave woman, a tough one. But this love made me beg on my knees. I looked pitiful, but I didn¡¯t care because of the love I felt for Rozzean. I was convinced that I caused all of this, that I deceived him, and I deserve this pain. But as time goes by, I¡¯m breaking apart.

    I¡¯m losing my self-worth because of the pain I feel. Because of my love for him and the continuous hope that we¡¯ll be okay.

    ¡°I questioned my worth, Luther.¡±

    ¡°Thaliana¡­ you are more than what you think you are.¡±

    I bit my lower lip at Luther¡¯s response.

    ¡°I regret the mistake I made with him. I showed my remorse, I chased after him. I thought his love would save us, but maybe¡­ his love was not enough to forgive me.¡±

    At the bar, when I saw Rozzean, I wanted to run and hug him. He was so close yet so far.

    ¡°Rozzean¡¯s anger decides for him, Thaliana. Maybe he¡¯s just taking his time and will talk to you again. You said he called you, right? He asked if you are okay.¡±

    I nodded, smiled a little, ¡°His rescue in the bar and that call gave me hope, Luther, but it also made me realize that maybe he¡¯s just feeling guilty for my ident. If he truly loves me, he woulde to me to fix our rtionship. But where is he?¡±

    It bes harder to breathe when I think of the love I have for Rozzean.

    ¡°He said he loves me. Even if it¡¯s Tali, it¡¯s still me. I-I¡¯m still the one¡­ every night, I cry and think about him.¡±

    I wiped away the tear on my right cheek.

    I promised myself that I would never cry because of Rozzean because I¡¯ve cried enough. But here I am again.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Does he miss me too? The way I miss him? O-or even if not the same level, just the thought of him would be enough for me. I love Rozzean so much, Luther, but this love would ruin me.¡±

    ¡°And I can¡¯t lose myself¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I am giving up. I will let him go.¡±

 I Miss You

    After that conversation with Luther, I focused on my business to distract myself from the sadness I was feeling. I also took my pets back from Thes to alleviate some of the loneliness.

    ¡°Rose, Daisy, Dandy, Dahlia, Cherry, and Lily, did you miss Mommy? I¡¯m sorry if I left you with Aunt Thes¡­¡±

    I kissed each of my cats, mu pomeranian and white poodle, and they wagged their tails in excitement. They surrounded me now, staying close to me on my bed.

    Indeed, simply spending time with your pets can help you feel better.

    ¡°Are you all hungry?¡±

    I got up and went downstairs to prepare their food. They all followed me. While they have their own room in my house, they often sleep in my bedroom.

    While I was preparing their food, my phone rang. I checked who was calling and saw that it was Daddy. I had already talked to him and cleared everything about Rozzean. I got the answer I wanted from Daddy. He assured me that he remains professional and won¡¯t involve the business, even though he¡¯s annoyed with Rozzean.

    Annoyed.

    That brought me somefort, and it helped ease my mind a bit.

    Now that I am finally moving on with the help of the people around me and my fur babies, I can say that I can handle it. I can endure it, even if it¡¯s difficult.

    ¡°Hello, Daddy?¡±

    ¡°Tangi, honey, do you have ns for today?¡±

    Tinatangi flower shop is still open on Saturdays. I n to go to my shop to help Alma. The shop is closed every Sunday.

    ¡°I¡¯m just nning to visit Tinatangi, Dad. Why, po?¡±

    I lowered the feeding bowls of Daisy and Lily. While talking to my dad, I continued cing food in my babies¡¯ containers. I smiled when my fur babies looked at me. Their innocent faces made me smile.

    ¡°We have dinner with the Vallejester, sweetheart.¡±

    I raised my eyebrows. Luther hasn¡¯t mentioned anything about this to me.

    ¡°Oh¡­ what time, Dad?¡±

    I nced at the clock. It¡¯s already seven in the morning. Maybe Aunty Cynthia is inviting us for her birthday tomorrow! It¡¯s tomorrow, and Luther is busy organizing the surprise party for their mother in a famous resort in Pampanga.

    ¡°6:00 pm, Cynthia invited me and your Mom, of course, including you, to have dinner in their home. Your future mother-inw wanted to see you and talk to you.¡±

    Future mother-inw¡­

    ¡°Okay, Daddy, I¡¯ll also talk to Luther.¡±

    There was a sudden silence on the other end of the line. I even checked my phone to see if Dad was still there. The call was still ongoing.

    ¡°Daddy?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, sweetheart¡­ I noticed that you and Luther are really getting close?¡±

    Luther is a good man, and he was there to help me when I was deeply hurt. Even if I don¡¯t say anything, he follows me.

    ¡°He¡¯s a good man, Daddy, kind and a gentleman.¡±

    There was silence again on the other end. After cing the food bowls of my babies, I sat on the sofa and spoke again.

    ¡°Okay, Daddy, 6:00 pm. I already know Luther¡¯s house, so we don¡¯t need to go together. I¡¯ll just call you and Mommy when I¡¯m on the way.¡±

    ¡°Okay, take care.¡±

    After ending the call, I attended to my fur babies again. I gave them food and water. It was still early, and I had time to visit Tinatangi to check on my shop and help Alma.

    I went back to my room, took a shower, and got ready. I wore a in white blouse and gray trousers, opting not to put on makeup. Once ready, I headed to my pets¡¯ room.

    I opened the door to their y area and prepared food on the side in case they get hungry again.

    ¡°Mommy¡¯s going to work for now, babies.¡±

    I kissed each of them, then headed out. I entered my car, grabbed my cellphone, and saw a message from Luther.

    ¡°Dinner at our houseter, are you free?¡±

    Before replying, he was already calling. I put on my wireless earphones and answered the call.

    ¡°Luther.¡±

    ¡°So, are you free? It¡¯s Saturday today.¡±

    ¡°I am, and it¡¯s still 6:00 pm. Dad called, they invited us to dinner at your house with Aunty Cynthia. I can¡¯t say no. It¡¯s your Mom, and her birthday is tomorrow.¡±

    I was driving to my flower shop while talking to Luther. I feel a bit better now. Going out yesterday helped me release some of the resentment I had towards him.

    ¡°But be carefulter, you might mention something to Mom about the surprise.¡±

    I chuckled softly.

    ¡°Me? Tell that to yourself. I know how to keep surprises. You might be the one slipping and saying something.¡±

    It was a light conversation. I could hear Lutherughing on the other line.

    ¡°Where are you now? At home? I¡¯ll pick you upter; I¡¯m at the office right now. Just finished some work.¡±

    Even on Saturdays, he¡¯s still working. He¡¯s quite a workaholic.

    ¡°I am driving, heading to the flower shop¨C¡±

    ¡°You are driving and talking to me on the phone? Thaliana¡­¡±

    There was a hint of a threat in his voice, and I smiled. They really are scared that I¡¯ll drive. Thest time I had an ident was because I wasn¡¯t paying attention due to the pain I felt back then. Now, I¡¯m okay.

    ¡°Luther, you are overreacting! I¡¯m fine; I can drive. I¡¯m a good driver.¡±

    I heard him sigh.

    ¡°But not when you are hurt.¡±

    Okay, I had noeback for what he said.

    ¡°Okay, what time are you going to pick me up? Juste to my house, alright? I need to go home to check on my babies.¡±

    ¡°At 5, I will call you. Take care and be safe, Thaliana.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    When the call ended, I focused on driving. Luther was one of the best. I found another friend that I can trust, and that¡¯s him. Him and Thes are there for me and know the pains I went through because of my love for Rozzean.

    I saw how they wanted to make me feel better, but they don¡¯t know how. But their support and staying by my side are more than enough.

    When I arrived at Tinatangi, I parked my car on the side. I went inside and saw Alma arranging three bouquets of flowers.

    ¡°A lot, huh?¡±

    She was surprised to see me.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am Tangi! I thought you wouldn¡¯te?¡±

    I put down my bag on the side and grabbed some gloves. I approached Alma and helped her arrange the flowers.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to do at home, so I came here. But, just half a day, Alma. I have a dinner to attendter.¡±

    I was carefully cing the white and red roses, arranging them in a way that looked beautiful.

    ¡°Ayiee¡­ dinner with your boyfriend, Ma¡¯am Tangi?¡± Alma asked.

    I paused in cing the white roses. Suddenly, Rozzean crossed my mind. I bit my lip and looked at Alma.

    ¡°Dinner with my fianc¨¦¡¯s family.¡±

    Oh, Thaliana. Just for one day, remove Rozzean from your mind.

    ¡°When¡¯s the wedding, Ma¡¯am Tangi? Invite us, okay!¡±

    I just yed along with Alma¡¯s teasing, ¡°Sure, how could I forget you all?¡±

    When the bell on the door of my flower shop rang, both Alma and I turned to see a teenage girl, maybe around fifteen, entering. I approached her and smiled.

    ¡°Hello¡­¡±

    ¡°U-Uhm, hello!¡± she greeted, bowing slightly.

    ¡°Three red roses, please,¡± she requested.

    Alma and I exchanged nces. I turned away for a moment to grab three red roses, cut the stems, and arranged them. The young girl handed the payment to Alma.

    It was the first time a young person bought from my shop. I couldn¡¯t help but feel delighted.

    ¡°Here are your three red roses.¡±

    I offered them to her, but she didn¡¯t take them. The young girl shook her head and smiled.

    I wondered and nced at Alma for a moment.

    ¡°Why?¡± I asked and returned my gaze to the young girl.

    Instead of answering, she handed me a card. I took it.

    ¡°Someone sent this. Also, for the three red roses. He said I should give the flowers to you so you won¡¯t get sad.¡±

    Suddenly, Rozzean¡¯s image appeared in my mind. I bit my lower lip. Here I am again. Even after the conversation I had with Luther, I find myself hoping again.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go now!¡±

    ¡°W-Wait!¡± I shouted, but she had already left.

    As I opened the card she gave me, I froze when I read what was written.

    W-What¡­

    I quickly left my flower shop and go out. I scanned the surroundings. No people, no other cars except mine.

    I looked at the card again and read what was written.

    ¡°I¡­ miss you.¡±

 Bestfriendéˆ¥æªš Advice

    My mind was upied with thoughts about the three red roses the young girl gave me earlier and the content of the card she handed over. If it¡¯s Rozzean, then why didn¡¯t he give them to me himself?

    No one elsees to mind who would do such a thing but him.

    He¡¯s the only man in my life.

    Who else would do this?

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, it¡¯s already 12, you¡¯re just working half a day today, right?¡±

    I looked at Alma. I didn¡¯t realize the time. Time flies. Those three roses are annoying. I nced at where they were ced, right beside the card.

    I miss you?

    ¡°Thank you for reminding me, Alma,¡± I said to her, offering a smile.

    I packed up my things and took the bouquet of flowers that I arranged myself to give to Luther¡¯s motherter. As I was leaving, I nced at the three roses and the card. I picked them up and headed to my car. I was too stunned to speak when I saw the letter. Alma even thought it was from my fianc¨¦ Luther.

    If it really came from Rozzean, why did he need to use a child to give it to me? Doesn¡¯t he have the face to confront me? Why?

    ¡°I have so many questions.¡±

    But I shouldn¡¯t hope anymore. It will only hurt me. His actions now hurt me even more than before. I was thinking that we would be okay, then in the end, I would see him with ri again.

    When I reached my house, I ced the three roses and the card on my bed. I changed my clothes and headed to my children¡¯s room. I saw that they were all asleep. Upon leaving, I went to the kitchen, took a cold drink from the fridge, and drank.

    I took out my cellphone and immediately called Thes. It was a video call. She answered quickly, and I could tell from the background that she was at the office. Trying to make more money, as always.

    She loves to earn money, even though her family is wealthy.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°Oh, what? Are you going to tell me another heartache story about Rozzean but won¡¯t listen to my advice to stop and forget him? Oh dear! Just backread my messages. Read my advice!¡±

    I smiled at what Thes said.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t said anything yet.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I don¡¯t want to get involved in that love stuff. I hate it. It makes people foolish, crazy, paranoid. And then there you are, saying that there¡¯s no hope, but you¡¯re still holding on. Come on! Please, surrender!¡±

    I know Thes is hurting for me too. That¡¯s why I¡¯m trying.

    ¡°I am trying now, Thes. I talked to Luther too. I will stop my feelings for Rozzean.¡±

    I walked back to my room. When I told Luther about it, I was really determined. I don¡¯t want to lose myself because of the love I have for Rozzean. I am a strong woman, but because of the love I have for him, I suddenly don¡¯t recognize myself.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re really trying! If you weren¡¯t so weak! Maybe just one move from Rozzean and you¡¯ll give in again! Please, Tangi, you deserve better! Maybe that jumbo hotdog isn¡¯t for you. Seriously, I have a different level of anger for him and that witch he¡¯s with.¡±

    Thes can really turn my sadness into happiness. Jumbot hotdog! Really!

    ¡°You can still find a bigger jumbo hotdog out there!¡±

    ¡°Thes!¡± I couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    ¡°What I mean is, you can find a man with a big heart who will love you deeply. Not like Rozzean, who might give you pleasure but will hurt you badly too. Oh, it feels good to punch him!¡±

    I couldn¡¯t resist and burst intoughter at what Thes said. She kept going, spouting those words. I suddenly forgot about thinking about Rozzean and the pain I felt earlier.

    I wiped away the tears from the corners of my eyes fromughing. When I looked at Thes on the screen, I saw her face. Raised eyebrows as she stared at me, her nose also slightly raised.

    ¡°Tangi, are you going crazy?¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    She asked softly. Her facial expression was also funny.

    I shook my head, ¡°I¡¯m not going crazy, I¡¯m justughing at what you¡¯re saying.¡±

    I picked up the three roses beside me and the card.

    ¡°A teenage girl went to my shop and bought three red roses. Instead of taking them, she gave them to me. She also gave me a card that says ¡®I miss you¡¯ and mentioned that someone is sending them. The sender also said not to be sad¨C¡±

    ¡°Oh, Thaliana, huh¡­¡±

    Thes leaned on her swivel chair. She raised her index finger towards me.

    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. Rozzean, right? You¡¯re thinking it¡¯s Rozzean who gave them?¡±

    I nodded. There¡¯s no point in lying to her because I really thought it was Rozzean.

    ¡°There¡¯s no other man in my life who would send me flowers and say he misses me. It¡¯s not Luther either because we met yesterday and discussed what you saw in Batangas. So, I really think it¡¯s Rozzean.¡±

    Thes nodded along.

    ¡°I thought so too, let¡¯s assume it¡¯s him, but Tangi, don¡¯t give in. I also don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on in his little mind. Why he¡¯s with another woman in Batangas, having a meal together. Why he didn¡¯t even call you after that night.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just telling you, Tangi. Please, know your worth. You don¡¯t deserve what¡¯s happening. I saw the woman, I even watched them after I ended my call to you yesterday. The woman was so close to him. She¡¯s talkative. Annoying.¡±

    I just gave a restrained smile. That¡¯s what I needed to see to wake up, especially after unexpectedly receiving flowers and that message earlier. But I won¡¯t be foolish.

    ¡°I will remember everything you told me, Thes. You are the master, after all. Even if you haven¡¯t fallen in love yet.¡±

    ¡°Of course! That¡¯s why you should listen to me. You know, I always want what¡¯s best for you. We¡¯re not just friends; you¡¯re like a sister to me. Not by blood but by heart. The connection is stronger when it¡¯s heart to heart.¡±

    She closed her eyes, smiled, and nodded, as if boasting.

    ¡°But, okay, if you¡¯re really determined and not foolish anymore, repeat after me.¡±

    My eyebrows raised at what Thes said.

    ¡°I, Thaliana, will no longer be weak for Rozzean Cyron Valleje.¡±

    I repeated what she said.

    ¡°I, Thaliana, will no longer be weak for Rozzean Cyron Valleje.¡±

    ¡°No matter how big his hotdog is¨C¡±

    ¡°Thes!¡± I eximed. Now, she¡¯s the oneughing.

    Why did I even follow her lead?!

 Let Me Go

    I didn¡¯t realize I¡¯d been talking to Thes for an hour after I said goodbye to her. When I put my phone down, drowsiness pulled me in, and I fell asleep. I woke up to the sound of my phone.

    I groped for it on the side, and when I saw Luther calling, I sat up abruptly.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Are you ready? I¡¯m outside your house.¡±

    Oh sht!

    My eyes widened as I nced at the clock in my room.

    It¡¯s 4:50 pm! Holy shit! I forgot! We were supposed to leave at 5 pm!

    ¡°W-Wait, Luther.¡±

    I hurriedly went down the stairs and headed outside. When I opened the gate, Luther was there, leaning against his car.

    ¡°Luther!¡± I called out to him. He looked at me and slowly lowered his phone. He walked towards me.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry; I fell asleep. You can wait inside my house.¡±

    I widened the gate, and as Luther entered, he said he would close it for me.

    ¡°You look tired,¡± he said, scanning the mini-garden outside.

    I opened the door of my house and let him in.

    ¡°Not really, I was just talking to Thes earlier, and then sleep overcame me. When I woke up, it was already almost five. Do you need anything? Water? Juice?¡±

    ¡°Sit down here, okay?¡± I offered him. Luther followed and sat on my sofa.

    I¡¯m really embarrassed! He has to wait for me now!

    ¡°S-Sorry, just a moment, okay? I¡¯ll get ready. I¡¯m really sorry.¡±

    He just nodded, ¡°Take your time.¡±

    I turned away and went to my room. I quickly searched for something to wear from my closet. I picked the baby blue puff dress and my t white shoes. I took a quick shower, blow-dried my hair, and then applied light makeup.

    In twenty minutes, I was done. When I went downstairs, I was surprised to find my pets surrounding Luther. Daisy and Lily were on hisp, and Rose was perched on the back of his neck, sitting atop the sofa. Meanwhile, Dandy, Dahlia, and Cherry were beside him.

    ¡°Oh my gosh, I am sorry about their furs¡­¡±

    I gently removed my pets from Luther.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s cute that they didn¡¯t give me the cold shoulder. They¡¯re affectionate too.¡±

    I smiled, ¡°I¡¯m training them to interact with other people. Just wait, okay? I¡¯ll bring them back to their room so we can leave.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you. Where is it?¡±

    I picked up Dandy and Lily, and Luther carried the other pets. He followed me to their room.

    ¡°This is nice, Thaliana. You really like pets, huh? You treat them like your children.¡±

    I arranged the sleeping area for my pets and looked back at Luther.

    ¡°Yes, I love them, and I truly consider them my children, not just pets.¡±

    Once I made sure my pets were settled, I took the bouquet I had arranged for Tita Cynthia and then Luther and I headed outside. We walked towards his car. I checked my phone to see if Dad had messaged, but there was none. I sent a message, letting him know that I¡¯m on my way with Luther.

    ¡°Everything is ready for tomorrow. The surprise party for Mom will start at 7:00 pm. Is it okay if I pick you up at 7 am?¡±

    I nced at Luther.

    ¡°No problem. My team and I can start arranging the flowers for the venue, maybe around 11 am, and we should be done by 3:00 pm. I saw the size of the ce, and it¡¯s beautiful¡­ near the sea.¡±

    ¡°I deliberately chose a location near the sea for a beautiful view.¡±

    The ce is beautiful, and I can¡¯t wait.

    We fell silent. Luther drove quietly, and I nced at my phone, waiting for a call or message from Daddy until a few minutester, I received a call.

    ¡°Dad¡­¡±

    ¡°Hello, sweetheart, we are here¡­ are you?¡±

    I looked out the window. We¡¯re also near. We¡¯ll just make a turn into the vige.

    ¡°We are near, Daddy¡­¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay, take care, Tangi.¡±

    After ending the call, I looked at Luther.

    ¡°Tito George?¡±

    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re already there. He¡¯s asking about us.¡±

    Luther nodded. I put my phone back into my bag as we turned into their vige.

    I checked the time. It¡¯s 6:10 pm. Luther¡¯s car was about to enter their house. I was amazed. Their gate is so high. Due to its height, you can¡¯t see the house beyond.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Thaliana.¡±

    I nodded to Luther and got out of the car. He took the bouquet intended for his mother.

    Luther¡¯s hand was on my waist as we entered their mansion. He was supporting me as we walked.

    ¡°Oh, they¡¯re here!¡±

    I heard Tita Cynthia¡¯s voice. They were also waiting for us here in the living room.

    ¡°You guys really look good together¡­¡± she said, smiling.

    I saw my Dad with a nk expression, gazing at Luther¡¯s hand on my waist. I approached Mommy and Daddy and kissed them on the cheek.

    ¡°Mom¡­ Dad¡­¡±

    Mommy smiled at me, but her smile didn¡¯t reach her eyes. Why do I feel like something is wrong? with them?Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Dad, is there something wrong?¡± I asked.

    Daddy cleared his throat and looked at me. He smiled, but I could tell it was forced.

    ¡°Mom, flowers, Thaliana arranged them herself for you.¡±

    ¡°Wow! really? You are so sweet, Thaliana!¡±

    Luther and I went to the garden, where Tita Cynthia and Mommy were preparing the food. Since they weren¡¯t finished yet, they told us to stay in the garden for a while.

    I was amazed by its vastness. I smiled as I looked around the entire garden. The flowers were so beautiful!

    ¡°Do you like it? Mommy also loves flowers. Aloncious inherited that from our mother.¡±

    My broad smile disappeared when I heard the name of their eldest sibling.

    ¡°Beautiful, your mom takes good care of it. From what I see, almost everything is vibrant and nothing is withering, even the leaves.¡±

    When I looked at Luther, I noticed the feathers of my pets on his navy blue long-sleeved polo.

    I knew it.

    I approached him and brushed off the feathers from his chest and arms.

    ¡°Oh, Luther, sorry¡­ you have still furs on you.¡±

    Luther tilted his head down, looking at his clothes, while I continued to brush off the furs.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay, I can change inside¨C¡±

    Luther turned to look inside, and when I noticed his prolonged gaze, I looked as well.

    My hands, which were on Luther¡¯s chest, stopped when I saw who was standing in front of us.

    ¡°Cyron¡­¡±

    Not far from us, I saw Rozzean¡¯s face clearly. Serious and dark as he stared at Luther and me. My eyes also dropped to his clenched fists.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t say you wereing?¡±

    Rx, Thaliana. Don¡¯t lower your head, don¡¯t hide your face. Show him that you¡¯re not affected anymore. That he has no impact on you. Even if that¡¯s the only thing you can do tonight!

    Rozzean walked towards us, Luther asked him again, but his eyes never left me. He was only looking at me.

    We are looking at each other.

    ¡°I have free time.¡±

    Even when he answered Luther¡¯s question, he kept looking at me! I was about to give in, ready to lower my head due to Rozzean¡¯s intense gaze when Luther grabbed my right hand and ced me behind him.

    He was shielding me!

    Thank goodness!

    ¡°Why are you looking at my fiancee, Cyron? What do you want?¡±

    I nced at Rozzean due to Luther¡¯s question. Now he¡¯s looking at his brother. His jaw tightened, and his hands were clenched as if he couldunch them at Luther at any moment.

    ¡°Luther Rico¡­¡±

    When I heard that dangerous tone in Rozzean¡¯s voice, fear crept in. I was about to step in front of Luther, but he held my hand tightly, keeping me behind him.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything to say, then we¡¯re leaving.¡±

    After Luther said that, he started pulling me inside, but I was stunned by what happened.

    I stopped in my tracks!

    I quickly turned to Rozzean.

    lowered my eyes to my hand, which he held tightly.

    ¡°Let Thaliana go, Cyron.¡±

    W-What the hell¡­

    I tried to pull my hand away from Rozzean, but he tightened his grip even more.

    ¡°No,¡± he said firmly while looking at me.

 Grandchild?!

    I can hardly breathe normally. Rozzean is holding my right hand, and Luther is holding my left hand. The siblings give each other a disapproving look while I stand between them.

    ¡°I told you to let go of Thaliana, Cyron. What don¡¯t you understand about that-¡±

    ¡°I said no. What don¡¯t you understand about what I said, Luther?¡±

    I keep looking back and forth between the two of them. But Rozzean catches my gaze for a while. I don¡¯t know why he¡¯s doing this. Does he not want to see me anymore? Does he not like me?

    Even back at his house, he told me many times to stop asking for his forgiveness. So why is he here now? Just when I decided to forget about him, hees back, acting like I¡¯m still important to him, like there¡¯s still love.

    And then what?

    ¡°You are done with her, right? What¡¯s all this drama, Rozzean? Is it because of thepany? Because Thaliana¡¯s uncle is Uncle George? The one who helps you?¡±

    I see Rozzean clenching her jaw.

    And that¡¯s what I want to know too! Luther got it! I had a feeling that Rozzean might be doing this to avoid angering my Dad! That she will just use me! Why not? Even after the conversation I had with my father, even though I got his word that he wouldn¡¯t involve hispany, Rozzean has a different decision.

    And Luther got it too.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t you answer, Cyron?¡±

    I felt Rozzean¡¯s grip on my hand tighten. I lowered my gaze, wanting to pull my hand away, but his grip was too strong. I knew no matter how many times I try, I won¡¯t be able to break free.

    ¡°Luther, stop-¡±

    ¡°Thaliana Tangi.¡±

    We all looked at Daddy when he suddenly arrived. When I felt Rozzean release my hand, I quickly looked at him. I was surprised by what he did.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    Why did he let go of my hand when my Dad came?

    Why?

    Is that the answer, that he approached me again because of Daddy? And he didn¡¯t want my Dad to see him taking steps?

    ¡°D-Dad¡­¡±

    I approached my father. I didn¡¯t look back at the siblings because Dad hugged me and led me to the dining area. I felt Luther walking alongside me.

    When we reached the dining area, Dad seated me next to Luther. Tita Cynthia smiled and looked at me. My parents were on my side. I looked at the variety of dishes on the table.

    Then, I saw Taki on Tita Cynthia¡¯s side. I was surprised when I noticed him looking at me, his gaze unwavering. I smiled and raised my hand to wave.

    ¡°It looks like my grandson likes you, Thaliana¡­¡±

    Those were the words spoken by Royce Valleje. He smiled, but it felt different from the one he gave me. I suddenly remembered Rozzean¡¯s story about their eldest sibling. I took a deep breath.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    Taki got off his grandma¡¯sp, and I was surprised when the child turned toward me.

    ¡°Up¡­ up¡­¡±

    I looked at the Valleje couple.

    ¡°Oh my¡­ he wants you to carry him, Thaliana!¡±

    Luther bent down, smiling at Taki. I quickly obliged and lifted Taki, cradling him. His small hands rested on my palm. I smiled, ying with his tiny fingers. asionally, he looked at me and smiled.

    Did he recognize me as the maid who took care of him at Rozzean¡¯s house? Or is he justfortable with unfamiliar people?

    Tita Cynthia answered my questions.

    ¡°It¡¯s surprising that my grandson went to you, Thaliana. He doesn¡¯t easily warm up to strangers. The only people he usually stays close to are me, Luther, and even Rozzean. He¡¯s even distant with his grandpa.¡±

    I looked at Royce Valleje, who was slightly pouting. He couldn¡¯t ept what his wife said about their only grandchild.

    ¡°I¡¯m often at work and don¡¯t get to y with Taki, so he doesn¡¯t see me much. You were always here with him, honey.¡±

    ¡°But how about Rozzean? He¡¯s not living here with us, but when Taki sees him, he runs to him right away. Oh, your excuses, Royce.¡±

    My parents justughed, but I became quiet when Rozzean was mentioned. He was here, near¡­ so near yet so far. Very close, but I knew the distance I needed to keep from him.

    I had to distance myself because I promised to forget him.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    I looked to my left and saw Luther¡¯s worried face, probably because of what happened earlier.

    ¡°I am sorry; I was just upset that Cyron was acting like this without having a conversation with you after what he did. I don¡¯t understand him, so I tested him.¡±

    I moved a bit closer so our parents wouldn¡¯t hear our conversation. The Valleje couple was quite far from us, engrossed in their own discussion. Mom, who was sitting next to me, was talking to Dad and Tita Cynthia about a beautiful vacation spot.

    ¡°And even if he wanted to talk to me, Luther, I wouldn¡¯t listen. Not now that I have decided to end these feelings. It¡¯s just too painful. I also noticed that he acted differently when he saw my Dad.¡±

    I don¡¯t want to be used. It hurts for me to be used just because I talked to my dad. If he doesn¡¯t really love me, I¡¯ll respect that. But I hope there¡¯s no more maniption.

    I was hurt so badly. That¡¯s enough. Enough for my mistake.

    ¡°Oh, Rozzean¡­¡±

    Aunt Cynthia stood up, and I didn¡¯t turn around because Rozzean was behind me. I focused my attention on Taki, who was ying with my fingers.

    ¡°Good evening, Aunt Cynthia¡­¡±

    But that voice caught my attention. I automatically looked.

    ¡°Hello, Hija! It¡¯s good that you¡¯re with Rozzean. I would¡¯ve sulked if you weren¡¯t with her, considering your houses are so close.¡±

    ri¡­ What is she doing¡­ here¨C

    S-She¡¯s with Rozzean?

    ¡°I¡¯m not busy. I have time, and can I say no to your invitation?¡±

    ¡°Thaliana¡­¡±

    I looked at Luther, feeling my hands. I moved them, but they were getting cold. Luther took Taki from me, maybe because he noticed my actions. I just shook my head, and Taki continued to y with my fingers.

    ¡°Mommy¡­¡±

    My lips parted in surprise when the child looked up at me and called me mommy. It was soft, but I knew that those in the dining area heard it.

    ¡°Oh my¡­ Taki, sweetheart, she¡¯s not your mommy,¡± exined Tita Cynthia.

    ri¡¯s attention shifted to me. The gentle expression she had earlier when facing Rozzean¡¯s mother disappeared. The btch face was on. My eyes lowered to her hand, which suddenly mped onto Rozzean¡¯s arm.

    I quickly averted my gaze.

    You need to calm down, Thaliana. You are moving on. Enough with the pain; don¡¯t let that woman hurt you because of her actions.

    ri knows that I love Rozzean deeply; that¡¯s why she¡¯s doing this. But I won¡¯t let her get the reaction she wants from me.

    They walked over and sat in front of us with Luther.

    ¡°We can now eat! We¡¯re allplete!¡± Aunt Cynthia cheerfully announced.

    I had no idea that Luther¡¯s mom knew ri as well. She personally invited ri to join us for dinner. And they even arrived together.

    They started putting food on their tes. I saw ri serving rice and kaldereta to Rozzean. She was the one putting food on his te, but I could hear Rozzean softly objecting.

    ¡°I went to Rozzean¡¯s house two days ago. I saw ri with him.¡±

    I felt a pang in my chest when Aunt Cynthia said that. I was surprised but tried not to show it. So¡­ ri went to his house two days ago? And then they were together a day ago. It seems like they are going out, and ri even visits his house¡­

    ¡°Since I wanted to have dinner with family and those close to my heart before my birthday, I invited her here as well. ri hasn¡¯t changed, but what I find puzzling is why my son is so slow in making a move on her.¡±

    I swallowed hard upon hearing that. I looked at Luther as he took my te. He arranged food for me, serving steak and pouring juice into my ss.

    ¡°Let me take Taki so that you could eat properly, Thaliana,¡± he said to me and took Taki into his arms.

    ¡°But¡­ how about you?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I can eat-wait, Taki, stop¡­¡±

    Luther cleared the dishes in front of him. I did the same to prevent Taki from ying with them.

    I didn¡¯t immediately notice that everyone at the table had stopped and was just looking at us. Rozzean and I locked eyes again. His gaze was serious, and I saw him gripping the utensils tightly. He lowered them and took a sip of water.

    ¡°They look so good together,¡± Royce Valleje said while observing us.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, Royce, with Taki, they look like a family. I can picture Thaliana as a great mother, caring. I¡¯ve been watching her since earlier,¡± Aunt Cynthia added.

    I felt embarrassed hearing that.

    ¡°Maybe because she took care of her nieces and nephews. The children of my three boys, Cynthia. Tangi got used to taking care of her nephews and nieces. She loves children. I even told her I wanted a grandchild from her, but she told me I already have plenty. She was referring to her pets, dogs, and cats.¡±

    They allughed at Mommy¡¯sment, and I cringed a bit. When I looked at my Dad, he was also smiling¡­ a little.

    ¡°If this is too much to ask¡­ maybe we can have a grandchild first before the wedding? hmm? Luther and Thaliana?¡±

    My eyes widened at Aunt Cynthia¡¯s question. Luther choked a bit beside me. I quickly grabbed a tissue and handed it to him. At the corner of my eye, I saw Rozzean take another sip of water. The maid behind him had already refilled his ss twice.

    ¡°A-Aunt¡­¡± I stammered.

    ¡°She¡¯s blushing! Oh my gosh!¡± Aunt Cynthiaughed, and I couldn¡¯t help but cover my face.

    I could see Luther silently apologizing to me for his mother¡¯sments. But it¡¯s okay. At least his parents know that our rtionship has been improving.

    ¡°I was just kidding, hija, but who knows? You¡¯re both at the right age. And it seems okay with your parents too, right, George and Thatiana?¡±

    I nced at my Mom and Dad.

    ¡°If¡­ that¡¯s what she wants, then we will support her. Thaliana is the one to decide now, Cynthia,¡± my dad replied.

    Aunt Cynthia pped her hands in response to my dad¡¯s answer. She liked what she heard, judging by her reaction. It seems like she really wants a grandchild, but it¡¯s quite unlikely for Luther and me.

    ¡°I also want Taki to have a ymate. Oh, I am so excited! So, when are you going to make a baby, Luther and Thaliana?¡±

    And for the second time, Luther choked on his drink. Rozzean, who was in front of me, took another sip of water.

    How many sses has he had?

 Drunk

    After dinner and some conversation, my parents bid their goodbyes to go home. I stayed behind because Taki was crying and didn¡¯t want me to leave. Luther offered to take me home, but Aunt Cynthia insisted that I stay the night. It seemed like Taki had no intention of letting me go.

    He would cry when I tried to leave, calling me mommy.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why¡­ but this is the first time I saw him act like this, Thaliana. I am really sorry. Are you tired?¡±

    I lowered my gaze to Taki. We were in the living room, and he was holding onto my hands. He had fallen asleep. Earlier, he was ying with a puzzle, but he dozed off after a short while.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    My thoughts were on my pets; I hoped they were doing well. I had been away for two days before, and they were fine. I would go home early tomorrow since I still needed to pack my things. Luther and I would leave early, but he was currently having drinks with his dad. It would be risky for him to drive to my house, so I agreed to stay the night here.

    ¡°I am okay. I can still manage,¡± I replied smiling.

    Behind Aunt Cynthia, I noticed ri and Rozzean approaching. Rozzean was also drinking with Luther earlier, but now it looked like they were about to leave.

    ri didn¡¯t leave Rozzean¡¯s side. I saw her cast a few disapproving nces at me. As if I were trying to take something away. I wasn¡¯t interested in him.

    ¡°Aunty, thank you for inviting me. I¡¯ll leave early for the farm tomorrow,¡± ri said, giving Aunt Cynthia a kiss on the cheek.

    ri looked at me, and I couldn¡¯t miss the disdain in her eyes while she looked at me. Earlier, she tried to take Taki from me, but he didn¡¯t want to go with her. Taki even cried because he insisted on staying with me.

    I also caught a fleeting nce from Rozzean.

    He should stop taking nces, and I should stop giving meaning to his actions.

    Thaliana, enough, okay?

    ¡°You are really a hard worker, ri! Thank you foring tonight, even though your ce with Rozzean is quite far.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Tita. I¡¯m with Rozz, so I feel safe with him.¡±

    Safe with him¡­

    ¡°Mom¡­¡± Rozzean kissed his mother on the cheek.

    ¡°I am so happy that you are trying your best to make it up with your father, Rozzean. I¡¯ve been praying for this for a long time, and I hope it continues to go well.¡±

    Upon hearing that, I looked at Rozzean. If that¡¯s the case, is his rtionship with his father improving? That¡¯s good to hear! I wanted him to be with his family, not to be alone.

    That¡¯s one of the things I prayed for Rozzean.

    Even though our rtionship turned out like this, I still want what¡¯s best for him. Even if we¡¯re not together, I hope for a better life for Rozzean¡­ even without me.

    When Rozzean and ri bid farewell to his mother, I thought they were leaving. I was surprised when he walked towards Taki and me.

    He leaned down!

    He was so close to me. He looked into my eyes while our faces were just inches apart.

    ¡°I miss you¡­ so much¡­¡±

    My lips parted in surprise. He said those words while looking at me, then Rozzean lowered his face and kissed Taki on the forehead. I couldn¡¯t move. My heart was pounding so fast.

    I need to calm down.

    He didn¡¯t say that to me, it was for Taki!

    ¡°He misses you too, Rozzean. I will take care of Taki, but I hope you visit him more often. He really misses you,¡± Aunt Cynthia said.

    When Rozzean stood up and moved away from us, I couldn¡¯t lift my face anymore. I focused my attention on Taki in my arms.

    ¡°Take care, both of you!¡±

    Until Rozzean and ri left, I didn¡¯t look up. I knew my face was probably flushed.

    ¡°Thaliana, my dear? Let me take Taki. I¡¯m sure your arms are getting tired.¡±

    I tried to pass Taki to Aunt Cynthia, but he clung tightly to my dress. He kept saying mommy¡­ Tita and I exchanged nces.

    ¡°He really likes you,¡± I saw a smile on her lips. But it was a sad smile.

    We decided to bring Taki to the bedroom, and I gentlyid him down. I didn¡¯t leave immediately because Taki would wake up and look for me. When he was deeply asleep, Aunt Cynthia and I left the room.

    ¡°Uhm Aunty, I think you should get some rest too,¡± I suggested, ncing at the time on my phone. It was already 11:55 PM. Several hours had passed.

    ¡°Yeah, but the two outside really enjoyed themselves, still drinking. It would have been happier if Rozzean stayed here. Three of them could have had a good time. It rarely happens¡­ you know, the three of them drinking together after my eldest leaves.¡±

    The smile on her face slowly disappeared. I held Aunt Cynthia¡¯s hands. It¡¯s 5 minutes until her birthday. She needs to smile.

    ¡°Better days areing for your family, Aunt Cynthia. Our struggles won¡¯t end in sadness. We will all be happy in the end.¡±

    I hope so¡­

    I felt like I didn¡¯t just say that to Aunt Cynthia; it felt like I said it to myself too.

    As they say, there is a rainbow after the rain. I let go, and my own happiness is what I need to prioritize.

    ¡°Thank you so much, dear,¡± Aunt said and hugged me.

    When I noticed on my cellphone that it¡¯s already 12:01, I greeted Aunt. I kissed her on the cheek.

    ¡°Happy Birthday!¡±

    I am so excited for the surpriseter!

    Aunt Cynthia and I went downstairs together to visit Luther and Uncle Royce. The two had already had quite a few drinks. The Valleje couple didn¡¯t stay long and went upstairs to sleep. Luther and I were left in the garden.

    ¡°So much happened in just a few hours, are you okay?¡± Luther asked me.

    He didn¡¯t seem drunk.

    ¡°I am okay¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you convincing yourself? I know you¡¯re not okay. You saw Cyron with ri, that woman is trying hard to get the attention of my brother. You heard from Mom that she was there in Cyron¡¯s house. And your friend saw them together in a restaurant in Batangas. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s because Cyron wants it to happen¨C¡±

    ¡°Even if he doesn¡¯t want it, he¡¯s letting her be with him, Luther. Why do I feel like you are defending your brother? You¡¯re confusing me, huh?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t stop myself. I grabbed a bottle of beer and took a sip. Just earlier, he was showing annoyance towards Rozzean, and now he¡¯s defending him to me.

    ¡°Earlier, you were annoyed with your brother, but now you¡¯re defending him to me.¡±

    Lutherughed.

    ¡°I really was annoyed at first. I didn¡¯t lie to you when I said that I was pissed. But, I did that to see his reaction. I was making him jealous, Thaliana. I wanted to see if you really didn¡¯t love him anymore.¡±

    I rolled my eyes at Luther and took another sip of beer. I heard hisughter again. Why did I forget that Luther could also be yful? He manipted me and did mischievous acts when I was in Rozzean¡¯s house.

    ¡°You are enjoying yourself! But I made it clear, Luther! I don¡¯t want this anymore! I already said I¡¯ll stop. I promised myself to end this love. It¡¯s too painful, especially since¡­¡±

    I was cut off as I remembered ri and Rozzean. I drank more beer, and when the bottle was empty, I grabbed another one and took a sip.

    ¡°Especially since what? Because you see ri and Cyron together? Luther asked me.

    I admit, I was jealous. Of course, my love for Rozzean won¡¯t easily disappear. Especially the pain. I still hurt every time I see them together with ri.

    And it turns out ri is close to Aunt Cynthia too. Their mother was expecting the two to be in a rtionship.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think your love for my brother would fade easily, Thaliana. You fought for it with your siblings and your father; you defended Cyron so much. You love him deeply.¡±

    I didn¡¯t speak. I finished the beer. I took another one. I had lost track of how many bottles I had already drunk.

    ¡°But this love needs to end, Luther.¡±

    I stood up.

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait for a man who¡¯s already with another woman. And what do you think they¡¯re doing? ri going to his house? W-what the heck?¡±

    ¡°You are drunk; let¡¯s go to the guest room. Mom has already cleaned it up. We¡¯re leaving early tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Annoying,¡± I said, remembering ri again.

    That woman. Acting as if Rozzean is already hers.

    ¡°Easy, Thaliana! You¡¯ll stumble¨Cshit.¡±

    Luther held me by the waist, and my hand rested on his shoulder. I was already barefoot. I didn¡¯t know how we ended up inside their house. Just a while ago, when I was talking, we were still in the garden.

    ¡°Cheers!¡±

    ¡°Shhh¡­ don¡¯t be loud!¡± Luther scolded me.

    I pointed my index finger to my lips and mimicked what he said, slightly slurring due to the intoxication.

    ¡°Shhh¡­ I won¡¯t be loud!¡±

    Luther shook his head at me. When we reached the guest room, I copsed onto the bed. I felt Luther taking off my t shoes. He also grabbed a nket and ced it over me.

    ¡°Go to sleep, and oh, Thaliana, I will not let you drink again!¡±

    Iughed at what he said, raising my hand and waving it.

    ¡°Bye, Luther! Thanks!¡±

    Looking at him somewhat blurred, I saw him shake his head. Luther left the guest room, and Iy on therge bed I was using. I was dizzy and restless.

    ¡°I hate you¡­¡±

    I kept repeating those words thinking about Rozzean.

    How many times did I say them?

    ¡°I hate you so much¡­ you reced m-me so quickly.¡±

 Hot And Wild

    I couldn¡¯t help but sob. It really hurt to see Rozzean and ri together, but that was the sign to proceed with my n of forgetting him. He looked at me several times earlier, even though that woman was beside him, but I wouldn¡¯t read too much into it.

    ¡°Even if you said you miss me so much! Hmph! I won¡¯t believe it!¡±

    I stood up and went to the bathroom, feeling the urge to vomit.

    I really had too much to drink because of what happened tonight. ri was also testing my patience. Earlier, she brought up the topic of Rozzean¡¯s maid-that was me. I saw Uncle Royce¡¯s expression change. He probably knew that his daughter was in love with her helper-that was me, again.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡±

    I rinsed my mouth at the sink after throwing up. When I looked at myself in the mirror, my eyes widened. My vision was spinning due to drunkenness. I couldn¡¯t see the surroundings very well.

    Damn. I was so drunk. It¡¯s been a while since I got this intoxicated.

    I exited the bathroom, staggering as I walked. As I was about to lie down, I noticed something. I furrowed my brows and pointed to the light.

    I realized that the surroundings were dark. But even so, I could still see a bit.

    ¡°Was the light off earlier?¡±

    I walked towards the light switch. Before I could reach it, a hand stopped me.

    ¡°Thaliana¡­¡±

    I gasped when I heard that voice. I immediately turned around.

    ¡°Rozzean?! W-What are y-you-hmmp¡­¡±

    W-What the hell¡­

    Rozzean¡¯s lips met mine. He hugged me tightly, kissing me fervently. His lips moved forcefully, parting mine. I tried to push him away, but he pressed me against the wall. He lifted my hands while continuously kissing me.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    Due to the influence of alcohol and the intoxicating, addicting kisses, I gave in. If earlier I was resisting him, now I let him kiss my lips. I opened my mouth, responding to his kisses.

    ¡°Ohhh¡­¡±

    I gasped as he lifted me. He pressed my legs against his waist while my back was still against the wall. He continued kissing me, biting my lips.

    ¡°Damn it¡­ I miss you so much, baby¡­¡±

    S-Shit¡­

    My back arched as Rozzean¡¯s lips traveled to my neck. I felt his wet tongue passing through. He pushed his body against mine. I moaned, but Rozzean covered my mouth.

    He paused for a moment, and so did I.

    ¡°Lower¡­¡± he¡¯s panting! ¡°down your voice¡­¡±

    After he said that, he aggressively kissed me again. I¡¯m carried away by the emotions of his kisses on me. His hands removed my dress and my bra. Rozzean left my lips and sucked my nipples. I let out a soft moan.

    ¡°A-Are you in a hurry¡­ do you have somewhere to go? Ahhh¡­¡±

    He continued to suck on my erect nipples.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­ R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    He massaged one of my breasts while his mouth yed with the top of the other. My one hand gripped his neck, and the other hand was on my mouth to keep myself from making noise.

    ¡°Thaliana¡­ damn it¡­¡±

    I was feeling the sensation; it feels so good that I can¡¯t even say a word. Rozzean walked and lowered me onto the bed. I was only wearing my underwear. I saw desire in his eyes as he looked at me. He removed his long-sleeve polo. I gulped when I saw his body.

    I bit my lower lip as he removed his pants¡¯ belt. He was taking off all his clothes. When nothing was left, he hovered over me. He deeply kissed me again on the lips. I reciprocated and ced my hands on his neck. He pressed his body firmly, and his manhood touched my belly.

    ¡°Oohh¡­ t-that was good¡­ s-so good¡­¡± I moaned between our kisses.

    Rozzean¡¯s lips eagerly moved towards my breasts. He alternated between gentle bites on the top. When his hand reached my center, my body tingled. I arched when he slid his fingers through my middle, starting to massage my core.

    ¡°You are¡­ wet for me, Thaliana¡­ for me,¡± he sexily whispered.

    When our eyes met, I reached for his lips. I pulled his neck to deepen the kiss.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­ hmm¡­¡±

    I was moaning between our kisses. His fingers were quickly ying in my center. It was addicting, so pleasurable. When he broke the kiss, he moved down. Rozzean parted my thighs and positioned himself in my womanhood.

    I bit my lower lip again. Even though it was dark, I could sense the desire in his eyes.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    I covered my mouth with both hands when his tongue passed there.

    ¡°Oohhh¡­. oh my¨Cthat¡¯s so good. C-Continue¡­ ahhh..¡±

    Rozzean was moving his tongue rapidly and teasing my cl*t. It was so pleasurable that I didn¡¯t know whether to grip the bed sheet with my hands or cover my mouth to muffle my moans.

    ¡°I will be the father of your future children, Thaliana. No other man, not my brother.¡±

    I just looked at him as he positioned himself in my center.

    ¡°I will make sure that you will get pregnant with my baby.¡±

    ¡°Ahhh¡­ R-Rozzean¡­¡± I moaned because of the pleasure when he slowly entered me.

    He pushed his hard manhood into my core. His movements were slow, and I felt the fullness because of him. Rozzean moved slowly while sucking my breast. He also yed with my cl*t, making me moan so hard.

    ¡°Ooohhhh¨C¡±

    My moans were interrupted when Rozzean deeply kissed me. I held on tightly to his neck. When he lifted me and sat down, our bodies were still close.

    He moved while we were sitting.

    ¡°Ohhh¡­ shit¡­ Rozzean¡­¡±

    I held onto his neck. We locked eyes while he moved. His lips were parted, and I was biting mine. We were both taking it slow.

    ¡°baby¡­ hmm¡­¡± he moaned.

    Now hey down. I was on top of him with his hard member inside me. I felt it intensely.

    I started to move on top of him, slowly. Rozzean held onto my waist. He was guiding me. His hand reached my chest.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­ Thaliana¡­¡±

    ¡°D-Do you like this?¡± I asked.

    He didn¡¯t respond. When I started moving up and down, I saw Rozzean¡¯s lips part in pleasure. He likes it¡­ I repeated and increased my pace. It was so intense that I moaned loudly, and I had to cover my mouth.

    ¡°O-Ohh.. Rozzean¡­¡±

    ¡°Fck¡­ aahh¡­ Thaliana¡­¡±

    After he said that, he changed our position, and now I was lying down. He was moving in and out so fast.

    ¡°O-Ohh¡­ aahh¡­ R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    ¡°Ahhh¡­ s-shit¡­ f-faster baby¡­¡±

    He buried his face in my neck. I heard him cursing. He held me tight while continuously thrusting in and out. I covered my mouth as my moans became louder.

    ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­ ahhh¡­ m-more¡­ s-so good¡­¡±

    His pace became so fast; I was getting lost in the pleasure. I was dizzy from the alcohol, but the pleasure I felt as he rapidly entered and exited me was even more intoxicating.

    ¡°A-Ahhh¡­ ohhh¡­ R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    ¡°Shit¡­ Thaliana¡­¡±

    His moan was music to my ears. I weed his releases on me, and it was even more satisfying for him.

    Rozzean was so fast that my hands, which were on my mouth, moved to his nape. I bit my lip on his shoulder to suppress the noise and also because of the pleasure he was giving.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­ baby¡­ go faster¡­¡±

    It was already fast, but I wanted more¡­ damn. I could feel Rozzean¡¯s intensity in the speed of his movements on top of me.

    He became so fast, and I was losing control.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­ d-damnit, you are so tight, baby¡­ f-fck¡­ ahhh¡­¡±

    We were locked in eye contact. I could see desire in his eyes as he looked at me. We were both in the heat of the moment, moaning, craving each other¡¯s touch.

    ¡°R-Rozzean, k-keep on moving, b-baby¡­ m-more¡­ aahhh¡­¡±

    His movements on top of me were relentless. Rozzean¡¯s face was now buried in my neck as he continued thrusting.

    ¡°Ohhh¡­ Thaliana¡­¡±

    ¡°Fck. Ahhh¡­ I¡¯ll make you pregnant¡­¡±

    He made his final thrust inside of me, and we both climaxed. I felt his release filling me. We were both panting.

    ¡°And I¡¯ll make sure you won¡¯t escape from me.¡±

    He lifted his face, and I felt a profound exhaustion. His face was blurry in my vision now.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    He was looking at me seriously.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get pregnant and carry my child. My child, and not anyone else¡¯s, Thaliana.¡±

    Those were thest words I heard before sleep overtook me. Due to the effects of alcohol and exhaustion, I quickly drifted off.

    The next morning, I woke up with a start.

    My head ached¡­

    My body ached too.

    I looked around. It was bright!

    ¡°Where am I?¡±

    I recalled what happenedst night; I remembered going with Luther to his parents¡¯ house for dinner¡­ Rozzean also showed up, and things got heated¡­ ri was herest night too.

    I took a sip and had too much to drink. Luther even had a hard time bringing me to this guest room.

    ¡°Aw¡­¡±

    I instinctively touched my head as it throbbed.

    Hangover¡­ and I still have work today.

    ¡°What time is it¡­¡±

    My eyes searched for my cellphone, and I found it on the side of the bed. It was already six in the morning. I tried to get up, but I paused as a sudden realization crossed my mind.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­ Rozzean¡­. go on.¡±

    ¡°O-Ohh¡­ aahh¡­ R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    ?¡±Ahhh¡­ s-shit¡­ f-faster baby¡­¡±

    I covered my mouth. My eyes widened as I stared at my body.

    I¡¯m still dressed! I¡¯m still wearing my underwear! That was just a dream!

    ¡°I-It¡¯s just a dream! R-right. It¡¯s just a dream-¡±

    ¡°Ahhh¡­ baby¡­¡±

    ¡°Ohhh¡­ Thaliana¡­¡±?

    ¡°Fck. Ahhh¡­ I¡¯ll make you pregnant¡­¡±

    I grabbed the pillow and buried my face in it. I screamed loudly.

    ¡°Aahhh!!!!¡±

    That was just a dream! It didn¡¯t happen! I moved, and suddenly flinched when I felt a pain in my womanhood. I paused for a moment.

    ¡°W-What?¡± I looked down.

    I reassessed the feeling in my private area, and¡­

    ¡°Sht. I-It hurts¡­ w-what the hell?¡±

    I quickly got out of bed, feeling pain in my middle. But I also continued walking towards the bathroom.

    I closed the door and locked it. As I took off my dress, I faced the mirror.

    ¡°Oh my gosh!¡± I screamed when I saw my body.

    There were kiss marks all over me! Not on my neck, but on my chest, there were so many. On my thighs, on my abdomen, and on my stomach.

    ¡°S-Something happened between Rozzean and mest night? H-He went home! He was with ri, and they went home!¡±

    I struggled to catch my breath.

    ¡°Did h-hee back here?¡±

    ¡°O-oh gosh¡­¡±

    I heaved a sigh. I couldn¡¯t remember everything that happened! What the hell! Only a few shes came to mind, and it was my moans of pleasure from Rozzean¡¯s actions!

    ¡°F-Fck you, Thaliana¡­ why¡­¡±

    I clutched the sink. I washed my face.

    ¡°I let my guard downst night¡­ a-and he took advantage of me b-because I was drunk.¡±

    Damn¡­

    I left the bathroom. I wiped my face with a clean towel. When I heard knocks on the door, I approached. I opened it, and there was Luther.

    ¡°Had a good sleep?¡±

    His smile was different! I know that kind of smile!

    ¡°L-Luther¡­ y-you¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Thaliana, no one heard¡­ except me¡­¡±

    I gasped.

    He knows!

 Liar!

    I couldn¡¯t move. I wanted to speak, but nothing came out when I tried to. I felt my face flush as I heard Luther¡¯s words. He heard us, he¡­ fckng heard us! Did I moan so loudly? What did I say?

    Damn! It¡¯s embarrassing!

    ¡°Thaliana¨C¡±

    ¡°I-I am sorry! I-I didn¡¯t¨C¡±

    He held my arms. I was surprised when he burst intoughter. He stepped back for a moment and then looked at me. He paused but burst intoughter again. I gasped and felt a profound sense of embarrassment.

    ¡°L-Luther¡­¡±

    ¡°Your reaction! I was just kidding, Thaliana!¡±

    W-What¡­

    When I realized what he said, I pped him a few times.

    ¡°A-Aw! That hurts! stop it! it hurts!¡±

    I was annoyed! I thought he really heard us! In my memory, I vividly recalled my intense moans because of what I did with Rozzean. Of course! We are at their house! In their fckng house, and their parents are here!

    Even though their room is on the second floor, I thought, what if they heard us?

    ¡°Did something happen? Just by your reaction. I won¡¯t tell anyone, and besides, there¡¯s no one in the nearby rooms down here because this area is for guests. So, if you did anything with Cyron, no one would hear except for mosquitoes and lizards.¡±

    Luther rubbed his sore arm.

    ¡°Really mad, loves hurting me,¡± he said.

    I red at him.

    I was so frustrated. I thought he heard us. It¡¯s so embarrassing if that¡¯s the case. I know that Rozzean and I were quite wild. What I remember is that I was on top, moving aggressively. Damn it. It¡¯s blurry, but I can still see the image in my mind.

    How his lips parted due to the pleasure I was giving him while I was on top of him.

    Sht.

    I covered my mouth. I could feel the heat on my face and my ears.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t he go homest night? And if you knew Rozzean was here, why did you leave me alone?¡± I asked, irritated.

    He raised both his hands.

    ¡°Well¡­ I was drunk and-¡±

    ¡°You are not drunk, Luther!¡± I shouted at him.

    He¡¯s lying to me now! He¡¯s not drunk; I was the one who drankst night when the two of us talked. Why is he saying he¡¯s drunk now and didn¡¯t tell me?

    ¡°Luther, you know I was really drunkst night,¡± I said, pushing my hair upward.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know he came back either, Thaliana. I¡¯m also tired. When I went up to my room, I saw his car arrive. I just guessed he came to see you. I was just kidding when I said I overheard you both, but your reactions tell me something really happened.¡±

    I sighed. I couldn¡¯t face Rozzean now if she¡¯s here.

    ¡°Is he here?¡±

    ¡°No, he¡¯s not. He came home early, but he had coffee with Dad before leaving. They talked; that¡¯s what Mom said.¡±

    That¡¯s good!

    I grabbed Luther by his arm and pulled him. I need to go home. Even though I want to scream about what happened, we need to act for our surprise birthday party for their momter.

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re in a hurry,¡± he said as I held onto his arm.

    ¡°I wanted to start early, Luther. I don¡¯t want to rush because I¡¯mte. Also, I need to take care of my pets. While I¡¯m busy, I¡¯ll have Thes¡¯ staff take care of them in her pet house to ensure their safety while I¡¯m away.¡±

    As we entered the living room, Luther and I stopped when we saw his parents. I let go of his hand and walked toward Aunt Cynthia.

    ¡°Good morning, Aunt and Uncle.¡±

    ¡°Happy Birthday, Aunt Cynthia!¡± I said.

    They both smiled at me.

    ¡°Thank you, Thaliana¡­¡± she replied.

    I was just looking at them. Royce Valleje¡¯s face looked bright. It seems like his rtionship with Rozzean is getting better. Luther mentioned earlier that Rozzean had coffee here with his dad before leaving.

    ¡°Did you have a good sleep, Thaliana? Were youfortable?¡± Uncle Royce asked me.

    ¡°She had a really good sleep, Dad-¡±

    I nudged Luther to stop him. He¡¯s teasing me. I know this won¡¯t end here, and he¡¯ll tease me untilter. I thought he really heard us!

    ¡°I-I slept well, thank you very much. I won¡¯t stay long, uncle and aunt. I have work early, so I need to go home.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that so? You should have breakfast here¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, aunt, but I still need to arrange things at the flower shop. I have an event scheduled for today,¡± I replied.

    I saw Aunt nodding. Uncle Royce looked at his wife. Uncle Royce knows that the event I¡¯m referring to is the surprise we prepared for Aunt Cynthiater.

    ¡°Let¡¯s invite her again next time, honey,¡± Uncle said.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    When I said my goodbyes to Luther¡¯s parents, I headed towards the exit. Luther told me he¡¯d join me shortly because he forgot something and asked me to wait for him inside the car.

    While inside, I couldn¡¯t help but look at my body. I closed my eyes tightly when I saw the kiss marks on my chest.

    ¡°You are drunk, Thaliana¡­ you¡¯re intoxicated, you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing because of how drunk you are-¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    I didn¡¯t notice that Luther had entered the car. I was surprised when he handed me a paper bag. When I took it, it felt heavy. I opened it and found a baby pug inside.

    ¡°Oh my gosh!¡±

    I was shocked! It¡¯s so cute! I picked up the baby pug and cradled it. I looked at Luther, and suddenly I heard the sound of a camera.

    He took a picture of me!

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to your house. Our departure time might change, but it¡¯s okay,¡± he said, starting his car.

    ¡°What¡¯s the photo for?¡±

    Luther¡¯s attention was focused on the road. We were already outside his mansion.

    ¡°Nothing¡­¡±

    I nced at the baby pug in my arms. I smiled when I saw it sleeping. I didn¡¯t expect Luther to give me a dog. Also, it¡¯s early; where did he buy it? We were together yesterday, and I didn¡¯t notice him carrying it.

    ¡°Thank you for this, Luther. I¡¯m sure my other kids will be happy-¡±

    ¡°That didn¡¯te from me, Thaliana,¡± he said, still looking ahead.

    ¡°W-What? What do you mean? You¡¯re the one who gave it to me¡­¡±

    ¡°He just asked someone to give it. It¡¯s from Cyron.¡±

    What?!

    I looked again at the baby pug in my arms, and it moved.

    Suddenly, I felt irritated because of what I heard from Luther. So, this cute dog is from Rozzean?! Damn, I suddenly wanted to return it, but when I saw the puppy open its eyes, I tightly pressed my lips together.

    ¡°He¡¯s making a move. I talked to himst night, Thaliana. He thought that there¡¯s really something between us. He was so furious; I thought he was going to punch me,¡± Luther said with a smile.

    That¡¯s what he wanted, to make his brother jealous.

    ¡°I got his attention, and I don¡¯t believe that he doesn¡¯t love you anymore. I think the reason he came backst night is because he got scared when he heard that Mama wants a grandchild from us,¡± he said with a smile. The grin didn¡¯t leave his face.

    When we stopped because the traffic light turned red, he looked at me.

    ¡°Are you going to ept him again, Thaliana?¡±

    It¡¯s not that easy. Especially now that ri is with him. Several times. What are they doing? ying jack en poy?

    ¡°We are both thinking that maybe Rozzean was doing this because he wanted to clean his image. My dad got mad at him, right?¡±

    Even after what happenedst night, my decision to forget him won¡¯t change. I was so drunk; I had no control over myself. I was emotionally unstable because of Rozzean, knowing they were together in Batangas and finding out that ri goes to his house, andst night, they were together again.

    I know when I need to stop. And now is that time, even though something happened between us.

    ¡°My decision won¡¯t change, Luther. This love needs to end.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°He was with ri, the woman who¡¯s always with him. What do you want me to think? That they¡¯re just friends? Forget that, Luther. Even when I was just at Rozzean¡¯s house as a maid, I knew what ri wanted. That woman likes him so much, and Rozzean knows I love him. He knows I¡¯d be jealous of ri, and now I see them always together?¡±

    ¡°You are jealous,¡± Luther said to me.

    ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°I am jealous of ri, and that¡¯s because I love Rozzean, Luther. But I don¡¯t want to anymore. I don¡¯t want to love him. It¡¯s too difficult and it hurts so much to love him.¡±

    After I said that, Luther didn¡¯t talk. We were silent when we reached my house. I also thought several times about returning the baby pug Rozzean gave me, but in the end, I decided to take care of it.

    Luther went inside my house, and we waited for the service to take my pets. I organized the things for my pets and included taking care of the baby pug. When the ones who took my pets left, I loaded my things into Luther¡¯s car.

    I took a quick shower because he was waiting for me. Afterward, I called Alma to check if everything was okay with the flowers and if there were no other problems.

    After getting the answer that they were just waiting for my signal to leave, I spoke to Luther. I told Alma that we were on the way to the venue, so they could leave too. While on the road, I called Thes to let her know that my pets were picked up and taken to her pet house.

    ¡°Busy, busy! You¡¯ll see Rozzean there! Oh, Tangi, okay? Don¡¯t be weak! Don¡¯t forget what I told you! Don¡¯t spread your legs, okay?¡±

    I sighed deeply after hearing Thes¡¯s words. I nced at Luther. We stopped at a convenience store, and he excused himself to buy some water.

    ¡°I met himst night at their parents¡¯ house, Thes¡­¡±

    ¡°What?! And what does ¡®Thes¡¯ mean¡­ you¡¯re crazy! I have an idea now!¡±

    I closed my eyes, biting my lower lip. I didn¡¯t know how to start.

    ¡°I was so drunk and I didn¡¯t know-¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying, damn it! That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been telling you!¡±

    ¡°Thes, I didn¡¯t know he went back to his parents¡¯ house! I was cornered! I went into the guest room, and then¡­ it happened. I was really drunkst night. I can hardly remember how it happened.¡±

    ¡°And you still want to remember! Of course, if something happened between you two, then that¡¯s it! My goodness, Tangi! We just talked, right? What about your moving on? Ruined? Did your mind change? You tasted the jumbo hotdog again. Gosh!¡±

    ¡°I-I won¡¯t change my mind, Thes. I was just drunk, and it wouldn¡¯t have happened if I wasn¡¯t. Rozzean went to his parents¡¯ housest night with ri. He was with ri, and I heard Aunt herself inviting the girl. They look like they¡¯re going out, and-¡±

    I wasn¡¯t allowed to finish my sentence by Thes.

    ¡°What?! He¡¯s with that b*tch, and then something happened between you two at night?! Rozzean¡¯s such a red g! Oh, Tangi, if I see Rozzean, he¡¯ll really get it from me! I¡¯m fed up with him, huh! What does he think of you? Can he juste back anytime?! And what¡¯s that?! Why is he still with ri? Wait a minute! I¡¯m going to Pampanga! Tell me the location! We¡¯ll talk in personter!¡±

    ¡°W-Wait, Therese-¡±

    The call ended. I couldn¡¯t even insert a word because Thes kept talking non-stop. When Luther came back to the car, he handed me a bottle of water.

    ¡°Is there a problem?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Nothing¡­¡±

    We went to the venue. When we arrived, my team was already there, unloading the equipment. I was busy organizing things, and Luther was doing the same. I was so upied helping my teams. Other people responsible for setting up the ce also started to arrive.

    We were all busy. By three in the afternoon, almost everything was nearly done with the arrangements. The sound system was ready, and we had finished arranging the flowers. The venue was filled with different kinds of flowers, both at the entrance and on the tables.

 Heéˆ¥æªš Everywhere

    ¡°Thank you so much, guys, for today. I¡¯m satisfied with how everything turned out!¡± I said to my team.

    ¡°Thaliana, take a rest. It looks like everything is okay now, and you¡¯re done.¡±

    Luther approached me and said that. I was already checked in, and the other guests were in their respective hotel rooms.

    ¡°I am okay, Luther. I¡¯ll check if there¡¯s anything I missed that needs fixing,¡± I replied.

    When I felt a tap on my shoulder from Riza, one of my employees, I turned to her.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, the handsome one, is he your fianc¨¦?¡± she asked.

    I didn¡¯t say anything and just smiled. Luther looked around the venue, seemingly checking for anything that might need attention. The decorations around the pool area were already in order.

    ¡°Luther!¡±

    We both turned at the sound of that voice. I saw a man and a woman approaching. My eyes were fixed on the woman because of her beauty!

    ¡°Hey, Hector¡­¡±

    The guy called out to Luther as they approached us.

    ¡°The cakes are here, also the cupcakes. Where should we put them?¡± the guy asked Luther.

    ¡°Oh, is she your fianc¨¦e?¡± he turned to me.

    ¡°She is, but¡­ it¡¯s hard to exin. She¡¯s Thaliana Tangi D Vezca,¡± Luther introduced me.

    ¡°Thaliana, he is our cousin, Eros Hector Lozrealle. Our mothers are sisters.¡±

    I took a step forward and shook hands with the man Luther introduced. Their family has really good genes, huh? This guy is handsome too. The surname sounded familiar to me.

    ¡°Hello,¡± I smiled. He then looked at the woman with him and nced back at Luther.

    ¡°This is my girlfriend, Lovender. She was the one who baked the cake and the cupcakes.¡±

    ¡°Really? It seems like you introduced someone elsest time, Hector,¡± Luther joked.

    ¡°Shut up, someone might believe it.¡±

    When I made eye contact with Luther¡¯s cousin¡¯s girlfriend, she smiled at me. She¡¯s so pretty! She looks like a doll!

    ¡°Hello, I am Lovender,¡± she said to me and extended her hand. I promptly took it and shook hands.

    ¡°I¡¯m Thaliana Tangi, but you can just call me Thaliana,¡± I said and smiled.

    ¡°So¡­ you bake cakes?¡±

    She nodded, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s my job. How about you?¡±

    I pointed to the flowers nearby.

    ¡°I¡¯m a florist; I¡¯m one of those who arranged the flowers in this venue.¡±

    Her eyes seemed to sparkle at what I said.

    ¡°R-Really? I¡¯m amazed! The beauty caught my attention even at the entrance. You¡¯re really good!¡±

    I smiled at Lovender¡¯spliment. We chatted for a while until her boyfriend invited her to go to the hotel and rest.

    When I felt a tap on my side, I turned and saw my employees. They informed me that they¡¯re heading home and woulde back tomorrow to pick up the equipment.

    I was left there with Luther, checking the venue to make sure everything was in order. By five o¡¯clock, the food arrived. Luther and I were busy earlier, but now everything was set. We just needed to wait for the food, and it had arrived.

    ¡°Finally, everything is ready,¡± Luther said, taking a seat. He ced his phone on the table.

    ¡°Did you contact Uncle Royce?¡± I asked.

    He looked at me, and it seemed like he forgot about it.

    ¡°I forgot, but around 3:00 pm, I talked to Dad and told him I¡¯m being sought by Mom. We had ns for a family dinner.¡±

    ¡°Sir Luther! We just have a quick question!¡±

    Luther stood up again when someone called him. It happened just as he moved away that his phone suddenly rang. Upon checking, it was Uncle Royce calling. I looked at Luther again, stood up, and took his ringing phone. I was about to approach him, but he abruptly left the venue.

    With no other choice, I answered the call.

    ¡°Hello, Uncle Royce, Luther just stepped out for a moment-¡±

    ¡°Thaliana¡­¡±

    I was stunned as it wasn¡¯t Uncle Royce¡¯s voice I heard on the other end.

    I looked again at the caller, and it did show Uncle Royce¡¯s name!

    But why am I hearing Rozzean¡¯s voice?! I brought the phone back to my ear.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Thaliana, why do you have Luther¡¯s phone? Where are you, and where is he?¡±

    I sensed danger in his voice. It should be me asking questions! Why does he have his dad¡¯s phone!

    ¡°Thaliana, why are you-¡±

    I ended the call. When I saw Luther returning, I met him and handed him his phone.

    ¡°Uncle Royce called, but it was Rozzean who spoke,¡± I said with a hint of annoyance in my voice. Luther raised an eyebrow and dialed back. I should have just waited for him. How would I know it was Rozzean?

    I stood aside.

    ¡°Hello-¡±

    ¡°Cyron, why are you speaking so fast? Can you talk slowly? I can¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying.¡±

    I nced at Luther. He looked at me briefly, then continued the call.

    ¡°Yes¡­ of course, she¡¯s with me¡­ in the room?¡±

    ¡°No, of course not. Why are you using Dad¡¯s number? Where is he? And where are you guys?¡±

    I signaled to Luther that I was leaving. He nodded, so I went out of the venue. I headed to the hotel. I went to my room andy down on the bed, stretching my body.

    I still had two hours to prepare for the party, but sleep was pulling me.

    I got up, opened my bag, and took out my grooming kit. My outfit for tonight was already hanging. It was a gold satin fitted dress. Time was ticking fast, so after a ten-minute rest, I headed to the bathroom for a quick shower.

    I prepared myself, wearing just my bathrobe while drying my hair. When I checked the time, it was already six in the evening. Time really flew by so fast. It felt like just a while ago, we were starting to set up the venue.

    My phone rang, and I saw Thes calling.

    ¡°Sht.¡±

    I almost forgot about my friend!

    ¡°Hello, Tangi! I¡¯m here at the ce. I talked to the personnel, and they told me your room number.¡±

    She really went through with it! I needed to keep an eye on her; who knows what she might do! I know Thes; when she says something, she really does it.

    ¡°Sure, just knock on my door. I¡¯m still getting ready.¡±

    After saying that, I ended the call. About a minuteter, I heard a knock.

    ¡°That was quick. My room is on the third floor?¡± I asked as I walked toward the door.

    ¡°Are you going to stay here tonight, Th-¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s going to stay here tonight?¡±

    My jaw dropped when I saw Rozzean in front of me. Eyebrows furrowed.

    ¡°I am asking you, Thaliana, who¡¯s going to stay here tonight?¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    Why does he look mad?!

 Donéˆ¥æª› Marry Him

    I couldn¡¯t answer Rozzean¡¯s question when suddenly my cellphone, which I was holding, rang. I saw Thes¡¯s name on the screen.

    ¡°H-Hello?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here on the third floor, Tangi. I am near. Oh, I¡¯m sure Rozzean is hereter. When I see that guy, only his eyes will be scratch-free!¡±

    I quickly nced at Rozzean in front of me upon hearing Thes¡¯s words.

    ¡°H-Hold on, Thes!¡± I said and ended the call. I grabbed Rozzean¡¯s hand and quickly closed the door to my room.

    ¡°Thaliana-¡±

    I hushed him and covered Rozzean¡¯s mouth when he tried to speak.

    ¡°Keep quiet!¡± I whispered softly. I looked for a ce to hide him before Thes arrived.

    But I couldn¡¯t find anything! The closet was too small, and he wouldn¡¯t fit there!

    When I heard a knock on the door and heard my friend¡¯s voice, I gasped. Where could I hide Rozzean now?!

    ¡°Tangi! I¡¯m here!¡± Thes said outside the door. I could hear her clearly. Rozzean and I looked at each other, and I covered his mouth.

    ¡°Where should I hide you?!¡± I whispered.

    I looked at the bathroom. I quickly pulled Rozzean and pushed him inside. I closed the bathroom door and then went back to Thes. I took a deep breath and opened the door for her.

    ¡°You took so long,¡± she said, taking a seat on the bed. Her eyes scanned my room.

    ¡°I-I was in the bathroom.¡±

    I¡¯m extremely nervous. Rozzean was just in my bathroom!

    ¡°W-Where¡¯s your room?¡± I asked Thes.

    She reclined on my bed.

    ¡°Over there on the second floor. I asked if I could stay here, but they said it¡¯s not allowed for two people to share a room unless they¡¯re married or in a rtionship.¡±

    Thank God!

    ¡°T-Thes, why don¡¯t you go to your room now and change? The party is just an hour away.¡±

    My eyes kept darting between the bathroom and Thes, who was lying on my bed while looking at her phone. I was incredibly nervous.

    ¡°Just a moment, 5 minutes. You seem unhappy that I¡¯m here! I came all the way to visit you! I¡¯m such a supportive friend! I was really worried about you because of what you told me! Oh, when I see Rozzean, I¡¯m telling you I¡¯ll kick him, Tangi!¡±

    My eyes widened, I¡¯m sure Rozzean can hear what we¡¯re talking about!

    ¡°T-Thes, your voice is loud. Someone might hear you.¡±

    ¡°And who? We¡¯re the only ones here, and even if someone else hears, I don¡¯t care. That guy is so annoying! What does he think of you? After hurting you so much, he thinks he can juste back to you right away?! Come on, Tangi, think about it! I saw how much you were hurt and cried!¡±

    I was getting more nervous. Thes wouldn¡¯t stop talking, and I kept ncing at the bathroom door, fearing that Rozzean mighte out at any moment.

    ¡°We were all worried when you had the ident! And who is to me for all that happened to you? Rozzean! He¡¯s so heartless, asking for your forgiveness and then immediately recing you! What a jerk! I know many good guys, Tangi, I¡¯ll introduce you to them!¡±

    I didn¡¯t know how to silence Thes. I kept looking at the bathroom door, fearing that it might suddenly open and Rozzean would emerge.

    ¡°It¡¯s so irritating, Tangi. And now he¡¯s trying to show you that he still loves you, but he won¡¯t leave ri¡¯s side. What is this? A game?¡±

    ¡°T-Thes, calm down.¡±

    ¡°How can I calm down? Because of that one mistake, you were treated like trash. I¡¯m hurt for you, Tangi. I heard how you tried to seek that man¡¯s forgiveness. You were hurt not just emotionally but physically. You¡¯re one of those people who shouldn¡¯t be hurt so much, but because of one mistake, this is happening.¡±

    Thes stood up, looking serious.

    She held my hands.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re trying to forget him, and I¡¯m sure it¡¯s hard, but you can do it. There are better men than him, Tangi, and you¡¯ll find them. Someone who understands you, and love will prevail over anger.¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    She patted my shoulder, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go to my room now, I¡¯lle back here, and we¡¯ll go to the venue together.¡±

    I nodded slowly at Thes. She walked out of my room. When the door closed, the bathroom door opened, and I felt Rozzean walking towards me.

    ¡°I¡¯m not looking at him. I took a deep breath to say just one word.

    ¡°Leave.¡±

    ¡°Thaliana¡­¡±

    ¡°Did you hear everything that my best friend said? I am moving on, Rozzean. I¡¯m trying to forget you. It¡¯s hard, but I know I can do it. I don¡¯t want this anymore. Why are you still here? Why are you getting closer?¡±

    I stared at him straight in the eyes. When he stepped towards me, I stepped back. I don¡¯t want to be close to him anymore.

    ¡°Stop!¡±

    ¡°Last night¨C¡±

    ¡°Last night, I was so drunk! If I didn¡¯t get too drunk, that wouldn¡¯t have happened!¡± I angrily looked at him.

    I saw the pain in his eyes, but it quickly turned into seriousness. He approached me and held me by my waist.

    ¡°Come on! Let me go!¡±

    ¡°Cut your engagement with Luther. Don¡¯t marry him.¡±

    My hands pushing him stopped on his chest. He wants me to break off the engagement and he¡¯s always with ri? What does he want? The two of us?!

    ¡®Thaliana¨C¡±

    I pped him. Rozzean¡¯s face turned from the force of it. Even my palm hurt.

    ¡°I tried talking to you and asked for your forgiveness. I made a mistake, Rozzean, but it was too much. Your anger is too much. Isn¡¯t what I did unforgivable? And when I decided to stop because I was hurting so much and realized that it¡¯s enough, here you are, disturbing me.¡±

    I remembered my dad and their connection to each other.

    ¡°Are you doing all of this because of my Dad?¡±

    Rozzean averted his eyes from me. That alone was an answer.

    And i-it fckng hurts so badly.

 Iéˆ¥æª“ Not Yours Anymore!

    My lips parted.

    The tears that I¡¯ve been holding back since earlier fell. I wiped them away and pushed Rozzean away forcefully. I even red at him.

    ¡°I hate you.¡±

    ¡°I will forget you. Everything about you. Thes is right, I can find another man who will see my worth. Not like you who¡¯s more-hmmp!¡±

    He crossed the distance between us and forcefully kissed my lips. I tried to push him away, but he held me tightly, one hand gripping my waist and the other at the back of my neck.

    His eyes were angry as he looked at me. When his lips finally moved away, he spoke.

    ¡°You can¡¯t forget me. You love me. You love me so much, and you won¡¯t forget me,¡± he said firmly.

    His breath was on my face. Our faces were so close.

    ¡°No! I can! I can forget you!¡± I shouted at him. I red at him. I was right; he was doing all of this because of my Dad.

    ¡°You are mine, only mine. You won¡¯t belong to another man.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not yours! I-I won¡¯t be yours anymore! I h-hate you! I hate you s-so much!¡± I was crying while saying that to him.

    The lips that used to speak of how much I loved Rozzean were now shouting something different.

    ¡°I-I hate you!¡± I shouted. He hugged me tightly. I heard his faint curses.

    ¡°L-Let me go!¡±

    ¡°I hate you so much, Rozzean! Let go of me! I hate you¨C¡±

    ¡°I love you.¡±

    I stopped when I heard what he said. I felt his face on my neck. He was giving me small kisses.

    ¡°I love you,¡± he repeated, and this time, he pressed his lips to my ear.

    ¡°I love you so much, Thaliana¡­¡±

    When I pulled away from his embrace, my room door opened.

    Rozzean and I both looked there. I saw Luther. My gaze dropped to the key he was holding. I had given him a spare key to my room. When I saw who was with him, I distanced myself from Rozzean.

    ¡°Thaliana¡­¡±

    Is he ying with me?

    ¡°Rozz¡­¡±

    I flinched when I heard ri¡¯s voice.

    He loves me? But why is he always with ri? Why is this woman always here?

    ¡°Out.¡±

    ¡°Thaliana, she¡¯s here because her family was invited¨C¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not leaving?¡±

    He looked like he had no intention of leaving.

    ¡°I will not leave until we talk about everything¡­ I don¡¯t care about what your Dad will say. Let¡¯s talk¡­ please¡­¡±

    I looked at Luther, grabbed my things from my room, and walked towards him. When I turned to Rozzean, I saw the pain in his eyes.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not leaving, then I am. Stay here alone!¡±

    I left my room. I called Luther, who immediately followed. Luther¡¯s room was also on the third floor. We headed to his room, and once inside, I put down my things. Tired, I sat on the sofa.

    ¡°What happened? I was going to your room, and I bumped into ri looking for Cyron. When we heard themotion outside your door, I got rmed, so I opened it immediately. Are you two fighting? And what is Cyron doing inside your room?¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    I covered my face with my hands. Slowly, I looked at Luther.

    ¡°He went to my room. I let him in because he suddenly arrived, and Thes would see him. I hid him in my bathroom until my friend left. He mentioned what happenedst night, and I told him I was too drunk, so I retaliated. He also wants me to break off our engagement.¡±

    ¡°When I asked him if he¡¯s doing all of this because of Dad, he avoided eye contact with me, Luther.¡±

    ¡°I am torn between whether he wanted to save his rtionship with my Dad for the sake of hispany or because he loves me.¡±

    Luther shook his head, ¡°Cyron is not that kind of person, Thaliana. I am not saying this because I am on his side. I also thought that maybe he just wanted to save his good rtionship with Uncle George, but then I remembered how he backed out of your engagement. How he told your dad that he¡¯s not afraid to lose everything except losing you.¡±

    I nodded, wiping tears from my eyes.

    ¡°T-Then why is he like this?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know either, Thaliana. I¡¯m frustrated too because I can¡¯t understand his actions, but it seems like he¡¯s ready to exin everything to you. It¡¯s up to you now if you want to talk and listen to him.¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯s with ri again¡­ they are always together. Don¡¯t you find that strange, Luther? Thest time I went to his house, he let ri take care of him. They were alone. I-I was so jealous, and right now, I am still jealous. W-Why¡­¡±

    ¡°W-Why do I need to feel this kind of pain, Luther? It hurts so much, and it¡¯s so difficult to love Rozzean. It turns out that even in the process of forgetting, I am still going to be deeply hurt.¡±

    Luther approached me and gave me a hug.

    ¡°Stop crying, the party will start soon. Your eyes will get swollen.¡±

    Luther gathered all my things from my first room because I didn¡¯t want to go back there. Since I was already in his room, he went downstairs to get another room next to mine. He moved there.

    When it was seven o¡¯clock in the evening, Luther and I went down together to go to the venue. I tried calling Thes, but she wasn¡¯t answering; it seemed like she was still sleeping.

    ¡°Good evening, Mr. Faustino!¡± Luther went to greet the visitors.

    I was left alone on the side. There were a lot of people, and Uncle Royce and Aunt Cynthia were still not there.

    ¡°Tangi!¡±

    When I heard Mommy¡¯s voice, I turned around. I approached her with a smile. I kissed Mommy and Daddy on the cheeks.

    ¡°The ce was so great! You did a great job, sweetheart. The flowers are beautiful, and everything is well-organized.¡±

    I smiled at my mom, ¡°Thank you, Mommy¡­¡±

    When I looked at Daddy, he seemed to be looking for something¨Cor someone.

 He Will Never Be Yours

    ¡°Dad¡­¡±

    I remembered what happened earlier.

    ¡°No¡­ you¡¯re not causing Rozzean any trouble in hispany, right?¡±

    I heard my dad sigh. His lips moved, and then he scratched his neck.

    ¡°Did he talk to you?¡±

    I didn¡¯t say anything. Again, I heard his sigh.

    ¡°I know that you still love him, my child. I can see the love for Rozzean in your eyes, and I can also see the pain, and that¡¯s something I can¡¯t bear. You¡¯re my only daughter, Tangi.¡±

    ¡°Did he tell you that I talked to him, asking him not to approach you or talk to you until you turn away from your engagement with Luther? I am really sorry, my child.¡±

    That surprised me.

    The time suddenly stopped when I heard what my father said.

    ¡°W-What?¡±

    ¡°D-Daddy, w-what did you say?¡±

    My dad couldn¡¯t speak anymore because the emcee signaled that Uncle Royce and Aunt Cynthia were there. Luther called me, and even though I wanted to talk to my dad more after hearing what he said, I couldn¡¯t do it anymore.

    Luther was smiling and pping as his parents entered. Aunt Cynthia was crying while people sang Happy Birthday to her.

    ¡°Thaliana!¡±

    I looked up when Aunt Cynthia called me. She approached with a smile, apanied by Taki walking beside her.

    ¡°Mommy¡­ mommy¡­¡± Taki said, holding my hand.

    ¡°Thank you, dear. Luther told me that you¡¯re part of this surprise. I¡¯m really so happy! I didn¡¯t expect this! Also, the flowers are all so good! They¡¯re so beautiful, especially the arrangements!¡± she said to me.

    ¡°Happy Birthday, Aunt Cynthia. I¡¯m d you like all of the flowers-¡±

    ¡°Mommy¡­ up¡­¡±

    I looked down at Taki when she asked to be lifted. Without hesitation, I picked her up.

    ¡°He really likes you, Thaliana. He doesn¡¯t stop calling you mommy.¡±

    I smiled at Aunt Cynthia and Uncle Royce while they looked at me. Luther, on my side, was looking at the entrance of the venue. I followed his gaze and saw Rozzean and ri.

    ¡°Thaliana-¡±

    ¡°I am okay,¡± I quickly said to him and smiled.

    The two walked towards us. As they approached, ri kissed Luther¡¯s parents on the cheek.

    ¡°Happy Birthday, auntie!¡± she said.

    When Rozzean saw me, he took ri¡¯s hand off his arm. He distanced himself from her.

    ¡°I am happy to see you here also, ri! I saw your parents too, thank you foring!¡± Aunt Cynthia happily said.

    Instead of responding, ri looked at me while I held Taki. Her upper lip curled.

    This woman.

    ¡°Can I let this birthday celebration pass?¡±

    Luther and I excused ourselves, with me still carrying Taki. Some of the guests were looking at us. I heard their praises, and some who didn¡¯t know me thought I was Luther¡¯s wife. They even greeted us, and some waiters called me Mrs. Valleje.

    ¡°Taki has fallen asleep,¡± Luther told me.

    We were in the middle area, seated. Luther was in front of me.

    ¡°Let me take him; I¡¯ll bring him to his and Mom¡¯s room.¡±

    I carefully handed Taki to him so as not to wake him. As Luther carried him, I adjusted the child¡¯s clothes, and his back was exposed.

    ¡°Did Aunt Thatiana inform you? We are going to Subic tomorrow for a yacht trip, and you can join us.¡±

    Ohh. It¡¯s okay since I sent my kids to Thes¡¯ pet house¨C but I suddenly stopped thinking my crazy friend.

    ¡°Oh my gosh¡­¡±

    Thes!

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°My friend, Thes,¡± I said, grabbing my cellphone. I forgot about that she¡¯s here!

    I dialed her number, and after a few rings, she answered.

    ¡°Hello, Thes? Where are you?¡±

    ¡°Tangi¡­ hmm¡­ still in my room, are we leaving soon¨Coh sweet! It¡¯s already ten?!¡±

    I pped my forehead. I thought something happened to her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in my roomter, Thes, the party is probably ending soon,¡± I said.

    ¡°Oh my, I am sorry, Tangi! I got tired, and I haven¡¯t slept since yesterday. I am really sorry, okay, call me, huh?¡±

    ¡°Okay, Thes, continue your sleep.¡±

    Even though she hasn¡¯t had proper rest and sleep, when she learned that I needed her, she willingly followed me here to Pampanga. Thes is really kind. She¡¯s a true friend.

    ¡°Wait for me here, okay? I¡¯ll just take Taki up to the room. Someone will be there to watch over him.¡±

    I nodded at Luther. When he left, I stood up and wandered my eyes around. I wanted to talk to Daddy, but he was still engaged with businessmen, so I headed to the pool area instead.

    The part was dimly lit, but the view of the sea was beautiful.

    ¡°Why are you here alone, Ms. D Vezca?¡±

    I turned to the speaker.

    I wanted to smirk when I saw ri. She walked over and approached me.

    ¡°I just wanted some fresh air. I can¡¯t quite understand what they¡¯re talking about inside.¡±

    She nodded and smiled. I knew she was here because she wanted to talk about something. Earlier inside, she had been looking at me. Luther noticed it. I said she might be mistaken, but we made eye contact with ri twice, and she smiled at me. That smile felt different.

    I¡¯m sure it¡¯s because of what happened earlier when they saw Rozzean and me in my room. This woman likes Rozzean so much. ri also knows how much I love Rozzean. She was there at his house when I took off the ring. She heard the words I said.

    ¡°So¡­¡±

    ¡°You are Tali? That maid?¡±

    It was expected that she already knew me. Manang called me Tali when she was there. Also, she tried to expose mest night when we had dinner at the Valleje¡¯s house.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied briefly.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re the woman Rozz proposed to.¡±

    I was looking at ri. She had a smug look on her face. It seems like her true colors areing out.

    ¡°The maid that he told me he loves so much. At first, I didn¡¯t believe it because how could a man I¡¯ve admired for so long fall for a maid? Until I saw you that day. Nice y. It seems like rich people are ying a different game now.¡±

    This is what she wanted to talk about.

    ¡°Thank you, ri. Did Rozzean also tell you how much he loves me?¡±

    I saw irritation sh across her face. She smiled at me.

    ¡°Well, yes, he said he loves Tali so much. Tali.¡±

    She emphasized the name Tali. I took a step forward and crossed my arms.

    ¡°Tali or Thaliana. It¡¯s still me. And why are you so bothered by my presence, ri? You arrived with Rozzean, you¡¯re the one beside him, but why do your eyes seem restless? Is it because¡­ I am around? Are you afraid that Rozzean might slip away from your sight and find out he¡¯s already beside me?¡±

    ¡°Watch carefully, okay?¡±

    My eyes went to her hands. They were clenched. Go ahead, ri, get irritated.

    ¡°Especially if you know that Rozzean is still in love with me.¡±

    ri¡¯s suppressed anger came out.

    ¡°He¡¯s just guilty because of what happened to you that day when you left his house! Luther showed the pictures when you got into an ident! I¡¯m sure you did that on purpose to get Rozzean¡¯s attention!¡±

    My mouth dropped open, and Iughed at what she said.

    ¡°ri¡­ I¡¯m not desperate for attention to the point of endangering myself to get Rozzean¡¯s notice. I made a mistake, and I regret it. I asked for his forgiveness. I know when to stop when I see it¡¯s not wanted anymore.¡±

    I took a step forward, and she stepped back.

    ¡°How about you?¡±

    ¡°W-What?¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    ¡°How many times has Rozzean told you that you won¡¯t be together? How many times has he said he loves someone else? But you keep forcing yourself. You knew he loved Tali, yet you tried to make Rozzean like you. You even used your father. But did anything happen?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about you, ri. Maybe you¡¯re just dreaming.¡±

    ¡°How dare you-¡±

    When she raised her hand to p me, I caught it.

    ¡°You can hate me all you want. But Rozzean will never be yours, ri.¡±

 You Canéˆ¥æª› Run Away Now

    When I released her hand, I looked at her seriously. I will never let her hurt me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to put a hand on me, ri. I am a D Vezca; no one hurts me and gets away with it.¡±

    Sheughed, ¡°And you think I¡¯m afraid of you? I am a Barios. If the D Vezca family is rich, our family is even richer-¡±

    I immediately took out a check from my bag, making her stop talking.

    ¡°I will buy your house in Tagaytay, the one in Rozzean¡¯s vige. Name your price.¡±

    ¡°I will buy it.¡±

    I wanted tough when I saw her reaction.

    She red at me in frustration.

    ¡°Don¡¯t try me, ri. I am distancing myself. You heard and saw how I distanced from Rozzean at the hotel earlier, but who¡¯s the one approaching me? Who¡¯s the one chasing after me?¡±

    I took a step forward again. She stepped back, but her feet collided, causing her to fall to the floor.

    ¡°Oh my gosh!¡±

    Served her fckng right.

    ¡°I know where I stand in his life now, and you¡­¡± I said, lowering my gaze to her and smiling.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a ce in his life. You¡¯re pretending to be his girlfriend when you¡¯re not.¡±

    ¡°Damn you! He won¡¯te back to you because you made him look like a fool! He doesn¡¯t love you anymore because you deceived him!¡±

    I apuded.

    ¡°I am aware of what I did. But why is it, ri? Why does Rozzean seek me out? Why did he tell me earlier that he loves me? Who should I believe between the two of you?¡±

    I saw tears welling up in her eyes.

    ¡°Look who¡¯s pathetic now. Instead of being annoyed or scared, why do you look so restless and incredibly afraid?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re making a fool out of me.¡±

    After saying that, I threw the check in front of her and turned my back on her. Before leaving the pool area, I heard ri shouting.

    That woman. What does she think of me? Can¡¯t fight back?

    I approached my parents and bid them farewell; they were leaving as well. Despite wanting to talk to Dad, I decided against it due to the fatigue I felt in my body. I also said goodbye to the Valleje couple.

    I proceeded to Thes¡¯ room. We talked, and I told her about the confrontation with ri by the pool area. She was delighted when she heard what I said. She even mentioned that if she were there, that wouldn¡¯t be the only thing the woman would experience.

    But, honestly, I pity ri. She looks so pathetic. I thought she was kind, but it turns out she¡¯s hiding some not-so-good behavior.

    The next morning, I woke up early. I went to the venue and saw my employees. They had finished packing up. I told them I might be away for 3-5 days because my family was going on vacation. I entrusted the main branch of Tinatangi to Alma.

    Thes also left Pampanga early. When I returned to my room, I heard knocks. I opened it and saw Luther. He had already showered and changed.

    ¡°Looking sharp,¡± Imented.

    He grabbed my things, and we left together.

    ¡°How many days again? I brought just a few clothes. Why was it so sudden?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°It¡¯s better when it¡¯s sudden; it pushes through,¡± he replied.

    But I overheard our parents discussing our family vacation ns. I didn¡¯t mention it to themst night.

    ¡°You can sleep while we are on the way, Thaliana,¡± Luther said when he saw me yawning.

    Because of Thes¡¯ chatter, I sleptte, and I woke up early because she had also gone home.

    We got into Luther¡¯s car. As we left the venue, I looked out the window.

    ¡°Luther¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°My dad¡­ told me something about Rozzeanst night.¡±

    I stared out the window as I spoke. I didn¡¯t talk to Rozzeanst night either, even though I caught him looking at me several times. He didn¡¯t attempt to approach me, perhaps because my father was around.

    I was so curious about what my dad said and what their conversation with Rozzean was about.

    ¡°Because of what he told me, I¡¯m even more confused¡­¡±

    I didn¡¯t realize I had fallen asleep. I woke up when I felt Luther¡¯s hand gently tapping my shoulder.

    ¡°Are we here?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    He got out, and so did I. I let the wind tousle my hair, smiling at the cool breeze on my face.

    ¡°Where are they? Why does it seem like we¡¯re the only ones here? Where are Uncle and Aunt, and my parents?¡± I asked Luther as we walked toward the dock.

    He assisted me in boarding the yacht. It was huge. Unlike the typical tourist yachts, it seemed different. Perhaps it was because our family was wealthy, or maybe it belonged to Uncle Royce.

    ¡°We¡¯re early, but they¡¯ll join uster,¡± he said, handing me my bag.

    ¡°Wait for me here; I¡¯ll just grab my things. Explore the inside of the yacht while you wait.¡±

    I nodded in agreement and walked around therge yacht. I went to the front.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    I put down my bag on the side. It¡¯s been a while since Ist boarded a yacht, and this one was quiterge.

    ¡°I think this is¨Cw-wait.¡±

    I stopped when I felt the yacht moving. I approached the side and looked at the water.

    ¡°Sht,¡± I said, looking back at the dock.

    ¡°Luther!¡±

    The yacht was moving away from the dock!

    What the hell! Luther isn¡¯t here! I¡¯m alone, but who¡¯s steering this thing?!

    My phone rang, and when I saw who was calling, I quickly answered.

    ¡°The yacht is moving! What the hell, Luther! Where are you?!¡±

    ¡°Rx, Thaliana¡­ all of your questions will be answered now.¡±

    ¡°W-What?¡± I asked. Confused.

    ¡°Enjoy!¡±

    I was about to speak, but the call ended. I tried to call Luther, but his phone was unreachable. When I looked at the dock, the yacht wasn¡¯t too far yet.

    I took a deep breath.

    ¡°I can swim! I can go back if I jump and-¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare do that, Thaliana.¡±

    But when I heard that voice I got chills and quickly turned around.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    He was here! looking at me with a serious expression!

    ¡°W-What are you doing here?¡±

    He took a step closer to me, and I felt like I was rooted to the spot, unable to move away. I just stared at him until he was right in front of me.

    Rozzean¡¯s hand went to my waist, pulling me closer.

    ¡°W-What¡­¡±

    He smirked.

    ¡°You can¡¯t run away from me now, Thaliana.¡±

 Rozzean Cyronéˆ¥æªš Pain

    Rozzean Cyron Valleje (His side)

    I gazed at Tali beside me, unable to wipe the smile off my face as I looked at her. She was sleeping, her hand resting on my waist, holding onto me. My hand moved, gently gliding across her cheek to her rosy lips.

    ¡°I love you, Tali¡­¡± I whispered and leaned down to kiss her. Her eyebrows moved, and I thought she might open her eyes, but instead, she turned away from me. My forehead creased in confusion. I held her shoulders and slowly turned her back to face me.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Rozzean¡­¡±

    I lowered my face again and kissed her cheek.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, continue your sleep. I will not interrupt you.¡±

    I had proposed earlier, and she had nodded. I nced at her hand to see where the ring was.

    It was a wonderful feeling. I never thought I could experience this kind of happiness in my life.

    Before making this decision, I sorted out everything that might be affected by this choice in my life. I talked to my parents and told them about my desire to marry Tali-my maid. I didn¡¯t hide that she was my maid; I would never lie to my parents so that they would ept her for me.

    I wasn¡¯t ashamed of her, even though she was my maid.

    But when I went to my parents¡¯ house, I¡¯ll never forget the anger in my father¡¯s eyes when I said I wouldn¡¯t proceed with the engagement to George D Vezca¡¯s daughter. I knew turning my back on them would cause huge trouble, but I didn¡¯t care. I wasn¡¯t afraid to face them if, after everything, I could have a happy life with Tali.

    That¡¯s all I wanted.

    As expected, Dad got extremely angry. I begged. I knelt down, knowing it was impossible but still hoping they would ept Tali. Because she¡¯s the one I want to be with for the rest of my life. I tried, telling my parents how much I loved Tali, but my father remained adamant.

    I lost hope. He even told me that he would never ept me as his son if I went ahead with marrying Tali. But nothing could change my mind at that moment. I nned everything, even if they didn¡¯t agree, I would still propose to Tali.

    Tali was the only one who showed me true love. The love I had been longing for.

    I failed to get Dad¡¯s approval, and it hurt, but when I got home and saw Tali¡¯s face weing me, all the pain seemed to disappear.

    Her smile and her voice are like medicine for me¡­ I don¡¯t know what would happen to me if I lost her.

    The next thing I did was talk to George D Vezca. I went to his house and personally told him that I no longer intended to marry his daughter. I saw the immense surprise in his eyes.

    We¡¯ve known each other for a very long time. We met when I was still working for Dad¡¯spany. I can¡¯t count how many times he praised me for handling the business well. So when he learned that I wanted to start my ownpany, he was happy for me.

    He said he would support me.

    George D Vezca became one of the biggest investors in mypany. Aside from Aloncious, he was someone who believed in me.

    He¡¯s like my second father.

    When Dad told me about the engagement with George D Vezca¡¯s daughter, it didn¡¯t bother me at first. I didn¡¯t even know he had a daughter since only his sons were usually around, especially during celebrations and gatherings.

    I agreed to the engagement, but I never expected someone toe and change my life. Tali changed my life for the better. I was so happy¡­ and content with her.

    When I told Mr. D Vezca that I wouldn¡¯t proceed with the wedding, I saw his anger. It was the first time I¡¯d seen him so angry in all the years I¡¯d known him. I understood because it wasn¡¯t easy for him to ept that I was backing out of the engagement with his daughter.

    I apologized, I don¡¯t remember how many times. Luther was there and witnessed everything.

    George D Vezca asked for my reason, and I told him I had fallen for someone. I didn¡¯t hide that it was my maid. Because of his extreme anger, he told me he couldn¡¯t forgive me.

    He said he would pull out all his shares from mypany, even his sons¡¯ shares. He would also withdraw everyone close to him who invested in mypany. I nodded, and I wasn¡¯t angry.

    I epted it.

    I didn¡¯t break eye contact with him when I told him I wasn¡¯t afraid to lose mypany-everything. I wasn¡¯t afraid to start over. What I was excessively afraid of was losing Tali from my life.

    Shepleted me¡­ Tali was the one who helped me discover a kind of happiness I didn¡¯t know existed within me. She filled the voids I had been searching for. Before talking to my parents and George D Vezca, I prepared myself for the downfall of RCV.

    I thought about it. With the money I had saved, I could start a small business.

    I nned my future with Tali. Even if they all rejected her, I didn¡¯t care.

    During those moments, my only thought was to fix my life to start anew with Tali. I knew very well that I wouldn¡¯t regret anything as long as I had Tali. I could ovee everything.

    But I didn¡¯t expect that the happiness with her would end so soon.

    ¡°Manang, are you sure she¡¯s not in any room in the entire house?¡±

    I was nervous and couldn¡¯t sit still. When I woke up in my room earlier, I was alone, and Tali wasn¡¯t beside me. I felt a different kind of unease, unlike the first time something happened between us. It was entirely different.

    ¡°Yes, sir, but her things are in the room. Everything¡¯s there, including her cellphone.¡±

    I walked towards her room. I quickly grabbed her cellphone. There was no point in calling her because her cellphone was here.

    ¡°Damn it.¡±

    I hurriedly went outside the house. It was past two in the morning. I approached the guards and talked to them immediately. I asked if they saw Tali. The two guards said she went out to buy something at the convenience store.

    ¡°Manang, I¡¯m leaving! Please call me when Tali gets home!¡± I shouted as I ran towards the garage.

    I was never this scared before, not ever. Right now, my hands were cold as I tightly gripped the steering wheel. I headed outside the vige. I went to the nearest convenience store open 24 hours, but she wasn¡¯t there. I asked around, but the cashiers told me they didn¡¯t notice any woman.

    ¡°Tali, where are you?¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    Out of extreme worry and fear, I called the police. I had them search even though it hadn¡¯t been 24 hours yet. I didn¡¯t go home; I looked for her in nearby ces in my vige. I almost covered all the ces she could go, but I didn¡¯t find her.

    ¡°Sir, nothing yet. No one has seen her, even in the neighboring city,¡± the police said when I spoke to them in front of my vige.

    I left a photo with them and told them to continue the search. When I entered my house, I saw Auntie in the living room. I approached her.

    ¡°M-Manang¡­ did she call you? Did she say anything to you yesterday? Were her actions suspicious?¡± I asked.

    ¡°This is so sudden¡­ where is she going? Why didn¡¯t she tell me? Why didn¡¯t she say anything?¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t say anything, sir. She seemed fine, s-sir¡­ could something bad have happened to Tali? She doesn¡¯t have anywhere else to go. Her province is far from here. And she said she was going to the convenience store, right? She should have returned by now; it¡¯s not that far.¡±

    I ced my hand on Manang¡¯s shoulder and told her that I wouldn¡¯t stop looking for Tali. I also told her to rest and sleep. Morning came, but she was still awake, and so was I because of my search for Tali.

    When the police called me about a woman they saw, I immediately went to their location. However, I was disappointed because it wasn¡¯t Tali that I found. I didn¡¯t go home again; Ibed the entire Tagaytay, hoping to find Tali.

    ¡°Where are you, baby? W-why did you suddenly disappear?¡±

    This is my fear. This is the only thing I¡¯ve been afraid of since I realized I love her. I¡¯m not afraid to lose all my wealth; I just don¡¯t want to lose her.

    ¡°Damn it, where are you?¡±

    Around midnight, I went home. Exhausted, but I had no intention of resting because I still wanted to go around and find her. She¡¯s been missing for a whole day. It¡¯s dark outside now¡­ I¡¯m really worried. I don¡¯t know what to do anymore.

    ¡°S-Sir¡­ please eat first,¡± Manang greeted me as I entered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have the appetite, Manang¨C¡±

    I stopped when I nced at the CCTV behind her.

    Deciding to check the CCTV footage in my house, I quickly went up to my room and opened myptop. I watched all the CCTV cameras in my house. My forehead creased when I saw a red car stopping in front of my house. I was surprised when someone got out of it.

    ¡°Maki?¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t tell me he was going yesterday.¡±

    I clenched my hands as Maki entered. In another CCTV, I saw Tali going to the Gazebo, and in a different one, Maki seemed to be asking something to Manang. Afterward, he walked towards the Gazebo.

    In less than half an hour, Maki left my house.

    I noticed the change in Tali¡¯s expression after she came from the Gazebo. I watched other CCTV cameras, and it seemed like she was deep in thought. Without changing, I walked heavily towards the exit and got into my car.

    ¡°Fck you, Maki¡­ if I find Tali at your house, I¡¯ll really kill you.¡±

    The journey to Maki¡¯s house should have taken hours, but I arrived there quickly.

    ¡°Rozzean? What are you doing¨Cw-woah, bud¨C¡±

    I didn¡¯t speak. I grabbed him by the cor and pulled him inside his house. I pushed him, and he fell to the ground. I red at him intensely, my chest heaving with anger.

    ¡°Where. is. Tali?!¡±

    I saw Maki smile, ¡°She¡¯s not here, bud, what are you talking about?¡±

    In my rage, I stood him up and punched him. Maki fell again. I straddled him and punched him again.

    ¡°You fckng went to my house! You went to the Gazebo, and she was there! You talked to her! Where is she?! Bring Tali out!¡±

    ¡°R-Rozzean! What the fck! Tali¡¯s not here!¡±

    I punched him several times. My vision blurred with anger, and I didn¡¯t think about our friendship or my feelings. It was all mixed up. I didn¡¯t know anymore.

    ¡°Fck you, Maki! Bring Tali out!¡±

    Maki¡¯s face was bleeding, but I didn¡¯t stop beating him.

    ¡°She¡¯s my l-life! I¡¯ll go crazy if she¡¯s gone! Tell me where she is?! You¡¯re the only one who went to my house! She acted differently after that! What did you fckng tell her?! Did you tell her to leave me?!¡±

    ¡°R-Rozz¡­ buddy¡­¡±

    My body was trembling with anger. I stared at Maki, furious. He wasn¡¯t fighting back, not defending himself as I continued to punch him. I didn¡¯t realize that, out of fear, anger, and worry for Tali, I was already crying.

    I slowly let go of Maki. I wiped my tears and left his house. I returned to my car. I punched the steering wheel several times.

    ¡°W-Where are you¡­¡±

    ¡°Tali¡­¡±

    ¡°P-Please¡­ baby¡­¡±

    I didn¡¯t stop searching. Even the ces I had already visited, I revisited in the hope of finding her. I had been without proper sleep and food for days, but I didn¡¯t care; what mattered to me was finding her.

    ¡°Rozz, Manang told me you haven¡¯t eaten yet, and you¡¯re still looking for your helper. Is she that important?¡±

    As I was about to go out again to search for Tali, I ran into ri.

    ¡°What are you doing here, ri?¡±

    ¡°I brought food, here¡­¡±

    I lowered my gaze to the paper bag she was holding. As I was about to pass by her, she held my arm.

    ¡°Rozzean, she¡¯s just a helper, you can find another¨C¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not just a maid, ri.¡±

    I removed her hand from my arm.

    ¡°She¡¯s the woman I love. I love Tali so much. Do you think I would go through all this trouble if she was just a helper to me?¡±

    I saw surprise on her face. I¡¯ve told her multiple times that I¡¯m in love. She shouldn¡¯t hope that I¡¯ll ever be interested in her, yet she hasn¡¯t stopped. She even used her fatherst time.

    ¡°T-That woman? Y-you are kidding me, right?¡±

    As I was about to pass by her again, ri held my arm. My eyes, tired, met hers, and I removed her hand again.

    ¡°I proposed to her, I love her so much, ri. I would never joke about this, especially now that Tali is missing. The moment I find her, we¡¯ll get married. So, if you have any feelings for me, please forget about it.¡±

 The Painful Truth

    Those were the words I said before I left her at my house. I continued to search for Tali. Darkness enveloped me. Exhaustion, fear, worry. I didn¡¯t know what to do because until now, I haven¡¯t found her. The police still had no news about her.

    Due to the mixed emotions, I decided to have a drink at a bar.

    ¡°S-Sht¡­¡±

    I lost count of the shots. When I stood up, I almost fell if the bartender hadn¡¯t grabbed my arm. I stumbled out of the bar but managed to reach my car safely.

    ¡°Tali¡­¡±

    I kept whispering her name as I started the engine. When I left the bar, my driving became erratic. My vision was blurry as I looked at the road. I was crying. I never thought I could cry like this. It was unbelievable.

    It hurt so much.

    ¡°B-Baby¡­ I hope you are okay¡­ please¡­ Come back to m-me¡­¡±

    Before I could wipe away the tears from both my eyes, I noticed a car suddenly heading towards me.

    ¡°Damn!¡±

    That¡¯s thest thing I remember. When I opened my eyes, I was inside a hospital room. I learned that a concerned citizen called an ambnce and brought me to the hospital. I thought I was going to die at that moment. I would die without seeing Tali again, and that was incredibly painful.

    I went home using crutches. My foot got trapped in the ident, making it difficult for me to walk properly. My head also had a bandage because it bled. There were wounds on my body too.

    When the ambnce brought me home, Manang greeted me and helped me.

    ¡°S-Sir!¡±

    Manang was crying; I told her I was fine, but she continued to cry. She asked if I needed anything, but I said no. She kept looking at me. I sat in the living room.

    My thoughts were still with Tali.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you received any messages from Tali, Auntie?¡± I asked. I was hoping she might have been told something.

    ¡°N-No, sir. I¡¯m really worried about that girl. She doesn¡¯t have family here. A-And she left her things¡­ it¡¯s impossible for her to run away.¡±

    We didn¡¯t have any arguments. I sighed.

    I won¡¯t be able to find her in this condition. Damn it, Rozzean, you weren¡¯t careful. How will you find Tali if you can¡¯t walk properly?

    Two days passed, and I couldn¡¯t eat or sleep. I also didn¡¯t go to work or do any online work. My mind was preupied with where Tali could be. The police reports I received were always negative.

    I¡¯ve had several nightmares. The fear I felt was overwhelming, but I won¡¯t stop searching for her. I won¡¯t stop.

    ¡°Sir Rozzean¡­ please eat even just a little.¡±

    ¡°I am not hungry, Manang.¡±

    She left my room. I stayed downstairs in the guest room because I couldn¡¯t go up to my own room. I faced myptop again and watched the CCTV footage of my house when Tali wasst seen.

    I watched it multiple times, examining her face. She looked troubled. Dazed even. What happened?

    ¡°P-Please be safe¡­ I will find you¡­ I will find you.¡±

    When I remembered Tali¡¯s belongings, I went out to see Manang. I wanted to have her things moved so that if she returns, she can stay in my room.

    I am sure I will find her.

    She wille back to me.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    I felt like I was going crazy, seeing her in every corner of my house. I even thought it was real. There was a time I fell down because I thought she came back, but I was just hallucinating.

    ¡°Manang¡­¡±

    When I reached the living room, I saw Luther. I was surprised because it waste at night, and he was still here. Did Manang tell him what happened to me? I didn¡¯t confide in anyone, not even my mom. I kept my ident a secret.

    ¡°Luther? What are you doing here?¡±

    My eyes focused on the woman with Luther. She was facing away from me, talking to Manang. My gaze dropped to their intertwined hands.

    Are they close?

    ¡°Who¡¯s with you, Luther? It¡¯ste; why did youe now? Could it not wait until tomorrow? Did Manang tell you what happened to me?¡± I asked my brother.

    Luther didn¡¯t answer, furrowing my brows. He just stared at me. When his eyes shifted to the woman, I also looked there. The woman turned her back.

    W-What¡­

    When I saw her face, my heart raced. I swallowed hard. Her eyes¡­ her lips¡­ the shape of her face¡­

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    I felt momentarily deafened when she called my name. Her voice¡­ The first thing that entered my mind was Tali.

    That¡¯s how my baby says my name.

    W-Why am I hearing Tali? Am I hallucinating again? W-Who is this woman? S-she looks like my baby¡­

    I couldn¡¯t move from my spot as I stared at the woman who called my name. I thought words wouldn¡¯te out until I managed to ask her.

    ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡± I asked dangerously. Her eyes and her voice¡­ damn it.

    I didn¡¯t like what was going through my mind. It felt like my chest was slowly being torn apart as I stared at her. She was crying in front of me. All I could see in this woman was Tali. Even her voice¡­ damn it. What is happening?

    ¡°R-Rozzean, I¡¯m sorry¡­ so-sorry¡­¡±

    I tightly held my crutch. The anger in my chest subsided as I gradually understood why she was apologizing. But that¡¯s not what I wanted to hear. I wanted to know something else from her.

    I wanted to hear directly from her lips who she is.

    ¡°I¡¯m asking who you are!¡±

    I looked at Luther. I clenched my hands as my thoughts pieced together. Damn it. No. Not what I¡¯m thinking.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m Thaliana¡­ Thaliana Tangi D Vezca.¡±

    The daughter of George D Vezca? The woman I was supposed to marry?

    Luther approached her, and I looked at both of them. I couldn¡¯t exin what I was feeling, but there was pain and anger. This woman sounded like Tali, her eyes looked like Tali, her lips, a-almost everything about baby¡­

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    ¡°Why do you sound like her?¡±

    I wanted to f*cking know.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¨C¡±

    I closed my eyes tightly. Why does she keep saying sorry?! Sorry! Sorry! Why! I wanted to know! I wanted to know if my suspicion was correct, if she and Tali were the same person!

    ¡°Why the f*ck do your eyes look like hers?!¡±

    She was crying in front of me. She stayed silent for a moment. I saw her take a deep breath, and when I heard what she said, my world crumbled.

    ¡°B-Because I am her¡­ R-Rozzean.¡±

    What¡­ is this? Did I make a mistake? Did I trust the wrong person with my love? Why? Why¡­ why is it always pain? I trusted in love just now, but why did this happen to me?

    Why am I always hurt so much?

    Damn it, why?

    ¡°I-I am Tali D Cruz¡­ I-I came here to pretend as a poor woman to enter your house as your m-maid. I-I did this because there was an agreement with Daddy that if I found any bad behavior from you, the marriage he wanted wouldn¡¯t push through. M-My Dad is George Romualdo D Vezca.¡±

    S-Stop¡­ stop¡­ no¡­ s-she fooled me? B-because of that reason? Did she deceive me and make me look like a fool just because she didn¡¯t want the marriage to happen?

    ¡°B-but everything changed because I fell for you¨C¡±

    She paused as I shouted.

    ¡°Luther!¡±

    ¡°Do you know her? Why is she saying that she¡¯s Tali?! S-she sounds like my woman¡­ and her eyes¡­ d-damn it.¡±

    ¡°I miss my baby so much. Why am I seeing her with that woman? Who is she?¡± I may sound pathetic, but I don¡¯t care.

    I refused to ept what the woman in front of me was saying. I couldn¡¯t ept it. I couldn¡¯t ept that everything was just a big lie.

    ¡°Why is she saying that she¡¯s Tali, huh? Why? Luther¡­ answer me.¡±

    Are they close? Is it because he knows that she is Thaliana D Vezca?

    He knows the truth¡­ b-but why? Why didn¡¯t he tell me?

    ¡°Cyron¡­¡±

    ¡°Cyron! Cyron! Luther, I am asking you!¡± I was livid. I felt like they conspired to deceive me.

    Luther closed his eyes tightly before he spoke. I saw him take a deep breath.

    When I heard his answer, it felt like my chest was stabbed multiple times.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    I am trembling because of anger. I was so ready to lose everything because of my love for Tali. I was willing to let go of mypany, everything I worked hard for just to have a decent life with her, then to find out¡­

    Damn it, to find out it¡¯s all lies?

    She fooled me and pretended to be someone else just to prevent the marriage her father wanted?

    ¡°She is Tali D Cruz. Thaliana Tangi D Vezca and Tali D Cruz are the same person. What she told you is true. She pretended as a maid, and I found out about her when I came here that day. When you weren¡¯t at your house.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t believe it.

    ¡°W-What? Y-you knew?¡±

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­ I-I will tell you the truth. I was just taking my time. I wanted to actually tell everything o-once I came back as Thaliana. I-I just didn¡¯t expect that I would struggle toe back because of my feelings for you. You are not the kind of person I thought you were. I regret what I did¡­ p-please¡­ I know this is hard for you b-but, p-please¡­ f-forgive me.¡±

    I angrily looked at Thaliana when I heard what she said. There¡¯s no reason for her to deceive me. What she did is not right at all!

    ¡°R-Rozzean-¡±

    ¡°Stop¡­ w-what¡­¡± I looked at Luther, ¡°You knew about her? that she was fooling me? you knew she was pretending here in my house?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t believe that even Luther was involved in deceiving me. I couldn¡¯t ept it. Our rtionship as siblings had been getting better. I thought he was okay with Tali too. But I was wrong¡­ very wrong.

    Anger rose in my chest.

    ¡°Cyron¡­¡±

    I was breathing heavily. My eyes were ring at him. When I saw Thaliana go in front of my brother, I was stunned.

    It was painful. It hurt so much, thinking that my life would be better because Tali filled the missing piece I was looking for. Now I find out that everything was a lie. She deceived me.

    ¡°Yes, I am kind,¡± I said in a cold tone, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t been this kind when I saw you begging in front of the vige, I wouldn¡¯t have been lied to. I wouldn¡¯t fall for someone like you.¡±

    I looked at her as I said that. She was crying. When she raised her hands to cover her mouth, my eyesnded on the ring she was wearing. It hurt me even more to see her wearing it.

    We were doing well¡­ I nned my future with her¡­ and now it was ruined.

    When I turned to leave, I almost stumbled, but Thaliana supported me. When we were close, I smelled her.

    This scent of Tali that I always wanted to smell. But enough, Rozzean. She fooled you.

    ¡°You are not Tali,¡± I looked at her coldly.

    ¡°You will never be her; my baby will never ever fool me. She¡¯s the sweetest and honest with her feelings. Y-You¡­ you are not her.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know you.¡±

    I looked down at her grip on me.

    ¡°Let go of me.¡±

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­ please, let¡¯s talk about this. Let¡¯s discuss it, please-¡±

    ¡°Luther! Get her out of my house!¡± I shouted because I might say something worse.

    ¡°P-Please¡­ I love you¡­¡±

    ¡°Luther!¡±

    ¡°Thaliana, let¡¯s go,¡± I heard Luther say as he tried to take her away.

    ¡°N-No! I don¡¯t want to!¡±

    Her eyes never leave mine.

    I feel extreme anger. How could she do this? She made a fool out of me.

    ¡°I-I will not leave until you say that we could work things out again¡­ t-that you will just take your time b-because I hurt you¡­¡±

    Work things out? After she deceived me?

    ¡°I will never ept a woman like you, Ms. D Vezca. Isn¡¯t it that your reason for pretending to be a housemaid in my house was to find an excuse to cancel the wedding?¡±

    She shook her head, but it¡¯s toote. Regardless of any regrets she may have, she has hurt me. She deceived me. It can¡¯t be changed. She had many chances to tell me the truth. We are¡­ l-living together. I confessed my feelings. I said I love her. I proposed to her¡­ I was so sure about my feelings.

    And she was just deceiving me?

    ¡°N-No¡­ it¡¯s not like that anymore¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no marriage that is going to happen between us, Ms. D Vezca. I will never marry a woman who made me look like a fool.¡±

    My chest heaved up and down due to the anger I felt.

    ¡°You made a fool out of me in my own home. Leave. Go away. Don¡¯t evere back. I don¡¯t need you in my life.¡±

    ¡°I-I don¡¯t want to¡­ I don¡¯t want to leave¡­ I love you, I love you so much¡­¡±

    Those words echoed. If only it were Tali saying those words to me, I would be overjoyed. I always wanted to hear those words. But from Tali. From the woman I love.

 Pain and Jealousy

    I turned away and went to my room. Once inside, I unleashed my anger on everything in it.

    ¡°Ahhh!!¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    I threw everything I could see.

    I was on the verge of losing my mind searching for Tali, and now I find out it was all a lie? That there really is no Tali D Cruz because she is Thaliana Tangi D Vezca?

    ¡°Damn it!!¡±

    ¡°I love you so much! I love you so much, and yet, why?! Why!!¡±

    Thaliana¡¯s tearful face came to mind, while she was apologizing. She asked for forgiveness several times.

    I slowly sat down on the bed. I lowered my head and cradled it in my hands. When I touched my face, I realized I was already crying.

    ¡°I love you¡­ I love you¡­ b-but why? Why did you fool me?¡±

    I was staring nkly when Manang entered my room. She was crying while quietly cleaning up the mess I made. Exhausted and overwhelmed, I didn¡¯t notice what time I fell asleep. When I woke up the next day, I felt the pain in my neck and arms.

    I got up and sat on the edge of the bed. I nced at the clock. It was already night.

    I sighed heavily. I ran my fingers through my forehead. When I closed my eyes, Thaliana¡¯s face, crying and asking for forgiveness, came to my mind. I clenched my fists. I thought it was just a dream. But it really happened.

    ¡°Sir.¡±

    I turned to Manang when I heard her voice. She was standing in front of the door.

    ¡°P-Please, sir, try to eat even just a little, so you can take your medicine.¡±

    ¡°I am not hungry, Manang.¡±

    ¡°S-Sir, it¡¯s been more than a week-¡±

    ¡°I said I am not hungry, Manang,¡± I said in an angry tone.

    Manang Selya nodded and left my room. I looked out the window. After a few minutes, I heard the door open again. I sighed because I already told Manang I didn¡¯t want to eat, but she came back.

    ¡°Manang, I said I don¡¯t want to eat. How many times do I have to tell you-¡±

    But it wasn¡¯t Manang standing in front of the door.

    Anger surged in my chest when I saw who it was.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    I grabbed my cane from the side and faced Thaliana. I felt anger and pain as I looked at her.

    ¡°Which part of what I saidst night don¡¯t you understand? Miss D Vezca?¡±

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­ Manang told me you haven¡¯t eaten since this morning. I-I cooked some food for you-¡±

    I walked towards her and flipped what she was holding.

    ¡°You don¡¯t care if I don¡¯t eat, who do you think you are?¡±

    I spoke continuously out of the anger I felt.

    ¡°I made a mistake¡­ but I regret it, Rozzean¡­¡±

    ¡°I introduced myself as someone else, but everything I showed you here in your house is true. Even my feelings for you, I love you. I love you so much-¡±

    I shook my head and spoke angrily.

    ¡°Shut up! just shut up! you made me look like a fool! you yed with me, and now you¡¯re telling me you love me? love me so much?! that damn love!¡±

    ¡°Were you happy?¡±

    I felt extremely furious. I also saw fear in her eyes as she looked at me. We wouldn¡¯t be in this situation if she hadn¡¯t deceived me. If she hadn¡¯t made a fool out of me.

    She knew how much I loved Tali.

    I proposed, and she even epted it! She continued deceiving me even though there were so many opportunities to tell me the truth. If it had only been a few days, I might have understood, but no. Itsted until even my brother found out about her deception!

    Even Luther conspired with her and deceived me.

    ¡°Were you happy while you were ying me in my own house, huh? And what kind of love are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°N-No¡­ not like that, Rozzean. I made a mistake, I regret it, but please don¡¯t question my love for you.¡±

    It was hard for me to believe her, considering the anger I felt.

    ¡°I love you-¡±

    How could she say those words to me, as if she did nothing wrong?

    ¡°Don¡¯t f*cking say those words to me, Miss D Vezca. If you love me, why did you deceive me?¡±

    ¡°If you love me, why did you make a fool out of me?¡±

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    Even how she says my name.

    ¡°Leave.¡±

    ¡°L-Listen to me¡­ please¡­ I made a mistake, I shouldn¡¯t have done that. I-I¡¯m so sorry¡­ I know it¡¯s wrong, I just found it hard toe back and exin everything because I couldn¡¯t bear to leave you.¡±

    I turned around and shouted Manang¡¯s name.

    ¡°Manang!¡±

    She fooled me. If I forgive her, she might just deceive me again. She did it once, and she can do it again.

    ¡°S-Sir¡­¡±

    ¡°Let her out.¡±

    ¡°T-Tali, are you okay?¡± I heard Manang ask.

    In the corner of my eye, she looked down at Thaliana¡¯s arms and hands. I wanted to face and look at her, but I stopped myself because I didn¡¯t want to show any interest in her.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m leaving now, but I won¡¯t stop until you fully forgive me. I-I just hope¡­ I just hope you¡¯ve eaten, Rozzean. P-Please take care of yourself.¡±

    When I heard what she said, I faced her again. My eyes dropped to her reddened arms and hands.

    I felt self-directed anger when I realized I had hurt her. The food was hot, and when I flipped it earlier, it spilled on her.

    Damn it. I was so mad earlier! so mad!

    I turned to Manang to dismiss the concern I felt for Thaliana. Even though I was furious and found out she deceived me, I still felt worried. Damn.

    ¡°Throw away the food she cooked, Manang.¡±

    ¡°S-Sir?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything rted to her in my house.¡±

    As I was about to turn away again, I paused because I heard Luther¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Thaliana.¡±

    His eyes were on the floor. After the food had scattered, he approached Thaliana. I clenched my hands on myp, especially when he held her by both arms.

    Seeing Thaliana hurt in Luther¡¯s grip, I cursed myself. I didn¡¯t realize that the food was hot. I-I was not paying attention to it. I was so mad.

    ¡°Thaliana¡­¡± I heard Luther call her name again.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    Why is he treating her this way? What¡¯s going on between them? Why is Thaliana letting Luther be this close to her? Why is she letting him wipe away her tears?

    When Luther looked at me, I saw anger in his eyes.

    ¡°Rozzean Cyron.¡±

    This was the first time he got angry like this again. Why? I should be the one getting angry because they deceived me.

    I was just watching how close they were and how Luther wiped Thaliana¡¯s tears again. I don¡¯t like what I am seeing, and I feel¡­ jealousy.

    ¡°We are going to leave; I will take you home. You can¡¯t drive with the burns on your hands and arms,¡± Luther said to Thaliana.

    I was left there, wondering what kind of rtionship they have.

 Sheéˆ¥æªš Mine

    ¡°Manang¡­¡±

    Manang entered the room holding cleaning things. I slowly walked to the food on the floor, just staring at it.

    ¡°You can leave me now, Manang, and¡­ don¡¯t throw away the food she cooked for me.¡±

    ¡°S-Sir¡­ Tali regrets what she did¡­ I can see that she truly loves you. I hope you can reconcile.¡±

    Those were Manang¡¯s words before she left my room.

    Love is still here.

    I still love her deeply, even though I know the truth. But the anger in my heart doesn¡¯t disappear. It¡¯s different when I face her. I can¡¯t control my anger. Right now, the anger is dominant because of what I discovered about her deception.

    I knelt in front of the scattered food. I let go of the crutch and sat down, picking up a piece of chicken thigh on the floor and taking a bite. I grabbed a nearby spoon and then got some spilled sisig.

    There¡¯s still some left in the containers.

    I don¡¯t care if this food is dirty now.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡±

    I was mad¡­ furious. B-but I didn¡¯t mean to hurt her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, b-baby¡­¡±

    I couldn¡¯t face her with a heart full of anger. I don¡¯t want what happened now to repeat. I don¡¯t want to hurt her again.

    The next day, I woke up around noon, and the food on the floor had been cleaned. I got up and went to the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror.

    ¡°There¡¯s no Tali¡­ she¡¯s Thaliana¡­¡±

    I closed my eyes tightly. I still love her. I still love her deeply despite what I learned, but the anger doesn¡¯t go away. I took a deep breath. I need to fix myself. I just need to take my time. I hope she can give that to me to ease the anger in my heart.

    I showered and changed my clothes. When I came out of the bathroom, I paused when I saw ri. My eyes focused on the food on the tray.

    ¡°Manang sent me the food that she cooked.¡±

    ¡°I was so worried about you, Rozz; I only found out this morning that you had an ident. Is it because of that woman?¡±

    I approached the table in my room and sat down. I picked up the utensils and started eating. I need to gain energy.

    ri just watched me while I ate. I didn¡¯t respond to her questions. After finishing my meal, I left my room and looked for Manang.

    I headed to the kitchen because that¡¯s where she usually stays.

    ¡°Manang, did you go¨C¡±

    I stopped talking when I saw Thaliana. Anger surged in my chest again. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    ¡°U-Uhm, Manang went to get the the clothes at the back, but she¡¯ll be back soon.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing here? I told you not toe back, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    Just for one day¡­ let me be. I just need some time for myself. Let me think and ept everything that¡¯s happening. Let me be for now because I will approach her when the anger is gone, and I¡¯m okay.

    ¡°I was cooking because¨C¡±

    ¡°I am thankful that you ate the food I cooked, Rozz. Manang said you haven¡¯t eaten sincest night. I¡¯ll cook for you againter.¡±

    He stopped talking, and I looked at ri who suddenly appeared because of what he said.

    What? He said Manang cooked that?

    I saw the pain in Thaliana¡¯s eyes when she looked at the tray ri was holding.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± ri asked her.

    She dropped the ss she was holding, and I looked at it.

    I looked at Thaliana. When I saw that she was injured, I was about to approach when ri held my arm. One of her hands was holding the tray. I looked at her and saw her serious eyes looking at me.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Oh no, Tali!¡±

    When I saw her fingers bleeding, I felt extremely worried. I looked away. Fck. This is what I¡¯m talking about.

    When I was about to leave, ri stopped me. She handed the tray to Manang and then approached to support me.

    In order for her to stoping to my house, she must see this¡­ that I am okay.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    ¡°We¡¯ll go back to the room, Manang. If you need anything, we¡¯ll just call you,¡± ri said.

    As we turned away and walked away, I heard Thaliana¡¯s voice again. I closed my eyes tightly when I realized she was crying.

    ¡°W-Wait.¡±

    ¡°Just a moment¡­¡±

    I was looking at her seriously.

    ¡°I¡­ I will stop here.¡±

    ¡°I-I won¡¯t bother you anymore. I can see that you are recovering now, and I¡¯m happy with that. I-if¡­ if you can¡¯t forgive me, it¡¯s okay too. I won¡¯t bother you anymore; I won¡¯te back to your house. Just eat and take care of yourself.¡±

    ¡°Take care, okay?¡±

    I saw her take off the ring I gave her and ce it on the ind counter. My heart clenched in pain.

    ¡°I love you. I love seeing you, Rozzean, but I won¡¯t insist anymore.¡±

    After saying that, she turned away. She quickly walked out of my house. No¡­

    ¡°Rozz¨C¡±

    ¡°Leave, ri.¡±

    I took a deep breath and staggered as I walked towards the ind counter. I took the ring Thaliana had taken off and held it tightly.

    Let mee to you after this. I¡¯ll fix myself first. I¡¯ll remove the anger from my heart.

    ¡°Manang, please set aside the food Thaliana cooked; I¡¯ll eat it tonight.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, sir!¡±

    Time passed, and evening came. ri returned to the house once again. I¡¯ve told her several times not toe back, but she¡¯s persistently stubborn.

    ¡°Have you eaten, Rozz? I saw Manang bringing food for you, and I told her I¡¯m the on¨C¡±

    ¡°Is it true that Manang cooked this, or did ite from you?¡± I asked.

    I couldn¡¯t forget her lie earlier.

    I looked at the tray, and when I opened the food covers, I saw that these were the ones Thaliana brought earlier. I sat down immediately and started to fill my te.

    I was in the middle of eating when ri also sat down and got her own te.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m eating with you,¡± she said, smiling.

    ¡°Let me eat alone¨C¡±

    I stopped speaking when the door opened. I saw Luther looking at me angrily. I put down my spoon and fork and then stood up. I staggered as I walked towards him.

    ¡°What are you doing here, Luther?¡±

    But instead of answering my question, I was surprised when his fist hit my face.

    Sh*t.

    I fell to the floor because of its strength.

    ¡°Luther!¡± ri shouted.

    I understood Luther¡¯s anger when I learned what happened. It felt like a bucket of cold water was poured over me when I heard from him that Thaliana had an ident after leaving my house.

    Luther was furious with me. He med me for what happened.

    But it¡¯s not just him. It¡¯s me too. I me myself too. It was wrong to let Thaliana leave alone earlier. Damn this anger. Damn this timing.

    ¡°You don¡¯t care for her anymore? Your love was lost? Then¡­¡±

    No! I still love her deeply! I got extremely angry and said things I shouldn¡¯t have, but I regretted it all!

    ¡°I will make her fall for me.¡±

    ¡°I like her. I have feelings for Thaliana.¡±

    I was surprised by what he said. My anger intensified. Is that why he¡¯s always by Thaliana¡¯s side? Is that why he never leaves her?

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure Thaliana forgets everything about you.¡±

    ¡°I will make her fall for me hard until she forgets all about you.¡±

    In my anger, I crossed the distance between us and knelt in front of him. If looks could kill, I might have killed him now. I took deep breaths while looking at Luther. I couldn¡¯t believe the words he uttered.

    ¡°Luther Rico!¡± I shouted in intense anger.

    He smiled at me, irritating me even more. Was this his n from the beginning? When did he start liking Thaliana? When?!

    ¡°Thaliana is now my fianc¨¦e, Cyron.¡±

    Luther¡¯s words hit me like a bomb that exploded right in front of me.

    ¡°W-What?¡±

    ¡°I talked to George D Vezca to save yourpany, and I told him I could be his daughter¡¯s fianc¨¦. And he agreed. Thaliana knows about this, but she still tried to get your forgiveness because she f*cking loves you so much.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s enough. I can¡¯t bear to see her hurt just because you can¡¯t forgive her.¡±

    ¡°She returned the ring. She said she will forget about you, and I will make sure she will, Cyron. I will help her.¡±

    I thought I had nothing more to fear. But there was still something.

    ¡°She¡¯s mine¡­ she¡¯s only mine.¡±

 Protecting Her

    After my conversation with Luther, I didn¡¯t waste any more time. I immediately went to thepany of George D Vezca-Thaliana¡¯s father. I didn¡¯t bother to set an appointment; I went straight to his office.

    ¡°Mr. Velleje, Mr. D Vezca has another meeting¨C¡±

    ¡°Lynda, let him.¡±

    As I entered, George D Vezca greeted me with a serious look. He stood up and approached me, his hands in his pockets.

    ¡°My daughter got into an ident, Rozzean.¡±

    ¡°Sir¨C¡±

    His fist swung, hitting my face. I lost my bnce but didn¡¯t fall.

    I deserve that punch. I know I deserve it.

    ¡°Maybe it will wake you up.¡±

    ¡°She made a mistake; she¡¯s afraid ofmitment, which is why she deceived you. But I know that wrong is wrong, so I let her apologize to you. But what is this, Rozzean? Does she need to put her life at risk just to be forgiven? Thaliana is my only daughter, and I chose you to be her husband because I have great trust in you.¡±

    ¡°Do you know that my daughter still defended you after she had an ident? I was afraid that I might involve yourpany in my anger towards you. She talked to all of us. She loves you so much, but is it that hard to forgive, Rozzean?¡±

    My anger blinded me. Love was overshadowed by anger. I knew I would hurt Thaliana because of that, so I wanted her to leave me for a while. But I didn¡¯t expect it to lead to this.

    ¡°I¡­ I am sorry, Mr. D Vezca.¡±

    ¡°My daughter loves you deeply, but even that love has its limits, Rozzean.¡±

    I felt fear in his words. I took a step forward, my hands clenched.

    ¡°I am sorry that my anger took over me. I also love Thaliana very much. I love her so much, and I am willing to do anything for her now.¡±

    He sighed and then shook his head.

    ¡°But right now, she¡¯s moving on¡­¡±

    ¡°She wanted to forget you, and maybe you already know that my daughter is engaged to Luther. They are close, and my daughter might fall for him.¡±

    That¡¯s something I won¡¯t allow to happen.

    ¡°Mr. D Vezca¨C¡±

    ¡°But I will still give you yourst chance, Rozzean. You both made mistakes, and I won¡¯t be unfair to you.¡±

    His words gave me hope. I need to regain his trust and approval before approaching Thaliana again. That¡¯s why I came to talk to him.

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. D Vezca¨C¡±

    ¡°But you cannot approach my daughter or talk to her until she breaks off the engagement with Luther. Once she ends the engagement, you can approach her and talk to her.¡±

    My eyebrows furrowed at what he said. How can I make things right between us if I can¡¯t approach and talk to her? What if Thaliana doesn¡¯t break off the engagement? What if she falls for Luther?

    ¡°B-But what if she falls for my brother?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Then that¡¯s not my problem, Rozzean. It¡¯s your problem. Who was stubborn? Be thankful that after what happened to my daughter, I¡¯m still willing to talk to you.¡±

    I had no choice but to agree with Thaliana¡¯s father. I¡¯m just thankful that I still have a chance for both of us.

    ¡°Dad, why didn¡¯t you attend-hey, you are Rozzean, right?¡±

    I turned to the one who spoke. I immediately recognized the three men who entered. In the corner of my eye, I saw Mr. D Vezca wincing in pain.

    ¡°Griz, this is Rozzean, isn¡¯t it?¡± one of them asked.

    I spoke because it seemed like they were waiting for me to say something.

    ¡°Yes, I am Rozzean Cyron Valleje-¡±

    I didn¡¯t finish what I was saying when Grand quickly walked towards me and punched me in the face. I fell to the floor due to its force. Griz followed, knelt beside me, and then helped me up before he, too, threw a punch.

    ¡°Wait, it¡¯s my turn,¡± Grecion said, and he punched me as well.

    ¡°Damn you, Rozzean Valleje. I was grateful that Tangi nned to get married, and then this happened? We know our sister has quirks, but she¡¯s kind and loving!¡± Grecion yelled at me.

    I smiled and wiped the blood from the side of my mouth.

    ¡°I know¡­ she¡¯s kind¡­ I also know that she¡¯s incredibly loving,¡± I replied, looking up at Thaliana¡¯s brothers.

    ¡°We are very protective of her. She¡¯s our princess, we cherish her. F*ck you for hurting our sister, Rozzean.¡±

    I regret letting anger prevail in my heart, leading to all this.

    ¡°I love her. I love your sister very much.¡±

    ¡°Say it again,¡± Grecion said, approaching me and punching me again. I didn¡¯t dodge or fight back. I epted their punches.

    ¡°Now, idiot, we¡¯ll be keeping an eye on you. You better behave.¡±

    Grand and Griz extended their hands to help me up. When I faced Thaliana¡¯s four brothers, I bowed to them.

    ¡°I am sorry for hurting her. There won¡¯t be a next time. I¡¯ll make sure she won¡¯t get hurt anymore. I¡¯ll take care of her and love her.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ take it back first from your brother. They were together in Tagaytayst night, and Luther always visits Tangi at the flower shop in the wee hours of the morning. What will happen to you if Tangi moves on and doesn¡¯t break off the engagement? Poor you,¡± Griz said.

    ¡°That will never happen,¡± I firmly said.

    I won¡¯t allow that to happen. I know Thaliana¡¯s love for me won¡¯t easily fade.

    ¡°Wow, confident,¡± Grecion said.

    ¡°I know she loves me deeply, and she might have mentioned it to you. But I am not using her love as an excuse for not forgiving her when she came to my house several times. My anger took over me, and I regret it so much. I didn¡¯t ept it immediately¡­¡±

    I paused as I remembered the pain I felt when Thaliana told me the truth.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t immediately ept what happened at my house¡­ about Tali.¡±

    They all nodded. When Grecion approached me again, he ced his hand on my shoulder, gripping it tightly.

    I looked at Mr. D Vezca, who was observing us with folded arms.

    ¡°But this is what we want to know. We really want to know, especially Dad.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Did¡­¡± he turned away from me, ¡°damn it, you ask, Griz, I might not handle the answer and punch him again.¡±

    My eyebrows furrowed at Grecion¡¯s words, and Griz faced me.

    ¡°We want to know if you and Thaliana already did it. If something has happened between you and our sister?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I directly answered them.

    ¡°Oh, and damn¨C¡± Griz and Grand stopped Grecion from attacking me.

    I thought the punches were over, but I was surprised when Mr. D Vezca was thest one to hit me.

    ¡°How many times?!¡± he shouted, making me wince.

    After talking to Mr. D Vezca and Thaliana¡¯s three brothers, I secretly visited her at her parents¡¯ house. There were times when her father saw me outside, and I just nodded. I told him at first that I wouldn¡¯t approach or try to talk to her, and I wouldn¡¯t show up. I¡¯ll follow what we agreed on. Although I really want to approach Thaliana, I will still abide by our agreement.

    I visited the D Vezca house several days in a row, hoping that Thaliana woulde out and I could her. Just a few nces. Until one morning, a car arrived and stopped in front of their house. A woman with pink hair got out and went inside. After a while, I saw Thaliana with her.

    I immediately followed them. I was so happy when I saw her, but that joy disappeared when I saw sadness on her face. I knew I was the one who caused it. Because of my stubbornness in not forgiving her.

    I followed her the whole day. I learned that the woman with her was her friend. I am grateful for that friend because somehow, I saw Thaliana smile today. They went to a salon, and when they came out, I saw that her hair was a different color.

    It suits her.

    But I didn¡¯t like it. Her new look would attract other men. Just the thought that other men would look at her made me feel angry.

    I just followed the two of them the whole day. They went to a clothing store, ate, and at night, my eyebrows furrowed when they headed to a bar.

    ¡°Damn. Why here?¡±

    Due to the numerous parked cars, I had difficulty finding a spot for my car. I ended up at the farthest end, losing sight of Thaliana. After parking, I quickly entered the bar.

    The bar was crowded and noisy, filled with many people.

    ¡°Where is she?¡±

    I spent several minutes searching for a parking space, and now Thaliana was nowhere in sight. I checked the lower level of the bar, but she wasn¡¯t there. When I looked upstairs, I went up, but she wasn¡¯t there either.

    ¡°Damn it.¡±

    The people here were dancing wildly. Many were already drunk, and everywhere I looked, I saw people doing unusual things.

    I looked down and scanned the ce, searching for Thaliana. When my eyesnded in the middle, and I saw her, I cursed. A man was in front of her, trying to hug her. I saw her pushing him away, but the man was insistent.

    ¡°F*ck.¡±

    I didn¡¯t care if I bumped into people blocking my way as I quickly went to the middle. When I saw the man¡¯s face near Thaliana¡¯s neck, my vision darkened.

    ¡°You f*cker!¡±

    ¡°Who the hell are you-¡±

    I grabbed him by the cor and pushed him. He fell to the floor. I didn¡¯t stop and pinned him down, delivering strong punches to his face. I was trembling with anger.

    ¡°I will f*cking kill you!¡± I was furious as I continued punching the man in front of me.

    He couldn¡¯t fight back because I didn¡¯t stop punching him. I heard people around us shouting to stop, but no one came close to try to intervene.

    ¡°Fck you! How dare you touch her?!¡± I angrily eximed and punched him again in the face.

    The guy lost consciousness, but I didn¡¯t stop. The anger in my chest couldn¡¯t be removed, especially with the image I witnessed earlier.

    ¡°How dare you put your hands on her? How dare you?!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡±

    I kept punching him several times, not stopping. I was panting.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    But when I heard Thaliana¡¯s voice, I abruptly stopped my hand in the air. Our conversation with her father immediately came to mind. I closed my eyes tightly. When the timees that I face her and our eyes meet, I know I won¡¯t be able to control myself.

    I could break the agreement with Mr. D Vezca, and I didn¡¯t want that to happen.

    ¡°Thaliana.¡±

    When I heard my brother¡¯s name, I stood up and left the ce. I quickly went to my car.

    ¡°Damn it. I wanted to hug her. I really wanted to be close to her. I miss her so much. I miss her a lot.¡±

    I stayed in my car. I didn¡¯t know how long I was leaning on the steering wheel, lost in thought. Luther was there again, maybe he followed her. This is also one of my fears. What if Thaliana doesn¡¯t turn away from the engagement?

    Until now, nothing has happened.

    But I¡¯m not losing hope. I just need to wait¡­ I will wait while watching her from a distance.

    I took my cellphone and called Luther. I wanted to know Thaliana¡¯s condition, and he¡¯s the only person I could ask.

    ¡°How¡¯s Thaliana?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s okay. We¡¯re in the private room of the bar. Where are you? Why did you suddenly disappear? The man passed out. You beat the hell out of him. He might file awsuit.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care if he files awsuit. It¡¯s better if he dies.¡±

    ¡°Are you a killer now, brother?¡±

    ¡°He fckng touched my woman. Thaliana was crying while trying to escape that man. But what did he do?¡±

    I told Luther that I would take care of the man. I didn¡¯t leave the outside of the bar. I was waiting for them toe out. After an hour, I saw them leaving. I also saw Maki.

    Damn it. they¡¯re cousins. I felt guilty for beating him up. I was even more jealous. Maybe, when he came to my house the day we drank, he already knew about Tali.

    I just watched them until Thaliana and her friend got into the car. Maki would be the one to take them home. When I saw Luther approach the window and talk to Thaliana, I tightly gripped the steering wheel.

    My irritation towards Luther increased even more, especially since he¡¯s always close to Thaliana.

    Once their car left, Luther walked towards me. I clenched my fists.

    I faced him when he reached me.

    ¡°Why are you here? Are you following Thaliana?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business, Luther.¡±

    He smiled and then leaned on my car. I just looked at him. My irritation was growing because of his closeness to the woman I love. He knew that I still love Thaliana so much, yet here he is, testing my patience.

    ¡°You really only realize a person¡¯s worth when they¡¯re gone and someone else owns them,¡± he said.

    I approached him and knelt in front of him. He just smiled at me as if what I did didn¡¯t matter.

    ¡°She¡¯s not yours, Luther. She¡¯s with you, but she¡¯s not yours. Thaliana is mine, and I will get her back. She loves me, not you.¡±

    Those were thest words I said to my brother before I left.

    When I arrived home, I took my cellphone and called Maki.

    ¡°Bud, do you need something?¡±

    I took a deep breath.

    ¡°I¡­ just want to ask if Thaliana went home safe¡­¡±

    He was the one who brought her home, so he¡¯s the one I called. Also, I wanted to get Thaliana¡¯s number. I wanted to hear her voice. Even for a moment. I knew this was against our agreement, but even just her voice would mean a lot to me.

    ¡°She¡¯s fine, bud. I already dropped her off at home. Don¡¯t worry. How about you? Fck you.¡±

    I smiled at Maki¡¯s words. I didn¡¯t expect him to still treat me like this after what I did.

    ¡°I am sorry because I beat you, Maki. I-I thought that you took Tali away from me.¡±

    ¡°I understand that. I, too, knowing the truth about Tali and realizing someone deceived you, thought what you did was justified. Besides, I was really behind why Thaliana left your house. Her family was looking for her, bud. They thought she was kidnapped because my brilliant cousin told them she was going on vacation to Pwan. Little did they know she was at your ce, pretending to be a maid.¡±

    I was so lost that night. Exhausted, extremely worried, and terrified because Tali was missing. I thought something terrible happened to her, but she was the one who left.

    ¡°I am still sorry for what I did, Maki. I shouldn¡¯t have done that to you because you¡¯re my friend. I let my anger get the best of me, thinking you were the reason she left me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, bud, it¡¯s okay. I understand. I was more worried about you back then because I knew what my cousin did. What Thaliana did was very wrong, bud. But are you okay now? Why is Luther her fianc¨¦? Are they getting married?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s stillplicated, but I¡¯m working on it. Can I ask you a favor? Can I get her number?¡±

    Maki agreed and ended the call. In a matter of seconds, I had Thaliana¡¯s number. I stared at it, contemting whether to call her or not. Mr. D Vezca would be furious if he found out.

    I took several deep breaths while looking at the number, undecided on whether to make the call. Just then, my phone rang, and Thaliana¡¯s father¡¯s name appeared on the screen.

    Damn. Did he sense that I was about to call his daughter?

 It Was Me

    ¡°H-Hello, Mr. D Vezca?¡±

    ¡°Rozzean. I heard what happened in the bar. I talked to my daughter.¡±

    Shoot.

    ¡°I-I am sorry if I lose my¨C¡±

    ¡°Thank you for saving my daughter.¡±

    I paused in speaking because of what he said to me. Honestly, I¡¯ve wanted several times to approach his daughter. I really want to hug Thaliana, talk to her, and tell her I¡¯m not angry anymore. I want to apologize for what I said, but I can¡¯t do it because I want to stick to the agreement.

    ¡°She¡¯s here at home, and she¡¯s safe. Thank you, Rozzean.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the only thing I can do for her, Mr. D Vezca. B-But I didn¡¯t approach or talk to her. When I heard her call my name, I went out of the bar immediately. I will still fulfill our agreement.¡±

    Until now, there¡¯s no discussion about Luther and Thaliana¡¯s engagement. Neither of them is backing out. I don¡¯t know how long I can wait.

    ¡°George, is that Rozzean?¡±

    I heard another voice.

    ¡°Please tell him I already ced the choctes in Tangi¡¯s room!¡±

    I smiled. I bought the choctes early in the morning, even before Thaliana and her friend left the house. I was going to hand them to the guard, but Mrs. D Vezca saw me. She told me she would take care of it.

    I asked for forgiveness, but she told me that both her child and I made mistakes. She said that soon, things will get better.

    I am also hoping¡­

    ¡°My wife really likes you, and she wants things to get better, but you need to wait, Rozzean. We had an agreement.¡±

    I know¡­ this is the consequence of my actions, and I understand his anger as a father.

    After the call ended, I took a deep breath. I paced back and forth while still looking at Thaliana¡¯s number.

    ¡°I just want to hear her voice¡­ that¡¯s all.¡±

    I pressed the call button. It didn¡¯t take long to ring. When she answered, I held my breath for a moment.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    Baby¡­

    I bit my lower lip when I heard her voice.

    ¡°Hello? Who is this?¡±

    I miss you so much¡­ I miss you a lot.

    ¡°Thaliana¡­¡±

    After saying her name, I heard nothing on the other end. I thought the call dropped, so I was about to check my phone screen when I heard her call my name.

    ¡°R-Rozzean?¡±

    ¡°I know this goes against what we agreed on, but I really can¡¯t resist it anymore. Even just for a moment, even just a moment to hear her voice. I just want to know that she¡¯s okay after what happened earlier.

    ¡°R-Rozzean? Hello¨C¡±

    ¡°Thaliana¡­ are you¡­ okay?¡±

    I was so worried. I was really concerned.

    ¡°I-I am okay, thank you. Thank you for saving me earlier. Are you¡­ where are you? Are you home already?¡±

    I smiled upon hearing her consecutive questions. I could also sense the concern in her voice. I know my baby will not lose her love that fast. That¡¯s what I¡¯m holding on to.

    ¡°I am okay, don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m already home. I¡¯m more concerned about you. Are you sure that you are okay?¡±

    But I didn¡¯t get a response. She disappeared from the line. I tried calling again, but her cellphone could not be reached. I suddenly remembered our conversation with her father.

    ¡°You said, Rozzean, just listen to the voice. You talked a lot, and if the call didn¡¯t end, the conversation might have gone on for a long time.¡±

    I think about her father. He shouldn¡¯t be angry with me now, especially since this is my second chance to get closer to Thaliana.

    ¡°I removed my sim card and changed it to a new one. I was sure I couldn¡¯t stop myself from calling her, so I decided to change my sim card.

    The next day, I left my house early. I went to TC Bar and asked if they knew the guy who got beaten upst night. The bouncers told me that the man was Patrick Friando, a frequent customer at the bar. It turns out it wasn¡¯t the first time he got involved in a fight.

    I heard that Patrick Friando was in the hospital. I also asked where because I nned to visit.

    ¡°Is he your friend, sir? It¡¯s really unfortunate what happened,¡± the bouncer said to me.

    I took three thousand from my wallet and handed it to him.

    ¡°No. I was the one who beat him.¡±

    I saw the bouncer¡¯s surprise before leaving the bar to go to the hospital he mentioned.

    A Friando? I sighed.

    I went to the hospital where the guy who harassed Thaliana was. I asked for the room number and went there. When I entered the room, I saw the jerk lying in the hospital bed. One eye closed, and the area around it was bruised.

    His father and brother were in the room also and looked at me. I recognized them immediately. Guzman Friando has apany, but it¡¯s not as big as RCV. Theirpany has been in crisis, and that¡¯s been the news for the past few months. I invested, but I might reconsider continuing with it because of what happenedst night.¡±

    ¡°How are you, Patrick Friando?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Him! H-He¡¯s the one who beat me up!¡±

    I shrugged, looked at him, smiled, and then turned my eyes to the two others in the room-his father and sibling.

    ¡°Dad! Have him arrested! I almost died! Look at my face!¡±

    His father and sibling couldn¡¯t believe they were looking at me. As the two approached me and apologize, I heard Patrick Friando¡¯s surprise.

    ¡°W-What are you doing?! He¡¯s the one who hurt me! I will sue him!¡± he shouted at me. His father quickly went to him, restraining his son from speaking.

    ¡°I am very sorry for my son¡¯s actions, Mr. Valleje. I apologize for what he did.¡±

    ¡°Why are you apologizing, Dad?! I almost got killed by that¨C¡± his sibling pped him, cutting him off.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    ¡°Stop talking! You are putting our lives at risk, Patrick!¡± they yelled.

    I walked closer. I saw fear in Patrick Friando¡¯s face. He recoiled even though he was still lying in the hospital bed.

    ¡°Your son touched my woman in the bar, Mr. Friando.¡±

    Each of my words carried a threat. I saw fear in the faces of the two who knew me.

    ¡°I am sorry, I am very sorry, Mr. Valleje¨C¡±

    ¡°Tie up your son. He should be grateful that¡¯s all I did to him.¡±

    After saying that, I left the hospital. I received a call from my secretary about mypany. She was desperate because my workload was piling up.

    ¡°M-Mr. Valleje, your signature is urgently needed for the documents that arrived. There¡¯s chaos in the departments because their work has stopped. The new product scheduled for release next month has encountered issues, but the production team can¡¯t proceed due to changes that require your approval.¡±

    I quickly walked to my office. I didn¡¯t think about mypany because all my attention and thoughts were focused on Thaliana.

    ¡°I will finish everything, Miss. Ss. Set the meeting with the production team now.¡±

    I spent my whole day working. I got homete because with the amount of reading and signing I had to do, I couldn¡¯t finish it all in one day. The next day, I went to Batangas because Mr. Barios called my secretary and said he wanted to talk to me.

    ¡°I can¡¯t contact you, Rozzean. I thought something bad happened to you.¡±

    We¡¯re at a restaurant in Batangas.

    ¡°I am sorry, I was busy these past few days, Mr. Barios. What do you want to discuss? Is it about business?¡±

    I¡¯m running out of time because I still need to go to mypany to finish the pending work.

    ¡°Oh, no, I just wanted to set this meeting to ask what happened to you. ri is worried because she couldn¡¯t reach you.¡±

    My eyebrows furrowed at that. Before I could speak, I saw ri walking towards us. She held onto her father¡¯s shoulder. When Mr. Barios stood up and ri took his seat, I distanced myself by looking away.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you two alone, Rozzean!¡± Mr. Barios said with a smile and then left.

    ¡°ri-¡±

    ¡°Oh, the food is here! Let¡¯s eat first, Rozz!¡± ri said, smiling, as she ced the food in front of me.

    ¡°We will talk after this,¡± I said seriously.

    She nodded at me. I started eating, and so did she. I knew ri had feelings for me, and up until now, she¡¯s still trying to win me over. But she needs to understand that it¡¯s enough. She won¡¯t gain anything from me.

    ¡°ri.¡±

    ¡°I love you, Rozz¡­ for a long time, you know that, right? Can¡¯t it be me instead? That girl cheated on you. She doesn¡¯t deserve your love. She will only deceive you again.¡±

    I closed my eyes tightly because of what she said.

    ¡°ri, even before Thaliana came, you already knew my answer, right?¡±

    ¡°E-Even so! That¡¯s why I waited, hoping that maybe you¡¯ll like me too! That¡¯s also why I moved to the vige where you live to get closer to you!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s your decision, ri. I never asked you to do that for me. I never led you on because when you told me you liked me, I was direct with you. I only see you as a friend. I also respect your father. Even after you tried to get my attention using him, I¡¯m still talking to you.¡±

    I stood up, and she didn¡¯t look at me.

    ¡°Stop this, ri. I love Thaliana so much-¡±

    ¡°Even if she made a fool out of you? Even if you were yed?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about what happened between us. I don¡¯t care, ri.¡±

    I saw her wipe away her tears. As I walked away, I heard her say,

    ¡°I will not stop. You will love me too, Rozzean. I will win you over.¡±

    After that conversation in the restaurant, I headed to mypany. My head was throbbing because of everything that happened. I started working, and once again, I lost track of time. I felt that my body was on the verge of copsing-perhaps from exhaustion andck of sleep.

    ¡°Miss. Ss, I¡¯ll go home early today to get some rest. If there are any issues, call me.¡±

    ¡°Okay, sir. Take care!¡±

    By two in the afternoon, I was already at home. When I arrived, I sat on the sofa.

    ¡°Manang, can I have a ss of water, please?¡±

    My body and mind were exhausted. In times like this, only Tali could ease it. Just seeing her could make me feel better.

    ¡°Here you go, sir.¡±

    I took the ss and drank it immediately. I lowered the ss and loosened my tie. I leaned back on the sofa. I rested my head and closed my eyes. It¡¯s been two days since Ist visited Thaliana.

    I wonder how she¡¯s doing?

    I opened my eyes when I heard the doorbell. I raised my head and saw Manang approaching the door.

    I sighed when I saw ri.

    She¡¯s so stubborn. I don¡¯t know what to do with her.

    ¡°R-Rozz¡­¡±

    She approached me, holding a paper bag.

    ¡°I cooked something for you.¡±

    I stood up and walked towards her. As I was about to speak, my attention was diverted by a new arrival.

    ¡°Mama?¡±

    ¡°Darling, when will you visit us at home? My birthday is approaching.¡±

    She came closer and kissed my cheek. When her gazended on ri, she smiled.

    ¡°Oh, ri, did you also visit Rozzean?¡± my mother asked.

    ¡°Ma-¡±

    ¡°Yes, auntie! I cooked for him.¡±

    I don¡¯t like where this is going.

    ¡°You are so sweet, dear. My birthday is near. I nned a dinner with my family tomorrow night. Join Rozzean, okay?¡±

    ¡°Ma, you know that-¡±

    ¡°Darling, my birthday is near. Are you really going to refuse me?¡± I heard a hint of displeasure in her voice.

    I didn¡¯t forget about her birthday. I just didn¡¯t want ri to be included with us.

    ¡°I love that, auntie! Expect us to arrive together tomorrow!¡±

    I couldn¡¯t do anything else because I also didn¡¯t want Mama to be mad at me. When she left and ri and I were alone, I wearily returned to the sofa and sat down.

    ¡°I told you, Rozzean.¡±

    I lifted my gaze to her and saw the determination in her eyes.

    ¡°I won¡¯t stop until I have your love.¡±

    She left what she cooked and then left my house. I sighed as the situation became moreplicated for me. ri shouldn¡¯t be with me. It would disrupt my n to win back Thaliana.

    The next morning, I woke up. I left early because I wanted to visit Thaliana at her flower shop. I was excited to see her. I arrived at eight in the morning. I parked my car from a distance. I went to the restaurant in front of her shop and waited for her.

    I was holding a newspaper to cover my face. I never thought I would do this. I found myself smiling at what I was doing. It never crossed my mind before that I would be a stalker of the woman I love.

    ¡°What would you like to order, sir?¡± the waiter asked.

    ¡°ck coffee,¡± I said while still looking out the window.

    When I saw her car, I smiled. Because her flower shop had ss walls, I could see her on the other side of the road. I noticed her greeting her employees. She started working, arranging flowers in front of her shop.

    Damn¡­ I wanted to go to her.

    It¡¯s good to see her smile often.

    ¡°Sir, would you like to buy a cigarette?¡±

    I turned to the young girl beside me. She was holding a box filled with different kinds of cigarettes.

    ¡°Hey, kid! It¡¯s not allowed to sell those here!¡±

    I raised my hand to the waiter, signaling that it¡¯s okay.

    ¡°How old are you?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°Sixteen. Buy some, handsome sir, even just three pieces,¡± she replied.

    I looked at the cigarettes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t smoke, but I will buy all of that if you do what I am going to say.¡±

    I thought she might not understand me since I spoke in English, but she nodded at me.

    ¡°Okay, handsome sir! I¡¯m in, what do you want me to do?¡± she asked.

    I smiled and lowered the newspaper I was holding.

    ¡°Do you see that beautiful woman in front of the flower shop?¡±

    She nodded, ¡°The one in white arranging flowers? Yes, she¡¯s pretty. I always see her there. Is she your girlfriend?¡±

    ¡°She will be my wife.¡±

    ¡°Will be, huh? Girlfriend already!¡± she teased.

    I took one thousand peso bill from my wallet and handed it to the girl.

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a lot!¡±

    ¡°Buy three red roses from that shop and give them to the beautiful woman I just pointed out.¡±

    I called the waiter and asked if they epted cards. When they confirmed, I borrowed one and a pen. After writing ¡®I miss you¡¯ on the card, I handed it to the girl.

    ¡°Then, give it to her.¡±

    ¡°Well, how much is mine for this, handsome sir?¡± she asked while looking at the five hundred in her hand.

    ¡°Just buy three red roses, and all the money is yours. Once you¡¯ve given it to her, don¡¯te back to this restaurant.¡±

    ¡°Also, tell her not to be sad.¡±

    ¡°Wow! Thanks! Sure thing!¡± she said to me and left the restaurant. I called the waiter again and retrieved the cigarettes I left behind.

    When I looked back at Thaliana¡¯s flower shop, I saw the girl handing her the card I wanted to give. After they talked, I saw Thaliana pause. After the girl left, she didn¡¯t return to the restaurant where I was. She went in a different direction, just as I instructed.

    Thaliana went out, and I saw her looking around¡­ trying to find the person who gave the flowers.

    Does she know?

    Does she have any idea that it was me who gave it?

 I Was A Fool

    I stayed in the restaurant, watching her arrange the flowers. That exins why Tali was so skilled at arranging flowers that day in my house. She¡¯s so ustomed to it because it¡¯s her job and business.

    When Thaliana left her flower shop, I also left when I saw the time. We have dinnerter, and I promised my mother. I went home and prepared myself. When I was about to leave, ri suddenly arrived.

    ¡°Are you nning to leave me?¡± she asked.

    I ignored her and just got into my car. I felt her following me. I opened my car, and she got in as well. I stayed silent until we left the house.

    ri was talking to me, but I didn¡¯t respond. When she realized I had no intention of speaking, she fell silent until we reached my parents¡¯ house.

    ¡°I will just greet your parents, Rozzean,¡± ri said to me.

    I didn¡¯t follow her. I headed to Mama¡¯s garden. However, when I was still at the ss door and hadn¡¯t gone down yet, I saw Thaliana and Luther.

    I clenched my fists when I saw how close they were to each other. I felt a pain. Are they already this close?

    Is she slowly forgetting me? Is she starting to like my brother?

    When Luther noticed me, he called my name.

    ¡°Cyron¡­¡±

    I nced at Thaliana.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t mention that you wereing?¡±

    She looked at me nkly. There was no sign of love in her eyes. I didn¡¯t look away, and she didn¡¯t either. But as time passed, I felt the pain in the kind of look she was giving me. It was as if she was looking at a stranger.

    ¡°I have free time.¡±

    When Luther ced her behind him, I looked at my brother, especially at Thaliana¡¯s hand that he was holding.

    ¡°Why are you looking at my fianc¨¦e, Cyron? What do you want?¡±

    Fianc¨¦e¡­

    ¡°Luther Rico¡­¡± I said with a threatening tone.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything to say, we¡¯ll leave.¡±

    When they turned away from me, I couldn¡¯t help it. I grabbed Thaliana¡¯s hand to stop them from leaving.

    But I let go immediately when I saw Mr. D Vezca arrive. He looked serious when he called his daughter. I cursed myself.

    We went inside, and ri walked towards me, holding my arm. I removed it, but she put it back until we reached the kitchen. Mama looked at us. I didn¡¯t know that she invited the D Vezca family as well. I wish I had found a way to prevent myself froming.

    ri was also with me. It didn¡¯t look good that she was with me, especially since I wanted to win Thaliana back. Her parents knew about it.

    Damn it.

    I am so scared. What are they thinking right now?Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    As I sat on the bench, I nced at Thaliana while Taki was in herp. Did Taki recognize her? He doesn¡¯t just go along with anyone.

    ¡°They look so good together¡­¡± I heard my father say as he looked at Luther and Thaliana.

    I gripped the cutlery tightly.

    ¡°You said it, Royce, with Taki, they look like a family. I can picture Thaliana as a great mother, caring. I¡¯ve been watching her since earlier.¡±

    ¡°Maybe because she took care of her nieces and nephews. The children of my three rowdy sons, Cynthia. Tangi got used to taking care of her nieces and nephews. She loves kids. I even told her I wanted a grandchild from her, but she told me I already have many grandchildren. She was referring to her dogs and cats.¡±

    Theyughed while I stared seriously at my food.

    ¡°If this is too much to ask¡­ maybe we can have a grandchild first before the wedding, hmm? Luther and Thaliana?¡±

    W-What? No!

    Hearing that, I took a sip of water. I was extremely nervous with what Mama said.

    ¡°A-Aunt¡­¡±

    I looked at Thaliana, and I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes when I saw her blushing. Damn. What grandchild? From Luther and Thaliana? No!

    It felt like I was going crazy thinking that they might have children. I won¡¯t let that happen!

    ¡°She¡¯s blushing! Oh my gosh!¡±

    I don¡¯t know how many times I¡¯ve been drinking water while hearing the conversation at the dining table. I was quiet the whole dinner. Thaliana¡¯s parents and my parents engaged in conversation. Mr. and Mrs. D Vezca left not long after.

    I stayed on the side, sipping wine when my father approached me. It was an unexpected move. He invited me outside, and Luther followed suit. Dad briefly excused himself to get more drinks. When Luther and I were alone, I stared at him.

    I gave him a stern look, and he seemed to grasp my feelings for him.

    ¡°Stop it, Cyron. You¡¯re acting like a fool.¡±

    ¡°You know I love Thaliana so much-¡±

    ¡°I know that, but what are you doing? You¡¯re still hurting her. I thought you were fixing yourself. What¡¯s with ri? That girl again? You know Thaliana is jealous of her, but you still brought her here.¡±

    I approached him. I tried to restrain myself from punching him because of the anger I felt.

    ¡°Mama invited her. I have no connection with ri. She¡¯s the one who keepsing to me even though I¡¯ve told her multiple times that I still love Thaliana.¡±

    ¡°If you truly love her, why aren¡¯t you reaching out to Thaliana? Why aren¡¯t you finding a way to reconcile with her? Why aren¡¯t you taking action? Is this how you n to win her back? Are you waiting for her to forget you-¡±

    ¡°I f*cking wanted to.¡±

    My eyes narrowed in anger.

    I desperately wanted to approach Thaliana. I wanted to hug her so badly.

    ¡°Mr. D Vezca and I had an agreement. He gave me a chance to prove myself to his daughter, but I have to abide by his wishes. We agreed that if Thaliana doesn¡¯t turn away from your engagement, I won¡¯t be allowed to approach or talk to her.¡±

    I saw Luther¡¯s surprise.

    ¡°So, even if I wanted to approach her, take her from you, and distance her, I couldn¡¯t do it. But I can¡¯t bear to see them like this. I can¡¯t stand what I¡¯m hearing.¡±

    I can¡¯t take it anymore. I don¡¯t care if I can¡¯t follow Mr. D Vezca¡¯s instructions because I can¡¯t bear to watch them like this. I won¡¯t wait for Thaliana to turn away from the engagement.

    Luther stayed silent until my Dad returned.

    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you here, Rozzean,¡± my father greeted me.

    He was the first to greet me. After our argument about my desire to marry Tali, it was only now that we faced each other and talked.

    ¡°Dad¡­¡±

    ¡°I am so sorry, son.¡±

    ¡°I am so sorry for everything. I¡¯ve been a terrible father to you, I know. But it¡¯s not toote, right? We can still work things out, have a happy family.¡±

    That was unexpected. I never thought my father would apologize.

    ¡°Cyron,¡± Luther called out to me.

    I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. My emotions were all over the ce. I looked at Luther, and he seemed unfazed.

    ¡°So, Luther, do you like her enough to continue the engagement?¡± I asked, trying to keep my tone steady.

    Luther hesitated for a moment. ¡°I respect her, and I care for her, but I can¡¯t say I love her romantically. I was just caught in the moment, and I thought it could work, considering the circumstances. But I won¡¯t force Thaliana into anything she doesn¡¯t want.¡±

    I could feel the tension in the room. My father was processing everything, and I was trying to figure out what to do next.

    ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve been a fool. I let my anger cloud my judgment, and I hurt the people I care about,¡± I admitted, looking at both my father and Luther.

    ¡°Son, it¡¯s hard to say words this early because you might regret it. But I know youhave good intentions in your heart. And it hurts to feel that you have no longer chances for yoursel,¡± Dad said.

    ¡°I appreciate that, Dad. And I¡¯m willing to face the consequences of my actions. But Luther, you need to be clear with Thaliana. You can¡¯t keep her hanging, especially if you don¡¯t see a future together.¡±

    Luther nodded.

    ¡°I know, and I¡¯ll talk to her,¡± I said.

 Just The Two Of Us

    Our conversation shifted to the uing surprise birthday for Mom tomorrow. I also found out that Thaliana is one of those who took care of it.

    ¡°Rozz¡­¡±

    I turned to ri when she called me. I sighed, almost forgetting that she¡¯s with me. Earlier, she hardly left my side, but when Dad talked to me and came here, she stayed in the hut.

    I said goodbye to Luther and Dad as I was heading home.

    ¡°Take care, son. Tomorrow, go straight here before going to the venue.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Dad.¡±

    Luther stood up and approached me. He gave me a man hug.

    ¡°Thaliana will stay here tonight, brother¡­¡± he whispered. His tone was teasing.

    What the hell?

    ¡°Bye, take care, Cyron!¡± he said as he moved away from me.

    He¡¯s testing my patience!

    So when we said goodbye to Mom, I didn¡¯t go straight to Tagaytay. I dropped off ri at the bus station.

    ¡°R-Rozz¡­¡±

    I waited until a bus arrived, and when one stopped, I looked at ri.

    ¡°Get inside. I have something important to attend to.¡±

    ¡°At this hour? Where?¡±

    ¡°Are you getting on?¡± the driver asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied, then turned to ri.

    ¡°Get on. I¡¯ll leave now.¡±

    I returned to my car and drove away.

    ¡°Rozzean!¡± ri shouted.

    I went back to my parent¡¯s house. Luther was really getting on my nerves. He was teasing and irritating me. I headed to Taki¡¯s room, hoping Thaliana might be there. I saw earlier that Taki didn¡¯t want to leave her, so I thought she might be here.

    ¡°She¡¯s not here.¡±

    But I still approached Taki. I sat on the bed and adjusted his nket.

    ¡°M-Mommy¡­¡±

    He woke up and started crying. When he saw me, he came closer.

    ¡°Shh¡­ stop crying, Taki.¡±

    ¡°D-Daddy¡­ M-Mommy¡­¡±

    I patted her back several times. Slowly, I felt his deep breaths, a sign that he fell asleep again. I carefullyid Taki down and tucked his in. I kissed his forehead and stroked his hair.

    ¡°I will get your Mommy back¡­¡±

    ¡°Daddy will get her.¡±

    After saying that, I left Taki¡¯s room and headed downstairs where the guest rooms were. I noticed a room with an open door and lights on. I went inside and saw Thaliana¡¯s bag from earlier.

    ¡°She¡¯s here,¡± I said, looking towards the bathroom upon hearing the sound of running water.

    I closed and locked the door and turned off the lights. When I saw Thalianae out, she looked up and pointed the lights. Damn. She¡¯s so drunk.

    ¡°Thaliana,¡± I called out to her.

    ¡°Rozzean?! W-what are y-you¨C hmmp¡­¡±

    But I didn¡¯t let her speak further. I kissed her on the lips, holding her tightly so she couldn¡¯t escape. She tried to push me away at first, but because of my firm grip, she remained in my embrace.

    Fck. I miss her so much.

    My kiss was deep and needy. I lifted her, and she wrapped her legs around my waist. I would make sure tonight that we would rekindle what we had, and she wouldn¡¯t be able to escape from me anymore.

    ¡°Ohhh¡­¡±

    ¡°Damn it¡­ I miss you so much, baby¡­¡±

    But I thought that after what happened between us that night, everything would be okay. I was wrong. It hurt when she told me she was just drunk and didn¡¯t know what she was doing.

    I thought we could be happy again together.

    But no¡­

    She¡¯s furious with me. She looks so tired of me¡­

    ¡°I hate you.¡±

    It felt like a dagger stabbed into my chest.

    ¡°I will forget you. Everything about you. Thes is right; I can find another man who will see my worth. Not like you who¡¯s more¨C hmmp!¡±

    I kissed her forcefully in response to what she said. She tried to break free from me. When our lips parted, I looked at her seriously. I was angry. I felt anger not towards her but towards myself.

    ¡°You can¡¯t forget me. You love me. You love me so much, and you won¡¯t forget me.¡±

    ¡°No! I can! I can forget you!¡± she screamed.

    ¡°You are mine, only mine. You won¡¯t go to another man.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not yours! I-I won¡¯t be yours anymore! I hate you! I hate you s-so much!¡±

    ¡°I-I hate you!¡±

    ¡°L-Let me go!¡±

    Enough¡­

    ¡°I hate you so much, Rozzean! Let go of me! I hate you¨C¡±

    ¡°I love you,¡± I whispered in her ear. I felt her pause. My face was against her neck as I held her tightly.

    I couldn¡¯t wait for her to turn away from the engagement. I didn¡¯t care even if I broke the agreement with her father.

    ¡°I love you.¡±

    ¡°I love you, Thaliana¡­¡±

    But just when I thought we could talk and settle everything, ri appeared and ruined it. Luther told me that Thaliana was jealous of ri, but I couldn¡¯t do anything because here she was again.

    Her family was invited. I didn¡¯t invite her toe, but from the way Thaliana looked at us, she must have thought ri and I were together.

    I didn¡¯t get a chance to talk to her again. Many people approached me when Mama¡¯s party started. Everyone was happy, and I was in the corner looking at her. I couldn¡¯t even get close.

    ¡°Brother, you look pathetic there,¡± Luther said to me.

    ¡°Fck you.¡±

    ¡°You scoredst night, but you¡¯re lonely now.¡±

    I nced at Luther.

    ¡°Help me talk to her. I need to make it clear that there¡¯s nothing going on between us and ri. I need to exin everything that happened.¡±

    He tapped me on the shoulder.

    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± he asked.

    I told him my n. Luther nodded, and he said he would try. I also hoped that Thaliana would believe him. When the party ended, Mr. D Vezca approached me.

    ¡°Rozzean.¡±

    I forced a tired smile upon seeing Thaliana¡¯s father.

    ¡°About my daughter¡­¡±

    I lowered my head, biting my lower lip as my chest tightened. I remembered how she shouted that she hates me.

    ¡°Maybe she really won¡¯t ept me anymore.¡±

    ¡°Thaliana is really angry with me.¡±

    He nodded. I saw pity in his eyes.

    ¡°I got angry with you because of what happened to my daughter, but both of you made mistakes.¡±

    ¡°I saw that you are both hurting each other. The engagement doesn¡¯t matter anymore because I can see that my daughter¡¯s true love is you, not Luther. Your father and I talked about it. I will not make it hard for you, Rozzean. Go and get Thaliana. I know my daughter loves you deeply, and what you both need now is to talk privately.¡±

    ¡°Mr. D Vezca¨C¡±

    He turned away from me.

    ¡°Do everything to get her back, Rozzean. I want no one else as my son-inw but you.¡±

    I smiled at his words.

    ¡°Yes. I will surely get her back.¡±

    That was ourst conversation with Mr. D Vezca.

    Now, I was holding Thaliana so close. Her eyes were squinted as she looked at me.

    ¡°Let go of me! Why are you here? Where¡¯s Luther? my parents? Tito Royce and Tita Cynthia?¡±

    Thaliana pushed me away and scanned the entire yacht. I was calm, not chasing her because there was nowhere else she could run. I smiled while watching her. She entered the yacht, and I followed. She was looking for our families.

    ¡°W-Where are they?!¡± she shouted.

    ¡°It¡¯s just the two of us, Thaliana,¡± I told her.

    ¡°What? Why? Luther told me it¡¯s a family vacation, but why¨C¡± she paused and touched her forehead.

    I was about to approach when she raised her hands.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°Don¡¯te near me; I¡¯m annoyed with you!¡± she shouted and looked around. We were far from the port, and my yacht was still moving.

    ¡°Take me back, Rozzean!¡±

    I shrugged and stared at her while she angrily red at me.

    ¡°We are going to talk. I won¡¯t bring you back until you hear what I have to say.¡±

 The Agreement

    Thaliana Tangi D Vezca

    ¡°I will not listen to you! I¡¯ll talk to Dad!¡± I shout at him.

    I¡¯m nervous. We¡¯re far from the port. I can¡¯t swim this distance, and I might drown! What does Rozzean want? If he wants to talk, why here and just the two of us?

    He leaves my side and enters the yacht. I feel the yachting to a stop.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make it hard for the both of us, Thaliana,¡± he says when he returns.

    ¡°I won¡¯t bring you back until we¡¯ve talked.¡±

    ¡°This is kidnapping! I will sue you!¡±

    He just smiles, looking at me since earlier.

    ¡°Then sue me.¡±

    He walks closer, and I step back. I want to hear everything from Dad; Rozzean might lie to me. Besides, ri was always with him!

    ¡°Listen to me¨C¡±

    ¡°No! I won¡¯t listen!¡± I shout, covering my ears. My phone falls, but I don¡¯t pay attention. I see Rozzean frown.

    ¡°You are not going to listen?¡±

    I don¡¯t respond. I¡¯m surprised when he walks to the side of the yacht and lifts his foot.

    W-What is he going to do?

    Is he trying to scare me?

    ¡°You really won¡¯t listen to me?¡±

    When I don¡¯t speak, he suddenly jumps into the sea.

    Sht.

    I felt paralyzed in my spot. The shock prevented me from moving. The anxiety in my chest was overwhelming. When I finally snapped out of it, I quickly looked down.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡± I whispered. Intense fear immediately subsided when I didn¡¯t see him in the water.

    ¡°Rozzean!¡± I shouted. I still couldn¡¯t see him! He hasn¡¯t surfaced yet!

    I jumped and dove underneath to find him. Running out of breath, I resurfaced. I looked around again.

    ¡°R-Rozzean Cyron!¡± I shouted.

    ¡°Rozzean¡­¡±

    With the fear of not finding him, I started crying. I scanned the surroundings.

    ¡°R-Rozz¨C¡±

    ¡°See?¡±

    I gasped when I felt him behind me. His hands were around my waist, holding me tight.

    ¡°You are afraid to lose me¡­ you¡¯re scared¡­ very scared, Thaliana,¡± his lips were by my ear.

    Facing him, I pped his arm.

    ¡°W-Why did you do that! I thought¡­ I thought¨C¡±

    Rozzean suddenly imed my lips. His right hand, which was on my waist, moved to my nape to deepen the kiss. When he pulled away, I saw a smile on his lips.

    ¡°Listen to me, baby, let¡¯s not make this hard for the both of us¡­ a lot happened, I regret a lot of things, but my love for you never disappeared.¡±

    ¡°I still love you¡­ I love you so much.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk¡­ please¡­¡±

    I clung to his arms and slowly nodded. We resurfaced together. He grabbed a towel from inside and handed it to me. I was looking at him when he suddenly took off his shirt. I swallowed and averted my gaze.

    When my phone rang, I searched for it. I looked at the side of the yacht. I picked it up and saw that Dad was calling.

    ¡°Hello, Daddy?¡±

    ¡°Are you with Rozzean now, Thaliana Tangi?¡±

    He knows!

    I nced at Rozzean, who was sipping water.

    ¡°Y-Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°Everything that he is going to say is true, sweety. I¡¯m sorry. I got angry at what he did to you and what happened, so I intervened. But seeing how much you were hurt, it¡¯s not right for me to interfere anymore. I talked to Rozzeanst night; he told me his n this morning, and I agreed. I hope you will have a good time with him, Tangi.¡±

    After Dad hung up, I lowered my cellphone to my side.

    I pressed my lips firmly together. I cleared my throat and then began to dry my hair slowly. My hands moved deliberately as I pondered Dad¡¯s words. He knows¡­ he also apologized.

    ¡°Thaliana¡­¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    I lifted my gaze to Rozzean, but when I felt the yacht moving again, my eyes lingered on the water. I saw the yacht starting to move once more.

    So¡­ this is his yacht?

    And we are alone¡­ here.

    I lowered my head and briskly continued to dry my hair with the towel.

    My cheeks warmed at the thought. Talk, Thaliana! Just talk!

    ¡°Change your clothes first, Thaliana; you might catch a cold.¡±

    ¡°W-What?¡±

    Look at you! You¡¯re not paying attention!

    When I lifted my gaze, he was already in front of me. His lower body was facing me.

    ¡°Eyes up here, baby¡­¡±

    I blinked several times at his words. Instead of looking up, I just stood up.

    ¡°I-I will change! Wh-where?¡± I asked.

    Sht! Why am I stumbling over my words?! Why am I nervous? It¡¯s just Rozzean! And we are going to talk! We¡¯ll have a conversation!

    I cleared my throat, ¡°Wh-Where?¡±

    But he didn¡¯t speak. He just stared at me. When Rozzean approached, he held the hem of my dress. I clutched the towel tightly when I saw the change in his expression.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m going to change, where?¡± I asked again, but this time, I didn¡¯t look at him. I kept my head down.

    Rozzean¡¯s hand reached for my face. He lifted it, and his fingers trailed down my cheek, finally resting on my lips.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing going on between me and ri, Thaliana¡­¡±

    ¡°The reason she was¡­ always with me is because of her father. I didn¡¯t withhold anything from her. I made it clear that I¡¯m already in love. And she knows who I love¡­ and she knows it¡¯s you, Thaliana.¡±

    I swallowed hard under the intensity of his gaze. I was so jealous of ri because I thought there was something special growing between them.

    ¡°I am sorry that I got mad. I didn¡¯t intend to hurt you or say those words to you. I was furious when I learned the truth. I was so lost, hurt, and scared when Tali disappeared in my house. You know¡­ you know how much I love her, right? I am willing to give up everything to be with her.¡±

    Tears welled up in my eyes at Rozzean¡¯s words. I also tried to ask for his forgiveness. But I was hurt deeply because his heart and mind were closed.

    ¡°Baby¡­¡±

    ¡°I went to apologize to your father after my anger subsided. That was all I wanted then. I hurt you out of rage. I didn¡¯t want you toe to my house because I might say something hurtful in my anger. Your father and I had an agreement. He was angry with me for hurting you. I understood him, and I said I would settle everything between us. But he told me that I could only talk to you and approach you when you¡¯ve turned away from your engagement with Luther.¡±

    ¡°W-What?¡±

    So, that¡¯s why Dad asked for forgiveness!

    Rozzean caressed my face. He was smiling, but it was a sad smile. When did this happen? When did they talk?

    ¡°I was waiting¡­ it took so long¡­ I thought maybe you were falling for my brother because you didn¡¯t turn away from that marriage. Many thoughts crossed my mind about what might happen between you and Luther, especially when you stayed at my parents¡¯ house. I heard they wanted a grandchild from you and Luther, that¡¯s why I sneaked into your room.¡±

    I bit my lower lip at hisst words. That¡¯s why he said he would get me pregnant! I remembered him saying that!

    ¡°I just looked at you all the time. I wanted to hold and embrace you. I wanted to tell you that I still love you so much, that my love never faded, but I couldn¡¯t because I didn¡¯t want to ruin things with your father.¡±

    ¡°I was angry at myself for letting my emotions get ahead of me when I found out the truth. I said, ¡®This is just right.¡¯ So, I epted it. I endured watching you from afar.¡±

    I let out a sob.

    ¡°Baby¡­¡±

    Rozzean bent down and kissed my tears. He held me by both cheeks while I continued to cry. I just stared into his eyes.

    ¡°I am so sorry that I hurt you, for all the hurtful things I said¡­ everything¡­ I am so sorry.¡±

    I clung to his neck and hugged him. I buried my face in his neck. Both of us were deeply hurt as we waited for each other.

    ¡°I love you so much, Thaliana¡­¡±

    I pulled away from him and held his cheeks.

    ¡°I love you too¡­¡±

    He closed his eyes. He was smiling.

    ¡°I love you so much too, Rozzean¡­¡±

 Back In Each Otheréˆ¥æªš Arms

    I thought there was no hope left to fix our rtionship with Rozzean after everything that happened. I was deeply hurt. I didn¡¯t hope much, especially because of ri. But she was really a desperate person who thought there was a chance for Rozzean to notice her.

    ¡°W-Wait¡­¡±

    We are now in the cabin. It¡¯s also dark outside.

    Rozzean looked at me. After I took a shower, he pulled me onto hisp. We were both just wearing bathrobes. I thought he changed his clothes already.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you gotten pregnant yet?¡±

    My eyes widened at his question.

    ¡°We did it three times¡­ I put all of it inside of you. Let¡¯s go to the doctor, maybe there¡¯s our baby inside you,¡± he said, touching my stomach.

    How sure is he? But¡­ it slipped my mind. I haven¡¯t had my period yet¡­

    ¡°Wait a moment¡­¡±

    I tried to stand up, but he didn¡¯t let me. I still have things to ask him!

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to talk?¡± I looked back at him.

    He leaned his head when I turned to face him. His hair was messy and wet. Suddenly, I wanted to touch it andb it with my fingers.

    ¡°We are talking¡­ now¡­¡± he said, slowly untying my bathrobe.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember how you moaned at my parents¡¯ house?¡±

    I pped his chest when I heard what he said.

    ¡°I was drunk! Of course not!¡±

    Heughed loudly.

    ¡°Then do you want to remember it? What we did? Hmm¡­¡±

    He stood up, and I stood up as well. I thought he was leaving, but he sat down again and pulled me to sit in front of him. My legs were on his sides. He looked up at me while leaning against the seat. Rozzean was slowly removing my bathrobe. The desire in his eyes I¡¯ve seen earlier seemed to have reached a point where he could no longer contain it.

    ¡°We are alone here, baby¡­ no matter what you say¡­ no matter how loud your moans are, it¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t need to hold back.¡±

    My lips became moist as he touched my breasts. Two hands, with his eyes locked on mine. I swallowed when the pleasurable sensation surged as he worked.

    We were gazing at each other while his hands were busy on my breasts. I gasped when his mouth moved lower, taking the top of my breast into his mouth. I clung to Rozzean¡¯s hair, looked at him, and saw how his tongue yed with my breast.

    ¡°Ahh¡­¡±

    I could feel his growing manhood against my butt. Rozzean finally removed the bathrobe and threw it somewhere. When his lips released my breast, he held me by the nape and kissed me deeply.

    One of his hands continued to massage my breast relentlessly. Because of the pleasure, I shifted my position, straddling him.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ baby, are you teasing me?¡± he asked.

    ¡°N-No¡­ I just, uh, moved a bit.¡±

    My movements became more intense as I grinded against his manhood. The kiss we shared earlier seemed to have ignited a passionate me. Rozzean¡¯s face showed the ecstasy he was feeling, his lips parted as he let out soft moans.

    I reached up and pulled him closer, taking control of our kiss. I could feel his firm grip on my waist, guiding my movements. He rested his head on the sofa, and I continued to move, grinding my butt on his manhood. The pleasure was evident on his face as he bit his lower lip.

    ¡°Ohh¡­ fck¡­ keep on doing that, baby¡­¡±

    Encouraged by his response, I intensified my movements. Rozzean, with his eyes closed, seemed to be lost in the sensations. I observed the furrow on his forehead and the way his lips trembled with pleasure.

    My hands moved to his chest, and as I looked down, my gaze fixated on his chest. I stuck out my tongue and started licking his nipples.

    ¡°Fck¡­ ahhh, baby¡­¡±

    I relished in the sounds of his moans, continuing to stimte him. My hands firmly gripped his shoulders, and when his eyes opened, he pulled me closer, deepening the kiss with passion.

    My actions seemed to have taken Rozzean by surprise, and the pleasure was evident in his reactions. His moans filled the room as I explored his masculinity with my hands and mouth. The intimate connection between us intensified, creating an electric atmosphere.

    Rozzean¡¯s passionate responses fueled my desires. He groaned and uttered explicit words, expressing his satisfaction with my touch. My confidence grew as I continued my provocative gestures, savoring the control I had over him.

    When I knelt in front of him, his astonishment was palpable. His reactions were a mix of shock and ecstasy. I took hold of his shaft, teasing the tip with my tongue, and then, with a daring move, I took him into my mouth.

    ¡°Ohhh¡­ ohh fck¡­ baby¡­¡±

    His moans were music to my ears, encouraging me to continue. I sucked on his manhood, looking up to catch Rozzean¡¯s reaction. His lips were parted, and his chest heaved with excitement.

    ¡°Ahh¡­¡±

    Despite his initial plea to stop, it was clear from his reactions that he was thoroughly enjoying the experience.

    ¡°Ohh¡­ ohh¡­ fck¡­ T-Thaliana¡­¡±

    I maintained my pace, giving him an overwhelming sensation. The room was filled with the sounds of our shared pleasure.

    I kept licking it up and tried putting it in my mouth again. Rozzean seemed like he was going crazy with the way he moaned. When he pulled me to face him, I saw his serious expression.

    Why does he look mad?

    ¡°W-Why?¡±

    His teeth were gritted, and he looked angry!

    ¡°Where did you learn to do this?¡±

    Oh!

 Passionate Moments

    I looked at Rozzean, unsure of how to answer his question. His eyebrows were furrowed, and I could tell he was really serious about it. I hesitated and lowered my gaze to his manhood, still feeling overwhelmed.

    Even that seemed angry.

    ¡°Do you¡­ not like it?¡± I asked him.

    The truth is, Thes and I talked about this at the hotel before. When we were chatting, I thought Thes really didn¡¯t like Rozzean for me, but in the end, Thes even taught me what I should do.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be the only one spreading your legs and feeling pleasure! You should also learn how to satisfy! I¡¯ll teach you!¡±

    I was puzzled because she, being a virgin, was the one teaching me. Things are really different now. Those with no experience are the ones giving advice.

    ¡°Okay, how?¡±

    I was confused by what she was saying, but I went along while looking at Thes and listening.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°Sing. Serenade. Lick and suck.¡±

    My eyebrows furrowed at her words. Should you sing during intimate moments?

    ¡°My voice isn¡¯t good-¡±

    I was surprised when she pped my arm.

    ¡°Fool! Sing! What I mean is taste Rozzean¡¯s jumbo hotdog! You should know how to do that! Not just you enjoying all the time! Men like that, and oh, Tangi, I¡¯m telling you. If Rozzean¡¯s eyes don¡¯t roll back, I don¡¯t know anymore!¡±

    After saying that, her facial expression changed. Her eyebrows furrowed, and she looked at me with confusion.

    ¡°Wait, why are we talking about this? Aren¡¯t you supposed to forget about Rozzean?¡±

    I pped my forehead.

    ¡°It¡¯s your fault! Why did our conversation lead to this? Your mind is just full of hotdogs!¡±

    I waited for Rozzean¡¯s response to my question about whether he liked what I did because he seemed genuinely surprised. I looked at him manhood again. I sniffed a bit; it wasn¡¯t bad¡­ maybe I¡¯ll do it again. Plus, I liked how he looked earlier while I was doing it.

    He likes it, and I wanted to see it again. The reaction on his face while I was pleasuring him.

    ¡°Not that I dislike it, but¡­ I wonder where you learned to do what you did. It was unexpected, baby.¡±

    I sat on hisp and smiled. He brushed my hair away from my face.

    ¡°Thes taught me. We talked about it at the hotel. She said I should know how to bring pleasure, not just focus on you.¡±

    The corners of his lips raised, and he lowered his face to my neck down to my chest. His hand was slowly caressing my back, while his other hand held mine.

    ¡°Your friend¡­ the one who talked a lot about me in the hotel. Thanks to her, then. I thought she really didn¡¯t like me. I felt mad when I heard that she¡¯s going to introduce you to another man.¡±

    His lips kissed softly on my chest, moving slowly and kissing every path.

    I smiled at Rozzean¡¯s words.

    But it seems Thes really knows that I love Rozzean so much. She¡¯s a unique friend. Contradictory. She even taught me what to do, even though she¡¯s also mad at the guy.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ should I thank her for teaching you how to pleasure me?¡±

    I bit my lower lip as his left hand moved to one of my breasts. Rozzean massaged it slowly, asionally squeezing the top. I held onto his shoulder. When our eyes met, he reached for my lips.

    ¡°We have a long¡­ night, baby,¡± he said between kisses.

    I was catching my breath. When he stood up and carried me, I took a sharp breath. He walked towards the bed. I thought he was going toy me down, but I swallowed hard when he seated me on top of the drawer at the side.

    ¡°Rozzean¡­¡±

    I was biting my lips while looking at him. He parted my legs. I saw him moisten his lips before going down to my center. His hands were busy caressing my thighs.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to pleasure me, baby¡­ but I am thankful that you did that for me,¡± he said while in between my legs and looking at me.

    I felt like I was running out of breath while looking at him.

    I know my face is so red right now. I was naked, and my legs are opened while Rozzean was in between. I felt anticipation for what he nned to do. When his two fingers passed through my center, my lips involuntarily parted. I looked for something to hold onto on both sides, but in the end, I just gripped his shoulders.

    ¡°Ohhh¡­ m-my¡­¡±

    He was just tracing my womanhood with his fingers, but it felt so damn good. My hips lifted while my hands were gripping him. Rozzean continuously touched my center. He was doing it slowly.

    When his fingers found my cl*t, he applied pressure that made me moan so loud.

    ¡°Ohhh¡­ ohh¡­¡±

    I liked this feeling¡­ I wanted more.

    ¡°Rozzean¡­¡±

    His fingers were still on my center, ying and teasing my cl*t. I felt like I was going crazy with the pleasure he was giving. I bit my lower lip hard while watching him do it. When he looked up at me, I saw the intense desire in his eyes.

    ¡°Do you¡­ hmmm.. like this?¡± he lowered his gaze and quickened the movement of his fingers in my center, making me moan long and loud.

    ¡°Ohhhh¡­ ohhh y-yes¡­ I-I like what you are doing¡­¡±

    I was catching my breath as Rozzean continued his actions. He didn¡¯t stop until he lowered his face, and his lips reached my center. His tongue slowly tasted my womanhood while his finger was still moving and teasing my cl*t.

    I felt like I was chasing my breath with the rising and falling of my chest due to what he was doing.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­ ahh sht. I-it feels so good¡­ baby¡­¡±

    My legs were spread wide while Rozzean was in between them, tasting my center while his fingers continued to move on top. One of my hands held onto his head, and I sat up due to the overwhelming pleasure.

    ¡°So good. It¡¯s so good, Rozzean¡­ ohhh¡­ k-keep doing that, baby¡­¡±

    My hips were moving. I wanted him closer. Even though he was so close to my center, I still pulled him closer.

    ¡°Ohhh¡­ oh my¡­ ohhh¡­¡±

    His tongue went on my cl*t, ying with it, making me moan louder. I didn¡¯t know where to turn my head. My eyes were closing in pleasure, but I would open them to watch him.

    ¡°Baby¡­ R-Rozzean¡­ t-that feels so good¡­¡±

    His hands went up to my chest, squeezing the top.

    ¡°Ahhh! R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    When he lifted himself from me, he lifted me again, but this time he positioned himself on top, and he was standing!

    ¡°Thaliana¡­¡± he moaned my name.

    Rozzean slowly entered me. I could feel the length gradually going in. My lips parted, and he immediately lowered his face to kiss me deeply. His lips trembled as it met mine.

    ¡°A-Ahhh¡­¡± my lips parted in the middle of the kiss when he moved.

    My legs wrapped around his back while my hands were on his nape. The sensation was indescribable. The pleasure he was giving was on a different level. His manhood was inside me, deeply prating due to our position.

    ¡°Oh my gosh! ahhh!¡±

    Rozzean was moving faster, and it felt so damn good.

    ¡°O-Oohh, gosh¡­ oohhh R-Rozzean!¡±

    ¡°Fck, baby¡­ you are so tight.¡±

    He adjusted his pace, going in and out, and I didn¡¯t know what to do. Moans escaped my mouth as I clung to him, feeling his manhood moving in and out of me.

    I could hear my own breath, my chest rising and falling. When he stopped, I felt him walking. He lowered me to the bed without removing his manhood from inside me. Rozzean started kissing my neck and moved in and out slowly.

    My hands gripped the bed covers tightly.

    When I looked at him, he adjusted his position and held onto my thighs. I swallowed hard when I saw that he was watching how his manhood entered me. It felt different.

    ¡°Fck¡­ so sexy¡­¡± he whispered.

    Gradually, he increased his thrusts, almost driving me crazy with pleasure.

    ¡°Ahhh! ahhh!¡± I couldn¡¯t stop the increasing volume of my voice. Even if I screamed loudly, no one would hear us.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­ ahhhh! baby¡­ yes¡­ yes! ohhh!¡±

    Rozzean was pushing in and out fast and hard.

    ¡°Fck¡­ you are so hot, Thaliana¡­ damn¡­ and you are mine.¡±

    His movements became faster below me. I was panting. My hands tightly gripping the bed covers, I pulled Rozzean closer and kissed him passionately. We were tasting each other. He sucked and bit my tongue.

    ¡°Hmmp!! ahhh!¡± my moan escaped the depth of our kiss as he quickened the pace of his thrusts. He was intense, and he continued the forceful movement inside me.

    ¡°Fck¡­¡±

    I moved my body, causing him to curse multiple times. I weed every thrust he made.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­ You¡¯re driving me crazy with pleasure, Thaliana¡­¡±

    I could feel that Rozzean¡¯s movements became aggressive. He was close to reaching climax, and so was I. I continued to meet his thrusts. The pleasure was intense, coursing through my entire body. I didn¡¯t know where to ce my hands until I found his nape.

    ¡°Ohhh, Rozzean! Keep going! ahhh!¡±

    ¡°Ahhh!!¡±

    Rozzean buried his face in my neck as he thrust hard inside me. My hands were tightly gripping his nape, and he held onto my waist.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­ I-I¡¯m¡­¡± I moaned as I weed his movements.

    ¡°Thaliana¡­ baby¡­¡±

    ¡°Fck¡­ ahhhh¡­¡±

    I heard Rozzean let out a long moan, and then I felt him release inside me.

    We were both panting as we reached our climax. After a while, he lifted his face and kissed my forehead. He was smiling at me. That smile was what I always wanted to see from him.

    ¡°Rozzean¡­¡± I whispered his name. Tired and closing my eyes due to drowsiness.

    ¡°I am so happy, baby¡­¡± he took my hand and brought it to his cheek, then to his lips.

    ¡°I love you¡­ I love you so much, Thaliana.¡±

 Love Will Find You When You Least Expect It.

    ¡°Tali¡­ don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t leave me, please¡­¡±

    I furrowed my brow at what I heard. Slowly, I opened my eyes. I looked around and remembered what happened yesterday¡­ andst night. I¡¯m now on Rozzean¡¯s yacht, and we¡¯ve talked about everything that happened. It¡¯s all clear now.

    ¡°Tali¡­ no¡­¡±

    My gaze dropped to him when he spoke again. His right hand held me tightly around the waist. His face was on my chest. He is calling me-Tali. Suddenly, I felt sadness and pain when Rozzean called Tali¡¯s name in his dream.

    I will not leave you again. Never.

    I raised my hand and ran my fingers through his hair. We are both naked underneath a nket covering our bodies. What happenedst night was amazing. I remember every detail vividly. It was hot and¡­ wild. I wet my lower lip while looking at Rozzean¡¯s face on my chest.

    Nice spot he has, huh?

    I tried to turn around to get my phone to check the time, but I couldn¡¯t because Rozzean¡¯s hand was holding me tightly. It¡¯s like he doesn¡¯t want me to move from our position.

    I temporarily ignored checking the time and continuedbing my fingers through his soft hair. I peeked at his face again. He was peacefully sleeping. It seems like he is in a deep slumber. He also holds onto me tightly, as if afraid I¡¯ll leave his side at any moment.

    He is also calling Tali¡¯s name. I know he¡¯s deeply hurt because of my pretense to get to know him and discover his ws. I did all that, thinking I could escape my father¡¯s desire for me to marry Rozzean, but things turned out differently.

    Love will find you when you least expect it.

    But what I least expected was for Rozzean to fall for the personality I created. He fell for Tali¡­ hard. I was genuinely surprised. Tali is his maid. Nothing to boast about, but that¡¯s where he fell.

    As he fell deeper, I saw more of his true nature. Dad was right. Rozzean is a great person. I doubted my father because I wanted to continue my life without a man-a husband. I was happy, and I thought that would be my life until I grew old.

    But it became a rollercoaster ride for both Rozzean and me. It was difficult for me-Thaliana-to return and exin everything to Rozzean because I also loved him. Not just love. I loved him deeply. We both didn¡¯t want to lose sight of each other. Just as he told me that his eyes always look for me, I felt the same way about him.

    I am so in love. So in love that I can¡¯te back and exin everything to him. I was afraid he might not ept it. I held on to his love, and I was hurt because, as expected, he got angry. So angry that he didn¡¯t want to believe my words that night-when I came to his house and told the truth about Tali. That we are one and the same. There¡¯s no equivalent to the pain of telling the truth. Especially when I saw his reaction.

    I was hurt too, but I me no one else because I was the one who started deceiving him.

    But if I hadn¡¯t done that¡­ I thought, would we be like this now? I wondered if he would have loved Thaliana immediately if I hadn¡¯t gone to his house pretending to be a poor person looking for a job.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡±

    I looked at Rozzean when he moaned. He pulled me closer to him. My fingers stopped moving through his hair. I smiled when he buried his face in my neck.

    ¡°I love you¡­¡± I leaned down and kissed his head.

    Our beginning was happy, even though I was Tali. I got to know the real Rozzean Cyron-the workaholic billionaire. All work and no y. I learned a lot that not even his own family knew. I was also hurt by the things I discovered about his life that I didn¡¯t expect to happen.

    I learned that he was a lonely person, someone who had been craving care and love for a very long time.

    ¡°I love you so much, Rozzean¡­¡± I whispered again.

    I really thought there was no hope for us because I saw him with ri several times. I wondered why he didn¡¯t approach me and find a way for us to reconcile. And now I know the reason why.

    It¡¯s because of my Dad.

    It turns out my father was both negative and positive when giving opinions about Rozzean. Thes also felt that something was wrong with my father that night we came from his bar.

    I know Daddy did it for me. He apologized, which he shouldn¡¯t have. I was the disobedient daughter whoplicated everything and needed to ask for forgiveness. If only I had listened to him from the beginning, I wouldn¡¯t have hurt anyone.

    But I know all of this was destined to happen. In moments like this, Rozzean and I were really meant to be, and the pain is just a part of our love. It further strengthened our feelings for each other.

    I¡¯m also grateful because Rozzean didn¡¯t give up on me. He found a way for us to reconcile and endured what Daddy wanted just for me. I remembered how I shouted at him, how I hated him. My anger and jealousy towards ri mixed, causing me to shout those words.

    At that time, he was just waiting for me to back out of the engagement. He endured and couldn¡¯t move because of his agreement with Dad.

    But even though I was deeply hurt then, he never left my mind. Even though I wanted to forget him and shouted many times that I didn¡¯t want him because of the pain, I couldn¡¯t.

    I couldn¡¯t because I love him so much. So much.

    ¡°Rozzean¡­¡± I tried to wake him up, but he didn¡¯t respond. I ran my fingers through his hair and kissed his head again.

    ¡°Baby¡­¡± I whispered.

    When I tried again to remove Rozzean¡¯s hand from my waist, he just held on tighter. I was nning to get up to prepare our food. My stomach was rumbling, and I was starting to feel hungry.

    We hadn¡¯t eaten anything yet.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    I smiled as I remembered what we didst night.

    Oh, well¡­ that was a different kind of feast.

    I held Rozzean¡¯s hand tightly wrapped around my waist and slowly removed it. After doing so, I stood up and took my robe from the side. I put it on and then headed to his yacht¡¯s kitchen. I nced at the clock on the side. It was already six in the morning.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see what supplies he has here.¡±

    I quickly searched for something to cook in the refrigerator. When I saw that it was well-stocked, I smiled. It seemed like he really prepared, and he was sure they would catch me. Luther was even his aplice.

    I grabbed some hotdogs and bacon. I also cooked rice and nned to fry some eggs. Hopefully, by the time I finish, Rozzean would be awake.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ hmm¡­¡± I was humming and swaying my body while cooking. When I nced at the four hotdogs I was frying, I unconsciously touched my lower lip, remembering what I didst night.

    ¡°Not bad, Thaliana¡­¡±

    I turned to the sink to wash the tomatoes I took from the fridge when I felt hands slowly wrapping around my waist. I looked over and saw Rozzean.

    His face was on my neck while his hands were on my waist.

    ¡°Good morning, baby¡­¡±

    I thought I could finish cooking before he woke up.

    ¡°Good morning too,¡± I said, facing Rozzean, ¡°baby-hmmp.¡±

    He greeted me with a kiss when I turned to him. Rozzean gave me a deep kiss. I let go of the tomatoes I was holding and raised my hands to the back of his neck. I responded to his deep kiss.

    Rozzean¡¯s hand went to my back, pulling me closer. I leaned forward to match and reach his lips. When he noticed, he lifted me and carried me. He sat me on the table.

    We continued the kiss, and our tongues found each other. My hands on his neck moved to his hair and then to his cheeks. He was sucking and biting my lips.

    When Rozzean released my lips, we both gasped for breath. My lips were numb from his aggressive kiss. Just when I thought it was over, he suddenly lowered his kisses from my neck down to my chest.

    Rozzean faced me and kissed me passionately on the lips. When he pulled away, we looked into each other¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Morning kisses?¡± I asked.

    Rozzean¡¯s breath caressed my face. He pressed his forehead against mine, his smile wide.

    ¡°Morning kisses¡­¡± he said and kissed me again.

 Fatheréˆ¥æªš Love

    I was left in the cabin. After we ate earlier, Rozzean told me he would swim in the sea. He invited me, but I told him I needed to call Mom and Dad first to let them know that everything was fine with him.

    I was still wearing my robe, but underneath, I had a swimsuit on. I nned to join him after talking to my parents. I learned from Rozzean that they weren¡¯t nning to follow us and that he just wanted to distance me for us to talk.

    It was unexpected that Luther would help him. I didn¡¯t think Luther was already helping Rozzean so that I could talk to him. Surely, Luther knows about the agreement my Dad and Rozzean had.

    What about Mommy? And my siblings? Do they know about Rozzean and Daddy¡¯s agreement?

    I was hurt after hearing what he said. I was surprised, saddened, and hurt. We¡¯re waiting for each other while experiencing so much pain. The engagement was already out of my mind because I was always preupied with Rozzean and what was happening between us.

    If only I backed out early, maybe I wouldn¡¯t be crying so much.

    ¡°Sweetheart, Tangi¡­¡±

    It was a video call. Mommy was smiling. Dad was beside her, but he couldn¡¯t look at me. I couldn¡¯t help but smile. Maybe he still felt sorry for what he said to Rozzean. But I understood. He did it for me. Dad protected me because he saw that I was deeply hurt. It hurt him, I knew that-both of them.

    ¡°Mom, I called because I want to say that I am doing good here. I¡¯m fine with Rozzean.¡±

    Mom nodded and nced at Dad who was still beside her. He¡¯s still not looking at me.

    ¡°Daddy¡­¡±

    When I called him, he looked at me for a moment but then looked away. I knew that when Rozzean and I returned, we would face my parents, his parents, and even Luther to discuss what happened.

    What I did and also about the engagement.

    ¡°I am happy to hear that, Tangi. I am also happy that you two are together now, sweetheart. Rozzean did a lot just to see you. Did you know that he was always in front of our house before, waiting for you toe out just to catch a glimpse of you even for a moment?¡±

    I was walking out of the cabin when I heard what Mommy said. My eyes searched for Rozzean below, and I saw him swimming.

    ¡°He loves you so much, Tangi. The choctes came from him. I caught him early in the morning in front of our house. He seemed like he was about to leave the choctes with the guard, but I took it and said I would give it to you. I am so happy, Tangi. I know he will be a great husband. I saw how he did everything for you, to win back our approval and that of your Daddy and siblings.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°I understand his anger, just as you understood him at first, sweetheart. You made a mistake, and Rozzean was hurt. But what I didn¡¯t expect was when your Dad told me that Rozzean went to ourpany to apologize. Well, I know your Dad here¡­¡±

    If that¡¯s the case, Mom knows, and surely, my brothers know too.

    Mom looked at Dad beside her, who still wasn¡¯t facing the camera. He looked guilty, but I understood him.

    ¡°Your Dad really likes Rozzean for you. He just made an agreement because he couldn¡¯t ept that his only daughter was hurt by the man he envisioned for you to marry. And now look at him, feeling so guilty because both of you suffered greatly because of that decision. Your Dad didn¡¯t expect that you wouldn¡¯t turn your back on the engagement.¡±

    I smiled a bit.

    ¡°I actually forgot about the engagement with Luther, Mommy. We are doing well as friends. He¡¯s been supporting me since he found out that I was in his brother¡¯s house pretending as a maid. Luther and I are very good friends, even though he doesn¡¯t mention the engagement anymore. It¡¯s not in our minds to continue it because we both know what we think of each other.¡±

    I was hurt and jealous. I really thought ri and Rozzean were getting along.

    ¡°Well, what happened between the two of you just made your love stronger for each other. Your Dad¡¯s actions weren¡¯t entirely wrong because we saw that Rozzean had no intention of giving up. He was just waiting for you to step back from the engagement so he could approach you again. But it seems like his patience ran out, and he took action even before you officially backed out. He was threatened by his brother¡¯s actions, dear.¡±

    ¡°Actually, even your Dad was threatened. When we were in Valleje¡¯s house for dinner, do you remember that?¡±

    I nodded in response to Mommy¡¯s question. While listening to her, I watched Rozzean¡¯s movements in the water. I was biting my lower lip while watching how he swam so gracefully. Every time he surfaced, he would brush the wet hair away. Suddenly, I wanted to do that too.

    ¡°He asked me if I¡¯ve been talking to you about Luther. Your Dad was scared too! He was afraid that the man he envisions for you isn¡¯t the one you¡¯ll end up with. I¡¯m not saying he doesn¡¯t like Luther; marriage is a different story. But he really wants Rozzean for you. So when he saw you getting close to Luther, he told me he would talk to Rozzean and ask him not to wait for you to back out of the engagement. Your Dad and Rozzean were so scared at the thought that you might fall for Luther! It was actually amusing!¡±

    ¡°I told your Dad, ¡®There you go! Now you¡¯re scared! You even scared our future son-inw! You hurt our daughter so much!¡±

    I chuckled at their yful argument.

    Dad took the phone from Mommy¡¯s hand. I giggled at their back-and-forth banter.

    ¡°You¡¯re embarrassing me, Thatiana.¡±

    ¡°Hmmp, it¡¯s true! I am saying the truth, Tangi!¡±

    Dad nced at me, and then I saw regret on his face.

    ¡°Dad¡­¡±

    ¡°I just did that to see if Rozzean really loves you, sweetheart. If he¡¯s willing to wait for you. But I was surprised. He exceeded my expectations. I didn¡¯t know he would follow you and watch you from afar. The agreement was for him to wait for you to step back from the engagement, but I saw how you both were suffering. There came a point when I felt sorry for him, and I med myself for my decision when I saw that both of you were deeply hurt.¡±

    ¡°I also realized that you were waiting for him to approach you, but because of the agreement, Rozzean restrained himself. I noticed that you were just hurting each other because you were both waiting. That¡¯s why I told you that night at the party what I said to Rozzean. I am sorry, Tangi. Dad loves you so much, and that¡¯s why I did that. I didn¡¯t want to see you hurt and struggling, but I didn¡¯t realize that in the end, I was the one causing you and Rozzean pain. I am so sorry, sweety.¡±

    My lips quivered at my father¡¯s words. I am so lucky to have them in my life. For the 29 years of my existence, I never felt ack of care and love. I have always been the focus because I am the youngest and the only daughter. Now, even with the man I will spend my life with, Dad made sure that I would be with someone who would take care of me and love me forever.

    And he made the right choice¡­ he was the reason why Rozzean and I found each other.

    ¡°Thank you, Daddy¡­ Thank you so much. I love you too. Both you and Mommy¡­ thank you very much for choosing the better man for me. I love you, Daddy¡­¡±

    I wiped away the tears that fell on both my cheeks. Dad looked up, and I could see he was about to cry. He handed the phone back to Mommy. When Mommy faced me, she was smiling.

    ¡°Your Daddy was so happy, we are all happy, anak. We can¡¯t wait to see the both of you! We are also expecting the wedding date when you get back! Enjoy, sweetheart!¡±

    I smiled back. I would love that.

    After the call ended, my eyes returned to Rozzean. He had surfaced and was now swimming towards me. He kissed the side of my forehead.

    ¡°Is there a problem? Did you cry?¡±

    ¡°No problem. Are you done?¡±

    He held my waist and smiled.

    ¡°No¡­ I came here to get you. Looks like you¡¯re done talking to your parents. Now, can I have your time? Let¡¯s swim?¡±

    I lowered my cellphone to the side and raised my hands towards his neck. Rozzean pulled me closer and bent down to kiss me. His hands were busy removing the tie of my robe.

    ¡°Hmmp¡­¡± when he pulled away, I saw his broad smile.

    ¡°I thought you were going to swim? Why does it seem like you have something else in mind?¡± I teased, earning a heartyugh from him.

    He took off my robe and took my hand. We walked towards the edge and descended. When I felt the cool water, I gasped. Rozzean pulled me closer. When we were far from the yacht, he suddenly let go of my hand and dived underwater.

    ¡°So cold!¡± I shouted, smiling.

    It was one of the best ces to express our feelings for each other. Quiet and beautiful surroundings, the sounds of birds chirping could be heard. The water was clean and clear. I could also see some sea creatures beneath.

    When Rozzean resurfaced, he swam towards me. He hugged me at the waist. As my eyes lingered on his wet hair, I decided to do what I had wanted to do while watching him swim.

    I ran my fingers through his wet hair while one hand gripped his arm.

    ¡°Did they ask you when we were going toe back?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Not really, Mommy just told me that they couldn¡¯t wait for us to return. Maybe¡­ our parents will talk about us and the engagement with Luther.¡±

    ¡°We are going to talk about our marriage once we get back, not the engagement with Luther, baby.¡±

    I saw Rozzean¡¯s lips curl up. He gave me a smug look. Here he goes again. Luther didn¡¯t do anything wrong! He even helped!

    ¡°That ass. He should be thankful I didn¡¯t punch him.¡±

    I yfully hit his arm, raising an eyebrow at him.

    ¡°He¡¯s kind, Rozzean! Luther helped me, and you too. He was there when I was in so much pain.¡±

    He looked away.

    ¡°He told me that he likes you. You can¡¯t me me if I felt mad at my brother, Thaliana. He¡¯s always with you, always by your side back then, so don¡¯t me me if I got angry with him. He knows that I love you. Madly in love, and yet, he has the nerve to tease me.¡±

    Wait, are we going to argue about this?

    His eyebrows furrowed, and he seemed irritated by what I said.

    ¡°He did say that he likes me, but Luther didn¡¯t make a move. He didn¡¯t do anything to win me or make me like him, Rozzean. Luther was actually helping us to be together again. What¡¯s bothering you?¡±

    He faced me, and I pushed him back. I felt irritated by his words. I saw how Luther and I helped each other, so instead of getting mad at his brother, he should be grateful.

 Canéˆ¥æª› Get Enough

    ¡°Baby¡­¡±

    I ignored him. I swam away from him, but he quickly caught up and held me by my waist.

    ¡°I am sorry¡­¡± he said and kissed my forehead.

    ¡°You¡¯re really jealous. We¡¯re here together now, just the two of us, and Luther helped you. You shouldn¡¯t be jealous like this.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t help it. I get jealous of anyone when ites to you. I¡¯m sorry, baby¡­ don¡¯t be annoyed.¡±

    I rolled my eyes. When I didn¡¯t speak, I felt his hands on my hips. He was massaging my butt. His head went down to my neck and he kissed it. I bit my lower lip when Rozzean lifted my legs and wrapped them around his waist.

    I didn¡¯t mind the cold water because my body suddenly warmed up with what he was doing. I know what he wants.

    Here he goes again.

    ¡°Rozzean¡­ we just did itst night¡­¡± I told him when I felt his manhood between my legs.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    He¡¯s hard!

    ¡°And I want to do it again¡­¡± he said and started grinding against me. Even though he was still in trunks and I had something on below, it didn¡¯t stop me from feeling the unusual pleasure he was giving.

    ¡°Uhhmm¡­¡±

    I held onto his neck as his lips moved towards my chest. Rozzean¡¯s right hand went to my left breast and massaged it. His other hand held me tightly by the hips.

    ¡°And again¡­¡±

    How did we end up in this situation? Just a while ago, I was annoyed with him, and now he¡¯s making me moan again. He¡¯s going crazy with pleasure in the way he moves and hits the center of my being.

    ¡°Rozzean¡­ a-ahhh¡­ yes¡­¡±

    His hand slipped inside my swimsuit and touched my private area. When I felt him pull the fabric I was wearing, I held onto his neck tightly.

    ¡°Fck.¡±

    His face lifted from mine. He was now holding his private part and rubbing it against my center. I moaned in pleasure. My head tilted back, and Rozzean caught up, immediately kissing me. He continued rubbing and teasing with his firm thing.

    And when our eyes met, he slowly went inside me.

    ¡°Ahhh!¡± I let out a scream as he entered mepletely. I buried my face in his chest due to the intensity.

    We repeated it many times, passionate and intense, but every time Rozzean entered me, it felt like the first time.

    ¡°Ohhh¡­ my¡­ y-yes¡­ ahh!¡± Because of the pleasure, I couldn¡¯t control my excitement and ended up biting his shoulder.

    Earlier, I felt cold in the water, but now I can¡¯t feel anything because my whole body is heating up from what he¡¯s doing. He was moving his private part in and out of me. My legs were tightly wrapped around his waist.

    ¡°Thaliana¡­ look at me, baby.¡±

    I followed Rozzean¡¯s request. When I faced him, he kissed me passionately. My moans were muffled because he didn¡¯t want to let go of my lips. He kept thrusting hard inside me.

    ¡°Hmmpp!¡±

    I thought everything would end in the water. But when we got on his yacht, he pulled me onto the deck. He sat on the sofa there and pulled me closer. He removed my swimsuit and started licking every inch of my body.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­ oohhh¡­¡±

    I held onto his head. His lips were exploring everywhere.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­ hmm¡­¡±

    I was moaning uncontrobly. I stood in front of him while he sat, and his lips roamed over my body.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡±

    One of my thighs was raised as his lips continued their journey across my stomach. When I felt his fingers on my private area, my grip on his shoulder tightened. I looked down at him to see what he was doing.

    ¡°Watch me.¡±

    Rozzean changed our position. Now I was sitting on the sofa. He parted my legs, and as he instructed, I watched him as he started to lick my private area. My back arched in pleasure when his lips touched there.

    ¡°Ahhh!¡±

    Rozzean was slowly licking while his fingers pressed on my sensitive area. I felt intoxicated by the pleasure he was giving me. It was an erotic scene, and I watched as he pleased me.

    When our eyes met, I saw him smirk.

    ¡°Ohhh¡­ y-yes¡­ lick it¡­¡±

    My hips moved with the pleasure Rozzean was giving. He was sucking and licking, and it felt so good that I almost shouted in pleasure.

    ¡°Thaliana, you are so sexy¡­ damn¡­¡± My eyes were half-open as I saw him lick his lower lip and bend down to taste me again.

    ¡°Ohhhh, Rozzean¡­ yes baby¡­ like that, yes¡­ keep on licking me¡­¡±

    When he lifted his face from me, his fingers didn¡¯t stop moving on top of me. Our eyes locked. His jaw tightened as his fingers continued their movements on me.

    When Rozzean stopped, he lifted me and sat down.

    ¡°Ride me, baby,¡± he said seductively.

    I held onto both his shoulders, biting my lower lip as I took hold of his manhood and positioned it against my center. Slowly, I descended onto hisp, watching how he entered me.

    ¡°Ohhh¡­¡± I moaned and looked at him.

    I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off Rozzean. His lips were slightly parted, chest rising and falling as his hands supported me on either side. Damn. We were doing it in broad daylight.

    ¡°Fck¡­¡± I heard Rozzean groan as I took him all in.

    ¡°Ohhh¡­ yeah, baby¡­¡± We locked eyes. As I started moving on top of him, Rozzean gripped my waist.

    He kissed me passionately. His lips were deep and explorative. When he let go of my lips to catch a breath, I screamed as he met my movements from below. Deep and incredibly satisfying.

    ¡°Ahhh! Rozzean! ahhh! yes!¡±

    I moaned like crazy, moving up and down on top of him. I also heard Rozzean¡¯s curses as we both relentlessly pleased each other.

    ¡°Ooh.. Thaliana, baby¡­¡±

    I clung to his arm, his shoulder, and finally, my hands rested on his neck while our movements continued without stopping.

    ¡°Ohhh¡­ ohhh Rozzean¡­¡±

    ¡°Damn, Thaliana¡­¡±

    As I felt the intensity and pace of Rozzean¡¯s response, I knew he was close to climaxing. I could feel myself approaching as well. My body was burning with desire. Our bodies moved incessantly, savoring the pleasure each of us was giving.

    ¡°Fck.¡±

    Rozzean held me tightly. In his eagerness, heid me on the long sofa and moved rapidly inside me.

    ¡°Ahhh! yes! ohhh! so good¡­ keep going, Rozzean¡­ ohhhh!¡±

    ¡°Ohh, Thaliana¡­ ahhh¡­¡±

    After a long moan from him, I reached climax. I also felt Rozzean release inside me. Both of us were catching our breaths. Rozzean was still on top of me.

    I thought our heated encounter for the day was over.

    Damn, but there¡¯s more toe!

    After having lunch, I was surprised when he hugged me from behind while I was drinking water. I felt his hardness against my back, and I knew what was about to happen next.

    He¡¯s insatiable!

    ¡°Ahhh! w-what the¡­ shit¡­ ohhhh¡­ a-aren¡¯t you tired?!¡± I asked while my back was against the fridge, and Rozzean continued to move in and out of me.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­ do you think I will, ohhh¡­ get tired of doing this? I wanted¡­ ahhhh¡­ children from you. I need¡­ ahhh sht¡­ to give my b-best performance¡­¡±

    Damn!

    He didn¡¯t stop in the kitchen. He even lifted me and brought me to bed where he continued our activities. It seemed like Rozzean¡¯s agenda for the day was to moan and be intimate with me. Fortunately, he¡¯s asleep now, and mydy parts can finally rest.

    I remembered what he mentioned several times earlier while moving on top of me. He said he wanted a child with me.

    ¡°Too much of a nner. As if I can run away from him now.¡±

    I got up and grabbed my cellphone. I went outside and sat in front of the yacht. The sun was setting. I decided to video call Thes to check on her and share what happened to me. She would surely be surprised.

    ¡°Yes, Tangi¨Cohh¡­ chillin like a viin yeah rah rah rah, what¡¯s up?¡±

    I smiled at her.

    ¡°Thes¡­ Rozzean and I are okay. I¡¯m here at his yacht. We talked and sorted things out.¡±

    I saw the shock in her eyes. She covered her mouth and stood up. She walked around, and I couldn¡¯t figure out where she was going because she kept pacing. I raised an eyebrow at her antics.

    ¡°Thes, you¡¯re being overdramatic.¡±

    ¡°Crazy! What do you mean overdramatic? Just yesterday, it seemed like you were going to kill Rozzean with your anger and jealousy, and now you¡¯re saying everything¡¯s okay! I¡¯m definitely going to be shocked!¡±

    True.

    ¡°We talked about what happened. I also found out about the agreement between him and Dad.¡±

    I exined everything to Thes, and she was genuinely shocked. I, too, was surprised when I learned the whole truth about Rozzean, and I didn¡¯t know how to react initially.

    ¡°Sht. So, I was right when I thought that there¡¯s something on Tito George. Wow, you and Rozzean were just waiting for each other. I even cursed at him. It¡¯s also pitiful what happened to him, just watching you from a distance because of the agreement with your Dad. Mygad, Tangi, your love life could be a soap opera!¡±

    I smiled and then brushed my hair that the wind was blowing. I tucked it behind my ear.

    ¡°But we are okay now. I still don¡¯t know when we¡¯ll go back to face our parents and discuss the wedding.¡±

    ¡°Rozzean¡­ wanted to get married immediately. That¡¯s what we¡¯ll talk about when we return.¡±

    ¡°Omg!! wow! with all the tears you shed and the intense pain you went through, it¡¯s really you two in the end! But I saw iting, especially when that neighbor girl of Rozzean tried to intervene. What¡¯s her name again?¡±

    ¡°ri.¡±

    It won¡¯t end at Aunt Cynthia¡¯s party for ri and me. She should know her ce. It looks like I need to wake her up big time to make her realize that she has no chance of getting Rozzean¡¯s love.

    ¡°I will deal with that woman. Especially now that I know the truth.¡±

    Rozzean Cyron is mine. Only mine, and I¡¯ll make that clear to ri right in front of her.

    ¡°Go! I got your back! I¡¯m so annoyed with that woman! I want to pinch her using my gold nail cutter! But back to you!! Omg! I am so happy for you, Tangi! The bedroom battles will continue! Fight well, you¡¯re up for it again! You¡¯re about to taste the jumbo hotdog, can you handle it?¡±

    ¡°Can you handle really it? ¡±

    ¡°But of course, you can! It¡¯s Rozzean¡¯s jumbo hotdog, after all!¡±

    I burst intoughter because she really went all out with the singing. You won¡¯t get bored when you¡¯re talking to Thes.

    ¡°You¡¯re really crazy.¡±

    She looked at me seriously now. She quickly changed her mood.

    ¡°But, there¡¯s something different about your smile.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but touch my lips because of what Thes said. What¡¯s different about my smile?

    ¡°Why? Is there something?¡±

    I earnestly waited for Thes¡¯ answer, and when I heard it, I just closed my eyes.

    ¡°A smile that has been well-watered! How many times did you two do it today, Tangi?¡±

    My face heated up because of Thes¡¯ question.

    Why did I even hope for a sensible answer from this friend of mine?!

 Naughty!

    When I told Mommy that we¡¯re heading home, I immediately received a message from her that Aunt Cynthia and Uncle Royce areing to our house. We are going to talk about what happened. I was surprised and suggested that maybe it can wait until the next day, but my mother refused.

    She told me that Rozzean¡¯s parents couldn¡¯t wait any longer to see us together and to hear what really happened.

    So, here I am, pretending to be Tali.

    Of course, I am nervous and extremely embarrassed. Now we¡¯re in front of our parents, and Rozzean is holding my hand tightly as we look at our parents.

    ¡°I was shocked when I found out the truth about George. Your father talked to me and exined what happened, Thaliana, but I still want to hear everything from you.¡±

    Uncle Royce is smiling, and so is Aunt Cynthia beside him. But I still can¡¯t shake off the nervousness in my chest.

    ¡°I¡­ am sorry for what I did, Tito Royce. I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡±

    I looked at Daddy, and he raised both eyebrows, as if telling me to just tell them everything I did.

    ¡°I really didn¡¯t want to get married¡­¡±

    I turned to Rozzean as I felt him squeeze my hand. He¡¯s smiling at me. I took a deep breath and looked back at Uncle Royce.

    ¡°I am not scared to fall in love. I am genuinely happy with my life, taking care of my pets. When Dad wanted me to get married to a stranger named Rozzean Cyron Valleje, I refused. We argued and ended up with an agreement.¡±

    As I spoke, I remembered our first conversation with Daddy, how proud he was of Rozzean. He even showed me papers of his aplishments. In my mind, that man truly inherited my father¡¯s character.

    ¡°That if I proved Rozzean is not good for me, he will let me do whatever I want in my life. So, I decided to pretend to be poor and work as a maid in Rozzean¡¯s house to find any ws in him, so the wedding wouldn¡¯t happen.¡±

    Their eyes are fixed on me, even Luther on the side. Nervous but I need to exin everything for our parents to understand what truly happened.

    ¡°I¡¯ve only been at his house for a week when I found out a lot about him. That¡¯s when I said to myself that my Dad is right. Rozzean is a great person. The truth is, I was caught by my cousin Maki when he saw me at Rozzean¡¯s house. He told me to leave, but because I am stubborn, I didn¡¯t go home and stayed.¡±

    ¡°All that happened was unexpected. I came into his house with my n of looking for his bad sides, but I ended up falling for him. I also didn¡¯t expect that someone like him, a billionaire, sessful in life, would fall for a maid and a simple girl like Tali. I didn¡¯t think about that when I pretended. The truth is, that made it difficult for me to leave and confront him as Thaliana.¡±

    ¡°I-It was not my intention to¡­ hurt him. I really struggled to leave and let him go because I love him so much. I couldn¡¯t exin everything to him as Tali,¡± my voice faltered as I said that.

    Memories of the days when both of us suffered too much came to my mind. How many times I tried to win him back. The anger in his eyes while looking at me. When I caught ri and saw them always together.

    Rozzean also went through painful moments while waiting for me. We went through a lot, and now I am grateful that everything is okay. I am so happy now that we are together again.

    ¡°I know what I did was wrong and I hurt Rozzean. We all got into chaos. I am asking for your forgiveness,¡± I looked at the Valleje couple and bowed. I saw Tita Cynthia with teary eyes.

    ¡°Oh¡­ hija.¡±

    Aunt Cynthia stood up and approached me. Uncle Royce also stood up. When Rozzean¡¯s mother was in front of me, I stood and hugged her. I kept on saying sorry. I know how much Tita cares for Rozzean, even Tito Royce. Their family situation is getting better, but chaos happened again because of what I did-because of Rozzean¡¯s overwhelming love for Tali.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, hija, you don¡¯t need to apologize. Stop saying sorry. We understand, and I ept it. I¡¯m still happy, I¡¯m happy for you and Rozzean. I was just surprised because I really thought it was Luther!¡± Tita said, looking at her second son, who was smiling and sitting on the side.

    I let go of the hug with Tita and looked at Luther.

    ¡°Ma, I liked her, that¡¯s true. I did like Thaliana, but I never dreamed that she would also like me and that we would have a rtionship because from the very start, I know that she¡¯s my brother¡¯s woman. I just wanted to shake some sense into Cyron.¡±

    I turned to Rozzean, his face stern. I held our hands together. When he looked down at me, his expression softened. He bent down and kissed me on my forehead, then his hand went to my waist. He pulled me closer and looked back at Luther.

    ¡°I know what I was doing that time, Luther.¡±

    ¡°Oh, but he was so jealous. He even got scared, that¡¯s why he returned to the mansion on the night of the dinner.¡±

    I cringed at their conversation. When Daddy cleared his throat, we all looked at them. My mother was smiling at me, and I caught her wiping away tears from her eyes.

    ¡°Okay, now can we proceed to the wedding?¡±

    When Daddy said that, Rozzean and I exchanged nces. He had a mischievous smile on his face. Of course, this is what he¡¯s been eagerly waiting for-the discussion about our wedding.

    ¡°There will be no Luther and Thaliana engagement. Thaliana will marry me-¡±

    ¡°Yes, again and again!¡± Luther interrupted his brother.

    We, the women in the room, burst intoughter, while Daddy and Uncle Royce just shook their heads at the two.

    Our parents started discussing our marriage. Rozzean also suggested that it should happen next month. When my parents asked for my opinion, I didn¡¯t appeal because I¡¯m sure my stubborn partner would sulk.

    ¡°So this is really it. My goodness, I can¡¯t believe this¡­ my youngest is getting married,¡± Aunt Cynthia said.

    ¡°Well, they¡¯re destined to be together, Cynthia. As you can see, they went through a lot of ups and downs, but now they¡¯re back in each other¡¯s arms,¡± my Mommy replied.

    I felt Rozzean¡¯s hand on my waist tighten. He leaned down and whispered in my ear.

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to take you home¡­¡±

    I yfully hit his arm for what he said. There he goes again! That tone of his is seductive. We¡¯ve done that a few times on his yacht, and I couldn¡¯t say no because he¡¯d sulk, and, well, it¡¯s also enjoyable.

    ¡°Rozzean, stop it; our parents are talking about our marriage. I thought you wanted to tie me down to you? Listen to them,¡± I whispered back, redirecting my attention to our parents who were in the midst of conversation.

    The parents were having a good time discussing the uing wedding. Meanwhile, Luther, on the side, was focused on his cellphone and seemed to be watching something.

    ¡°Very much. You have no escape from me, and we both know what will happen, that¡¯s why I want to go home now¡­ with you.¡±

    I agreed to stay at his house for a week. But it¡¯s just for a week; that was our agreement. He didn¡¯t agree at first, but I gave him a choice-whether he¡¯d allow me to stay for a week or not at all.

    Of course, I wanted to stay with him, but things are different now. I am Thaliana, and we¡¯re not married yet. We have to wait until the wedding. Rozzean is quite persistent. When we went for a gas refill earlier, I told him I needed to use the restroom, and he insisted on apanying me. It¡¯s like he¡¯s afraid I¡¯ll run away.

    ¡°Okay, it¡¯s settled. Next month it is. But here¡¯s my question for both of you. After that one week, it¡¯s impossible that you haven¡¯t conceived yet,¡± Aunt Cynthia said.

    I almost choked on my saliva because of what Rozzean¡¯s mother said. She really wants to have another grandchild! I nced at Daddy and Mommy. They were smiling at me.

    ¡°If not yet, Mama, then Cyron is really weak.¡±

    I cringed at Luther¡¯s teasing. I quickly looked at Rozzean and saw the annoyance on his face as he red at his brother. Luther is really good at teasing!

    ¡°Luther, stop teasing your brother,¡± Uncle Royce scolded.

    ¡°Dad¡­ I am just saying the truth. If it hasn¡¯t happened yet-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Thaliana is already pregnant.¡±

    Rozzean gave Luther a disapproving look, while Luther continued teasing with a smile. I gripped my neck in response to what was happening. I just thanked my mom when she stood up and invited us to have lunch.

    During the meal, Rozzean told my parents that I would stay at his house for a week. He also shared his ns for both of us in the future. After we finished eating, everyone didn¡¯t stay long. The Valleje couple, along with Luther, left, while Rozzean and I stayed behind because I needed to get some clothes.

    He was left in the living room with my parents. He even wanted toe to my room, but I didn¡¯t allow it. I knew what he wanted when we were alone. Truth be told, he¡¯s been whispering things to me since earlier, trying to make a move here at our house.

    When I returned, Rozzean stood up, greeted me, and took my belongings. I looked at my parents and walked towards them. I kissed Mommy and Daddy on the cheek.

    ¡°Mr. and Mrs. D Vezca-¡±

    ¡°You are still calling us like that, Rozzean. I would be happier if you call us Mommy and Daddy,¡± my mom said.

    I approached Rozzean and held onto his waist.

    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± He looked at me, shy to address my parents! His ears turned red. He cleared his throat before speaking again.

    ¡°We¡¯re leaving, M-Mommy.¡± He nced at Daddy. ¡°And Dad¡­ I-I am sorry, I¡¯m not used to it yet.¡±

    Mommyughed and patted Rozzean on the shoulder.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it, you will be part of our family once you and Tangi get married,¡± my mom said, smiling. Rozzean nodded in response.

    When we were about to leave, I said my goodbyes to my parents. I thanked them and told them that I would call when we arrived in Tagaytay.

    ¡°What do you want to eat for dinner?¡± I asked Rozzean.

    We were now on the way to his house. One of his hands gripped the steering wheel, and the other held my hand. asionally, he kissed the back of it.

    ¡°You.¡±

    I smiled and shook my head at his response. Rozzean has no sense of seriousness. If his concern was that I might not be pregnant yet, did he think that with all he¡¯s done to me, it¡¯s still empty inside? Also, my feelings are different now.

    ¡°A decent answer, Rozzean, or else you¡¯re not sleeping in our room tonight.¡±

    I saw his eyebrows furrow as he looked at the road. He held my hand tightly, and once again, he brought it to his lips. When the traffic light turned red, he stopped and looked at me.

    ¡°I am not kidding, Thaliana. I want you for dinner,¡± he said seriously.

    I pulled my hand away, crossed my arms, and sighed. We haven¡¯t done anything in a week other than argue, and now, for the whole week we¡¯ll be at his house, that¡¯s what he ns to do. He really wants to make me his daily routine!Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    ¡°Are you still wondering why I haven¡¯t gotten pregnant yet? Is that why you want it every day?¡±

    ¡°No. I know you¡¯re pregnant. I just want to repeat it; it feels so good, don¡¯t you like it?¡± he said, smiling, taking my hand again, and kissing the back of it.

    I just sighed as the car started moving, and he focused on the road.

    Rozzean, really!

 His Fear

    And he wasn¡¯t kidding about what he said. As soon as we arrived at his house, he just dropped my things in his room and immediately grabbed me for a kiss. It was intense and deep. His hands quickly removed my clothes, and who am I to refuse?

    ¡°Ohhh¡­ yeah¡­ Thaliana¡­ keep doing that, baby¡­¡±

    In just a few minutes, I was on top of him, moving up and down. It had been an hour, but he showed no signs of getting tired. We changed positions all over his room. He still didn¡¯t want to stop.

    ¡°Ahhh! ahhh!¡± I moaned as Rozzean met the movements of my hips. He switched our positions, and Iy on the bed. He was behind me, pushing in and out.

    ¡°O-Ohhh¡­ Rozzean¡­¡±

    ¡°Thaliana, fck¡­ so t-tight¡­ still so tight, baby¡­ hmmm.¡±

    One¡­ two¡­ three, I couldn¡¯t count how many times I climaxed until Rozzean finally stopped. I was on top of him, my head on his chest. His hands were on my back, gently caressing.

    When I looked up at him, I found myself touching his face. My fingers ran through his stubble.

    ¡°Let¡¯s take a bath¡­¡±

    Upon Rozzean¡¯s suggestion, he lifted me and carried me to the bathroom. As he set me down, I held his face and traced his stubble, furrowing his forehead.

    ¡°Why? Do you want me to shave?¡±

    I hesitated, wanting to be the one to do it.

    ¡°Can I?¡± I asked while looking at him.

    Rozzean smiled and nodded, handing me the razor and cream. I applied the cream to his face, focused on the task while Rozzean sat, his hands on my waist.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°Am I doing it right?¡± I asked as I applied the cream to his chin.

    He just nodded, and I continued. Afterward, I used the razor, concentrating on shaving him while he looked up at me. When I finished, I smiled. Rozzean stood up, cleaned his face, and I took the towel to dry him.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I like doing this,¡± I said to him.

    He held my waist and pulled me close, kissing my forehead, down to my nose, until he reached my lips.

    ¡°Then, my baby will do it. You can do everything you want with me.¡±

    After both of us showered and Rozzean fell asleep, I went downstairs to the kitchen. I saw Manang preparing our dinner. I smiled; earlier, when we arrived, she wasn¡¯t here. It seemed like she had somewhere to go.

    ¡°Manang¡­¡±

    She quickly turned to me, surprise in her eyes. I walked towards her and hugged her. I missed her so much! Now, we¡¯re really together here!

    ¡°T-Tali¨C I mean Thaliana¡­ hija, oh¡­¡±

    I gently stroked Manang¡¯s back. When I pulled away, I saw tears glistening in her eyes. I knew Manang was one of those who worried a lot when I suddenly disappeared here at Rozzean¡¯s house.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for what I did, Manang. I know I caused you so much worry. I am very sorry, Manang¡­ sorry¡­¡±

    She held my cheeks and shook her head. Manang smiled at me while caressing my face.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly¡­ that¡¯s in the past, child. What matters now is this, that you and sir are happy, in love. I didn¡¯t really believe what you told me back then, I couldn¡¯t believe it, but now I truly believe! It¡¯s still surprising, though, Thaliana that¡­ you¡¯re a child of a wealthy family!¡±

    I nodded at what Manang said, and she hugged me again.

    ¡°What are you cooking? Let me help you!¡± I offered.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to, but I¡¯m sure sir would be happier if you¡¯re the one cooking,¡± she replied with a smile.

    I spent my time cooking with Manang in the kitchen. By the time we finished, it was already seven in the evening. I also prepared the dining area for the meal. Rozzean was still asleep and hadn¡¯te down yet.

    ¡°Just a moment, Manang, I¡¯ll call Rozzean-¡±

    ¡°Thaliana!¡±

    My eyebrows furrowed upon hearing his loud shout. I quickly walked towards Rozzean, rmed.

    ¡°Thaliana!¡±

    ¡°Manang! Did you see¡­¡±

    Rozzean stopped when he saw me in front of him. He walked towards me and suddenly embraced me. His chest was heaving, and I could feel the tremors in his body as he held me.

    I couldn¡¯t speak right away. My lips were slightly parted in surprise. My hands froze, unable to reciprocate Rozzean¡¯s hug, feeling the tremors in his body.

    Damn¡­

    ¡°Thaliana¡­ I¡­ I thought you left me.¡±

    He pulled away from me, and I saw the fear in his eyes.

    ¡°I just went downstairs¡­ I also helped Manang in the kitchen. I¡¯m not leaving, Rozzean. I won¡¯t leave you.¡±

    He closed his eyes tightly. He didn¡¯t open them for a long time. My breath became heavier as I witnessed his reaction. I hurt him so badly when I left as Tali. Until now, he¡¯s struggling to ept that I won¡¯t leave him again. He¡¯s still scared.

    ¡°Rozzean¡­¡±

    I held both sides of his face, enclosing his face in my palms.

    ¡°I am not going anywhere, baby¡­ I¡¯m not leaving you anymore.¡±

    He nodded three times, but his eyes remained closed. When he opened them, the fear was still there. One of Rozzean¡¯s hands lifted, holding my hand on his face.

    ¡°We are getting married soon, I will not leave you. I will never leave you, Rozzean, and if you are scared, then I will stay here in your house, hmm?¡±

    He nodded again.

    ¡°Baby¡­ I am sorry, I can¡¯t help but think¡­¡±

    I shook my head at him. It¡¯s my fault that he¡¯s feeling this scared.

    ¡°I should be the one to apologize,¡± I held the back of his neck and hugged him. I caressed his back to soothe him.

    ¡°I made you like this. I am sorry, but I won¡¯t leave, okay? I won¡¯t leave you, Rozzean. I will stay by your side. If you can¡¯t help but think about it, I am always here to remind you that I won¡¯t leave.¡±

    He returned the hug, tighter. I felt the trembling in his body subsiding. He wasn¡¯t gasping for breath anymore. I felt relieved because he was calming down now.

    Rozzean was so scared.

    ¡°I love you, baby¡­ I love you so much¡­¡± he whispered in my ear.

 Desperate Btch

    It hurts for me to realize how Rozzean changed because of what I did as Tali. Back then, I only thought of myself, and I hurt him so much with my decision to leave without telling him the truth.

    I was scared, but I didn¡¯t realize that he would be even more frightened by what I was nning to do. I thought he would just be angry with me. But now, as the anger has subsided, what remains is the fear that I might leave him again.

    Now, I looked at him while he was on a call with his cellphone. I overheard that it was work-rted. After our meal earlier, we went straight to his room, and he immediately opened hisptop. He became busy, while I sat on the side and used my cellphone.

    I was chatting with Thes. She nned toe over tomorrow to discuss what happened.

    I nced at Rozzean and my cellphone alternately. When he finished, he returned to the sofa and faced hisptop. I sat beside him and leaned on his arm.

    ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    I liked his scent. I wanted him always by my side because of his smell. I also felt that my sense of smell had be stronger.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    ¡°Nothing, baby, I just need to go to work early tomorrow because I have a meeting with the board members.¡±

    He looked at me and kissed my forehead. He also held my hand that was gripping his arm.

    ¡°Thes said that she wille here tomorrow, Rozzean. We¡¯ll have a chat. She wants to know what happened. I¡¯ll also tell her about the uing wedding. It won¡¯t be nice to inform her through a call.¡±

    He smiled at me and nodded.

    ¡°It¡¯s good that she¡¯sing so you¡¯ll have someone to talk to, to distract you a bit.¡±

    I chuckled at his response. I wouldn¡¯t get bored here in his house because I could spend my time cleaning and taking care of his garden. He had neglected it, and many leaves had dried up, and the flowers had withered. What a waste.

    ¡°I have something to upy myself with-your garden. There are so many damaged flowers¡­ you haven¡¯t been taking care of it,¡± I teased him.

    His garden held significance for him as it was a memory of histe sibling. And the reason he neglected it might be because of me, because of what happened between us.

    ¡°I am sorry, baby. I didn¡¯t notice it because when I used toe home, it was already night. But you are here now,¡± he said and kissed me on my forehead again, ¡°I know you will take care of it.¡±

    I didn¡¯t leave Rozzean¡¯s side. I just watched him as he worked on hisptop. While looking, my eyes caught the CCTV footage of his house. It was connected to hisptop. Suddenly, memories of what happened when I left shed through my mind.

    ¡°Let¡¯s sleep?¡±

    Rozzean stood up, and I followed suit. I nced at the clock on the side. It was already ten, and he still had to go to work early tomorrow. But I wasn¡¯t sleepy yet. When I felt Rozzean¡¯s hand on my waist, I looked at him.

    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe that you are here with me¡­¡±

    He lowered his head and rested it on my shoulder.

    ¡°I hope that when I wake up tomorrow, you¡¯ll still be by my side.¡±

    I caressed his back, making him look at me. I smiled at him and held his cheeks. I just needed to constantly remind him that I would never leave. Until he felt secure that I wouldn¡¯t abandon him.

    ¡°Yes, of course¡­¡±

    We went to his bedroom. Wey down. Rozzean held me tightly as I ran my fingers through his hair. I bent down and smelled his hair. It was fragrant. I bent down again and took another whiff.

    ¡°Baby¡­¡±

    My eyebrows raised when he called me.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    He looked up at me, smiling. After a while, he reached for my lips and kissed me passionately.

    ¡°Thank you, I am so happy¡­¡±

    I ran my hands from his forehead down to his cheeks until they reached his lips. I traced the corner of his lips.

    ¡°I am happy too, Rozzean,¡± I kissed his lips and even his forehead. He closed his eyes in response.

    ¡°Sleep now. I¡¯ll wake you up tomorrow so you won¡¯t bete for work.¡±

    He nodded, and then his hug tightened.

    ¡°Okay, good night, baby. I love you.¡±

    ¡°I love you too¡­¡± I replied to him and kissed the top of his head.

    After a while, I felt that Rozzean was in a deep sleep. I got up slowly. I also gently removed his hand from my waist. I left his bedroom and focused my attention on theptop he left on the table earlier.

    I sat on the sofa and opened it. He had told me his password earlier. Surprisingly, it was my name.

    When I opened theptop, I essed the CCTV footage from the past weeks. The first thing I watched was the night I left his house. Then I fast-forwarded to see him waking up and leaving his room. He kept pacing while looking at his cellphone.

    His face showed deep concern. As I watched, I didn¡¯t realize that tears were already streaming down my face. He didn¡¯t even sleep! I also didn¡¯t see him eat. He would leave and talk to Manang, then return. The police even arrived.

    I covered my mouth to suppress any noise from my crying. I hurt him so badly¡­

    When I reached the video where I confronted him as Thaliana, I didn¡¯t expect that there was also CCTV in the guest room where he stayed. I saw how he threw everything in anger. He was extremely furious.

    From the movement of his mouth, he kept saying I love you. My chest tightened as I watched. After that, Manang entered Rozzean¡¯s room several times. She brought food but left with a sad face.

    It was also the night I went to try to seek his forgiveness. I cooked food for him, but he rejected it and spilled it on the floor. I fast-forwarded that part and, when Luther and I left, I saw him talking to Manang.

    What I saw next was unbearable. A sob escaped my lips even though I tried to hold it in.

    Rozzean picked up the food that had been spilled on the floor and ate it. He ate everything. I couldn¡¯t finish watching the video, so I paused for a moment. I had to calm myself from crying. When I fast-forwarded the video, I was halted when I saw ri.

    She was holding a paper bag. They talked to Manang before she left the house. She went to the kitchen, put down the paper bag, and then headed to Rozzean¡¯s room. When I nced at another video, I saw Rozzean sleeping.

    My hands clenched when ri entered the room. When I saw her sitting on the edge of the bed, I bit my lower lip hard. I felt anger rise when her hand moved and caressed Rozzean¡¯s face as he peacefully slept.

    What she did next intensified my anger.

    She leaned down and kissed Rozzean on the lips.

    ¡°Damn.¡±

    I forcefully closed theptop and stood up. I paced back and forth while folding my arms. I couldn¡¯t stay still. My chest heaved as I felt the anger intensify. She f*cking kissed my fianc¨¦ while he was sleeping! What the hell!

    ¡°You have the nerve, ri.¡±

    ¡°You are so desperate.¡±

    I calmed myself down. I needed topose myself and go back inside. Rozzean might wake up and start looking for me again. I took a deep breath, and once I assured myself that I was okay, I went back inside the bedroom.

    ¡°Baby¡­¡±

    When I heard his voice, I touched Rozzean¡¯s arm. He turned towards me and hugged me again. He buried his face in my neck, and I felt his heavy breathing.

    But I was still annoyed.

    So that¡¯s why I wanted to watch the footage in his house. I might see something.

    ¡°F*ck you, ri. You won¡¯t get Rozzean from me. He¡¯s mine.¡±

    The next morning, I woke up to kisses trailing down my neck to my chest. I struggled to open my eyes. I stretched my hands when I realized what Rozzean was doing.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ what time is it?¡±

    He didn¡¯t respond. I looked down at him and only then did I realize that the buttons of my pajamas were already undone.

    ¡°Rozzean¡­ I¡¯m still sleepy¡­¡±

    What time did I even go to bedst night after watching the CCTV footage in his house? And here he was, all lively and active. I could feel it. Too early for this.

    ¡°It¡¯s nice to do it in the morning, baby¡­¡±

    What?!

    I shifted to the side and sprawled out to avoid him because I was really sleepy, but I was surprised when he smacked my butt.

    ¡°Rozzean!¡± My eyes widened, struggling to fully wake up.

    Did he just f*cking p my butt?!

    He responded with a heartyugh. I thought he was going to exin, but instead, his handnded on my backside. I sat up and pinched him on the side.

    ¡°Ouch¡­ baby¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so cheeky, huh? You have the nerve to talk about what¡¯s nice in the morning.¡±

    He burst intoughter again. If he keeps being like this, we might end up with ten children! Every day, he seems to want¡­

    ¡°It¡¯s true¡­¡± he took my hand. I gasped when he ced it on his lower abdomen.

    When Rozzean let go of my hand, he took off his ck tank top. He crawled toward me, and I bit my lip. I nced at his broad shoulders down to his stomach.

    ¡°Come on¡­ a quick one is better than nothing.¡±

    He kissed me passionately, and I clung to his neck as he pressed himself against me. His hands traveled down to my waist. Slowly, he lowered my pajamas along with my underwear, removing my upper garment as well.

    When his lips finally left mine, they moved down to my breasts.

    ¡°Y-You said it would be quick, huh? Ahhh¡­ You have work t-today¡­¡±

    I was panting, and my nipples tingled from his attentive mouth. Rozzean¡¯s tongue yed with them.

    ¡°Ohhh¡­¡±

    His hand reached my clit. I could feel the dampness below as he teased me with his fingers. As his kisses descended to my belly, he simultaneously gripped my thighs.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­ yes¡­ q-quick,¡± he replied, slowly entering me.

    I bit my lip, watching him. His gaze met mine while his lips formed an O. He cursed under his breath each time he looked at our bodies. His eyes followed the movement of his manhood entering me.

    ¡°Damn¡­ ahhh¡­ sht.¡±

    As the pace quickened, I gripped the bedsheets. I couldn¡¯t help but moan in pleasure.

    ¡°Yes! ahhh!¡±

    Rozzean turned me over and had me lying face down. He was on top of me, the weight of his body pressing down as he continued to move in and out. I felt his lips near my ear.

    ¡°Thaliana¡­ ughh¡­ ahhh¡­ baby¡­¡±

    ¡°R-Rozz¡­ ean¡­ aahhh¡­ j-just a moment, w-what time is it¡­ ohhhh!¡±

    Heid me on my side without withdrawing, maintaining the rhythm of his movements. His hand explored my breasts, massaging them sensually. I felt like I was losing my mind with what he was doing.

    ¡°Look at the time¡­ baby¡­ hmmm fck¡­ ahhh¡­ yeah¡­ it feels so good¡­¡±

    Damn it! No wonder he positioned me on my side, so I could see the clock!

    And the quickie he intended wasn¡¯t quick at all. We continued in the bathroom, this time in the bathtub. We initially nned to take a shower together, but he couldn¡¯t resist teasing me again! After we finished and got dressed, I approached him upon seeing that his tie was poorly done.

    ¡°I wanted to cook you breakfast, but you didn¡¯t let mee downstairs,¡± I said, giving him a disapproving look.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already had breakfast, baby¡­¡± he replied with a mischievous smile.

    ¡°I even had more than enough. I¡¯m so full.¡±

    I yfully pped his chest for what he said. Once again, I heard Rozzean¡¯sughter.

    ¡°What time is your friending?¡± he asked.

    We were walking towards his garage now.

    ¡°Uhmm, 10 am. Thes also wants to explore Tagaytay, so we might leaveter,¡± I answered.

    He raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Okay, but call or message me. I need your update.¡±

    I nodded and leaned in to kiss his lips. Rozzean pulled me into a deep kiss, and when our lips finally parted, he nted a kiss on my forehead.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go now, take care, okay?¡±

    I nodded.

    When Rozzean left, I went inside the house and had breakfast with Manang. We talked about what happened, and I told her that the wedding might happen next month. Manang was so happy that she even cried while I was sharing the story. Since I¡¯m also easily moved, we both ended up shedding tears.

    ¡°Oh! By the way, Thaliana dear, I¡¯ll bring breakfast to the guards, just a moment, okay?¡±

    I quickly stood up when I heard what Manang said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of that, Manang. I¡¯ll also help you clean the house while waiting for my friend.¡±

    She smiled at me and nodded. Manang prepared the guards¡¯ food, and once it was on the tray, I headed outside. They were surprised to see me.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, oh, it¡¯s embarrassing that you¡¯re the one bringing this.¡±

    ¡°Guys,e on, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t done this before.¡±

    They looked confused. They even exchanged nces.

    I pointed to my cheek where my mole used to be.

    ¡°I¡¯m Tali, guys.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    Iughed at their reactions and quickly exined what happened. They couldn¡¯t believe it. They also shared stories about how Rozzean was looking for me that night and how persistent she was. The police even came to the mansion several times to report my disappearance.

    While the four of us were talking, my gazended on ri¡¯s house. My eyes widened. I couldn¡¯t forget what she did while Rozzean was asleep.

    ¡°That neighbor of Rozzean, ri, has the orange farm, right? Has she shown up?¡± I asked.

    One of the guards looked at the witch¡¯s house.

    ¡°Oh, that house is for sale, Ma¡¯am Thaliana. Justst week, the owner started living there because it¡¯s easier to talk to potential buyers when they¡¯re around.¡±

    My lips formed a circle in surprise at what I heard.

 Chaos

    ¡°I thought that was ri¡¯s house?¡±

    The guard shook his head, ¡°No, ma¡¯am. Someone else used to live there, but they moved to Cebu. The deal was to pay half of the house first, but it seems Ma¡¯am ri wasn¡¯t able to make the payment. However, I heard that Ma¡¯am ri ns to pay the full amount, but due to the owner¡¯s anger and the dy, it¡¯s now up for sale.¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Okay¡­¡±

    I smiled cunningly. I bid farewell to the guards and went inside. I headed to Rozzean¡¯s room and grabbed my bag.

    ¡°I will buy that house.¡±

    I went to ri¡¯s house, apanied by one of Rozzean¡¯s guards. When I faced the owner, I immediately expressed my interest in buying the property. She let me in to show the inside and outside.

    ¡°The house is in good condition, Miss D Vezca. No termites, fresh paint. If you want anything changed, I can arrange it right away,¡± the owner assured me.

    She¡¯s Mrs. Airene Gamboa. She and her husband live in Cebu. She mentioned having four children, and none of them want to live in here in Tagaytay house because they prefer staying close to them.

    It¡¯s amusing.

    ¡°The garden wasn¡¯t well-maintained by the previous tenant, unfortunately. The nts got damaged. But I can have itndscaped again.¡±

    I nced around. It¡¯s decent, but I won¡¯t actually live here. I¡¯ll just buy the house to keep that witch, ri, away from Rozzean.

    ¡°I am okay with the house. I¡¯ll buy it. Do you prefer cash or a cheque?¡±

    This is what I want-to keep ri from getting close to Rozzean. If she¡¯s not part of this vige, I can ban her for trying to pursue my future husband. If I¡¯m questioned, I¡¯ll show the CCTV footage of ri stealing a kiss from Rozzean.

    Darn it. Just remembering it stirs up intense anger in my chest.

    The deal was sealed. She handed me my copy of the proof of payment for her house. Mrs. Gamboa shook my hand and told me to let her know if there¡¯s anything I want to change, instructing me to call her. She also took my number, promising to give me the title once thend documents were sorted and transferred to my name.

    ¡°Thank you so much, Ms. D Vezca! By the way, regards to your parents. I was your Mommy¡¯s college ssmate, Thatiana¡­ no wonder you look so much like her.¡±

    My eyebrows raised, and I smiled at herment.

    ¡°Ohh, that¡¯s interesting. Small world. If you want to contact my Mom, here¡¯s her number.¡±

    I gave her my mother¡¯s number. She thanked me profusely, revealing that there¡¯s an uing reunion, and they¡¯re struggling to find a way to reach my mother since no one knows her number, and she doesn¡¯t have any social media ounts.

    ¡°Thank you so much, again, hija!¡±

    As we left the guard¡¯s house, I nced at the proof of payment. Mrs. Gamboa¡¯s signature was at the bottom, alongside mine.

    ¡°Now what, ri?¡±

    I looked at the house. I¡¯ll thinkter about who I¡¯ll give this to.

    When I returned to Rozzean¡¯s house, I couldn¡¯t wipe the smile off my face as I looked at the document in my hands. Upon entering, my eyes searched for Manang, but someone else caught my attention in the living room.

    I tightened my grip on my bag when I saw ri sitting on the sofa.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    She stood up and turned to face me. I could see the surprise in her eyes as she looked at me.

    ¡°So¡­ it¡¯s true that you are here. I thought Manang was just joking with me,¡± she said.

    I rolled my eyes.

    ¡°Why would Manang joke about that, ri? What would she gain?¡±

    Sheughed and approached me. I ced my bag on the sofa and crossed my arms in front of her. I still had the document in my hand. This woman needs to learn her lesson, and she had the audacity toe here now.

    ¡°I just don¡¯t believe that Rozzean woulde back to you. You fooled him. For sure, he¡¯s just trying to get you for his revenge. And the reason you¡¯re here now is that everything is going ording to his n. Poor you, you seem to be really hoping that he still loves you.¡±

    I put on a sad expression in response to ri¡¯s words.

    ¡°Oh, poor me, ri. Because before we came here to Rozzean¡¯s house, we were at the sea. I was with him on his yacht, just the two of us¡­¡±

    I smiled when I saw her hands clench. I approached ri, then tilted my head. How bold of her toe to Rozzean¡¯s house. What is she nning to do? Seduce him again? Steal another kiss?

    ¡°Do you want me to tell¡­ what we did? In the water? On the deck? In the kitchen and the cabin? Hmm? Do you want to know how Rozzean called my name multiple times because of pleasure? Seriously, ri, it was amazing¡­ to hear.¡±

    Her eyes widened, and she took a step closer to me.

    ¡°W-What¡­ You¡¯re just lying! I saw how he was hurt because of what you did! I¡¯m here with him! I¨C¡±

    I raised my hand and pped her hard without holding back. Rozzean didn¡¯t need her; she was the one persistently approaching.

    ¡°You are so desperate. My fianc¨¦ never asked for your help; he didn¡¯t need you, but you cling like a leech. You even pretended that night at the Valleje¡¯s house that you had a rtionship when there was none. You amazed me, ri, but you¡¯re truly pitiful.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just a step away from kneeling in front of Rozzean to make him love you, but did he pay attention to you? You are so desperate. I pity you.¡±

    When she tried to p back, I preemptively struck her. This p was stronger than the one before.

    ¡°How dare you kiss my man while he¡¯s sleeping?¡± I sternly told her.

    I took a step and once again delivered a firm p on her other cheek. ri staggered back and nearly fell due to what I did.

    ¡°Rozzean chose me, ri. He will never like you, he will never love you because he loves me,¡± I said, pping her again.

    ¡°T-Thaliana¡­¡±

    I heard Manang¡¯s voice from the side.

    ¡°Get out, ri. This will be yourst step in this vige to see my fianc¨¦.¡±

    ¡°H-Huh! How is this thest? I live here! My house is just here!¡±

    I presented to her the document I was holding.

    ¡°I bought your house. It¡¯s mine now.¡±

    Her eyes widened as she looked at the document.

    ¡°Actually, I just bought it a while ago,¡± I said, retrieving the paper and reading Mrs. Gamboa¡¯s full name.

    ¡°Mrs. Airene Medizta Gamboa. Does that sound familiar, ri?¡±

    Her eyes filled with anger as she red at me. ri screamed in frustration and approached me, but before she could grab my hair, I beat her to it. I tightly held her hair and lifted her head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t f*ckng mess with a D Vezca, ri. Try to approach Rozzean again, and you¡¯ll see what you¡¯re looking for!¡± I shouted at her, pushing her forcefully, causing her to fall to the floor.

    I stared down at her. She looked up at me, and I smiled.

    ¡°You are in the right ce, ri. That¡¯s where you belong, down there, looking up at me.¡±

    ¡°How dare you, b*tch!¡± she shouted at me.

    ¡°Rozzean Cyron Valleje is mine, only mine, ri. He¡¯s my fianc¨¦ and soon will be my husband. Don¡¯t even think about taking another step, because next time, I might not only buy the house you live in, but maybe even your family¡¯spany.¡±

    ¡°B*tch!¡± she yelled, and as she tried to attack me again, I saw Thes entering and quickly walking towards us.

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    She blocked me, facing ri.

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who keeps following Rozzean, huh? I remember you! What are you doing here, you flirt?¡±

    I was surprised and held my forehead when ri pushed Thes on the shoulder. My friend stumbled backward, and I raised my hands to support her, but Thes quickly regained her bnce.

    ¡°What do you mean, flirt? Who are you?!¡± ri shouted and pushed Thes again.

    I winced. It¡¯s challenging to restrain Thes when she gets like this, especially knowing what she recently found out about the woman in front of us.

    ¡°I am Therese Catalina Rivanez.¡±

    Thes stepped forward and grabbed ri¡¯s arm.

    ¡°And don¡¯t you ever forget my name, b*tch!¡± my friend yelled as she yanked ri¡¯s hair with both hands.

    ¡°You have the nerve toe here! You flirt! Now you¡¯ll regret it!¡±

    I took a step back. I wasn¡¯t sure if I should approach them because both of them were now pulling each other¡¯s hair. They were yelling while tugging at each other¡¯s hair. Sht. It seemed like they had no intention of stopping.

    ¡°Let go of me! What the hell!!¡± ri screamed.

    ¡°I will not let go of your hair until you go bald! It suits you because you¡¯re a damn flirt! You¡¯re so ugly!¡±

    ¡°Thes, stop! Stop now!¡± I shouted, attempting to remove Thes¡¯ hands, but ri¡¯s hands pushed me away.

    ¡°Yaaa! Let go of me!¡±

    I didn¡¯t know what to do, so I called Manang and the guards outside to break up the fight. But before the guards could arrive, I saw Luther looking shocked at ri and Thes, who were now pulling each other¡¯s hair.

    ¡°L-Luther, stop them! Please!¡± I yelled.

    ¡°Uh¡­ Hey¡­¡±

    Luther tried to intervene, grabbing Thes by the shoulder. However, I bit my lower lip as Thes¡¯s hand identally flew to Luther¡¯s face, hitting his nose. I saw Luther wince, clutching the injured part of his face, and he attempted to stop Thes once more.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Luther said, but Thes continued.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make you bald, you b*tch! You will Regreting here!¡±

    One of Luther¡¯s hands held Thes around the waist, while the other tried to pry Thes¡¯ hand away from ri¡¯s hair.

    ¡°Stop it! Seriously! Catalina!¡±

    After Luther yelled, it seemed like Thes got burned by something, and she immediately released ri¡¯s hair. They both gasped for breath as they were separated. I heaved a sigh of relief when their altercation finally ended.

    Thes is really something else.

    ¡°Thaliana!¡±

    Rozzean entered the house, and I was surprised by his arrival. He approached me, took me by the waist, and examined my body. Behind him, I saw ri watching us.

    I held Rozzean¡¯s cheeks and kissed him deeply. He responded passionately. When I pulled away, I nced at ri and smirked. I saw her with her lips parted in shock.

    ¡°What are you doing here? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be at work?¡±

    Instead of responding, Rozzean kissed me again, this time from my forehead down to my lips.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Manang called; there¡¯s fight at home, so I drove back quickly. Are you okay? Did you get hurt? Hmm?¡± he asked while still examining my arms.

    I smiled at the concern in his voice. When I didn¡¯t answer, Rozzean looked around, his gazending on ri. He was still holding onto me, his hand firmly on my waist.

    ¡°ri,¡± Rozzean¡¯s voice held a hint of threat as he mentioned her name.

    ¡°Oh, Rozzean! Tell that girl who¡¯s crazy about you to stop! She was going to attack my friend! What else is she doing here?!¡±

    I turned to Thes. However, what caught my attention was Luther¡¯s hands, still resting on my friend¡¯s waist, even though Thes was already calm. Hmmm¡­ they look good together, huh?

    ¡°ri, get out.¡±

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been telling you for a long time that I don¡¯t feel anything for you. I made it clear before Tali came into my life, right? It¡¯s been a while, ri. Thaliana is the one I love. We are getting married, so stop it.¡±

    ri slowly stood up and nodded. I expected her to say something more, but she stayed silent as she left Rozzean¡¯s house. I breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°That woman is unbelievable! What did you do to that woman to be this desperate?¡± Thes asked Rozzean, fixing her hair. But when she seemed to realize that Luther¡¯s hands were still on her waist, she looked down at the hands resting there and nced at the owner.

    ¡°We had a great time back there, huh? The brawl is over, but you¡¯re still holding on?¡±

    Iughed at what Thes said to Luther. Thetter finally let go and distance himself. He smirked and then walked towards the kitchen, probably.

    ¡°Are you really okay?¡±

    I nodded at Rozzean. Suddenly, I remembered his work.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t have toe home; we could handle it here. We have guards too,¡± I said.

    I cupped his cheek, and he held my waist.

    ¡°I got worried when I heard the shouts when Manang called. I thought something happened to you. This won¡¯t happen again, baby. I won¡¯t let ri get close to you again.¡±

    I nodded, and as he lowered his lips to kiss me, I wrapped my hands around his neck and responded. Just a few seconds into our kiss, I heard Thes¡¯ voice.

    ¡°No respect at all.¡±

    I chuckled and hugged Rozzean. I looked at Thes, who was pouting.

    ¡°There¡¯s a single person here, and you guys that¡¯s mean,¡± she added.

    Iughed again at herment. Thes is really something.

    ¡°There¡¯s a single person here too.¡±

    The three of us looked at Luther, who was holding a ss of water. I noticed that Thes diverted her gaze, and she cleared her throat. I also saw her cheeks turning a bit red.

    When Rozzean and I exchanged nces, we both smiled. It seems like we¡¯re on the same page.

    Hmm¡­ Thes and Luther? Why not?

 Accomplice

    ¡°My blood pressure is rising, Tangi. That girl has the nerve toe here! Rozzean¡¯s venom, oh my, that girl with long hair, she¡¯s really into him. I just hope she won¡¯te back, or she¡¯ll end up bald for sure!¡±

    I was just looking at Thes while she kept on talking. Rozzean and Luther have left again because they had something to attend to in the office. The two of them didn¡¯t stay long after the argument. I told Rozzean that I¡¯m fine, and Thes is with me, so she doesn¡¯t need to worry.

    But from what I can see, I should be watching Thes because her face is still angry. Her emotions are up and down because of the sh we had with ri earlier.

    ¡°Take a deep breath,¡± I said and got a ss of cold water, ¡°drink some water to calm down too.¡±

    Manang, who is beside Thes, just looked at us. She seems concerned too. Earlier, I knew she was scared when I pped ri a few times. She wanted to stop me, but in my anger, I knew even if she tried to stop me, I wouldn¡¯t have listened.

    That¡¯s what I wanted to do, I wasn¡¯t just carried away by anger when I pped ri a few times. She deserved it. What kind of desperate woman enters the room of a guy she likes and steals a kiss? Especially when you know that the guy already loves someone else. My vision really darkened when I saw ri earlier.

    ¡°That girl better be ready, Tangi. If shees back, she¡¯ll go home without hair.¡±

    I smiled at Thes. She¡¯s really feisty. After a while, I invited Thes outside. I showed her Rozzean¡¯s garden. As we walked in the spacious garden, she looked at the flowers there.

    ¡°Amazing, right? You really have simrities with your baby. You¡¯re really meant to be. Also, think about it, Tangi, it didn¡¯t take long for your struggles to bring you back to each other. I thought there was no hope when that ri showed up, but luckily, Rozzean wasn¡¯t interested in her.¡±

    I held and looked at the roses while talking to Thes. She was now sitting not far from me. I walked towards her and sat beside her. The weather wasn¡¯t too hot, so we could stay here for a while. The breeze was cool too.

    ¡°Rozzean got into taking care of nts because of their eldest sibling, Aloncious. Aloncious is no longer here. This garden is also a memory of his sibling, Thes, so he takes extra care of it. However, he neglected it, so some nts dried up and died,¡± I exined.

    Thes nodded and leaned on the table.

    ¡°It¡¯s sad that they lost a sibling. Does that mean it¡¯s just him and Luther now?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and the child who calls Rozzean ¡®Daddy¡¯ is the son of their eldest. Rozzean took care of him when he was a baby and is recognized as his father. I used to think he was Rozzean¡¯s child from another woman.¡±

    But even if he were Rozzean¡¯s child, I would still ept him. I already love Rozzean so much; finding out he has a child wouldn¡¯t change that. Besides, Taki is so adorable. It¡¯s also heartwarming that he calls me Mommy. I didn¡¯t expect that he would see and treat me as his mother.

    Thes and I stayed at Rozzean¡¯s house for a few hours. We had lunch there. Thes mentioned that Rozzean¡¯s house is quite big and can easily amodate ten kids. If only it were that easy, right?Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    We toured the beautiful spots in Tagaytay. I also informed Rozzean, and she quickly replied. I refrained from messaging her again after she told me to take care, as she might be in a meeting and I might disturb her.

    ¡°Haaa¡­ I feel like I want to live here. It¡¯s so beautiful, Tangi.¡±

    I looked at Thes. We were at Pic Grove. Thes also likes ces with trees and mountains, so I brought her here, knowing she would enjoy it.

    ¡°But it¡¯s not possible because of my businesses. And when Mommy and my sister need me, I can¡¯t immediately go because Tagaytay is far from them.¡±

    I adjusted my seat upon hearing Thes. Until now, she¡¯s still thinking about her Mommy and sibling. They don¡¯t treat her well.

    ¡°Thes, you can still manage your businesses even if you live here. Go wherever you think you¡¯ll find peace of mind for now. Knowing you, I can tell you¡¯re really stressed. You have so many businesses, as if you think you¡¯ll run out of money all the time.¡±

    The truth is, Shees from a wealthy family; she doesn¡¯t need to establish so many businesses. Her father also has his ownpany, and I believe Thes has a share in thatpany. But she followed what her mother wanted: to establish various businesses. I think she didn¡¯t do it just because her mother told her to but to divert her attention.

    Thes wanted to be a famous international model. That was her dream. She could have achieved that dream if her sister hadn¡¯t intervened and caused trouble. They both shared the same dream of bing a famous model, but Thes¡¯s sisiter Caitlyn is selfish and envious.

    And Thes is generous, so she gave way. The brands that used to hire her now have her sibling as the model, all because of her mother.

    ¡°Thank you, Tangi. I¡¯m nning to buy a house here, but I probably won¡¯t live here for good. I just want to have a ce to stay when I want a vacation.¡±

    Suddenly, I remembered ri¡¯s house.

    ¡°I bought a house earlier in the same vige as Rozzean¡¯s.¡±

    Thes raised her eyebrows at me. When I told her that it was ri¡¯s house and what I did earlier, she burst intoughter. We talked about a lot of things that happened-how I cried back then. She even told me that I would go back to Rozzean, and she had a lot of effort to advise me.

    But she¡¯s happy, and I can see that. Several times, she expressed how happy she is that Rozzean and I are finally together and rified things. She¡¯s also happy when I told her that I¡¯m getting married.

    ¡°So, let¡¯s talk about what happened on the yacht. It¡¯s impossible that nothing happened during your week of staying, Tangi.¡±

    I widened my eyes. There are people at the nearby table. I sighed at her. I know where this conversation is going.

    ¡°Probably something happened, but can we not talk about it here? There are a lot of people, Thes.¡±

    She looked around. Thes lifted her seat and moved closer to me.

    ¡°Okay, tell me. I¡¯m listening. I¡¯m close to you; just whisper. I want to know what happened on the yacht. Spill it.¡± I pped my forehead because of what she said.

    ¡°Thes, stop, you¡¯re really crazy,¡± I told her as I pushed her head away. Thes just keptughing. We caught the attention of others, so the crazy girl went back to her original seat.

    ¡°Oh, not just once, right? Not just twice either? You¡¯re really something, Tangi. Your glow is different. Tsk, when you¡¯re watered, you¡¯re glowing!¡±

    I took a sip of water because of what she said. I shook my head as I lowered the ss. When I noticed that it¡¯s almost five o¡¯clock, I grabbed my cellphone. I didn¡¯t realize the time. Thes and I talked about a lot of things.

    ¡°You are going to stay tonight, right?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go home tomorrow,¡± Thes said, also looking at her cellphone.

    ¡°Shall we go? Let¡¯s go back home; Rozzean might be on her way home too.¡±

    I messaged Rozzean that we¡¯re leaving Pic Grove. She didn¡¯t respond even after a minute had passed. She was so quick to reply earlier. Maybe she¡¯s already driving home.

    ¡°Can we stay for 30 minutes more, Tangi? I¡¯m loving the view. It¡¯s getting more beautiful as it gets darker,¡± Thes said.

    I nodded in agreement, so I messaged Rozzean again that we¡¯ll stay for an additional 30 minutes. After five minutes with no response from Rozzean, I called her.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡±

    My fingers couldn¡¯t stay still on the table. Thes noticed it.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    I looked at her, then shifted my gaze down to my cellphone. I sent another message to Rozzean. I must have sent around five messages and three missed calls. He¡¯s not responding. It¡¯s already 5:30. It seems like he might be working overtime.

    I thought he woulde home early.

    ¡°Rozzean is not answering my calls, and he¡¯s not replying either. It looks like he¡¯ll be workingte tonight.¡±

    ¡°Oh, your baby is really busy.¡±

    I sighed. It¡¯s because Rozzean has been absent from hispany for almost a month due to our situation. I know it¡¯s partly my fault because of what happened between us. He lost focus on his work.

    ¡°I should have prepared him dinner and sent it to him. He might eatte.¡±

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go? Do you know the location of herpany? I will drive.¡±

    I smiled at Thes and nodded.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    We left Pic Grove, and I bought food for Rozzean. When Thes and I got into her car, it was already dark. It was already six o¡¯clock. I tried calling Rozzean again, but he still wasn¡¯t answering. I left a message saying that I¡¯m on my way to hispany to bring him food. I also mentioned in the message that Thes is with me, and she¡¯s the one driving.

    I looked out the window. I didn¡¯t realize it had gotten dark because I had been staring at my cellphone for so long. I was waiting for Rozzean¡¯s message. I scrolled through social media and saw that it¡¯s already 6:30 pm.

    I sighed and tried calling him again, but I still couldn¡¯t reach him.

    ¡°He¡¯s really busy.¡±

    I saw Thes nce at me for a moment from the corner of my eye.

    ¡°That¡¯s how CEOs are. Dad¡¯s also like that, Tangi. He rarelyes home for dinner.¡±

    I nodded; I also saw how busy Rozzean became with his work, even working on Saturdays and Sundays.

    I lowered my cellphone and looked out the window again. My eyebrows furrowed when I saw the road we were taking. I nced back when I noticed that the route was different, and it wasn¡¯t heading towards Rozzean¡¯spany.

    ¡°Thes? I think you¡¯re going the wrong way,¡± I told her.

    I also opened the map.

    ¡°Wrong? But we¡¯re already here.¡±

    I looked at her. She¡¯s smiling. She stopped her car, and I looked outside. There were many lights, and what caught my attention were the beautiful flowers illuminated by fairy lights.

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Tangi!¡±

    Thes got out of the car. I was confused because Rozzean¡¯spany is not here.

    ¡°Wait! Thes!¡± I said and quickly got out. I even left the food I bought because I hurriedly followed Thes.

    As I walked, I looked around. The ce was so beautiful! There were many flowers, and there were also a lot of lights! They werenterns that brought light to see the beautiful trees. They were light curtains. I couldn¡¯t exin the beauty of the ce.

    ¡°Thes¡­¡±

    My friend disappeared from my sight, so I followed the light in front of me. There were also red roses on the side.

    ¡°So beautiful¡­¡±

    I just looked at the sides, at the lights while walking. I couldn¡¯t wipe the smile off my face. The flowers are wonderful, the lights are magnificent! As I walked, I saw something at the end where the lights I was following led.

    I covered my mouth when I saw who it was.

    ¡°O-Oh God¡­¡±

    I can¡¯t believe this.

    Rozzean is looking at me. He¡¯s smiling¡­ He¡¯s holding a bouquet of red roses!

 The Proposal

    I paused for a moment, my heart pounding rapidly as I gazed at him. My eyes watered. My chest rose and fell, and my hands felt cold. He stood beneath arge tree with many lights above it.

    As I realized where we were, my eyes widened.

    We are on a mountain! Behind him were brightly lit houses, cars, and lights on buildings. It¡¯s beautiful!

    ¡°Walk, Tangi!¡±

    I heard Thes¡¯ voice. I looked for her and saw her on the side. My lips parted when I saw who was with her.

    ¡°M-Mommy¡­ D-Daddy¡­¡±

    Aunt Cynthia, Uncle Royce, Luther, and Taki were with her. My Mom and Dad and also my brothers, their wives, and their children. T-They¡¯re all here! They¡¯replete!

    When I redirected my gaze to Rozzean, I walked again. When I got closer to him, I lightly hit his chest.

    ¡°I thought you were busy! You¡¯re not answering my calls and messages!¡± I said to him.

    He handed me the bouquet of red roses and kissed my forehead and lips.

    ¡°I was busy, baby¡­ I was so busy preparing all of this.¡±

    I moved closer and hugged him tight. When I pulled away from Rozzean, I caressed his cheeks.

    ¡°I am sorry if I made you worried. Thes was part of this n. I am thankful that you didn¡¯t notice that we were nning something, baby.¡±

    I shook my head and briefly looked at Thes. She¡¯s smiling widely. She even gave me a thumbs up. So that¡¯s why she had so many stories and said we should stay at Pic Grove for thirty more minutes earlier. That¡¯s why she kept ncing at her cellphone.

    ¡°Good thing she didn¡¯t slip up and mention this!¡± I said.

    Rozzean stepped back from me as I continued to gaze at him.

    ¡°I lied to you when I said that I am busy at mypany. I am sorry, baby. The whole day I was busy preparing for tonight with the help of my brother and Thes, who was with you.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    I just looked at him while he spoke. I could see the love in his eyes as he looked at me. I really thought he was busy at hispany today, but they are good at acting!

    ¡°I wanted to do this properly because you deserve this.¡±

    ¡°I wanted our family to witness how much I love you, Thaliana.¡±

    My tears fell, and I couldn¡¯t help but smile as I saw Rozzean slowly kneel in front of me. I wiped away the tears that escaped. I thought this would just be a dinner for us with our family.

    ¡°Baby¡­ you bring out something that I didn¡¯t know existed inside of me. You are the only one who understands me even more than myself. That night when I got sick, and you took care of me, the moment I saw your round eyes, I knew that I would be damned.¡±

    I bit my lower lip. That was my first day in his house as Tali-his maid. It was also the night when I forgot to attach my mole and caused the mole saga in his house.

    ¡°Before, I was a man who only woke up to do the same thing I did yesterday. I am not getting excited about the things that maye until you came into my house as Tali. I wanted to wake up every morning and look at the CCTV to see what you are doing. My weird maid. The maid who always talks back to me. The maid who has a mole that moves on its own.¡±

    Amidst my tears, Iughed at what he said. My mole, which I thought would get me into trouble back then.

    ¡°We had a rollercoaster love story when you told me the truth. That there¡¯s no Tali D Cruz and you are Thaliana who pretended as Tali. We hurt each other, but that made my love for you even stronger. I realized that I cannot live without you-not as Tali but as you¡­ Thaliana. I regret that I let my anger take over me. Our time to be happy together was wasted because of what happened, but I am so happy that we are now back in each other¡¯s arms.¡±

    I looked at his hand as he slowly opened the red box he was holding. My tears kept falling without stopping. We are getting married, he knows my answer, but he still did this for me.

    ¡°Thaliana, when I imagine the future, I see you. I want you to be my wife and the mother of our children. I want to spend most of my time with you, waking up beside you every morning. I love you so much, baby, so much¡­¡±

    My hands were shaking as I held the bouquet of red roses he gave me. I nced at my parents. My dad wiped his tears, my mom and Aunt Cynthia were crying while holding hands. Thes and Luther were smiling. I also looked at my brothers. Grecion had his back turned, Griz and Grand were looking in a different direction. It seemed like they were teasing each other with their wives.

    When I faced Rozzean, I saw the ring in the box. The same ring he gave me before!

    He still had it!

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    He smiled at me.

    I groaned when Rozzean started singing ¡°Grow Old with You.¡± He sang while looking at me.

    After the song, he bit his lower lip. He didn¡¯t take his eyes off me.

    ¡°Thaliana Tangi D Vezca¡­¡±

    Tears escaped my lips as I stared directly into Rozzean¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Will you marry me?¡±

    I walked towards him and ced my hand on his cheek as he knelt in front of me.

    I bent down and kissed him on the lips. ¡°I love you. I love you so much,¡± I said.

    When I pulled away, I nodded.

    ¡°Yes, yes, baby¡­ I will. I will marry you!¡±

    Rozzean took off the ring from the box and put it on my ring finger. He didn¡¯t immediately stand up; he was looking at my finger where the ring was. After a few seconds, he bowed and kissed the top of my hand.

    When he stood up, he hugged me tightly.

    ¡°Thank you¡­ thank you so much! I love you, baby!¡±

    He already knew my answer, but I didn¡¯t expect this happiness from him after my response. I hugged him tightly in return. We swayed, and I heard him whispering in my ear while tightly embracing me.

    ¡°Can we celebrateter? At home? Hmm?¡±

    I yfully hit his arm whileughing.

    ¡°Oh¡­ damn, if only I could pull the day forward so that you can marry me tomorrow.¡±

    When Rozzean let go of me, he gave me a deep kiss. That kiss was interrupted by apuse from the side. After that, our family approached us and congratted us. Rozzean hugged my siblings, and even though Kuya Grecion initially gave him a stern look, in the end, he shook hands and hugged him too. Rozzean even got a pat on the back.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat now! The little ones are hungry!¡± Aunt Cynthia said.

    Rozzean and I walked hand in hand into the venue, but when Taki ran to us and hugged my leg, I let go of Rozzean¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Mommy¡­¡±

    Rozzean and I exchanged nces. I handed him the flowers I was holding and picked up Taki. He nestled on my shoulder and hugged me.

    ¡°He misses you. Mama said he always looks for you. It¡¯s a bit heartbreaking, I used to be the one he always looked for.¡±

    I smiled at what Rozzean said. He kissed Taki on the forehead after saying that.

    ¡°I told you, right? I will get your mommy back,¡± Rozzean said, looking at Taki. He raised his clenched hand and bumped fists with Taki. I smiled as they fist-bumped.

    ¡°Yes¡­ Thank you for bringing Mommy back to us, Daddy.¡±

    I bit my lower lip when I heard what Taki said. Rozzean and I locked eyes. He kissed me on the forehead.

    ¡°I love you, baby¡­¡±

    I kissed him on the lips.

    ¡°I love you, too.¡±

 Good News!

    The wedding date was changed, and Rozzean¡¯s wish for the wedding to happen this month came true. It will be on May 14. Rozzean told me that I don¡¯t have to do anything except wait for our wedding day because he¡¯ll take care of everything. I went back to my house for a while because it¡¯s not allowed for the soon-to-be-married couple to see each other.

    Superstition.

    ¡°I really crave ice cream.¡±

    Thes looked at me when I said that. She¡¯s mypanion in my room. I¡¯m getting ready because we n to go to the mall. I also messaged Rozzean that we¡¯ll just kill time there. I¡¯m getting impatient staying at home. I¡¯m on vacation from Tinatangi for now.

    ¡°Let¡¯s buyter-¡±

    ¡°The chocte one, right? Suddenly, I¡¯m craving for that.¡±

    I feel like my throat is getting dry, and my tongue is specifically looking for chocte. So after I finished getting ready, Thes and I immediately left. I didn¡¯t wait to reach the mall to buy chocte ice cream because I stopped at a nearby convenience store.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want chocte, Tangi, and you bought a lot,¡± Thes told me when I returned to the car.

    I raised my eyebrows at what she said and pouted.

    ¡°I¡¯m not giving you any; these are just for me.¡±

    ¡°Haaa, oh my gosh, you¡¯re really something else! But seriously, that¡¯s huge! It¡¯s a half-liter!¡± she eximed.

    I just ignored Thes and opened the chocte-vored ice cream I bought from the convenience store. While we were in the car, Thes kept ncing at me. I also noticed her sighing several times. I just continued eating, and when I finished the ice cream, I winced.

    ¡°Oh, shoot.¡±

    ¡°Not enough.¡±

    Thes gasped beside me.

    ¡°Tangi, are you craving weird stuff?¡±

    Her words caught me off guard.

    ¡°Seriously? You¡¯re craving weird stuff, right? The way you looked at me when I said I don¡¯t want chocte. It¡¯s like you thought I¡¯d snatch it from you even though I said I don¡¯t want it. And you ate so much of it. Half a liter, and it¡¯s still not enough? Have you taken a pregnancy test?¡±

    Gosh¡­ I forgot to do that! I don¡¯t feel anything different, though. Everything seems normal. I¡¯m just craving this kind of food now.

    ¡°Not yet¡­¡±

    Thes held her head.

    ¡°Let¡¯s buy pregnancy test kits; there¡¯s something off with how you¡¯re acting.¡±

    After getting off her car, we headed to the drugstore. We bought four pregnancy test kits. We decided not to go to the mall anymore and just returned to my house.

    ¡°Go, Tangi! Hurry up!¡±

    We were in my room, and Thes sat on my bed.

    ¡°I¡¯m nervous.¡±

    ¡°I am 101% sure that you are pregnant! Come on! You¡¯ve got four tests; use them all to be sure!¡±

    I nodded and headed to my bathroom. I peed and opened the four pregnancy test kits, cing my urine on each one. I am so nervous! I closed my eyes and turned away from the kits. My hands were trembling.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t felt any morning sickness, dizziness, or those things pregnant women usually feel.¡±

    Suddenly, I remembered Rozzean¡­ he really wanted to have a baby! And of course, I wanted that too!

    When I faced the kits, I approached them and looked at each one.

    ¡°Positive¡­¡± I gasped when I saw one test kit showing a positive result.

    ¡°Positive¡­¡±

    ¡°P-Positive¡­ positive! Aaaahhh!!!¡±

    I screamed and grabbed all the test kits, then went to Thes. Her eyes widened as she stood and looked at me.

    ¡°All positive!¡± I shouted and showed them to Thes.

    ¡°Oh em gee!! You¡¯re going to be a mother! Wow!¡± Thes eximed and held my hand.

    In joy, I jumped, and Thes did the same. We twirled around while jumping.

    ¡°Wait! No jumping! Pregnant!¡± Thes reminded us, so instead, we walked hand in hand while twirling.

    ¡°Gosh, I am so excited! You¡¯re going to be a mom, Tangi!¡± Thes said to me.

    I was teary-eyed, suddenly remembering Rozzean. I sat on my bed and grabbed my cellphone.

    ¡°I need to tell this to Rozzean. I need toe to him¡­¡±

    My hands were shaking as I typed the message. It was 11 am. Rozzean was already at thepany. I wanted to tell him in person. I would go to his house now.

    ¡°I¡¯ll drive you!¡± Thes said, standing beside me.

    I asked Rozzean what time he would being home. He didn¡¯t reply, but my phone rang, and I saw that he was calling.

    ¡°Baby? Why?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ I wanted to talk. I¡¯ll be going to your house now¡­ Thes will drive.¡±

    ¡°Hmm? My baby seems to miss me.¡±

    I chuckled.

    ¡°Maybe you miss me more? Anyway, maybe we¡¯ll be there by 2:00 pm. Bye!¡±

    ¡°Thaliana-¡±

    I immediately ended the call. When I looked at Thes, she had a broad smile on her face. I looked at the pregnancy test kits in my hand.

    ¡°I am so happy, Thes. I¡¯m happy and nervous¡­ There¡¯s a life¡­ here,¡± I said, cing my hand on my stomach.

    ¡°I am so happy also, Thaliana¡­ so happy!¡±

    We went to Rozzean¡¯s house. I couldn¡¯t wait to share this wonderful news with him. Also, I wanted to go to the doctor for a checkup. I wanted to know how far along I was in the pregnancy. I needed to ensure that our baby was safe and healthy.

    When we arrived at the house, I was surprised to see Luther.

    ¡°Oh, Thaliana, you are here,¡± he said to me.

    ¡°Luther? What are you doing here?¡±

    Instead of answering my question, he looked at Thes, who had just entered behind me. I saw a smile on Luther¡¯s face.

    ¡°Hey! What are you doing here?!¡±

    I kept ncing between Luther and Thes because of my friend¡¯s shouting. Wait, is there a problem between them?

    ¡°My brother said that you areing here with Thaliana, so I came to check. Luckily, I was nearby.¡±

    Luther approached Thes, and my eyebrows furrowed when I saw him holding Thes by the arm. My friend looked at me as if asking for help.

    Are they this close with each other? Since when?

    ¡°T-Thaliana-¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, and we will talk, Catalina.¡±

    Thes clung to the side of the sofa, causing it to move, and she got dragged along.

    ¡°N-No! I don¡¯t want to! Your face is scary! W-what is it! Let go of me! What, Luther Rico! Raaape! This is raaape!¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help butugh when I heard Thes screaming.

    ¡°Rape! Oh my gosh! Tangi! Help me!¡±

    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be here if you didn¡¯t keep avoiding me,¡± Luther said.

    I smirked while watching the two of them pulling each other. I wondered what was going on between them and why Thes was avoiding Luther.

    ¡°Go and talk, guys, it seems like you have serious matters to discuss,¡± I said, and Thes kept shaking her head.

    ¡°N-No! Tangiii! This man will devour me! Help me!¡±

    Thest time I heard those words, it involved different kinds of food.

    When Luther sessfully brought Thes out, Rozzean entered. He looked back and nced at Luther, who was pulling Thes, struggling to break free. It seemed like Rozzean had taken half a day off from work because he knew I wasing over.

    ¡°What happened to them, baby?¡±

    He kissed my lips and put down his suitcase on the sofa. He also took off his coat.

    ¡°I think they need to settle some things between them.¡±

    Rozzean took my hand, and we went up the stairs. I knew what he wanted when he did this.

    ¡°We also have something to talk about,¡± I said.

    When we reached his room, he closed the door and smiled at me.

    ¡°I miss you¡­¡±

    Rozzean¡¯s lips descended onto mine, kissing me deeply. My hands gripped his nape as I responded to every movement of his lips.

    ¡°We¡¯re supposed to talk, right?¡± I said as he seated me on his bed.

    He was unbuttoning his pants.

    ¡°We can talkter¡­ but this can¡¯t wait.¡±

    I bit my lower lip when he removed his shirt. His pants were now open, but he didn¡¯t take them offpletely. Rozzean approached me. He crawled while I moved backward on his bed. When he pulled my hand andid on top of me, I felt a sense of anticipation.

    He removed my top, and I took off my bottom. I stood naked in front of him as he began to massage my breasts. I squirmed and moaned as I felt the warmth of his palms on my chest.

    ¡°Oohh¡­¡±

    Rozzean put one of my nipples into his mouth. His tongue moved skillfully, ying with the top of my breast. His mouth moved around, exploring my breasts. When his kisses descended to my belly, I arched my back.

    ¡°Uhhmm¡­ Rozzean¡­¡±

    He parted my legs, and I leaned back against the headboard, watching him. When our eyes met, he smiled at me.

    ¡°Are you going to stay here tonight?¡± he asked.

    Rozzean licked my center. My lips parted as a reaction to what he was doing. Biting my lips, I watched him as he continued to lick my core. He held both of my thighs, caressing them up and down while his lips and tongue moved in my middle.

    ¡°O-Ohhh¡­ ohhh yes¡­ m-more, baby¡­¡±

    The warmth in my body increased as his tongue moved faster. One of my hands gripped his head, and the other clutched the bedsheet because of the sensation I was feeling.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­ ahhh! ahhh¡­ s-so good¡­¡±

    When he stopped, I saw him take off his pants. I swallowed hard when I saw his manhood. I had seen it several times before, but why did it seemrger and longer now, focused on me?

    ¡°Ahh¡­ I miss this,¡± he said to me.

    His fingers touched my womanhood, and our eyes locked. When he pulled my legs, Iy back again. He climbed on top of me and kissed me deeply.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± I moaned between our kisses when he rubbed his manhood on my core.

    He continued doing that while kissing me passionately. My hands clung to Rozzean¡¯s back, and his hands were busy massaging my breasts.

    ¡°Ahhh sht¡­¡± I heard him curse. He also sped up the rubbing of his manhood against my center.

    My thighs opened wider. I wrapped my legs around his back as he moved on top of me. We didn¡¯t stop kissing. I was drowning in the way his lips moved and the way he sucked my tongue.

    He sucked my tongue so damn good. He bit my lips hard. I was gasping for breath, and every time I tried to part my lips to catch some air, he pursued to kiss me again.

    ¡°Ahhh!¡± a loud moan escaped my mouth when I felt Rozzean¡¯s fingers rapidly ying with my center. His fingers were ying with my cl*t, driving me insane.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­ ahmm¡­ ohhhh¡­¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    The reason I came here was not to moan. Damn!

    ¡°Y-Yes, baby¡­ j-just like that¡­¡±

    As Rozzean slowly entered me, I clung to him tightly. Damn. Why did it feel like he got even bigger?

    ¡°Thaliana¡­¡±

    He thrust in and out slowly. I gradually felt the pleasure building up as he continued his rhythmic movements. My lips parted as Rozzean focused on my breasts.

    His mouth continued to y with my nipples.

    ¡°A-Ahhh! h-harder¡­ please¡­ ohhh¡­¡±

    As he quickened his pace, Rozzean lifted me, raising my two legs. We locked eyes. His lips were apart, and his gaze was intensely fixed on me.

    ¡°Ohh¡­ Thaliana¡­¡±

    He leaned down, reaching for my lips while rapidly thrusting in and out. I clung to the bedsheet because of the speed of his movements. I felt like I was going crazy with what he was doing. Beforeing here with Thes, I knew this could happen, but not this soon!

    ¡°Ahhh¡­ ahmm, still so tight, I¡¯ve done this multiple times¡­ ahhhh, you still feel so good. So tight¡­¡±

    Rozzean shifted to my back without removing himself. He moved in and out again. I gripped his hand at my waist as he continued his motions on my back. He wasn¡¯t satisfied with that. Heid me down, swiftly thrusting in and out.

    ¡°Ohh! ohhh! Rozzean!¡± I moaned in pleasure from the sensations he was giving me.

    I could feel his intensity with every movement. I didn¡¯t know where to turn my head because of the pleasure overwhelming me.

    ¡°Ahhh!¡±

    I was close to reach the climax.

    ¡°Yes? hmmm¡­ yes, baby?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­ ahhh Rozzean¡­¡±

    As I reached my peak, he lifted me and walked. My back was against the wall, and he started moving in and out again.

    He¡¯s really insatiable!

    ¡°Ohhh¡­ Thaliana¡­ hmmm¡­¡±

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­ w-we need to talk¡­ ahhhh¡­¡±

    His face was against my neck, kissing downwards to my chest.

    ¡°T-Talk? ahhh yes¡­ ahhh fck¡­ so tight.¡±

    As he quickened his pace, I was sure he was close. I clenched around him, and I heard Rozzean cursing.

    ¡°Ohhh fck, baby¡­ ahhh¡­ you¡¯re driving me crazy.¡±

    ¡°Ahhh! ahhh!¡± I couldn¡¯t help but scream at the speed of his thrusts. When I felt him release inside me, I took a deep breath.

    Rozzean walked and then put me on the bed. I thought it was over, but I was surprised when he suddenly sucked on the top of one of my breasts. I pped his shoulder, making him look at me.

    ¡°S-Stop! we are going to talk now!¡±

    ¡°I want more¡­¡±

    ¡°My buddy is still alive¡­¡±

    I looked down at him and squinted when I saw that he was indeed still active. I smacked it lightly. I didn¡¯t know if it was safe to do this! What if we were not allowed to engage in intimate activities anymore?

    ¡°Does that thing get even bigger?!¡± I asked, pointing to it. Rozzean also nced down at it.

    ¡°Can you make it smaller before we proceed?¡± I scowled, worried that it might be harmful to our baby, and who knows what else could happen.

    ¡°B-Baby¡­ how am I supposed to make it smaller?¡±

 He Fainted!

    I kicked him lightly and turned my back to him, covering myself with the nket.

    ¡°That¡¯s your problem! And if that doesn¡¯t get little, I won¡¯t agree to make love with you!¡±

    I saw from the corner of my eye that Rozzean scratched his head. He slowly moved closer to me and slid under the nket. I could feel his firmness against my back, poking me.

    ¡°Rozzean,¡± I warned in my tone.

    ¡°Baby, it won¡¯t get little anymore. Besides, isn¡¯t it good to feel me inside? The longer, the better¡­¡± he whispered. His hand glided over my breast, massaging it.

    His lips were on my neck, giving it soft kisses. When I faced him, I gasped as he lifted me and seated me on top of him. I moaned when I felt him move.

    ¡°Rozzean!¡± I eximed, pping his chest. I heard a heartyugh.

    ¡°Sorry, Thaliana, I can¡¯t make it smaller. This is my size, and I¡¯m proud.¡±

    I averted my gaze from him.

    ¡°It might reach and poke our baby, so no more¨C¡±

    ¡°W-What? Poke the?¡±

    Rozzean turned me to face him. I saw the surprise on his face. I cleared my throat and got off him. I reached for my pants on the side. Fumbling through the pocket, I pulled out a pregnancy test kit.

    I went back to Rozzean and presented it to him.

    ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡±

    ¡°We are having a baby.¡±

    I saw him swallow hard. He took the kit from me and examined it.

    ¡°Fck. Really?!¡±

    I smiled and nodded at him. His reaction was delightful. He couldn¡¯t believe he was looking at the pregnancy test kit in his hands. I held him by both cheeks, and his gaze lingered on me.

    ¡°I used four pregnancy test kits. All positive. We are pregnant, Rozzean. We are having a baby.¡±

    It was a special moment. I didn¡¯t expect him to cry in front of me.

    ¡°You are amazing¡­ so amazing, baby,¡± he said and kissed my forehead. He hugged me tightly.

    I heard him sobbing. I knew he wanted a baby, but I didn¡¯t anticipate this level of emotion. I stroked his back, and my hand reached his head, running my fingers through his hair.

    ¡°Thank you¡­ thank you so much, Thaliana. This is the best wedding gift for us. Thank you, baby. I-I don¡¯t know how to express how happy I am. There are no right words for what I feel right now. I am so happy¡­ extremely happy.¡±

    After Rozzean found out I was pregnant, we decided to go for a check-up the next day. He couldn¡¯t wait. He suggested going yesterday, but I asked to wait until today to prepare.

    ¡°Oh? Where are you guys going?¡± It was Luther. I shifted my gaze, looking for Thes. She spent the night here too.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Thes?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s in the kitchen. I told her to cook breakfast for me-oh, she¡¯s here.¡±

    I looked at Thes, who was carrying hotdogs.

    ¡°Here it is!¡± my friend shouted and ced four hotdogs in front of Luther.

    Luther pierced one hotdog and happily bit into it while looking at Thes. My friend gave Luther a stern look. She walked over, took a hotdog, and I chuckled at the way she ate it. She licked the tip and slowly took it in.

    ¡°Mmm¡­ delicious,¡± Thes said, making Luther suddenly choke.

    He quickly stood up and went to the kitchen.

    ¡°Annoying ass!¡± Thes said as she sat on the sofa.

    ¡°Are they fighting?¡±

    I nced at Rozzean. I shrugged at him because I also didn¡¯t know what happened between them.

    ¡°Thes, we are going for a check-up. Are youing?¡± Rozzean approached her.

    ¡°What? Now? Yes, I¡¯ming!¡±

    ¡°Who is getting a check-up?¡± Luther asked upon returning.

    ¡°Thaliana is pregnant.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Congrats! I¡¯ll go with you guys!¡±

    And that¡¯s what happened. We used just one car for the four of us. I peeked at the two in the back. There was a lot of space between them, and it seemed like Thes was avoiding contact with Luther.

    I wonder what happened between them and how they met. I can¡¯t recall mentioning Luther to Thes. It¡¯s the same with my friend. Now, when they talk, it¡¯s like something¡¯s different.

    ¡°Good afternoon, Mr. Valleje. Dr. Trezzio will be here in a moment.¡±

    I tightly held Rozzean¡¯s hand. He seemed to know where we were going right away.

    ¡°This is Ferline¡¯s clinic, baby. She¡¯s an ob-gyn, and she¡¯s our cousin.¡±

    Ohhh¡­

    ¡°Hey! Rozz! Luther!¡±

    We stood up when their cousin arrived. She¡¯s a beautiful doctor with hair neatly tied on both sides, and she¡¯s also wearing sses.

    ¡°Who¡¯s getting a check-up? Your wife, Luther?¡± she asked, looking at Thes and checking her pulse.

    ¡°Come on, Mrs.¡±

    I almostughed seeing my friend¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°Oh, no! I-I¡¯m not! And he¡¯s not my husband!¡± Thes replied, pointing to Luther, who just grinned on the side.

    ¡°Answer, you ass!¡± Thes whispered to Luther.

    I shook my head at the two of them. Rozzean stepped forward and talked to his cousin.

    ¡°My wife here, Ferline. She¡¯s the one getting a check-up. She did a pregnancy test yesterday, and it¡¯s positive.¡±

    ¡°Ohh, okay,e on!¡±

    Rozzean and I followed his cousin. When I felt Rozzean¡¯s grip on me tighten, I looked up at him.

    ¡°Why? Is there a problem?¡±

    He shook his head and brought my hand to his lips.

    ¡°I am just nervous, baby¡­ I hope our child is healthy.¡±

    I smiled at what he said. He seemed more anxious than us, even though I¡¯m the one being checked.

    When we reached the room for the test, Rozzean¡¯s cousin handed me another pregnancy test kit. When it showed positive again, I gave it to her. She did some tests, instructed me to lie down on the bed, and I changed into a patient gown.

    I looked around the room. There was equipment on the side. If I was just nervous before, now I was extremely anxious.

    Rozzean was beside me, holding my hand while Ferline applied cream. When she finished, I felt her pointing something on my stomach downwards. She was looking at the monitor beside me.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡±

    ¡°Based on the ultrasound, you are 6 weeks pregnant.¡±

    6 weeks?! 6 weeks and I didn¡¯t feel a thing?! Why am I not having morning sickness?

    ¡°6 weeks already? B-but I haven¡¯t felt anything,¡± I said, looking at Rozzean, who also seemed surprised.

    6 weeks¡­ darn. So we might have conceived even beforeing to Rozzean¡¯s house!

    ¡°It¡¯s normal, Mrs. Valleje. It¡¯s good that you decided to take a pregnancy test because your babies are quiet,¡± Ferline reassured.

    My forehead wrinkled, and my lips parted in surprise at what she said.

    ¡°W-What? Come again, Ferline? T-Twins?¡± Rozzean, looking equally surprised, stammered.

    ¡°Yes! You are having twins!¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    I tightly gripped Rozzean¡¯s hand and turned to him upon hearing Ferline¡¯s announcement. I couldn¡¯t exin the joy I felt. Two¡­ I have two in my womb.

    ¡°Great job, cousin. Twins right away, huh?¡± Ferline teased Rozzean with a wide grin.

    ¡°W-What do we need to do? What¡¯s not allowed for her? What does she need to take to keep our babies healthy? What should I do?¡± Rozzean asked. I felt the chill in his hand, but with his questions, I knew he was excited.

    But Ferline didn¡¯t answer. She continued to stare at the monitor while moving the transducer she was holding.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    ¡°Uh, why?¡± I asked.

    She looked at me.

    ¡°I need to make sure of this,¡± she said and adjusted the transducer.

    ¡°Ohh!¡±

    Ferline quickly turned to me and Rozzean.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I made a mistake. You¡¯re not having twins.¡±

    Rozzean looked at me, his face saddened. I shook my head at him and smiled.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, as long as this one is healthy, that¡¯s what matters, right?¡± I reassured him.

    ¡°No¡­ no¡­¡±

    I returned my gaze, along with Rozzean¡¯s, to Ferline, who was still looking at the monitor because of what she said.

    ¡°I am sorry, you are not going to have twins, but you both will have triplets! Congrats! OMG!¡±

    ¡°T-Triplets,¡± Rozzean said.

    I happily smiled and turned to him, but my smile faded when I saw his face suddenly drained of color.

    ¡°Rozzean, we are having-¡± I stopped when I felt him release his grip on me and lose consciousness.

    ¡°Sht. Rozzean!¡± I shouted. I quickly got up and grabbed his hand.

    ¡°Rozzean! Baby!¡±

    ¡°Oh! Cousin!¡± Ferline screamed, letting go of the transducer.

    ¡°What?! What happened?!¡± Luther and Thes shouted as they just entered the room. It seemed like they heard our cries.

    ¡°What happened, guys?!¡±

    The three of us looked at each other, then Luther¡¯s gaze dropped, and he winced at what he saw.

    ¡°H-He fainted¡­¡± I said, looking at Rozzean lying on the floor unconscious.

 Blissfulbond

    Rozzean and I decided to keep my pregnancy a secret until after we get married. We also asked Luther, Thes, and Ferline not to tell anyone for now. We wanted to share the news with our families after the wedding and surprise everyone with the fact that we were expecting triplets.

    The day we found out we were having three children was unforgettable, mostly because my husband fainted. I was worried about what happened to him, but when he woke up, I could hardly breathe fromughing.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    He was so embarrassed. Luther, Ferline, and my best friend Thes were allughing too. Even I couldn¡¯t help butugh. I felt sorry for him, so I stoppedughing when he hugged me, burying his head in my neck.

    Rozzean kept cursing and saying he was just so happy. He fainted from pure joy upon learning that we were having triplets.

    His sibling didn¡¯t let it go. Luther teased him about it all the time. I¡¯m sure they continue to tease him whenever they¡¯re together.

    ¡°Beautiful!¡±

    I smiled at my hair stylist when I heard herpliment.

    Today is the day! One of the most important days for us-our wedding. Rozzean asked me for the theme, and I chose red velvet. Red, the color of love.

    I looked at myself in the mirror, observing my reflection. I stood there, gazing at my wedding gown, satisfied with my makeup, and feeling ready for the day.

    While looking at myself in the mirror, I ced my hand on my belly. My babies¡­ Mommy is getting married to Daddy today. Thank you for being healthy. I¡¯m also grateful for holding on tight, my little ones.

    I was scared when I found out from Ferline that I was already six weeks pregnant. I am just so thankful that we are fine. My babies are fine because what I went through before leaving Rozzean¡¯s house as Tali was not easy.

    After we found out that I was expecting triplets, Rozzean became incredibly caring. Even though I am now at my parents¡¯ house, he visits me regrly to check on me. I¡¯ve told him many times that I am okay and will be okay. Just yesterday, he was here and scolded by his mother because we¡¯re not allowed to see each other anymore, and we¡¯re getting married.

    He¡¯s stubborn, but I understand him.

    ¡°You can go out now.¡±

    I turned to the one who spoke. She was the one who fixed me up.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied.

    When the door opened, Thes walked in. She¡¯s also ready. She looks absolutely stunning in her red velvet gown. She¡¯s my maid of honor.

    ¡°Rozzean might be bursting with nerves there, Tangi. Let¡¯s gooo,¡± Thes said, giving me a big smile.

    ¡°As if I wouldn¡¯t make it on time for him,¡± I replied.

    A few secondster, Mom entered the room. She stopped in front of the door and didn¡¯te closer to me. When I faced her, I saw tears welling up in her eyes. I approached her and hugged her.

    ¡°Mom¡­¡±

    She caressed my back. I felt the slight shaking of her shoulders. Luckily, waterproof makeup was invented, so even if we cry now, our makeup won¡¯t be a mess.

    ¡°My baby¡­ I¡¯m so happy for you, sweetheart. Even though you¡¯re married to Rozzean, make sure to still visit us, okay? Like what you usually do when you were living alone. I¡¯ll be upset if you don¡¯t.¡±

    I nodded at my mother and kissed her on the cheek.

    ¡°I will visit you, Mommy, and Dad. Oh, by the way, where¡¯s Daddy?¡± I asked.

    He wasn¡¯t in my room, and my siblings didn¡¯t knock to visit me either. Curious, I looked around my spacious room.

    ¡°Oh, they¡¯re waiting, on the stairs. Come on?¡±

    I took Mommy¡¯s hand, and she held it tightly. I know my hands are cold. I¡¯m nervous too! I nced at Thes, and she followed Mommy and me.

    We walked out of the room. When my mother let go of my hand, she gestured for me to stand at the end of the stairs. I went there as she wanted me to. A few momentster, I saw my siblings and Daddy.

    I looked up at them.

    They looked very handsome in their ck tuxedos. They lined up while looking at me below. I saw my brother Griz smiling at me, Daddy too, and even Grand. But Grecion was looking away with a frown, and I noticed his swollen eyes.

    Did he cry?

    ¡°You can still back out,¡± Grecion said to me, making meugh.

    These were the ones who kept telling me to get married before. And now that I¡¯m about to get married, it seems like they don¡¯t want it anymore? Especially Grecion! He¡¯s the most annoying among all my siblings!

    ¡°You are so beautiful, honey,¡± my Dad said and blew me a kiss.

    ¡°Daddy¡­¡± I said.

    They all descended and approached me. I didn¡¯t want to cry in front of them, but when I saw my brothers and my father crying, I couldn¡¯t help but cry with them.

    ¡°Our little princess found her prince,¡± Griz said. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at his words. He approached me and hugged me tightly.

    ¡°I love you, Tangi. I loves you so much,¡± he said.

    ¡°I love you too, Griz. Thank you¡­¡±

    He stepped back, and the next one to embrace me was Grand. He kissed my forehead before hugging me tightly, his hand gently rubbing my back.

    ¡°We are still going to watch you even if you have your own family. You will forever be our little star, little savior, and our little princess. I love you, Tangi,¡± he said.

    They used to call me their little star when we were kids. They said I brought light to our home. I always made themugh, especially when Griz was scolded or spanked by Dad for being naughty. I was the one who softened Dad¡¯s heart when I spoke because they knew that when I talked, our father¡¯s anger would subside.

    ¡°Thank you, Grand. I love you too¡­¡± I said and kissed him on his cheek.

    When I looked at my Dad, I opened my arms, and he smiled at me. He walked towards me and hugged me tightly. I felt his kiss on my head.

    ¡°My youngest¡­ is getting married.¡±

    This is all because of my father. How I met Rozzean-an amazing and wonderful man. I am fortunate that the two men in my life love me so much.

    ¡°Daddy¡­ Thank you for choosing the better man for me. Thank you so much¡­ I love you, my Daddy.¡±

    I heard him sniffle. When he pulled away, I wiped the tears from his cheeks.

    ¡°I love you too, Tangi. I love you. I am so happy, sweetheart. I¡¯m incredibly happy for you and Rozzean,¡± he said and hugged me tight again. As my Dad stepped back, I looked at my brother with the serious expression, Kuya Grecion.

    He didn¡¯te closer to me, so I went to him instead. I hugged him tightly. I felt Grecion hug me back. I heard him sniffle, and I felt the slight shaking of his shoulders.

    I patted his back.

    ¡°Brother¡­¡±

    ¡°We used to want you to get married, but now that you¡¯re getting married, it¡¯s like we don¡¯t want it anymore. Our little Tangi will be far away.¡±

    I bit my lower lip at his words. Time really flies; it feels like just yesterday we were all kids, and now we each have our own families.

    ¡°Grecion, we could still see each other,e on! Rozzean won¡¯t kidnap me,¡± I told him. The way he spoke, you¡¯d think we won¡¯t ever see each other again. That might be why he¡¯s crying like this.

    When Grecion pulled away, he held my face in his hands.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just normal for older brothers. You¡¯re our only sister, and it¡¯s hard for us to be far from you. But if Rozzean hurts you, just tell us. We have an agreement with Dad, and those multiple punches in the offi¨C¡±

    ¡°Borther!¡±

    I pped him on the shoulder, and everyoneughed.

    ¡°Grecion, Rozzean is scared of Tangi, so he won¡¯t misbehave!¡± Thes shouted.

    ¡°But, Tangi,¡± he said, holding my hands tightly.

    ¡°Married life isn¡¯t easy, but I know you and Rozzean can handle it. I know that he will take care of you. We saw how he endured, how he looked at you from afar while waiting for the time when he could approach you and talk to you. That man¡­ he loves you so much, Tangi.¡±

    Tears fell from my eyes because of what Grecion said.

    ¡°Love each other, and if you encounter any problems, just call us, your siblings.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, thank you so much!¡± I said, patting his back. He hugged me tightly again.

    ¡°I love you, Tangi, I love you¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be stubborn, okay? Be a good wife,¡± he said, and I nodded. There seemed to be meaning behind his words about being a good wife.

    When Grecion stepped away from me, I looked at the important men in my life. They were all wiping their tears. I turned to Mommy, Thes, and the wives of my brothers, along with their children.

    We are all crying.

    ¡°If you encounter any problems, report Rozzean to us immediately. We¡¯ll handle it, we¡¯ll give him a beating,¡± Grand said.

    Iughed again.

    I nced at Daddy and my siblings. They were now smiling at me. When the photographer entered, we lined up for a family photo. My siblings¡¯ eyes were red. It will surely be noticeable in the picture!

    ¡°My tough guys are actually crybabies!¡± Mommy teased.

    The wives of my brothersughed at thement. Meanwhile, my brothers just grinned.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go?¡± Daddy said, extending his hand.

    ¡°Rozzean might get nervous if we¡¯rete.¡±

    I nodded at Daddy and took his arm.

    It wasn¡¯t the kind of love I thought would happen, especially for someone like me who never thought about marriage. Because of my decision to pretend to be a maid to find out Rozzean Cyron Valleje¡¯s bad behavior, everything ended up leading to a wedding.

    When we arrived at the church, I was left inside the car, and my parents went ahead. When I heard a knock on the car window, I saw Thes. I opened the door, and she entered.

    ¡°Tangi, wow, I can¡¯t believe it. It¡¯s really a wedding, so many people!¡± she eximed.

    She witnessed how I was hurt because of my rtionship with Rozzean. She also gave me a lot of advice on what I should do when Rozzean and I were going through rough times, but I didn¡¯t follow them because of my overwhelming love.

    ¡°It¡¯s nerve-wracking, and it feels like we just discussed it recently, and now we¡¯re already getting married,¡± I replied to her.

    I didn¡¯t pay much attention to our wedding. Rozzean took care of everything. He just asked me about the theme I wanted for our wedding. He also inquired about the flowers I wanted for the church and the reception.

    ¡°Rozzean is afraid you might run away, but you¡¯re deeply in love!¡± Thes teased.

    Thes held my hands tightly.

    ¡°But I think this is normal. But, I¡¯m so happy, Tangi, extremely happy. You¡¯re getting married, and you and Rozzean will have three kids. It¡¯s just¡­ unbelievable.¡±

    She wiped away the tears that suddenly fell from her eyes.

    ¡°Thes¡­¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I just thought, Tangi. You¡¯ll have a family, and you¡¯ll be busy with them. I just thought, during the times when I¡¯m not okay¡­ can I still call you to talk? You know¡­¡±

    Now it was my turn to cry because of what she said. I hugged Thes and gently stroked her back. I knew what she was going through, and I understood her because I was the one she always called when she felt deep sadness.

    ¡°You are always wee to my new home, Thes. Even in our house with Rozzean. Nothing will change between us, Thes. You¡¯re still my Therese Catalina, my best friend with a foul mouth but is incredibly kind.¡±

    She lightly pped me, ¡°You¡¯re too much with your foul mouth.¡±

    We bothughed. How can I not be foul-mouthed when she keeps talking about all sorts of things rted to intimacy, and she¡¯s still a virgin?

    ¡°But, Thes, I am also praying for you. I hope a manes into your life to take care of you. Even if I¡¯m not by your side because I¡¯m busy with my own family, I feel at ease knowing that there¡¯s someone there to make sure you¡¯re okay. Don¡¯t you have any suitors?¡± I asked her.

    She¡¯s beautiful, sexy, smart, and has many businesses. She was chased by guys when we were in college, but I haven¡¯t met anyone who became her boyfriend.

    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± she rolled her eyes and looked away from me, ¡°None! Hahaha!¡±

    She forced herself tough at the end, so I raised an eyebrow. I was about to say something again, but there was another knock on the car window. I saw Maki. Thes opened the door, and she went out.

    ¡°The processional starts. Wherever you go, Therese, the organizer is dizzy looking for you,¡± Maki told my friend.

    I looked behind me, at the front of the church. The entourage was lined up. The organizer was arranging the queue of people who would walk down the aisle. The children of my siblings were part of the entourage. I found them adorable!

    ¡°Mommy¡­¡±

    When I heard that voice, my gaze returned to the open car door, and I saw Taki.

    Oh, gosh! He¡¯s so cute! He¡¯s wearing a ck tuxedo with a velvet bow tie!

    ¡°Mommy¡­¡±

    He entered the car and stood beside me.

    ¡°Hello, Taki¡­¡± I kissed him on the forehead.

    He¡¯s our ring bearer. Handsome!

    ¡°You are going to walk slowly, okay? Take your time and don¡¯t run,¡± I told him.

    ¡°Yes, Mommy.¡±

    I kissed his cheek again, and when Taki was called, Thes took him and carried him. I stayed inside the car, my hands on my chest. I was nervous! Everyone was already here, and there were so many people.

 Our Wedding Vows

    After ten minutes, I saw the organizer approaching me. I opened the car door and stepped out. Many photographers were taking pictures as I walked.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, it¡¯s your turn to enter,¡± the organizer told me.

    I nodded and thanked her. When I stood in front of the church door, I took a deep breath.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    As the door slowly opened, I tightly held my bouquet. Everyone inside the church was standing. All their attention was on me as I walked slowly.

    I looked at the aisle and saw Rozzean. He looked handsome in his ck tuxedo. He was smiling at me, biting his lower lip. I also noticed him adjusting his suit, though it seemed fine to me. Is he nervous?

    When I reached the middle, my parents greeted me, and I kissed their cheeks. My father was crying again!

    ¡°Dad¡­¡± I said.

    We continued walking down the aisle.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m just happy¡­ so happy, Tangi.¡±

    ¡°I love you, Daddy¡­¡± I said to him and looked at Mommy, ¡°I love you, Mommy, thank you so much.¡±

    As I walked slowly, I nced around the people inside the church. My employees from all branches were here too. On the left side, I also saw Manang. She was smiling at me, wiping her eyes, showing she was teary-eyed.

    Manang¡­ we¡¯ll be together again in Rozzean¡¯s house!

    I took a deep breath and looked at Rozzean. He¡¯s looking at me, apanied by his parents and Luther. Luther even patted his shoulder.

    When we reached the front, they approached us, and Rozzean greeted my parents with a traditional gesture. I, on the other hand, kissed Uncle Royce and Aunt Cynthia on their cheeks. Our parents exchanged pleasantries with a handshake. When Luther was about to kiss my cheek, Rozzean pulled him by the arm.

    ¡°Jealous,¡± Luther teased, earningughter from everyone.

    Typical!

    ¡°Rozzean,¡± my Dad said, taking my hand and raising it.

    ¡°Take care of my daughter,¡± I heard Dad¡¯s deep sigh.

    ¡°Mr. D Vezca¨C¡±

    ¡°Dad, I am your father now, Rozzean,¡± Daddy interrupted, taking Rozzean¡¯s hand to connect it with mine.

    Rozzean nodded and greeted my parents. When he faced me, I saw the triumphant smile on his face. Smooth!

    ¡°I love you¡­¡± he whispered, and then we stood in front of the priest.

    The mass began. We listened quietly to the priest. When it was time for the lighting of candles, I couldn¡¯t help but look back at our guests.

    They were all smiling, some wiping tears from their eyes as they watched Rozzean and me. I couldn¡¯t stop my tears either. Since I saw Rozzean in front of the altar, waiting for me, I¡¯ve been emotional.

    ¡°Baby¡­¡±

    I looked at him when he whispered to me. The priest was still speaking before us.

    ¡°Ferline said it¡¯s okay even if you¡¯re pregnant with triplets. And your belly won¡¯t be squished; it¡¯s in a different position.¡±

    I nearly choked on my saliva because of what he said.

    ¡°R-Rozzean, we¡¯re in the church; we can talk about thatter, right?¡± I whispered to him.

    ¡°Why? It¡¯s okay. I asked Ferline. Later, you can ask her too. We can still do it even if you¡¯re pregnant¨C¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ it seems the groom can¡¯t wait for the honeymoon.¡±

    Both Rozzean and I looked at the priest when he spoke. I felt embarrassed because it seemed like he overheard our conversation! I gave Rozzean a disapproving look, and he avoided eye contact with me. He suppressed augh.

    ¡°Father heard us! This is all your fault!¡± I whispered.

    ¡°The groom can¡¯t wait,¡± Father repeated, making everyoneugh.

    We heardughter from the audience because of the priest¡¯sment. I took a deep breath and pinched Rozzean on his side.

    ¡°Ouch¡­¡± he grunted.

    ¡°Be quiet.¡±

    He nodded slowly, trying to hold back hisughter, but his shoulders kept shaking.

    He¡¯s really something!

    The mass continued, and I was grateful that Rozzean didn¡¯t bring up the honeymoon again. He just listened quietly to the priest.

    ¡°And for the wedding vows.¡±

    The priest handed me the mic, and I tightly held it while looking at Rozzean. I took a deep breath before speaking.

    ¡°Rozzean, I know we met in an unexpected way. You first knew me as Tali, the yful girl who entered your house, pretending to be poor, and applied as a maid. Your sassy maid who answers back to the boss. The maid who moves her mole spontaneously.¡±

    I heardughter from the audience at my remarks. It¡¯s not a secret anymore. Almost everyone knows about the mischief I pulled.

    ¡°Baby¡­¡± Rozzean groaned, but he had a wide smile on his face. He undoubtedly remembered the story of my mole. He noticed it several times.

    ¡°I did that because I wanted to see the bad sides of the man my father wanted me to marry. I didn¡¯t want to be tied down back then. I hated the idea of marriage. Why did I need to get married and be with a man in my life when I could live alone happily with my pets? I was happy and content with my life back then, but everything changed when I met you.¡±

    ¡°I will never forget that afternoon when I saw you in your room, and how your hotd¨C¡±

    ¡°Baby, stop,¡± Rozzean interrupted, knowing that I was about to say Hotdog. I smiled and bit my lip.

    ¡°It was a hotdog! Jumbo hotdog!¡± I heard Thes say behind me.

    When I turned to her, I gave her a thumbs up, making the people inside the church burst intoughter.

    ¡°Rozzean! From the very first day, huh!¡± my brother Grand shouted.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect her to be in my room, though,¡± my groom chuckled.

    I shrugged and continued with my speech.

    ¡°It was just my first day in your house, but I saw a weak and lonely person trying to survive illness by himself. Since that night, I wanted to make sure that you would get everything you need. I didn¡¯t know that the few days of taking care of you had a different reason. I didn¡¯t know that I was slowly falling for you.¡±

    ¡°Love is indeed the sweetest when you least expect it, and that¡¯s what happened to me. Love struck me hard. While I was in your house, I realized I was wrong in judging you. You also proved to me that I need someone in my life, and that someone is you.¡±

    Rozzean shifted his gaze away from me, and I saw his eyes closed with tears forming.

    I took a deep breath and continued.

    ¡°My n of looking for bad sides was ruined when I fell for you. My onlyint back then was that you always walked around your house half-naked, no wonder your housemaids fell for you. You even fired them because they were too enamored with your body.¡±

    Laughter erupted from the people inside the church at my statement. I also heard Rozzean¡¯sughter, even though he was already teary-eyed. Hisughter was hearty, as if he didn¡¯t expect me to say that.

    ¡°But that¡¯s not the reason why I fell for you. I saw the real Rozzean while in your house. You are a hardworking man, a man with a kind heart. A man who loves his family deeply. As I said, my Daddy was right. You are a great man, and I believe you will take care of me and love me.¡±

    ¡°Baby¡­¡± he said, wiping his tears.

    ¡°Rozzean, I won¡¯t promise anything as your wife. But I¡¯ll do my best to take care of you and make you feel how much I love you. I¡¯ll be your number one supporter, your cheerleader. I¡¯ll cook you delicious food, make you coffee¡­ I¡¯ll ensure that everything you need is done on time.¡±

    ¡°You are all that I need, baby¡­¡± he said. I smiled at him, keeping my gaze fixed on him.

    I took a deep breath and continued.

    ¡°I won¡¯t leave you again, I won¡¯t go away without letting you know.¡±

    I tried not to stutter while speaking, but I failed when I remembered how he trembled that night when he thought I left him again. I know that my leaving had a huge impact, which was evident in his reaction.

    One of Rozzean¡¯s fears is waking up without me by his side.

    ¡°Now, you¡¯ll wake up every morning with me by your side¡­ as your wife. I¡¯ll wake you up with morning kisses that you really like.¡±

    ¡°I love you, baby¡­ t-thank you because you fought hard for me. You n-never gave up after what happened to us. Y-You waited long enough until we could finally be happy in each other¡¯s arms again. I love you so much.¡±

    I heard a loud apuse inside the church after my statement, but I heard Rozzean¡¯s response louder.

    ¡°I love you¡­ I love you too, baby.¡±

    I wiped away my tears and looked at those present. My parents were crying, Mommy¡¯s shoulders shook as she cried. I also saw Thes and Manang shedding tears.

    When the priest handed the mic to Rozzean, I heard him clear his voice.

    ¡°I¡­ always dreamt of this scene,¡± he looked around and stopped when our eyes met, ¡°You walking down the aisle while looking at me. Now¡­ I am not dreaming. This is real, and together with our family and friends, we witness our wedding.¡±

    Yes, this is not a dream even if it feels like a dream for us. I can¡¯t believe that we¡¯re here now after everything that happened.

    ¡°Baby, I never thought that this would happen in my life. I¡­ getting married. Before, I was focused on my work. The only things that mattered to me were my job and RCV. I had nothing else in mind except the welfare of mypany and how to grow my businesses. But everything changed when that simple woman-Tali, who wanted to apply as my maid-came.¡±

    ¡°It happened so fast, and I didn¡¯t realize I was falling¡­ so hard. Looking back, you came out of the blue as Tali, my maid who talks back at me. You weren¡¯t afraid to answer back, and you were the only one who could do that. You even questioned my topless appearances and scolded me. You were also the one with a mole that seemed to be everywhere, and your reasons were actually¡­ funny. I, on the other hand, didn¡¯t notice that it was just an excuse because I believed it wholeheartedly. You yed your part so well, baby.¡±

    Once again, the people inside the churchughed because of what Rozzean said. Indeed, we have a painful, funny, and weird love story!

    ¡°Your cute, talkative, and caring side caught my attention. I just found myself thinking about you even when I was in the office working. I wondered what you were doing with Manang. And when my work was done, I was always excited to go home, see you, and hear you greet me. I would go to my room to watch you on CCTV to know what you did for the whole day.¡±

    So, he¡¯s always watching me on the CCTV! Rozzean was really head over heels for me, even when I was just Tali!

    ¡°Also, I always found myself smiling while looking at you. I always watched you whenever you cleaned or cooked. And with that¡­ I realized that I fell for my maid. I didn¡¯t avoid you because I liked the feeling of being in love with you. The feeling was great. Even on days when I was so tired because of work, just seeing your face and hearing your voice eased the feeling of tiredness.¡±

    ¡°You are my rest after a tiring day.¡±

    Our moments together in his house were only for a month, but the love we have for each other feels like it¡¯s been years. I felt the sincerity in his words as he looked directly into my eyes.

    Rozzean¡­

    I am so lucky to have him in my life.

    ¡°I wanted you to know, and I wanted everyone here to know how you changed my life for the better.¡±

    I pressed my lips together tightly and wiped away the tears that escaped my eyes when he paused, trying to hold back his tears and convey what he wanted to say to me.

    ¡°Thaliana, you made me feel the love I wanted to feel for a long time. You took care of me, which made me fall in love with you. You made a big change in me. Before, my life was in a storm, but when you came, you showed me the rainbow.¡±

    I let out a sob at his words. I wiped the sides of my eyes with a tissue. I couldn¡¯t stop the tears, and when I looked at Rozzean again, he was blurry in my vision.

    ¡°Thank you so much foring into my life as Tali. I would be forever thankful because of your n. We may have hurt each other, but what happened just made our love for each other stronger.¡±

    I mouthed, ¡°I love you,¡± while my lips trembled because I was still crying.

    ¡°Thaliana, at the end of the day, even when problems tested our love, I will always choose and stay by your side. I can¡¯t bear to be far from you because you¡¯re my constant. You¡¯re always what my eyes are searching for. Your voice is what my ears always want to hear. Your smile always brightens my day, and yourughter is music to my ears.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to wake up every morning with you by my side. I can¡¯t wait to see you in every corner of my house. You, as the mother of my children, my wife, and my home. And that will happen after this day¡­ our day.¡±

    I thought he was done speaking because he stopped, but he took a deep breath and rested his forehead against mine.

    ¡°Now, you can y with me all you want, not as my maid but as my wife.¡±

    My lips quivered at his words. I smiled broadly.

    ¡°I love you, Thaliana¡­ I love you so much.¡±

 My Jumbo Hotdog

    We heard loud apuse inside the church after a quick kiss, Rozzean and I.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± I turned to Rozzean when I heard his voice. He was holding my hand and kissing it.

    ¡°Mine¡­ finally, you are mine.¡±

    I smiled at what he said. I held him by his cheeks and gently pinched them.

    ¡°Really, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s mine,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I can¡¯t wait for our honeymoon.¡±

    I widened my eyes and looked around, worried someone might have heard. I gently tapped Rozzean on the chest. Another honeymoon!

    ¡°Honeymoon has happened several times already; your mind is still on honeymoon.¡±

    He¡¯s still kissing my hand.

    ¡°That¡¯s different. My performance this time is not as your boyfriend but as your husband.¡±

    He knows a lot! And what performance is he talking about? I was about to speak again, but the crowd came forward to congratte us.

    ¡°Congrattions!¡±

    Thes came to us; I thought he had something serious to say, but I was surprised when five men approached us, and when I saw what they were holding, I covered my mouth.

    My babies! My cats and dogs are wearing dresses and tuxedos!

    ¡°O-Oh my gosh¡­¡±

    ¡°It was your husband¡¯s idea to bring your babies, Tangi,¡± Thes whispered to me.

    I looked at Rozzean. I cried again and hugged him.

    ¡°Thank you¡­ thank you so much, I love you¡­¡±

    Rozzean caressed my back, then stepped back a bit. He kissed my forehead down to my lips.

    ¡°Everything for my wife.¡±

    We took photos. I was delighted with how my cats and dogs were dressed up. I was grateful that they behaved and didn¡¯t run around. They were well-behaved until the picture-taking was over. When friends wanted to take pictures, the guys took my pets and seemed to be taking them back to Thes¡¯ pet house. They¡¯ll stay there for now, and I¡¯ll get them back after a week from our wedding with Rozzean.

    I am so happy; I didn¡¯t expect my fur babies to be here at our wedding.

    ¡°Picture!¡± my siblings said as they approached us.

    Everyone in our families took pictures with Rozzean and me. We took a lot of photos inside and outside the church. After thirty minutes, we left the church and headed to the reception. Rozzean has been holding my hand since the priest dered us married.

    He also hasn¡¯t stopped kissing the back of my hand.

    ¡°We are not going to travel for our honeymoon, baby¡­ Ferline said that it¡¯s okay, but I don¡¯t want to take the risk. I am still thinking of what may happen.¡±

    I smiled at him, held his cheeks, and leaned in to quickly kiss his lips.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine with me, Rozzean. Even if our honeymoon is just at home, it¡¯s okay.¡±

    He¡¯s so caring. He became more attentive when he found out I¡¯m pregnant with three. When we arrived at the reception, our family and friends weed us again. They all congratted us. When I saw our parents, Rozzean and I approached them.

    I kissed my parents on their cheeks, and Rozzean did the same to his parents. When Taki wanted to be carried, Rozzean picked him up, and we entered.

    ¡°There are a lot of people; they¡¯re all waiting for the both of you,¡± Mommy said.

    I smiled at Mommy, and when I saw the inside of the reception, my lips parted in surprise.

    ¡°W-Wow¡­¡±

    The ce was almost filled with flowers of different kinds. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off the surroundings as we walked. The ce looks so magical¡­

    I stopped when we were in the middle. I looked at Rozzean, and he was looking at me.

    ¡°Do you like it?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t like it¡­¡±

    ¡°I love it! Gosh¡­ h-how did you do this? S-so beautiful¡­ like a fairytale, even the floor¡­¡±

    I looked down. There were flowers on the ground, and the surroundings were like a garden full of flowers. I could even see butterflies outside near the pool area. The ce was breathtakingly beautiful.

    ¡°I am d you love it. You like flowers so much, I tried my best to make this ce a paradise, and I think I seeded¡­¡±

    He¡¯s making me fall in love with him even more.

    Rozzean!

    The party started. We greeted everyone. Everyone was happy, and smiles were everywhere. All of us were dancing. When the emcee went in front and said that the groom has a special number, I looked at my husband.

    ¡°Really?¡± I asked.

    I was surprised when he took off his coat, revealing a long-sleeved white polo. He even opened the top two buttons. The emcee brought a chair and ced it in the middle. When they told me I had to sit there, I did it immediately. I looked at Thes on the side with a wide smile.

    Does he know about this?

    ¡°Baby¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t sing¡­ I am not that confident, but I wanted to do this for you.¡±

    I swallowed, unable to take my eyes off my husband.

    Damn.

    He¡¯s smiling at me. My handsome husband!

    He looks even more handsome in my eyes.

    ¡°Go, bro-inw! Show them, and I have a bet with my siblings! If lots of people p, I win!¡± shouted my brother Grecion from the side.

    I burst intoughter, especially with the people at the reception.

    I looked back at Rozzean. He looks nervous! He took a deep breath and then nced at the person in charge of the music.

    When I heard the music start and Rozzean began to sing, I held onto my wedding gown tightly.

    ¡°I need a love to keep me sane, pull me from hell, bring me back again.¡±

    (The title of the song Rozzean is singing is ¡°Angel Baby¡± by Troye Sivan. You can listen to it on YouTube while reading for the feels! I can¡¯t include the lyrics due to rules, but the lyrics are beautiful and fit Rozzean¡¯s feelings for Thaliana so well.)

    Everyone was silent as Rozzean sang. My lips were about to split from the width of my smile. He has a beautiful voice! So soothing. When he sang ¡°grow old with you,¡± I knew for sure.

    ¡°I love you¡­¡± I said while looking at him. I blew a flying kiss, and he caught it effortlessly while still singing.

    The crowd, familiar with the song, sang along with him.

    God¡­

    That¡¯s my husband!

    When Rozzean approached me and took my hand, I stood up. He held me at the waist and slowly danced with me while singing. This is one of the best moments. It feels like I¡¯m being lifted with joy. I can¡¯t exin the happiness I¡¯m feeling right now as I look at him.

    ¡°You¡¯re my angel, angel baby angel, you are my angel baby¡­¡±

    I leaned my head on his chest while he swayed. When the song ended, I thought it was okay. Rozzean put me back in my seat, and I saw Luther, who looked upset, and even Taki on the side went to the front.

    Taki was smiling and pping.

    ¡°There¡¯s more!¡± the emcee shouted.

    When the next song yed,ughter erupted from the people inside the reception. I couldn¡¯t stop myself fromughing, especially when Rozzean, Luther, and even Taki started dancing. (The next song is Jumbo hotdog by Mascdos)

    They were dancing like the Mascdos with jumbo hotdog moves!

    I couldn¡¯t breathe fromughing, especially when the chorus of the song started. Luther¡¯s face looked so serious while dancing, and Rozzean, on the other hand, was looking at me and seemed to be enjoying what he was doing. He was really into it.

    My siblings, especially my brother Grecion, were ecstatic. It seemed like they didn¡¯t expect my husband to do this!

    ¡°Go bro-inw! Shake it, brother-inw!¡± shouted my brother Grand.

    My siblings were so happy that they went to the middle and joined the dance.

    ¡°Can you handle the jumbo hotdog? Can you handle it?¡±

    It was so much fun! Laughter filled the reception as everyone watched Rozzean dance. My jaw was aching fromughing, and I couldn¡¯t help but shake my head every time they did their moves.

    ¡°Wooohh!¡±

    When I saw Daddy and Uncle Royce standing while swaying their bodies, I shook my head. No! I can¡¯t! They started to dance too!

    ¡°Go, honey!¡± Mommy shouted.

    ¡°Dance, my love!¡± Aunt Cynthia, who was close to my seat, yelled.

    Theughter grew louder when Uncle Royce and Daddy started dancing.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Woohh!¡± the people inside the reception shouted, while others couldn¡¯t stopughing at my family¡¯s continued performance of the jumbo hotdog dance.

    When I looked at Luther, he was ring at Thes, who was taking a video andughing. Thes held his stomach, stillughing and even bending down.

    ¡°Can you handle the jumbo hotdog? Can you handle it?¡±

    Loudughter filled the air, and I must be red-faced fromughing so much. I held my stomach while looking at Rozzean, who was really good at the jumbo hotdog dance.

    Kids, your Daddy is dancing the jumbo hotdog. Full-on performance!

 The Blessing

    After the incredibly joyful intermission number by my family, Rozzean approached me, breathing heavily. He held my hand and hugged me, cing his lips near my ear and whispered.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing¡­¡±

    Iughed again and patted his back.

    ¡°You¡¯re embarrassed about that? You were so into it.¡±

    I heard Rozzean¡¯s heartyughter. When he let go of me, I wiped the sweat from his face and neck. He was really sweaty, even though the reception was air-conditioned!

    ¡°It was Thes¡¯ idea. She said you¡¯d be thrilled if I danced the jumbo hotdog. And she was right.¡±

    I nced at Thes, who was focused on her cellphone screen, probably watching the video she took earlier, as she continued tough.

    ¡°And Luther? How did you convince him to dance?¡± I asked, smiling.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened. I think Thes talked to him. It seems like he was just forced; I don¡¯t know what Thes said to get Luther to agree to dance with me. I was surprised that Luther agreed. I never thought he would do this. You can tell from his face that he¡¯s not okay with it.¡±

    I suddenlyughed and became curious about those two.

    When everyone calmed down, the emcee announced that it was time for me to throw the bouquet. I almost forgot about it!

    ¡°Okay, all the singledies, pleasee to the front!¡±

    I stood up and positioned myself at the front.

    ¡°Okay! Ready!¡± said the emcee.

    I turned around and threw my bouquet. When I faced forward again, it seemed like it was in slow motion,nding on Thes¡¯ head. I covered my mouth because it didn¡¯t fall; it slid onto her head! It was perfectly perched on her head!

    ¡°It looks like there¡¯s no need to catch it!¡± the emcee said, approaching Thes, whose eyes widened as she looked at me. The emcee took the bouquet perched on her head, and she stared at it, as if in disbelief.

    ¡°What¡¯s the name of thedy? You look like a celebrity! You¡¯re so beautiful!¡±

    ¡°T-Therese Catalina Rivanez. I don¡¯t have a boyfriend, and I have no ns of getting married. This is true.¡±

    Manyughed at what Thes said, but on the side, my cousins, especially Maki, screamed in excitement. However, when my eyes went to Rozzean¡¯s family side, I saw Luther¡¯s eyes shooting daggers at my cousins.

    Hmmm. I am getting suspicious of them.

    ¡°Okay, now for the garter! All the boys,e here to the front!¡± the emcee said. Some of my cousins were pushing each other. They¡¯re such troublemakers!

    Before Rozzean went to the front, I saw Luther whispering something to him, raising my eyebrows.

    ¡°Okay, we¡¯re ready!¡±

    When Rozzean threw the garter, it went far. The guys in the middle turned to see where itnded, and when they saw who caught it, they just pped. I tried to contain my smile.

    Luther was holding the garter, looking triumphant, and he grinned at the guys who raised their hands earlier.

    ¡°Rozzean¡­¡± my husband looked at me.

    ¡°What did Luther say to you?¡± I asked him with a smile.

    ¡°He mentioned that he¡¯d be at the back, so I needed to throw the garter hard. He really wanted to catch it. I suspect something is going on between him and Thes.¡±

    I sped my hands together.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right,¡± I replied, looking at Thes and Luther who were talking to the emcee.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯re now at the exciting part!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Luther Valleje will perform a sexy dance for Ms. Rivanez and will remove the garter from her leg!¡±

    People inside the reception cheered, and I pped with joy. I even kicked my feet while sitting. But when Rozzean touched my thigh, I looked at her.

    ¡°Baby, be careful.¡±

    I nodded at her and gave her a quick kiss. Then, I turned my gaze back to the two. Thes was seated in the middle, and Luther was at the end, unbuttoning his white shirt. He was smiling. It seemed like this was something he really wanted to do, not like earlier when he seemed forced.

    ¡°Music, please!¡±

    I pulled Rozzean¡¯s hand, and we went to the side to see my friend¡¯s reaction. My husband was behind me, hands wrapped around my waist, holding me close. Now, I took a video, happily watching Luther and Thes.

    When the song ¡°Careless Whisper¡± yed, Luther started dancing slowly, and the noise inside the reception grew. I looked at Thes. She¡¯s blushing so hard! Well, this is a first!

    ¡°Damn, my son can really dance sexily! Earlier, he was like a statue!¡± I heard Uncle Royce say as he watched Luther swaying his hips to the sensual music.

    Iughed a lot, along with Rozzean, especially when Luther took off his shirt and tossed it to Thes. My friend covered her face, and I saw that her ears were turning red. When Luther approached her and knelt down, the women inside screamed.

    ¡°Go, Luther!¡± I cheered.

    Luther went inside Thes¡¯ gown, and the crowd¡¯s cheers got even louder. The garter was so high up! And Luther took his time there!

    ¡°Luther Rico!¡± Thes shouted, her face all red.

    When Luther stood up, he had a triumphant smile, holding the garter. He nced at us while smiling at my husband.

    He gave a thumbs up, and Rozzean raised his hand to give his brother a thumbs up too.

    I returned my gaze to my friend, who quickly stood up and just took a sip of water on the side.

    ¡°Should we announce your pregnancy now?¡± Rozzean whispered to me.

    We walked towards the center.

    ¡°Sure,¡± I said, smiling.

    Rozzean took the mic and handed it to me. Everyone there looked at us. Rozzean stood beside me, his hand on my waist.

    ¡°We are thankful that you all came here to witness the love Rozzean and I have for each other. Thank you so much, and before this beautiful day of ours ends, my husband and I wanted you all to know that¡­¡±

    Rozzean and I looked at the projector on the side. The ultrasound image appeared there.

    ¡°We are expecting triplets!¡±

    ¡°O-Oh my god!¡± I heard Mommy and Mama Cynthia exim.

    They, along with my siblings, stood up. They were so surprised that they approached us. Even Mama and Mommy were jumping up and down. Rozzean pulled out the ultrasound photo from his pocket and showed it to our family.

    ¡°T-Triplets! George!¡± Mommy eximed.

    ¡°Congrattions, sweetheart!¡± Daddy said to me.

    Apuse erupted from those present, and we heard others shouting congrattions.

    ¡°Great job, brother-inw!¡± Griz said, patting my husband on the back.

    ¡°What position was that? I¡¯d like to try; maybe we¡¯ll have triplets too,¡±  Grand asked, followed by a yful pinch from his wife.

    Everyone was so happy, and this is what we wanted.

    ¡°I love you, wife¡­¡±

    I held his cheeks and kissed his lips.

    ¡°And I love you too.¡±

 Husband And Wife

    It felt like a dream, our wedding with Rozzean. I couldn¡¯t stop smiling andughing for almost the entire time because of unexpected and joyous events. Even my Dad danced with him. It was the first time I saw my Dad dance like that.

    Even my siblings joined in the fun. However, the most memorable moment was our family¡¯s reaction when we announced my pregnancy. My parents even shed tears in the end.

    ¡°Baby¡­¡±

    And here he was, Rozzean, just entering our room. He was behind me, trailing his lips along my back as he unzipped my wedding gown.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­ you didn¡¯t ask Ferline earlier to be sure.¡±

    Ferline was at the reception earlier, but of course, I felt shy asking her about intimacy while being pregnant with triplets.

    I looked at her after Rozzean fully brought down my gown.

    ¡°W-Wait. Doesn¡¯t this need a shower? Let¡¯s take a bath first!¡±

    Rozzean smirked and then shook his head.

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait,¡± he said, iming my lips.

    It was obvious!

    I smiled and held onto his neck while responding to his kiss. I followed every movement of his lips on mine. As Rozzean slowly walked, I felt his hands gradually removing my gown.

    And when it finally dropped, I sat on the bed and leaned back. I just watched my husband as he unbuttoned his polo. Once all the buttons were off, he tossed it somewhere. He also removed the belt on his pants, and when his lower garment fell, he approached me.

    Rozzean removed the nipple tape on my breast and then he sucked on it. I held onto his head tightly, my lips parting in response to the sensation. He was sucking so well.

    ¡°Oohh¡­ hmmm¡­¡±

    Rozzean returned to kissing me while his hands were busy with my chest. His fingers yed with my crown. He also ground his manhood against me, and when his kisses trailed down to my neck, I moaned.

    ¡°Ohh¡­ yess¡­¡±

    ¡°Fck¡­¡± I heard him curse when my hand went inside his boxers and touched him. Rozzean also paused in massaging my chest. His kisses stopped, and he felt my hand on his shaft. When I touched his shoulder, he looked at me.

    ¡°Husband¡­¡± I said and bit my lower lip.

    ¡°Yes¡­ wife?¡± he asked me, smiling.

    Rozzean leaned back, and I crawled towards him. I sat on hisp and started to kiss him passionately. His hands tightly gripped my back. He traced his palm on my back, and I could feel the heat.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­ uhmmm¡­¡± he moaned when I started to move my butt on his erected manhood.

    While kissing him, I removed thest piece of cloth on my body. When our lips parted, I saw his sparkling eyes. I moved my hips again, and I noticed how he bit his lower lip. I lowered my lips again and kissed him.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Rozzean squeezed my butt. I am now naked and sitting on hisp.

    When I released his lips, I looked up. He kissed my neck, and his right hand went on my breast, massaging it. I felt like I was getting a fever from what I was feeling, but I wanted more of him. More.

    ¡°Oohh¡­¡± I moaned.

    ¡°Yes, baby¡­ uhhh¡­ move¡­¡± he said.

    When I stopped, I looked at him. I gently pushed him to lie down, and then I kissed him from his neck down to his chest.

    ¡°Ohh¡­ damn it.¡±

    My tongue yed with his nipples, causing my husband to moan loudly. When my lips moved down to his stomach, I stuck out my tongue and sucked it.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Fck¡­ baby¡­ oohh¡­¡±

    I smiled when I saw his chest rise and fall, especially when I heard his moans. I continued to move my tongue, going down until I reached his boxer. I lowered it and took it off. Rozzean looked at me, and I winked at him.

    ¡°D-Damn¡­ ahhh¡­ yeah¡­¡±

    I kissed the tip of his manhood and sucked it. I continued doing it while my hands roamed over his body, going up and down. I couldn¡¯t fit it all inside my mouth, so I continued as best as I could.

    ¡°Ohh sht¡­ Ohhh!¡± Rozzean moaned when I put it inside my mouth.

    My tongue twirled inside, making him curse more. When I thought he was about to climax, I intensified my efforts, but Rozzean pulled me and gently swapped our positions. I saw his red cheeks and ears. He was also catching his breath.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ is it good?¡± I asked, smiling.

    Instead of answering, Rozzean bit his lower lip, nodded, and smiled. He bent down on my neck and sucked it, and then his hand massaged my breast. His other hand went on my core, and his fingers began to y and move there.

    ¡°Oohhh¡­ R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    I clutched onto our bedsheet. His fingers moved faster on top of my center, while his lips yed with the top of my chest. I didn¡¯t know where to turn my head.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­ t-that feels so good, R-Rozzean¡­ yes, baby¡­ ahhh¡­ y-yes¡­¡±

    He raised my two legs, and as I peeked at him, he was now in front of my center. He licked his lower lip while looking at my womanhood. My chest was moving up and down as I looked at him. And when he let his nose pass through my intimate area, I bit my lip.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­ beautiful,¡± he whispered and then started to lick my center.

    ¡°A-Ahhh!¡±

    He did it faster and faster. His tongue was moving so swiftly that it made me lose my sanity. I was moaning like crazy because of the pleasure.

    ¡°Ooohh¡­ ohhhh y-yes!¡±

    My hips lifted whenever Rozzean¡¯s lips moved away. I couldn¡¯t help but writhe in pleasure, and when I reached my climax, he didn¡¯t stop and left my center.

    ¡°Ahhh! ahhh! a-ahhh¡­ o-oh my¡­ gosh¡­ uhhhh!¡±

    As Rozzean lifted himself up and positioned himself, he gently ran his hand down my arm.

    ¡°I love you so much, Thaliana¡­¡±

    When I felt his manhood slowly entering me, I looked at my husband. His eyes were closed, and his lips were slightly parted.

    ¡°Ooohhh¡­¡± I clung to his back as he started to move swiftly. I also wrapped my legs around his back.

    ¡°Ohh¡­ wife¡­ ahhhh¡­ yeah¡­ s-so good.¡±

    I felt like I was going crazy as his length moved rapidly in and out of me. When his eyes opened, he kissed me deeply. Our tongues battled, and he sucked on it. My moans were muffled by the pleasure of his deep kisses.

    Rozzean changed our position. Hey down while I was on top of him.

    ¡°Ride me, baby¡­e on¡­¡± he said. He grinned while looking at me. I started to move, rotating on top of him, which he bit into his lip.

    ¡°Oohh¡­ hmmm¡­ ahhh¡­ my husband loves this position, huh? hmmm¡­¡± I said.

    Rozzean¡¯s hands went up and reached my chest. After a few seconds, his hands moved down to my waist.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­ yes, my wife¡­ you are doing it good¡­¡±

    As I lifted myself again, I gasped when he met me fully.

    ¡°R-Rozzean! ahhh!¡±

    Our bodies made a sound. I didn¡¯t know where to hold onto because of the speed of his movements. When he elerated even more, almost doing all the work, he changed our position again, towering over me without withdrawing.

    ¡°Oohhh! ohhh! ang sarap¡­ y-yes! ahhhh!¡±

    ¡°Fck¡­ ahhh¡­ Thaliana¡­ so good¡­ b-baby¡­ d-damn it.¡±

    I gasped as Rozzean tightly embraced me, and his thrusts became even faster.

    ¡°Ahhh! ahhh! yes! harder! faster, Rozzean!¡±

    ¡°Hmmm? how hard? how fast?¡± he asked me. He was going all out, and his pace was so rapid that I was almost losing myself.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­ like this? ahhh¡­¡±

    I heard his deep curses. I reciprocated his actions because I was about to climax, and it seemed that my husband was too as he sped up even more.

    ¡°Rozzean¡­ aahhh¡­¡±

    ¡°Damn it. T-Thaliana, baby¡­ ohhh!¡±

    After that, I felt him release inside me. In these moments right after our intimacy, I should be feeling Rozzean¡¯s weight on me, but he quickly withdrew. I thought he would lie beside me, but he kissed my abdomen.

    ¡°I love you, my babies, don¡¯t give Mommy a hard time, okay?¡±

    My heart melted at what I heard and saw. When Rozzean lifted himself and moved beside me, he grabbed the nket and covered both of us. I also felt his hand wrap around my waist and pull me close.

    ¡°Tired?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Hmmm,¡± I replied and nodded.

    ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t tease you anymore.¡±

    I yfully hit his arm for what he said. My husbandughed and then kissed me on my lips.

    ¡°I love you, wife¡­¡±

    I gently pinched his cheek and smiled.

    ¡°And I love you too, husband.¡±

 Pregnancy

    The next morning as newlyweds with Rozzean, I woke him up with gentle kisses. Since he was still very sleepy, I told him I would go downstairs and prepare our food. He agreed and went back to sleep.

    In the kitchen, I found Manang, who was already getting breakfast ready, and I helped her.

    ¡°I¡¯m Thaliana Tangi D Vezca Valleje,¡± I said while looking at my wedding ring.

    ¡°Gosh¡­ I feel like a teenager getting all giddy!¡±

    Rozzean is my husband¡­ we are married.

    ¡°Tangi¡­ calm down! Rx!¡±

    Once the food was ready, I went up to our room with a tray in hand. I entered and ced what I brought on the side table, then approached my still-sleeping husband.

    ¡°Good morning, husband¡­¡± I said with a smile and kissed Rozzean all over his face.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± he¡¯s smiling!

    ¡°We are going to eat¨C¡±

    ¡°I will eat you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Rozzean, seriously! I went downstairs to cook for you, don¡¯t tease me with your ¡®I will eat you¡¯ if you don¡¯t eat what I cooked, I¡¯ll be upset!¡±

    He suddenly sat up in bed. His eyes half-closed as he looked at me. When he approached, he hugged me and buried his face in my neck.

    ¡°Is this because of your pregnancy? You¡¯re grumpy so early¡­¡±

    ¡°Eh, what do you want again? I did cook¡­¡± I said and moved away from him. I went downstairs and brought the table closer to the side of the bed so both of us could eat.

    ¡°B-Baby¡­¡±

    I raised my eyebrows when he hesitated while looking at the tray to see where the food was.

    ¡°Uhm¡­ can we finish all of this?¡±

    ¡°This is yours¡­¡± I said and handed him a te with two hotdogs, two bacons, and one egg.

    ¡°And this is mine.¡±

    I smiled as I faced the tray.

    ¡°Baby¡­ that¡¯s uhm¡­ eight hotdogs, five bacons a-and 4 eggs. Can you finish all that?¡±

    I raised an eyebrow at him.

    ¡°Let me remind you, Rozzean Cyron Valleje. There are three in my womb. Three are your children. So, four of us will be eating now. It even seems like it¡¯s not enough.¡±

    I saw him gulp and he just nodded.

    After our meal, I took a shower, and Rozzean did too. Now, he¡¯s drying my hair.

    ¡°Where do you want to go?¡± he asked me.

    Suddenly, I remembered their eldest sibling. I looked at Rozzean behind me and held his hand.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to your brother¡¯s grave¡­ to Aloncious. Let¡¯s visit him.¡±

    I felt him pause, and after a few seconds, he smiled at me and kissed my neck.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Thank you, baby¡­ Thank you for thinking about my brother.¡±

    I know how much he loves his brother, and I also know that he¡¯ll be happy when we visit him now that we¡¯re married.

    We didn¡¯t stay long. We said goodbye to Manang and headed to his car. Rozzean started the engine, and we drove to his brother¡¯s grave. It took us an hour to reach the cemetery.

    ¡°Baby¡­ are you okay?¡± he asked me.

    I felt hungry because I didn¡¯t eat much earlier.

    ¡°I¡¯m hungry,¡± I told him.

    ¡°We will eat after here, okay? Looks like our kids want to eat.¡±

    I smiled, and when we reached Aloncious, Rozzean and I lit candles. I also ced the white roses we bought. I silently prayed and thanked him for all the help he gave Rozzean.

    It¡¯s just really sad that he¡¯s no longer here.

    ¡°I hope you are okay there. Thank you for your help, thank you for everything you did for me. I just wanted you to know that I am now a married man.¡±

    Rozzean raised my hand.

    ¡°This is my beautiful wife, Thaliana. And we are pregnant with triplets. I am so lucky to have her in my life, brother. Also, do you know that Taki loves her so much? He¡¯s calling her Mommy¡­¡±

    ¡°Taki will have parents now like what you asked me, brother¡­¡±

    My lips trembled when I heard what Rozzean said.

    ¡°We will be his parents now. We will love him like our own child, so you don¡¯t have to worry about anything, okay? He¡¯s okay now. Your son is growing into a good boy. Soon, he will live with us. And¡­ the other thing you were worried about is okay now. Our family is now okay. This was your wish before, right? That Dad and I would be okay. We¡¯re more than okay now, bro¡­ more than okay.¡±

    I wiped away the tears that fell on my cheeks when I saw Rozzean crying. I nestled in his arms and hugged my hand around his waist.

    ¡°Thank you so much for fighting with me and for believing in me when no one does. Thank you because you are one of the reasons why I am still here standing. I love you.¡±

    Rozzean looked at me, and I wiped his tears.

    ¡°You are so great. I love you,¡± I said and tiptoed to kiss his lips.

    He hugged me tightly, and I caressed his back.

    ¡°I love you¡­ I love you, Thaliana¡­¡±

    We left the cemetery and went to a restaurant. When we were about to order, I suddenly changed my mind. I told Rozzean that I felt like eating mango. He said he would buy it, but I insisted on having the mango from his house ¨C the one nted by Manang behind his house.

    ¡°Manang¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sir?¡±

    Rozzean looked at me.

    ¡°My wife wanted a mango. Are there still fruits on the mango tree in the backyard?¡±

    I felt my mouth watering as I thought about that mango. I¡¯ve tasted it before, and it¡¯s really delicious. Sweet even when it¡¯s not fully ripe.

    ¡°Oh, there are still some, sir, but they¡¯re a bit salty. However, I have some saved in the kitchen,¡± Manang said. When Rozzean went to the kitchen, I took his hand.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want that, I prefer the freshly picked ones.¡±

    ¡°And when you peel it for me, I want shrimp with big garlic, okay? The shrimp should be sweet, and the garlic should be big.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ okay, I¡¯ll ask Manang to cook it¨C¡±

    ¡°No, I want you to cook it.¡±

    I saw Rozzean grimace, and then he smiled, probably noticing my reaction. I let go of his hand and folded my arms, giving him a look.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to?¡±

    ¡°Baby¡­ I didn¡¯t say I don¡¯t want to. Fine, I¡¯ll do it¡­¡± he replied and walked towards the back.

    I followed him with a smile. It wasn¡¯t easy for Rozzean to pick the mangoes since the fruits were already high up. In the end, his back and arms turned red because of ant bites.

    That was the first day I felt pregnancy cravings; I guess my cravings werete. I really thought I wouldn¡¯t have any, but it got worse because even in the early hours, my tongue would itch, and I would crave something to eat.

 My Amazing Wife

    Rozzean Cyron Valleje POV

    ¡°Baby¡­ it¡¯s 1:45 am. What do you want?¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    I looked at my wife, who was frowning while sitting on our bed. We moved our room downstairs because I was worried she might slip on the stairs. It¡¯s dangerous for her to use the stairs since her belly has grown bigger. Ferline said it¡¯s normal, and we can expect it to get even bigger in theing weeks.

    ¡°I want spaghetti. Can you cook it for me, my love?¡±

    I nodded and smiled at her. We left the room, and she held my hand. She sat on the side, watching me as I started cooking.

    ¡°You look handsome¡­¡±

    I smiled at her. Thaliana eats a lot, but she¡¯s not gaining weight. Maybe it¡¯s because she¡¯s always hungry and eats a lot due to carrying three babies. I understand her, so I¡¯m always with her to fulfill her cravings. I¡¯m working from home now. Thaliana said it¡¯s okay for me to go to the office, but I refused.

    Even if I go to the office, I won¡¯t be at ease thinking about her at home.

    Now, I am working online. When there are important discussions with investors, my assistant arranges the Zoom meetings. RCV has released a new product, and the results are good ¨C sales are increasing, and many new investors areing into mypany.

    I nced at Thaliana ying with the can opener.

    She¡¯s my lucky charm, and of course, our babies.

    ¡°Do you want more cheese?¡± I asked her.

    She looked up at me.

    ¡°Yes, please, and more hotdogs.¡±

    I nodded and smiled at her. I boiled the water for the noodles. After putting all the ingredients for the sauce, I organized my utensils. While looking at the food, I felt Thaliana on my back.

    ¡°Thank you¡­¡±

    She hugged me from behind.

    ¡°I know that you don¡¯t have enough sleep because I always wake you up whenever I am hungry. Thank you so much, husband¡­¡±

    She¡¯s the sweetest. Actually, she doesn¡¯t make it hard for me to find her food to eat. Her condition due to pregnancy is challenging, and I understand that. Her cravings are usually avable at home, and I often don¡¯t need to look for them outside. I don¡¯t find it difficult to buy and find what she wants to eat because she always prefers me to cook for her.

    ¡°Anything for my wife and for our babies.¡±

    I kissed her on the lips and lowered my kiss to her belly. Thaliana¡¯s belly has been three months, and it¡¯s quite big. Ferline even mentioned that it might grow more in theing weeks.

    ¡°This will be over soon, okay?¡±

    She nodded and gave me a smack kiss before returning to her chair.

    I considered this as our memorable moments. Her pregnancy period.

    Several months passed, and I saw how Thaliana struggled to move because her belly had grownrger. It was getting difficult for her to take a bath, so I took care of bathing her. She kept apologizing most of the time because I was taking care of her, but it was my duty as her husband.

    To make sure that she¡¯s alright. To make sure that she¡¯s safe and our babies. I wanted to take care of her and see the changes in her as her belly grew. I wanted to be by her side always.

    It¡¯s just hard for me whenever I see the pain on her face when she feels our babies moving. If only I could take the pain away, I would. That¡¯s what I can¡¯t handle-seeing and hearing her in pain.

    We always visit Ferline to ask about my wife¡¯s condition. I¡¯m thankful because our babies are normal and healthy. We held a gender reveal for our babies, and Thaliana was overjoyed to learn that we¡¯re having two boys and one girl.

    ¡°One month¡­ just one more month,¡± Thaliana said to me. We were sitting on the sofa in our living room while I wasbing her hair.

    I had just finished giving her a bath. I also prepared her mango shake and sliced some apples for her to eat.

    ¡°Yes, and I can¡¯t wait. I am also nervous, baby¡­¡±

    She scowled at me, ¡°Don¡¯t you faint, okay? Rozzean¡­¡±

    I smiled at her and shook my head. Probably not?

    ¡°But thank you for taking care of me¡­ thank you, husband¡­¡± she said and kissed me.

    Taking care of her-my wife-is also my responsibility. Even if I struggle with her pregnancy, even if Ick sleep or can¡¯t sleep while taking care of her, it¡¯s okay. I know that between the two of us, the difficulties I face in taking care of her during her pregnancy are nothingpared to what she¡¯s experiencing.

    ¡°O-Ouch¡­¡±

    I was rmed when I heard her groan. I immediately stood up and put myptop down on the coffee table to check on Thaliana. I knelt in front of her. She was leaning on the sofa with her legs raised on the other end.

    ¡°Baby? Why? Did they kick again?¡± I asked and ced my hand on her belly. When I felt the movement, I bit my lip. They¡¯re moving fast.

    ¡°P-Painful¡­¡±

    When I saw the tears in my wife¡¯s eyes, it felt like my heart was squeezed. I wiped her tears and kissed her forehead.

    ¡°Shhh¡­ baby, breathe in and out, please?¡± Ferline told me that carrying triplets would be very painful, especially when they start moving in the womb. I needed to calm her down and find a way to divert Thaliana¡¯s attention so she could endure the pain.

    ¡°Are they still moving?¡± I asked. She nodded, and tears ran down. I took a deep breath and kissed her forehead again.

    Then I bent down and talked to our babies.

    ¡°Mommy is hurting, guys, stop ying inside for a while, okay? You don¡¯t want mommy to cry, right? She¡¯s hurting now¡­ she¡¯s crying.¡±

    Thaliana held my hand tightly, a sign that she was in a lot of pain.

    My hand was still on her belly, feeling the movement of our babies. After a few seconds, they stopped.

    ¡°They stopped? What are you feeling?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I am okay now¡­ they stopped. It just really hurts when they all move at the same time,¡± she said and looked at myptop, ¡°I am sorry, baby, are you working?¡±

    I smiled and shook my head. I squeezed her hand and adjusted the pillow on her back to prevent her from getting sore. Before going back to work, I kissed her lips.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay. I¡¯m just reading reports from this month. If you need me, just call me, okay?¡±

    There¡¯s no excuse when ites to my wife. Even if it¡¯s work, I will stop to take care of her. Her situation is difficult, and this is the time when she needs me the most.

 Mommy And Daddy

    Thaliana Tangi D Vezca Valleje POV

    ¡°R-Rozzean!¡±

    What the hell? I thought it was supposed to be next week?

    ¡°Rozzean!¡± I shouted again.

    He hurriedly entered our room. When we locked eyes, he quickly approached me.

    ¡°W-Why?¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    ¡°My water just broke! I-I¡¯m going intobor!¡±

    We locked eyes again. He didn¡¯t move.

    ¡°Rozzean!¡± I shouted again. When he snapped out of it, he lifted me and headed to the garage. We passed by Luther. It looks like they¡¯re still working!

    ¡°Is she giving birth?!¡± Luther asked.

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Rozzean was still barefoot, and when he started the car, I couldn¡¯t help but cry out in pain.

    ¡°Fck!¡±

    ¡°Let me drive; where are the babies¡¯ things?¡± Luther asked as he turned around.

    ¡°Damn, yes!¡± I heard Rozzean say as he got out of the car.

    I felt like I was going to pass out from the pain.

    ¡°Ahhh!!¡± I screamed as the stinging pain hit me. When Rozzean came back into the car, he had the babies¡¯ things with him. Luther drove fast. We headed to the hospital. Rozzean also tried contacting Ferline, but she wasn¡¯t answering.

    ¡°Oh gosh¡­ it hurts.¡±

    Rozzean wiped the tears from my face and held my arm tightly. When I looked at him, I saw that he was turning pale.

    ¡°Baby¡­ calm down, okay?¡± he said, but it seemed like he was the one who needed to calm down because he looked so pale!

    ¡°D-Don¡¯t faint! No! Ahhhh!¡±

    With my scream, he was startled. He barely made it through my scream, and his face grew even paler.

    He touched my belly and kissed it. He¡¯s whispering to our babies. When the pain tightened again, I screamed again. I buried my face in Rozzean¡¯s neck and cried.

    ¡°You are strong, baby¡­ you can do this¡­¡±

    When we reached the hospital, I was still crying from the pain. I could also hear Rozzean¡¯s voice. He was strengthening my courage. He was holding my hand tightly.

    When we entered the delivery room, he was there. I changed into a patient gown.

    ¡°Hello, mother, I am Dr. Yan, an ob-gyn,¡± a male doctor entered the room.

    ¡°W-Where¡¯s Ferline? Where is Doctor Ferline? She¡¯s my wife¡¯s ob-gyn,¡± Rozzean answered.

    I was sweating cold because of the pain.

    ¡°She¡¯s still delivering another baby, and it seems there¡¯s a problem with the schedule¨C¡±

    ¡°What? And you are the one who will¡­¡±

    The male ob-gyn nodded.

    ¡°Ahhh!¡± I screamed again when I felt pain. When the male ob-gyn approached me and lifted my shirt to check my condition, I was surprised when Rozzean pushed him away.

    My lips parted in shock.

    ¡°Stop!¡± my husband shouted.

    ¡°Y-You are a man and¨C¡±

    ¡°Ohh! W-what the hell, Rozzean! He¡¯s a doctor! An ob-gyn! Let him be! My stomach hurts, and your kids are going crazy!¡±

    I saw hesitation on my spouse¡¯s face. He kept ncing between me and the male doctor.

    ¡°Mr. Your wife is about to give birth, and there might be problems if the babies aren¡¯t delivered soon.¡±

    Rozzean didn¡¯t speak. I thought everything was okay, but when the doctor raised the cover on my lower body again, I was surprised when Rozzean punched him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch her!¡±

    I gasped and looked at the doctor on the floor, unconscious due to the force of my spouse¡¯s punch. The newly arrived nurses also looked in shock.

    ¡°D-Doc!¡± the nurses shouted.

    I turned to Rozzean and gave him a stern look.

    ¡°Rozzean! I¡¯m about to give birth, and all you¡¯re doing is being jealous!¡±

    ¡°B-Baby¡­¡±

    I was really thankful when Ferline arrived. I couldn¡¯t handle the pain anymore, and she told me that our babies with Rozzean came out earlier than expected.

    ¡°Is she okay? Why hasn¡¯t she woken up yet? She¡¯s been sleeping for so long.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know about you, Rozzean. Why did you punch Dr. Yan? He¡¯s nice. You¡¯re unbelievable.¡±

    I opened my eyes wide when I heard that conversation. Rozzean was still blurry in my vision, but as my sight cleared, I called out to him.

    ¡°R-Rozzean¡­¡±

    He turned to me.

    ¡°Baby!¡±

    ¡°W-Where are our children?¡±

    My whole body was numb. I also struggled to move. Rozzean looked to my left. I followed his gaze, and beside me, our children were lying side by side. I smiled when I saw my babies.

    ¡°W-Who came first, baby?¡± I asked my husband.

    ¡°It¡¯s Rozwell. Rozwell Hanz, followed by Rockwell Sanz, and thest one is Thalia Rozzeana.¡±

    Just as I wanted it to be. I really wanted my daughter to be thest one toe out. I tightly held Rozzean¡¯s hand; he brought it to his lips and kissed it.

    ¡°Thank you, you are so brave and strong, baby. Thank you so much.¡±

    ¡°I love you,¡± he said.

    What happened wasn¡¯t easy even after giving birth, but just like before, Rozzean stayed by my side to support and take care of me. He was the one staying up and caring for our children. When I was pregnant with the triplets, he even took lessons on how to take care of babies. He didn¡¯t want to hire a caregiver for our children because he believed he could handle it.

    Our parents were also delighted with the triplets and almost visited our house every day. Thes practically lived with us, helping me whenever Rozzean was busy with the kids.

    I told Thes that she could stay in the house I bought near Rozzean¡¯s ce, but she said she needed to think about it.

    ¡°Baby, do you want something to eat?¡± Rozzean asked me, smiling while holding Thalia.

    ¡°Nothing, but if there is, let Manang handle it, Rozzean. You haven¡¯t slept yet.¡±

    I walked over and peeked at Rockwell and Rozwell, who were looking at the toys spinning above their crib.

    Our babies are 5 months old now. The days pass by so quickly. It feels like just yesterday when I was pregnant, struggling to move because of my big belly.

    ¡°They slept earlier without bothering us.¡±

    He wakes up immediately when one of the triplets cries. I suggested getting a caregiver, but he really didn¡¯t want to. I was worried it might affect his work, but he assured me that he¡¯s used to online work, and Luther helps him manage RCV while he takes care of our children.

    He said he doesn¡¯t want to miss the first times of our babies.

    I fall more in love with him. The care he has given to me and his children, from my pregnancy until now, that we¡¯ve given birth.

    ¡°Thalia might be Daddy¡¯s girl¡­¡± I said, smiling at him.

    He¡¯s swaying. Our child is also asleep in his arms.

    ¡°That would be great, then?¡±

    Slowly, Rozzean lowered Thalia into her crib and approached the cribs of our other two children. He peeked and adjusted the pillows on the side.

    ¡°Did I say thank you and I love you today?¡±

    He held me around my waist. I nodded in response to his question. He¡¯s always saying thank you. Every day. Several times a day, but I never get tired of hearing it because he¡¯s the one saying it.

    ¡°I am so happy, Thaliana¡­ so happy¡­ I never thought that I would be this happy, and that¡¯s because of you. I love you, baby¡­ thank you foring into my life and for bringing Rockwell, Rozwell, and Thalia.¡±

    ¡°I love you too, husband¡­ thank you for taking care of us. I have no words for the hard work and love you show us.¡±

    Rozzean bent down and imed my lips. When we heard a knock, he separated from me and opened the door. Our parents¡¯ smiling faces greeted us.

    ¡°Surprise visit! How are our grandchildren?¡± Mommy asked us.

    It wasn¡¯t actually a surprise visit because we knew they woulde every day!

    I gave Daddy and the others space and they approached the cribs. I went to Rozzean, who was by the door. He held me around my waist and kissed the top of my head, whispering ¡°I love you¡± again.

    I looked up at him and touched his cheek.

    ¡°Let¡¯s sleep? Our parents are here. They can watch over them for now.¡±

    Rozzean nodded. This is also his time to take a rest, and he can sleep more easily if I¡¯m beside him.

 LAST CHAPTER

    After 6 years

    We are outside of the room. It¡¯s Rozzean¡¯s birthday today, and I baked a cake for him. I looked at my triplets. Their pointer fingers were on their mouths. I told them not to make noise.

    My pets, dogs, and cats followed us. I¡¯m thankful that none of my children are allergic to animals, and they even share my fondness for them. Thalia always ys with Rose, while Rozwell and Rockwell prefer the dogs.

    When Lily barked, Rockwell sniffed at her, and our dog immediately stopped.

    ¡°Mommy, do you think Daddy will like our surprise?¡± whispered Taki.

    ¡°I think so,¡± I replied to Taki and lit the candles on the cake.

    As I opened the door to our room with Rozzean, we entered slowly. My children covered their mouths to avoid making noise. My husband is still sleeping, lying face down on the bed, and his bare back is visible.

    ¡°Shhh, Rockwell!¡± scolded Rozwell to his brother.

    My triplets are not identical, but Rozwell and Rockwell do have a striking resemnce.

    ¡°You two, stop,¡± Thalia told her brothers.

    I grinned. It really seems like my daughter is the eldest among the three.

    I went to Rozzean. My children lined up beside me, and I looked at them.

    ¡°3¡­ 2¡­ 1!¡±

    ¡°Happy birthday, Daddy! Happy birthday, Daddy!¡±

    Their cute tiny voices echoed inside our room. I saw Rozzean move. A smile appeared on his lips, and he slowly got up. He reached for the white t-shirt on the side and put it on. When my children saw that their Daddy was awake, they jumped on the bed and hugged their father.

    I looked at Taki beside me.

    ¡°And you? Go to your Daddy.¡±

    He pouted, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m already a man not a baby anymore.¡±

    I gently pinched his cheek, ¡°But you are still our first baby! No growing up too fast. Now, go to your Dad and give him a kiss.¡±

    Rozzean extended his hand and also hugged Taki. When my husband looked at me, he pouted. I walked near him and bent down for a kiss.

    ¡°Thank you, baby¡­ this is unexpected. Also a great way to celebrate my birthday. But the one in the early morning was even more joyful,¡± he said, winking at me.

    I rolled my eyes. Relentless! We really spent several hours!

    ¡°Daddy, we have a surprise at the¨Chmmm!¡± I looked at Rockwell and Rozwell. My eldest covered the mouth of my second son.

    ¡°You are so talkative. It¡¯s a secret,¡± Thalia, my youngest, said.

    I sighed. They don¡¯t often argue, but when it happens, Thalia bes the referee for the two boys. She¡¯s also the peacemaker, even though she¡¯s only six years old, she already knows a lot.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go out and have breakfast? Since Rockwell identally spilled the surprise, let¡¯s go downstairs to check it out.¡±

    Rozzean nodded, and we all went down together. Rockwell was behind him, holding Rozwell¡¯s hand. I had Thalia on one side and Taki on the other.

    We are so happy. This is the life we wished for.

    ¡°Ta-da! It¡¯s for you, Daddy! We baked cookies, and we cooked Mommy¡¯s favorite hotdogs!¡± Rockwell eximed when we reached the dining area.

    I looked at Manang. She was walking towards us, holding the juice.

    ¡°Oh, Grandma is here too!¡±

    My children calls Manang grandma and M when Manang first heard that she was so emotional.

    ¡°Go ahead!¡±

    ¡°Grandma, let¡¯s eat! Grandma, we baked cookies too, and I made one for you! Look, this is for you, the one with a big heart!¡± Rockwell said.

    I shook my head and smiled hearing what my second child said. This kid is more talkative than Thalia. It¡¯s like they swapped personalities! Thalia is very quiet and serious, while Rockwell is so chatty, you¡¯d think he¡¯s the girl.

    ¡°Thank you, Rockwell! You¡¯re so sweet!¡± Manang replied.

    She¡¯s often with our children. Rozzean has also started working at thepany. It began two years after the triplets were born. Rozzean didn¡¯t want to at first, but I assured him that I could take care of the kids since Manang is also here.

    ¡°Can we sing again? I wanted to sing ¡®Happy Birthday¡¯ again for Daddy,¡± Rozwell said.

    We were sitting at the dining table, and my kids were next to each other, facing us with Rozzean.

    ¡°3¡­ 2¡­ 1, sing!¡±

    ¡°Happy birthday Daddy! Happy birthday Daddy! Happy birthday, happy birthday! Happy birthday, Daddy!¡± they all sang together. When I heard Rozzean sniff, I looked at him. He happened to bow down and rested his face on my shoulder.

    I ended up patting his head.

    ¡°Daddy, crybaby.¡±

    I widened my eyes at what Thalia said. I heard Rozzeanugh, and he straightened up.

    ¡°Thank you, kids. Daddy loves you so much¡­¡±

    Our kids pped, and when Rockwell stood up, Thalia pped his arm. I shook my head. Sometimes, I wonder if it¡¯s right that my youngest is only six years oldpared to the triplets. She¡¯s so advanced. She understands a lot.

    My children with Rozzean are also studying at a private school in Tagaytay. And the frequent issue between us as a couple is often our daughter Thalia.

    ¡°Your daughter pped my son, Mrs. Valleje! Why didn¡¯t you reprimand her? Scold her!¡±

    I¡¯ve been called three times, and thest two times it wasn¡¯t my daughter who started it. She just did the right thing-defending herself.

    ¡°That kid likes to hurt people!¡± the woman added.

    My eyebrows raised when the mother of the boy pped by Thalia shouted at me again. I looked at my silent daughter, and after that, I returned my gaze to the furious woman. Her son was still crying beside her.

    ¡°We are still waiting for the CCTV, Mrs. Mendoza. Once I see on the CCTV that my daughter really pped and instigated it, that¡¯s when I¡¯ll speak.¡±

    ¡°Why do you still need to see it? Isn¡¯t the red mark on my son¡¯s cheek enough for you to reprimand your child?¡±

    I didn¡¯t respond. I nced at my wristwatch. Rozzean would be here any moment.

    ¡°Mrs. Valleje, this is the 3rd time that Thalia hurt her ssmates,¡± the principal said.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s already the third time!¡± the womanmented.

    I sighed. I didn¡¯t like what I heard from the principal.

    ¡°With all due respect, Madam Principal, I trusted this school because I know that you¡¯ll take care of my children. The two times my daughter got hurt were not her fault. She just defended herself against the bullies, and I have proof. You can talk to the parents of those bullies.¡±

    I noticed the principal gulp at my words.

    ¡°Do you tolerate bullies in this school? Tell me, did I make a mistake trusting this school for my kids?¡±

    When a man entered carrying aptop, I immediately realized that he had the CCTV footage we were waiting for.

    ¡°Let¡¯s watch this, and I will apologize if my daughter really hurt your son without reason.¡±

    I know my kids. I won¡¯t get angry without knowing the whole story.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s watch what happened!¡± the woman shouted.

    I focused on theptop screen. I saw the kidsing out because it was already dismissal time. My child and this woman¡¯s son were left in front of me. Her child approached Thalia, and I was surprised when he took my daughter¡¯s book and threw it right at Thalia.

    I clenched my hands. I controlled myself. I took a deep breath. What happened next was unexpected. The kid pushed my daughter. Thalia¡¯s back hit the table, and she fell to the floor. After that, my daughter got up and pped the boy. That was the end of it because the boy ran out crying.

    ¡°Thalia.¡±

    I called my daughter gently. I stood up and approached my baby girl, who had just stood up as well. She wasn¡¯t looking at me. I smiled at her and caressed her face, letting her feel that I wasn¡¯t angry and she did nothing wrong.

    ¡°Mommy¡­¡±

    I lifted her uniform, and when I saw the bruise on her back, I angrily looked at the mother and son beside me. I carefully turned my daughter around so they could see the bruise.

    ¡°You saw that your son threw books at my daughter. And this? What will you do about this, huh?¡± I ranted in anger.

    ¡°I never hurt my kids. I take care of them so much, and here in the school that I trusted, they get hurt like this? And then my daughter will bebeled as the bad one in the end?¡± I said, looking at the principal.

    ¡°M-Mrs. Valleje, I-I am sorry¡­ I¨C¡±

    The door opened, and when I looked, I saw Rozzean. Thalia ran to him and hugged her father. My daughter started to cry. When I saw Rozzean¡¯s serious face, I approached him.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Rozzean lifted Thalia, and our daughter nestled on his shoulder. Taki, Rockwell, and Rozwell also entered. My kids looked upset.

    ¡°Thalia was hurt. That woman¡¯s son threw books and pushed our daughter, and the principal mentioned that this is the 3rd time that Thalia hurt a kid in this school when, in fact, our daughter just defended herself because of the bullies! I cannot believe this!¡±

    Another person entered the room, and I recognized Rozzean¡¯s secretary, Ms. Ss.

    ¡°Ms. Ss, organize the papers of my kids, and I¡¯ll transfer them to another school today.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± his assistant replied.

    ¡°M-Mr. Valleje! Let¡¯s discuss this first¨C¡±

    ¡°And Ms. Ss, set an appointment with the president of this school. I want to talk to him about what happened to my daughter. I think the principal is tolerating this act and ming the real victim. I don¡¯t want this to happen to other kids.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°W-Wait! M-Mr. Valleje!¡±

    We left the principal¡¯s office and ignored the principal¡¯s plea.

    ¡°You old witch! It¡¯s your bad attitude! serves you right! You¡¯ll be in trouble with our Daddy!¡± when I heard Rockwell¡¯s voice, I touched my forehead and went back to get him, still standing in front of the office door, sticking his tongue out.

    We left the school. We took the kids to the mall and let them y to ease the tension. This is the thing I try to avoid the most in their school life. I don¡¯t see what happens to them all the time.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Rozzean asked me.

    I was really furious earlier.

    ¡°Yes, I just can¡¯t ept what I saw. I don¡¯t know how many times Thalia has been hurt in that school because of bullies. The problem is, your daughter doesn¡¯t report it to us.¡±

    Thalia is different-quiet but strong-willed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will transfer them to a better school,¡± Rozzean assured me and kissed my forehead.

    We are very protective of our children. We don¡¯tck guidance for them. I¡¯ve told them that getting into fights isn¡¯t good, but it¡¯s also not wrong to defend themselves when it¡¯s too much.

    And our children are smart. They understand it very well.

    ¡°Don¡¯t run, Rockwell!¡± Rozzean told our son when we arrived home.

    I looked at Thalia and called her.

    ¡°Thalia¡­¡±

    She turned to me and approached. Her face looked sad.

    ¡°Sweetie¡­ Mommy is not mad, okay? Didn¡¯t I tell you from the beginning that it¡¯s not wrong to defend yourself against bullies?¡± I held her cheeks, and she nodded.

    ¡°Yes, Mommy¡­¡±

    Concerned, I looked at the bruise on my daughter¡¯s back. Rozzean also examined Thalia¡¯s back. I saw the furrow in his brow. He lifted our daughter and gave her a smile. This is what I love about my husband. He doesn¡¯t show his anger in front of our daughter.

    ¡°What do you want, my baby?¡±

    I saw Thalia¡¯s smile at Rozzean¡¯s question. She¡¯s really a Daddy¡¯s girl!

    ¡°I want new books to read, Daddy¡­¡±

    And there it is! She loves to read! She¡¯s still young, but their room is filled with children¡¯s books.

    ¡°Okay, Daddy will buy a lot of books!¡± Rozzean said, smiling at me and winking. Thaliaughed when he kissed our daughter.

    ¡°Thank you, baby¡­¡± I said to my husband, and I leaned in and kissed him on the lips.

    There¡¯s something else I haven¡¯t told him yet, but I want to confirm it first. So, when I entered our room with Rozzean, I quickly grabbed some pregnancy test kits from the drawer. I used two, and when I saw the results, I covered my mouth.

    ¡°Positive¡­¡± I happily said, then left the bathroom and put the kits inside the drawer.

    When I went down to prepare our dinner, a big smile wouldn¡¯t leave my face because I was sure my husband would be overjoyed.

    He is in the gazebo now with our children, feeding them fish. When they went inside, the food was ready.

    We all started eating together with Manang.

    While I watched my children happily eating andughing, I suddenly became emotional.

    We have a happy family. Rozzean and I.

    ¡°Baby¡­¡± I called her.

    ¡°Why? Is there a problem?¡± she looked concerned.

    I shook my head and sniffed. I held back my tears because our children would surely worry.

    ¡°I am just happy, very happy. I realized what we have right now, Rozzean. A joyful life with our children.¡±

    He smiled at me and caressed my face.

    ¡°And that¡¯s because of how amazing you are, Thaliana.¡±

    ¡°You too, baby¡­ so much,¡± I replied to him as we both looked at our children having fun.

    At ten o¡¯clock, I peeked into my children¡¯s room. My triplets were sleeping soundly, and Taki was also asleep in the other room. When I went to our room with Rozzean, I saw him lying on the bed with a rose in his mouth.

    ¡°Hello, wife¡­ maybe?¡±

    Iughed at the way she said it with the rose still in his mouth.

    ¡°It¡¯s been almost three weeks,¡± heined.

    I approached him, and he sat up. I held him on both cheeks while standing. I kissed his forehead, took the rose from his mouth, and kissed his lips passionately.

    ¡°Wait.¡±

    I headed to the drawer and took two pregnancy test kits. When I handed them to Rozzean, he looked at me with wide-open lips.

    ¡°I think I am pregnant again¡­ to make sure, let¡¯s go to Ferline tomorrow¨C¡±

    I paused when Rozzean hugged me tightly and kissed my head.

    ¡°Ohh, baby¡­ thank you¡­ thank you so much! I love you!¡±

    The next day, both of us went to Ferline¡¯s clinic. Rozzean was so excited, so we went early.

    ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve hit the mark again, huh?¡± Ferline greeted us with a smile when she saw us.

    We went inside, and Ferline checked me. She moved the transducer. Rozzean held my hand tightly while waiting for Ferline to speak.

    ¡°You¡¯re two monthste, Tangi, you say?¡± she asked me.

    ¡°Yes, andst night I checked, and both test kits were positive.¡±

    Ferline lowered the transducer and stood up, then smiled at both of us.

    ¡°Your suspicion is correct. You are pregnant!¡±

    Rozzean and I looked at each other, both smiling.

    ¡°And this time, I¡¯m really sure.¡±

    We returned our gaze to Ferline.

    ¡°Congrattions! You are going to have twins!¡±

    I quickly looked at Rozzean andughed at his reaction, and Ferline seemed equally surprised. He was wide-eyed.

    ¡°T-Twins?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t faint!¡± I said,ughing.

    We announced the good news to everyone. My siblings were delighted, and they jokingly said that Rozzean seems to be nning to form two basketball teams. I didn¡¯tin because despite the challenges of pregnancy, my husband never left my side, and he took care of me and our children so well, even now that they¡¯ve grown.

    ¡°Do Mommy have babies in her tummy?¡± Thalia asked.

    We¡¯re all together now in the customized bed that Rozzean had made. We¡¯re here with our children, and Taki stayed in his room, feeling shy as he¡¯s already a grown-up.

    ¡°Yes, my dear. That¡¯s why we need to take care of Mommy and your siblings, okay?¡±

    ¡°Wow! I¡¯m excited!¡± Rockwell eximed.

    ¡°I hope it¡¯s a girl, Mommy,¡± Thalia said, ¡°So I¡¯ll have a ymate.¡±

    I smiled and gently touched my child¡¯s cheek.

    ¡°We¡¯ll find out after a few months.¡±

    ¡°I want two boys! So they can y trucks with me and Rozwell!¡± Rockwell said, causing a frown from Thalia.

    ¡°Hey, let it be a girl this time. There are already three boys, including Taki.¡±

    When Rozzean noticed that the two were about to start arguing, he quickly intervened. I smiled as I looked at our children lying on each side of us. Rozzean and I were at opposite ends.

    ¡°Time to sleep. Tomorrow, your grandparents and cousins will visit for a vacation here with us. Sleep early so you can wake up early because they¡¯lle early.¡±

    ¡°Yehey!¡± all three of them eximed.

    I got up and kissed the cheeks of the triplets. Rozzean did the same, then turned around toe close and kiss me on the lips. When the door opened, we saw Taki entering. He approached us.

    ¡°Good night, Mom and Dad,¡± he said, kissing his father¡¯s cheek. Then, he went to his siblings and gently touched their heads.

    Rozzean went behind me and hugged me tightly. He rested his head on my shoulder as we looked at our children. When I turned to him, he greeted me with a quick kiss on the lips.

    ¡°Thank you, baby,¡± he said. He never lets a day pass without expressing his gratitude to me.

    While looking into his eyes, memories from the past shed back. My plea at his doorstep to be epted as a helper, the sight of his jumbo hotdog, the care I provided, and even the times we went through hardships together.

    I couldn¡¯t be more blessed. God gave me a loving husband. My life with Rozzean and our children is almost perfect. And now, I can¡¯t wait for our twins to join our happy family!

    ¡°A happy life, indeed. Thank you, Thaliana. Thank you for bringing them into my life. Thank you for being a wonderful wife. I love you so much¡­¡± he said, touching my tummy.

    I smiled at him and caressed his face. I tiptoed and kissed his lips again.

    ¡°And thank you also for being an amazing husband. I love you too, Rozzean.¡±

    THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER OF THE STORY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING UNTIL THE END!

    -PennieeeContent bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!