I crossed my arms over my chest, standing firm. “Just because,” I replied, my tone carrying more finality than I felt.Ngunit sa kaloob-looban ko, ang mga emosyon ko ay parang isang bagyong dumadaluyong, sabay-sabay na nag-uumpugan at naglalaban. Hindi ko matanggal ang larawan mula sa ilang araw na nakaraan—ang alaala ng nakita kong magkasama sila ng babae sa restaurant. Ang paraan ng pagtawa nila, ang tingin ni Dylan sa kanya, at ang halatang koneksyon nila. Isang panga ng selos ang tumusok sa aking dibdib, ngunit pinilit ko itong pigilan. Hindi ko hahayaang makita niya iyon. Hindi ako ganoong babae—yung madaling magpa-apekto sa mga maliliit na bagay.This wasn’t me. It couldn’t be.I didn’t like him. He didn’t like me. We’d agreed on that, hadn’t we? This was supposed to be nothing more than... an arrangement. A casual thing. Nothing serious. So why was I suddenly feeling so deeply conflicted?I shifted, breaking the heavy silence between us. “You don’t get it, Dylan,” I added softl
It wasn’t just about the tension between us—it was everything. His smirk, the way he somehow always knew just how to push my buttons, the way his eyes lingered on me when he thought I wasn’t looking.I opened my eyes and stared at my computer screen, willing myself to concentrate. Work. That’s what I needed to focus on. But the thought of Dylan kept creeping into my mind. Every time I tried to type, my fingers froze, my thoughts slipping back to him, to the way he had stood in front of me, so confident, so infuriatingly charming.I could feel the ache of his presence still hanging in the air, like a fog I couldn’t shake. He was unpredictable, constantly catching me off guard. And what was worse, he was starting to make me question things I had never questioned before—my control, my resolve, even my own feelings. It made my head spin.I grabbed a pen and began tapping it rhythmically on my desk, trying to steady my racing thoughts. "Focus, Amalia," I muttered under my breath. "Focus."
I took a deep breath, setting my fork down on the plate with a little more force than necessary. “Curiosity is a dangerous thing,” I replied, my tone sharp. “And I’m not in the habit of asking about your personal life, Dylan. It’s none of my business.”His eyes flickered with something like amusement, but also a flicker of something deeper that I couldn’t quite place. “You sure about that?” he asked, his voice soft, almost coaxing.I swallowed, looking down at my plate. “Yes. I’m sure. Whatever you do, whoever you’re with—it's not my concern. We’re not... anything.”Dylan leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table as he studied me closely. “You think it’s not your concern? That what happens between us doesn’t matter?”I looked up at him, trying to steady the erratic beat of my heart. “I’m not playing this game with you, Dylan,” I said firmly. “I’m here for dinner, nothing more. And when it’s over, I’ll go back to my life.”Naglabas siya ng mababang tawa, hindi inaalis ang mga mat
Inabot ko ito, binuksan ang screen, at nakita ang isang mensahe mula kay Dylan.Dylan: Please tell me you're home safe.Nanikip ang dibdib ko, at isang bahagi ng sarili ko ang gustong itapon ang telepono, balewalain ito, magpanggap na wala akong pakialam. Pero may isa pang bahagi—ang bahagi na nagsimulang magmalasakit nang higit kaysa sa kaya kong aminin.Me: I'm home.Dylan: I'm glad. Have a good night, Amalia.What if this was only the beginning? What if I had already let him in too much? What if I was already falling for someone who could never feel the same way?The next morning, when I arrived at my desk, something caught my eye. A bouquet of flowers sat on the corner, the vibrant colors drawing me in. At first, I was confused—who could have sent them? But as I leaned in closer, the elegant handwriting on the attached note made my heart skip a beat.“Have a good day, pretty. -D”A breath caught in my throat, and I almost laughed in disbelief. D. I didn’t have to guess who it was
Sa wakas, inilapag ni Dylan ang tinidor niya, ang tingin niya ay direktang tumama sa akin na may tindi na nagpabilis ng tibok ng puso ko."I want a real relationship with you," he said, his voice low but steady, as if he were speaking a truth that had been building inside him for a long time.My heart skipped a beat, and I could feel the tension in my chest tightening. "What...?" I whispered, stunned by the words that seemed so out of place."You heard me right." He leaned forward, his eyes searching mine as if he were trying to gauge my reaction. "I want a real one, Amalia. Not just this... whatever this is."Naglunok ako, ang utak ko ay nahirapan makasunod. Hindi na ito tungkol sa saya lamang. Hindi na ito isang laro para sa kanya.“Liligawan kita,” dagdag niya, isang maliit ngunit tapat na ngiti ang sumungaw sa sulok ng kanyang labi. “Sa tamang paraan, Amalia. Wala nang laro.”His words hung in the air, and for a moment, everything felt like it was spinning around me. Was this real
His words were a balm to the ache in my chest, but they also stirred up a storm of emotions I wasn’t ready to confront. I couldn’t just jump in. I couldn’t risk everything for a dream that might not be real. I wasn’t sure I was strong enough for whatever this was becoming."You’re a good man, Dylan," I whispered, almost to myself. "But this... I don’t know if I can believe in it."Ibinangon niya ang kamay niya mula sa mesa, maingat na hinawakan ang aking kamay. "Kung ganon, hayaan mong ipakita ko sa'yo. Step by step. Patutunayan ko sa'yo na hindi ito laro lang."Hinila ko ang aking kamay nang bahagya, ang tensyon sa hangin ay mas lalong tumitindi, pero hindi ko kayang tanggihan ang init na dumapo sa aking dibdib. Sa kabila ng kalituhan, sa kabila ng pagdududa, may isang bahagi sa akin—isang bahagi ng aking sarili na hindi ko akalaing naroroon—ang nais na maniwala sa kanya. Nais na sumubok.But the fear held me back. "I can’t just throw caution to the wind, Dylan. You know my life isn’
Pumintig ang puso ko nang mapansin ko kung anong sasakyan iyon. Nakilala ko ang kotse—isa iyon sa mga kotse ni Dylan, ang parehong kotse na nakita kong nakaparada sa labas ng kanyang penthouse. Ang realizasyon ay parang malamig na alon na dumaan sa akin."Oh my God," I muttered under my breath, panic rising in my chest. Did he see that?Agad akong lumingon upang umalis, umaasang maiwasan ang anumang komprontasyon, ngunit habang mabilis akong naglalakad, umandar ang makina ng kotse, at bago ko pa man makarating sa gate, huminto ang sasakyan diretso sa harapan ko.The passenger window rolled down, revealing Dylan, his jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed. "Get in the car."Ang puso ko ay mabilis na tumibok, isang halo ng gulat at takot ang dumaloy sa akin. Nag-atubili ako sandali, pero pagkatapos ay naalala ko—wala nang pag-iwas dito. Hindi ko na kayang tanggihan ang tensyon sa pagitan namin, at tiyak, hindi ko siya maiiwasan ngayon.Pumasok ako sa likurang upuan ng kotse, at ang malamig
I rolled my eyes dramatically, but the truth was, I liked how serious he was about this, how unwavering he was in his intentions. I had never seen this side of him before, and for some reason, it was... intriguing.“Come on, Dylan. It’s not like you’re the first guy to feel this way. Every guy gets possessive when they’re interested,” I said with a playful shrug, though inside, my heart was racing.“Maybe,” he said, his voice quieter now, a touch of something vulnerable in it. “But I’m not like every guy, Amalia. I won’t back down. And I don’t care how long it takes for you to admit it, I’m not going anywhere.”I looked at him, the playful teasing in my voice faltering for a second. “You’re not... backing off, huh?”“Not a chance.” His gaze never wavered.Huminga ako ng malalim, hindi sigurado kung paano tutugon sa katiyakan sa kanyang boses. Ang isang bahagi ng aking sarili ay nais pang lumaban, itulak siya palayo dahil tila sobrang kumplikado nito. Ngunit ang isa pang bahagi ko... i
Ang bahay at kompanyang iniwan ni Papa para sa akin, ngunit napunta sa kamay ng madastra kong si Miranda.Balita ko'y nagkakaproblema na sila ngayon. Ang kompanya’y walang namamahala dahil wala akong lugar doon—ang tunay na tagapagmana. Dahil sa ginawa ni Dylan, hindi na rin nila naangkin ang buong kontrol. Ang kompanya ay naghihintay na lamang sa akin, at ang kailangan ko na lang gawin ay kunin ang mga papeles upang maayos ang lahat.Nasa bahay silang mag-ina ngayon—ang bahay na ipinagkait sa akin noon. Bagamat hindi ko sila paaalisin agad, nais kong iparamdam sa kanila ang halaga ng lahat ng ito. Kailangan nilang matutunan ang kanilang pagkakamali. Ngunit higit sa lahat, nais kong mabawi ang mga bagay na may sentimental na halaga para sa akin—ang mga alaala ni Papa na nakapaloob sa bahay na iyon.Lalo na ang kanyang mga painting.Ang mga iyon ang pinakamatibay na alaala ko sa kanya. Kasama ng kanyang mga gamit, gusto kong ibalik ang lahat ng iyon sa tamang lugar—sa akin. Hindi para s
As he lay there, spent and satisfied, I couldn't help but feel a sense of power and satisfaction. I had taken control, dominating Dylan in a way that neither of them had expected. "You're incredible," he whispered, his voice hoarse. "I never knew I could feel this way." I smiled, my heart filled with a mixture of desire and triumph. "This is just the beginning, Dylan. There's so much more I want to show you." Ang linggong iyon ay puno ng mga bagong simula at masayang sandali na magkasama kami. Ngunit ang isang gabi ay tumatak nang husto—ang hapunan kasama ang ama ni Dylan sa kanilang engrandeng bahay. Ito ang unang beses kong makapasok sa ganoong kagilas-gilas na lugar, at sobra akong kinakabahan! Habang naglalakad kami papasok sa malalaking double doors, hindi ko mapigilang mamangha sa laki at karangyaan ng bahay. Ang mataas na kisame, eleganteng mga chandelier, at napaka-gandang kasangkapan ay parang eksena sa isang pelikula. Hinigpitan ko ang hawak ko sa kamay ni Dylan, tila nag
Sumiksik ako sa kanyang dibdib, dinig na dinig ang tibok ng kanyang puso. Ang tunog na iyon ay nagbibigay sa akin ng seguridad, ng paniniwala na magiging maayos ang lahat."Handa akong harapin ang mundo kasama ka, Dylan," sabi ko, puno ng determinasyon. "Hindi na ako matatakot. Hindi na ako tatakbo. Para sa'yo, para kay Mateo, at para sa ating kinabukasan."Ngumiti siya, ang ngiting nagdala ng liwanag sa buong kwarto. "That’s all I ever wanted to hear from you, my love.""I want to give you everything you've ever wanted," he continued, his voice thick with emotion. "I want to be the one to make it right."Before I could respond, Dylan's lips were on mine, and the world around us seemed to fade away. The kiss was gentle at first, a tender exploration of their unspoken desires. But as our lips parted slightly, the passion ignited.I responded eagerly, my hands reaching up to thread through his hair, pulling him closer. I could taste the hint of cinnamon from his, and it only fueled my d
Naningkit ang mga mata ko. "What did you do, Dylan?" usisa ko, pilit na hinahanap ang kasagutan sa kanyang mukha.Tumawa siya nang mahina, ngunit seryoso ang sunod niyang sinabi. "I just found out that you are rich..."Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "Huh? What are you talking about?"Tumingin siya sa akin nang diretso, ang mga mata niya’y puno ng sinseridad. "Remember when I spent years looking for you?"Tumango ako. "Yes... and?""Instead of finding you at first, I found something else," sagot niya, tila may mabigat na sasabihin. "I discovered that your stepmother, Miranda, and her daughter abused you. They took everything—your company, your house—everything that was rightfully yours. Ginamit nila ang lahat ng iyon para sa pansarili nilang kapakanan.""What?!" halos sigaw ko, ang boses ko’y nanginginig sa galit at pagkabigla.Hinila niya ako palapit at niyakap nang mahigpit, pinipigilan ang panginginig ng aking katawan. "Yes, Amalia. They’re yours. Lahat ng inagaw nila sa'yo, ibinalik ko n
"I'm sorry, I guess I can't hug your boyfriend, Claire," biro ko, pilit na sinasabayan ang pagiging seryoso ni Dylan."Hmph," ungol ni Dylan habang nakakunot ang noo. "There's no need for that.""Relax, Mr. Husband," sagot ko, pinisil ang kamay niya sa aking bewang. "Julian is like a brother to me, and you know that."Ngunit hindi pa rin mapigil ang pagbuntong-hininga ni Dylan. "Still, I'd rather not take chances," sagot niya na may bahid ng paglalambing, ngunit halata rin ang pagiging seryoso.“Wow, Dylan,” sabat ni Claire habang umiiling. “Looks like Amalia’s stuck with a jealous husband.”“I prefer protective,” sagot niya nang mabilis, na tila ipinamamalas ang kanyang pagmamay-ari sa akin.Napailing na lang ako habang natatawa, ngunit sa loob-loob ko, masaya ako. Ang possessiveness ni Dylan ay hindi nakakainis, kundi nakakapagbigay ng pakiramdam ng seguridad—isang bagay na matagal kong hinanap sa buhay ko."Dylan, this is Claire and her boyfriend, Julian," sabi ko, na dinidiinan an
"Amalia, I will love you every single day of my life. I will love you through every fear and doubt. I’m never letting you go again."At sa sandaling iyon, alam kong tama ang naging desisyon ko. Hindi ko na hahayaang hadlangan ng takot ang kaligayahan namin. Wala nang atrasan. Handa na akong harapin ang lahat, kasama si Dylan—ang lalaking mahal ko, ang ama ni Mateo, at ang taong handang itaya ang lahat para sa amin.Sa simpleng opisina ng municipal hall, nakatayo kami sa harap ng officiant. Suot ko ang isang puting damit na hiniram ko kay Claire, at si Dylan naman ay naka-tuxedo. Hawak niya ang kamay ko, mahigpit ngunit puno ng pagmamahal. Mabilis ang pangyayari. Kahapon madaming ginawa si Dylan. Madami siyang tinawagan sa biglaang desisyon namin. Inubos namin ang araw na iyon para sa gagawin namin. While me, I called Claire to inform them to attend to as my family, as my witness. She was so shock at nagalit pa nga dahil sa hindi na siya naging updated sa aking buhay. Sa aking love lif
Nakatitig lang ako sa kanya, tila walang sapat na salita upang sagutin ang bigat ng kanyang damdamin. Ang bawat katagang sinabi niya ay parang palaso na tumama sa puso ko—sugat na matagal nang nakakubli, ngunit ngayon ay muling sumibol ang kirot."I never meant to disappear, Dylan," mahina kong tugon, halos pabulong. "Pero sa panahon na iyon, hindi ko alam kung paano haharapin ang lahat. Lahat ng sakit, lahat ng pagkawala. Mateo was the only thing that kept me going."Napayuko ako, pilit na ikinukubli ang mga luha na pilit na gustong lumaya. "I thought… I thought it would be easier to leave you. To let you go. Pero mali ako. Every day, I missed you. Every day, I wished you were there to see Mateo’s first smile, his first laugh, his first step."Hindi ko napigilan ang pag-agos ng luha ko. "Iyon ang pinakamasakit, Dylan. Na sa bawat milestone ng anak natin, wala ka. Pero ako rin ang dahilan kung bakit ka wala roon. And for that, I’m sorry."Bigla niyang hinawakan ang kamay ko, mahigpit
"Oh, Dylan," I panted, my hands gripping the sheets. "I need you inside me."He looked up at me, his eyes dark with desire. "Not yet, my love. I want to taste every inch of you first."With that, he dove back in, his tongue probing deeper, his fingers working in perfect rhythm. My body trembled as waves of pleasure washed over me. I was on the brink of orgasm, but Dylan seemed to sense this and pulled back, denying my release."Please, Dylan," I begged, my voice hoarse. "I can't take much more."He smiled, a devilish glint in his eyes. "I want to hear you beg for it."My cheeks flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and arousal. I had never been one to openly express my desires, but Dylan was drawing out a side of me I never knew existed. "I want you, Dylan," I whispered, my voice gaining strength. "I need your cock inside me. Please, fuck me."His eyes widened at my boldness, and he stood up, his hard cock straining against his pants. He quickly shed his clothes, revealing his muscu
But now, as we stood face to face, there was a glimmer of hope that perhaps the wounds could be healed.Dylan's lips curved into a slight smile, a hint of nervousness and anticipation playing across his features. He wanted this moment to be perfect, to make up for all the lost time. Slowly, he reached out, his hand gently caressing my cheek, sending shivers down my spine. It was a simple touch, but it conveyed a world of emotion.My heart raced faster, and I found myself leaning into his touch, closing my eyes briefly to savor the sensation. When I opened them again, I saw the question in his eyes—a silent plea for forgiveness and a chance to start anew. Without a word, I nodded, my eyes glistening with unshed tears.Nang magtagpo ang aming mga labi, ito'y malambot at maingat sa simula, tila tinatantiya kung tatanggapin ko ang kanyang pag-amin ng pagsisisi at pagmamahal. Ngunit habang tumatagal, ang halik niya'y naging mas malalim, mas totoo—punong-puno ng emosyon, para bang ito na an