Chapter Two

When I opened my eyes, I quickly closed them because of the bright lights. It took a few seconds before my eyes adjusted.

Where am I? 

I looked around, and saw that I am in an unfamiliar room. My eyes widened in realization, remembering what had happened before I passed out.

“Shit, shit, shit,” I cursed as my gaze went down to look at my clothes. I am still wearing the clothes I wore, and when I looked at the bedside table, I saw that my scarf is there neatly folded. 

What happened?

My eyes widened the moment I realized that Kio was there when that random guy harassed me! I stood as I felt panic rushing through my system because of that realization. I’m a hundred percent sure that I am in his property right now. He’s a great fighter. That man had no chance against him. We were together for years. I just know what kind of person he is!

I felt my head aching, but that did not stop me to look for my things. 

I picked my scarf up, and looked through the sheets for my phone. I can’t find it! 

I was already looking under the bed when the door opened, which made me immediately stand, eyes wide.

The lady who entered was surprised to see me. She is dressed in what seems like a maid attire. She is quick to bow at me before saying, “You’re up, Miss! I’ll just inform Mr. Morikawa. Please stay in this room—“

“Uh, no need!” I cut her off. “You don’t have to tell him. I’ll be leaving this very instant.”

I don’t want to see that guy’s face ever again! Sure, he practically saved my life, but still! I will never have the heart to genuinely thank him after everything he did. 

“I’m sorry, Miss, but he specifically told me to inform him once you’ve already regained consciousness,” she said before bowing for a little, and exiting the room. 

Now I don’t know what to do! If I leave, what would happen to that maid? Will she get fired? She wouldn’t get fired, right? After all, it’s just me. What business does that guy even have with me?

I didn’t even have much time to think because Kio is quick to barge into the room with that condescending look on his face. I immediately frowned at the sight of him, feeling my heart racing a little bit.

He stopped two meters from me, arms crossed. His eyes dropped at the sight of my neck. I hate to think that he is inspecting it since I was strangled. I can even feel a slight pain from it even until now, but I give it no mind. 

“You’re welcome,” he said in an annoying tone.

I raised my brows before meeting his gaze. I don’t care if he’s now a billionaire, and he can make me disappear in this world in one snap of a finger. I do not owe this guy anything! “Where’s my phone? Give it back to me! I can’t leave without it!” I tell him, refusing to thank him.

I just want to leave his property as soon as I can! Maybe move to an another city once Vivi graduates from college. I don’t care! I just don’t want our paths crossing ever again.

“As if I’ll be stealing your crusty phone. I threw it away, it’s broken.”

My jaw dropped as I look at him in disbelief. “You—what?! I have important contacts there!”

“Your clients’ contact numbers?” He raised a brow before reaching for something inside his coat, and tossing it on the bed. My gaze followed whatever he threw, and I saw that it is a white box. “I bought you a new one. That’s the latest model. Far better than that crusty phone of yours. You’re welcome.”

“W-What—“ My jaw dropped in disbelief. Is he being for real?! “Swallow that ‘far better’ phone of yours. I need my phone! MY phone. It has a sentimental value, Kionno!”

It was the phone that I first bought with my first earnings in the industry. It might be cheap and crusty, but I bought it with my hard-earned money. I can’t believe he just disposed it without even consulting me. What do I even expect from a person like him? He will never understand.

His face softened up a bit, and I don’t know if I was just imagining it, but I saw a hint of guilt in his countenance. Not that I care! I need my phone!

“Fine,” he said with a frown on his face, defeated. He reached for something in his pocket. It is my phone.

He threw it towards my direction, making me scream as I did my best to catch it. Luckily, I was able to catch it. I shot him a look before inspecting the phone. It is indeed broken. The tempered glass is fully cracked, I’m sure that the phone screen is cracked as well. I tried to turn it on, but it wouldn’t turn on.

I can’t help but pout. 

“I told you.” I hear him say, which annoyed me even more. “I saved you last night, and I even got you a new phone. I don’t even get a single thank you?”

My brows are furrowed when I looked at him. “And did I tell you to save me? Did I tell you to buy me a phone?” I hate how I sound like a damn kid.  I hate how I sound so irrational. And I hate it more that we would fight exactly this way before.

“What am I even supposed to do, woman? Leave you with that prick?” He walked closer to me, making my eyes widen. He didn’t stop getting closer until I can’t help but sit on the bed, his face is now inches away from mine. I can now smell his minty breath as we both stared at each other’s eyes. His gaze dropped at my lips, making me swallow the lump inside my throat. “Or maybe I read the situation incorrectly? Wasn’t I supposed to help you, then?”

My brows furrowed before I pushed him away from me, gaining a condescending chuckle from him. I can feel that my face is now flushed. I want to show that he no longer affects me, but my body is doing the otherwise! 

“What are you meaning to say?” I tried to regain my composure. I can’t lose against him. I refuse to. “That I’m a slut—?”

“You leave me, and the next time I see you, you’re now having sex with random men?” There is now a dark expression on his face, which he would always wear whenever he was jealous of someone before.

I furrowed my brows before standing. “I don’t have sex with random men, Kionno!”

“Then what? You just dance against their crotches instead?”

My eyes widened. He is talking about the bachelor’s party! That night, when I realized it was him, I tried to regain my composure, and just did my job even when my heart wanted to burst out of my chest. Who wouldn’t be nervous? Even if I didn’t want to, it was the first time in years that I saw him!

“You knew?” I asked, and I don’t even know why I feel embarrassed that he knew it was me.

“Of course I knew! Even with a blindfold, I’d always know it’s you, the seductive nurse!” There is something in his countenance that I don’t want to acknowledge. He’s no longer the guy that I loved before. Nothing will ever change the fact that he hurt me, and he is one of the reasons why I’m at the lowest point of my life. I will never ever forgive him.

I am silenced. I looked away because of the awkwardness that is now lingering in the air. I hate it! I hate how I’m still affected by his words. I kept playing scenarios after scenarios of us meeting again, and in those fantasies, I am cold-hearted, cruel and unfaltering. Not this. I can’t believe how I’m easily affected and flustered! He can easily read my mind through those gray eyes of his.

He cleared his throat. “What happened to you?” It was a genuine question. He didn’t sound condescending. He didn’t sound like someone who wants to shame me for the decisions that I made. He stared at me, waiting for my answer, and I can feel the beating of my heart getting faster and faster the more seconds passed by.

My life seems to flash between my eyes. How I mourned when my mom died, how I had to learn how to stand on my own feet when dad disowned me, and how I have been working hard to provide Vivi’s needs even before mine.

I used to live a fancy life where I no longer need to do anything to get the things that I want. Kio met me when I was still living that life, when we were still fit to be together. However, things are different now. I am now just a pest that he can easily remove. He is not at the top of the chain while I struggle at the bottom.

My experiences have humbled me down, and made me realize that the things that I value can easily be taken away from me. However, I still have my pride inside me. I still can’t accept that I’m just…this while the people who hurt me have been thriving and living their best lives.

I gritted my teeth. “You know nothing,” I tell him before gathering my things to leave. I can no longer stand being in the same space as him. He reminds me of things that I want to forget. “Stop acting like you care because you don’t! You’re despicable. I despise you.”

I walked towards the direction of the door, but he was quick to grab hold of my arm, stopping me from leaving. “So you want to keep living that way?! Being at risk of getting sexually molested by random guys?! Dancing for what, for money, for attention?! You’re no longer the Danielle that I knew before—“

“Then maybe you don’t really know me at all,” I said with an emphasis on each word. I yanked my arm away from his grasp before I stormed out of the room.

He acts like he knows better! He can easily say that because he hasn’t struggled as much as I do.

I swear to never see that man ever again!