Chapter 2: The Secret Lover

The door revealed the most stunning man the world has ever seen.

“Are you okay?” he uttered as he was closing the door of Sofia’s room.

“I have been trying to call you on your mobile phone but it seemed you are too preoccupied. Is there something bothering you, Sofia?” He sought answers from the woman who was keeping her silence.

Mikael Alonso is the owner of the mansion where Sofia has lived for almost a year. He was the embodiment of Adonis.

Handsome and good-looking are understatements to describe the appearance of this man. He was blessed with an amazing height, was well-built, and was bestowed with an outstanding sense of style.

With his charm and stunning good looks, everyone would think he was taken straight from a cover of a top male fashion magazine.

“Something’s wrong? Were you crying? I heard you shouting downstairs.” He raised his concern again while inching his way towards Sofia who was still in front of her vanity mirror.

“What happened to your hands? Are these make-up?” He kept expressing his worry while checking her palm filled with dark smudge due to some cosmetics.

“Why are you so inquisitive? I thought you are busy running your shop,” she said sarcastically, trying to get rid of the man’s hands that have attempted to hold hers.

“You know that I will always have time for you, my dear Sofia,” he quipped while taking her hands back. This time placing them on his chest.

Sofia quickly took her hands away from the man’s body.

“Have you forgotten your manners? You are supposed to knock before you enter my room. Oh please, respect my privacy. R… E… S… P… E… C… T!” She was mad.

“All right, I am sorry. Next time I will knock on your door,” he said, still staring at her eyes.

“Kael, I know you are the owner of this house, but you also have to be considerate,” Sofia said.

“I’m still a woman and you’re a man, sweetie.” She had to emphasize the difference between them.

“But I am your fashion designer and you are my muse. Is it my responsibility to take care of you so you can generate more money for my business?” He chuckled as he sat on the bed situated in front of the mirror.

“Stop it! I know my role in your life, in your empire. I am your muse indeed and it’s purely business,” she said.

“And please separate business from my personal life,” she added.

Mikael stood from the bed. “Okay fine, you win. But you haven’t answered my questions yet.”

“I am fabulous. I was just cleaning my face and removing my make-up. I was having a moment with myself. Then, you barged in. That’s all.” She tried to compose a lie. She was thinking that less talk meant less vulnerability.

“You’re lying.” Mikael unexpectedly turned Sofia towards him. “Look at me. I know those eyes can’t lie, my dear Clarissa.”

Sofia was taken aback but she had to gather herself together. Mikael knew everything about her, even her past and her deep secrets. Mikael, her childhood sweetheart, knew that she was Clarissa Gonzales. But she had to constantly remind him to forget about her past identity.

"Mikael, please forget about Clarissa. I am now Sofia Villanueva!" She had to emphasize her present persona.

“All right, my shy Sofia, but what are you trying to hide this time?” The man tried to tease the woman who seemed anxious at the moment.

Sofia had to confront her anxious emotion that very moment or she will fall for those charms exuberated by this gorgeous man standing so close to her.

"Nothing, Kael!" She tried so hard to look away and evade those seductive pair of eyes. But they were intently staring at her face. It was an uncomfortable situation.

She had to maintain a poker face or else she will be trapped in that whirlwind of emotions.

Mikael had been her childhood sweetheart, a dependable friend, a trusted confidante, an amazing ally, but he was never a romantic partner.

They may have been into awkward and intimate situations such as the current circumstance, but they were never lovers. They were just great friends.

Sofia knew Mikael is a gigolo and she will never fall for him. He will never fall for her, either.

She is a hopeless romantic and a sucker for a loyal lover. Fidelity and faithfulness matter so much to her. And Mikael will never be such.

Amidst the intense emotions hounding the two persons in the room, she had to compose herself. She raised her hand to touch Mikael’s face.

“Kael, you don’t need to worry about me. I am perfectly fine,” Sofia assured him.

“Are you sure?” The man also raised his hand to caress the woman’s right cheek.

“Of course. You have a big shop to take care of – a big business you need to run, so from now on, you have to worry less about me. Is that cool?” She spoke with such deep conviction.

Despite her assurance, Mikael never took his eyes away from her. He knew that she was just pretending to be strong, but she was weak. He knew that she was being haunted again by a painful memory of her past.

He was witness to her many sufferings. And the greatest trial happened last year. He knew that she could never easily forget such excruciating memory. It almost took away her life, her dreams, and her person. And he was just fortunate to have been beside her in all those moments.

“Trust me I’m okay.” She had to use both her hands to cup Mikael’s face to reassure him.

She knew she was so lucky to have this man in her life. They may not be lovers but they had each other through thick and thin. And it seemed so much better that way – no strings attached.

The man only nodded his head. He continued touching her face. There was this prodding to inch his way and close the gap between them two. He could imagine both of them locking lips.

But he knew it was inappropriate. It was like kissing a sibling.

Besides, he never expressed his feelings to Sofia. No, he actually did. However, on all those occasions, those statements of feelings were declared like jokes. He was never serious.

“Now, it is my turn to ask – are you okay Mr. Mikael Alonso?” Sofia turned the situation in her favor.

“Yeah. I am fine. Perfectly fine,” Mikael responded.

“Maybe I was just too exhausted from all the work I had to do at the shop. I also have to think of so many things for my new collections this year,” he explained.

Mikael owned one of the biggest fashion houses in the Philippines, the Alonso Atelier. Yes, the man is a fashion designer.

In fact, he is one of the top young clothing connoisseurs in all of Asia, in the United States, and even in Europe. His fashion stores were strewn in various capital cities in the world.

He has only been in the fashion industry for over five years but his creativity and ingenuity in making women’s clothing and garments has made him one of the preferred designers of his generation.

Even famous Hollywood stars and top fashion supermodels would line up to book an appointment with him during awards season and fashion weeks. And Sofia Villanueva, the woman in front of him, was his muse.

“Is there something I can do to help?” The woman offered her assistance but she knew Mikael would turn her down.

“No need. I know you are busy with your training. Your pageant is forthcoming so I don’t want to bother you,” he politely declined.

“All right if that’s the case, then it is time for me to have my beauty rest,” she said in jest.

He paused for a while. He was still touching, his hands on her shoulders. He did not want to let go but he must. He almost lost his stance but Sofia was a strong pillar.

“Isn’t it ironic that you were the one asking me earlier if I was fine? And it seemed that the situation is reversed. Are you really okay, Kael?” Sofia had become the inquisitive one.

Finally, Mikael came back to his senses. It is not the perfect time to express how he felt for the woman in front of him. Not yet. While having this thought, he had no choice but to keep his hands away from her body. Or else, he would lose control.

“I need to wake up so early tomorrow morning or my trainer will get furiously mad if I come late,” Sofia explained.

“Sorry, I guess I have to leave now,” Mikael uttered these words while walking away from her.

He took heavy steps, trying to prolong the moment. He did not want to leave but it wasn’t the best option.

He hesitantly opened the door and said “Good night, Sofia.”

“Sweet dreams Mikael. Just tell me if you need my help. I’ll be in your shop all day,” she exclaimed.

“All right, I will close the door now.” He bade his farewell to the woman he loved so much. But that love remained unsaid.

The door was shut but Mikael stood still in front of Sofia’s room. Even though they just had an intimate moment, he missed her already.

He wanted to go inside the woman’s room again. But for now, he had to drop that desire.

What matters was that they live under one roof. They were in one home. And someday, they could be together in one room - hopefully.