Chapter 10

"Oh, c'mon Barack, I'm sorry. Please forgive me now." I leaned my head on his shoulder and lifted a view at him with a pout. 

It's already almost an hour but still we haven't settled this little argument of keeping him wait and rejected him on our date. After the incident on the park, we headed straight back in the hotel and talked to my son about what he had done that might lead him to danger. However, he defensed that the man who helped him was good and gave him a toy as a remembrance. 

Barack meet my eyes sternly. "Why haven't you called me at least?" he asked again and again. The only thing I hated about him was that he can't understand and consider my explanations most of the time and got mad when his offer or meetings were declined without prior notice. 

"I waited there with my business partner. You don't know how much time we wasted to him," he continued, nagging. 

I stood up and made a facepalm in frustration. "For pete's sake, Barack! I already explained to you that Ethan was lost earlier. I have to go back and look for him. Wasn't it a valid excuse?" I huffed. His eyes froze at me with his parted lips, surprised. I rarely talked back and make an argument with him but if it's all about my son, better yet he must listen or at least shut up. 

I heaved a sigh and shook my head. "You know what, this is nonsense. Just talk to me when you already understand what I am saying," I said before turning my back and locked myself on Ethan's room who was now innocently sleeping. 

It was quite upsetting, really. I thought he would understand when I explained but it turned out in a wrong way just like the old times. He was always the boss that I should and must follow through. I know his attitude, it's fine for me but sometimes it hits the limit and it honestly make me feel bad. I love him so much that I always avoid any fight between us as much as I can but he was the one who usually caused it. It was quite unfair though. 

I sighed heavily and sat on Ethan's side, pouring my attention to my sleeping son. I brushed his hair using my fingers and adoringly stared at him. Whatever angle he would made, he really looks like his real dad. I wonder what the two would be when they will be together. 

"Hey, son. I have a confession to made. Please don't hate me… Your dad is alive," I whispered to his ear as if he could hear me, really. I smiled bitterly and stared his eyes. 

"You look like him. No, he looks like you. Whatever," I giggled. "You are the other half of the fruit, my love," I continued. 

"I'm sorry, I can't let you both see each other. Mom is selfish, I don't want you to lose on my side." I whispered with a heavy chest. There was a sudden lump in my throat, so hard to swallow. Then, a drop of tear fell at once. 

This was really me. A coward woman who always escapes. 

In the middle of my monologue, I heard a knock on the door. My forehead creased while I'm drying off my tears. "Come in," I said. The door cracked open, exposing Barack with his pair of Dark Hazel eyes which I immediately avoided. 

He walked towards my direction and sat next to me. He heaved a loud sigh before reaching for my hand, gently caressing it. "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I have said earlier," he cooed. I lifted a view at him with a blank face. 

"You understand my point now?" He smirked and shook his head in surrender. 

I pressed his hand and bit my lower lip in victory. "Let's just schedule another dinner," I snuggled close to him and rested my head on his hard chest. "Or uhm… at the bar tomorrow?" I looked up and meet his gaze. "Since it's weekend, just like the old times," I told him. He smiled and lightly pressed his lips on the top of my head. 

"Alright," he replied. I wrapped my arms around his waist, staying on that position for a while then he mumbled again, "I'm sorry," which made my heart melt. 

Saturday night came, Barack and I are scheduled to a bar date– a bar owned by his business partner here. I wore a white mini tube paired with high waist black ripped jeans and a lace up ankle boots then a light blue denim jacket hang on my shoulders. I took a look on the mirror and fixed the red shade of my lipstick which matched my flowing light brown wavy hair. I guess I'm good to go. I smiled and stepped my foot outside the room.

"Elaine, keep an eye close to Ethan," I ordered her then held my son's shoulder who was busy playing with his toy car given by the unknown man. "Son, listen to Ate Elaine and stay here inside okay? We don't know what will happen to you the next time you will be lost. It's dark already, stay in. Are we clear?" I said straight to his eyes. 

He stood straight and nodded. "Yes, Mom," he replied lazily as he wanted to go with us though I have already explained that young men like him are not allowed on that crowded noisy place. 

"Good. If you follow what I have said and be good to Ate Elaine, we will visit on your grandparent's house tomorrow." His mood lit up with his sparkling blue eyes. "Really?" he screeched. I gave him a short kiss on the forehead and answered, "Yes!"

"Are we good to go now, Yzabelle?" Barack who was wearing an all black outfit, making him cooler on my eyes, suddenly asked. I shrugged my shoulders and locked my arms to his. But, before I could step my foot, Barack kissed my son and bid his goodbye. Such a lovely view. 

Strong beats, waving dancing bodies, dark places with different colors of spot lights, drunk people and some were making out on the corners. Usual bar scenario and habits.

Barack drew me closer to him and intertwined our fingers. I don't know where we are already but we climbed a stair and a calm environment with a band on the stage welcomed us. He dragged me to a seat then snapped his fingers in the air to catch the attention of the waiter. I just realised that it was a two-storey bar, cool. 

"Tequila and…" he looked at me. "What's yours?" he asked. "Vodka, please." The waiter immediately nodded and raced his foot on the counter. 

"The place is nice. Unique and fun," I commented as I scanned the area. 

"It was owned by my business partner. He was actually expecting us to be here," he informed. And a minute after, a man wearing a casual shirt and jeans appeared in our sight. 

Barack stood up and extended an arm at him. "Glad that you came, Mr. Santiolle," he greeted. 

"My pleasure, Mr. Samonte," Barack replied. "By the way, I am with my fiancée," he introduced, then I stood up to greet him. 

"Amber Louise Yzabelle, you can call me any of that name," I chuckled. He showed me his killer smile then accepted my hand. "Ezekiel Samonte." 

We took our seats and had our drinks with a few chats. "Your fiancée is beautiful. I say, you're lucky. You hit a jackpot!" I smirked when I heard him complimenting me. Well, I am supposed to be the lucky one with Barack. 

"She's my lucky charm," Barack replied with a chuckle then instantly winked at me. Okay, that was cringe yet sweet. 

We talked about a lot of things with our free drinks. I found out that Ezekiel was a hot charismatic engineer and a businessman at the same time. He was a player yet single for the meantime. I wonder how this man could be if he'd meet a woman who would let him chase her. In the middle of our talks, the band on the stage invited someone to join them. Not to mention, Barack knows how to sing. And as expected, he joined the band. 

"I've seen someone coming already! Let's give him a resounding welcome applause!" The vocalist cheered and everyone clapped including me. 

"What's your name, handsome man?" she asked as soon as he reached the stage and gave him the microphone. 

He cleared a throat and replied, "Barack." His husky voice made everyone scream especially the girls which made my eyes roll. "Single?" she asked again. 

'Deny your relationship with me, Barack and I'll bury you to hell,' I mumbled at the back of my head. 

He smiled at her. "I am with my fiancée, she's there," he pointed his index finger to my direction and a second later, the spot light directed to me. "Her name is Yzabelle Ferrer and this song is for her," he announced loud and proud. There was a sudden butterfly in my stomach that made me leap. Such a sweet man. 

I then smiled and raised my hand to expose my engagement ring. A mixture of ooh and aah covered the area before the band started to strum the guitar and the band vocalist who introduced herself earlier as Eleanor, started to hum with Barack. 

Everything seemed to freeze and all I could see was my fiancé, singing a love song with all his sincere feelings while his pair of dark hazel eyes were shut close. And the time he opened it, he stared at me with a smile. My heart was having a riot in my rib cage along with the butterfly in my stomach. I really love it when someone sings me a song which Blake rarely does to me. I got suddenly disturb by my own thoughts. 

Why am I even thinking and comparing him to Barack? I sighed then reached a drink on the table, taking it in one gulp. 

"Change of mood, huh," Ezekiel on my side mumbled, playing his wine on the glass. I looked at him and showed a little smirk. "I'm starting to think that you were observing and staring at me the whole time," I chortled. 

He shrugged his shoulders and drank his wine. "Sort of," he laughed. "You really are so beautiful and amazing but unfortunately someone owned you already," he continued, still with a short laugh. 

"You're flattering me, don't you?" I chuckled. "Such a classic move of a womanizer," I commented, making us both burst out into laughter. 

I got startled when Barack held my arm with his slightly scrunched eyebrow. "Amore! That was a lovely song! I love it!" I immediately greeted and threw myself on him. I didn't notice that they were done singing already. 

"That was for you," he replied. 

"I know. That was so sweet and I love you for that." He kissed the top of my head as a response. We remained silent for a moment until I broke it up. 

"Can I excuse myself? Gonna go to the comfort room first," I asked. He nodded and Ezekiel pointed to a certain direction, probably the comfort room. I raced my foot there right away. 

Going there was a little creepy for me as everything was covered with darkness and the only shade that gave light to the hall was the dancing colorful lights and a chandelier from the counter. I opened my bag to search for my phone for a flashlight but before I could find it, someone grabbed my arm and pinned me on the wall. My heart was racing so fast in shock along with my trembling knees. 

"Finally found you, baby," a familiar baritone voice whispered in my ear. My heart skipped its beat as I blinked a few times to recover myself from shock. Since it was dark, I could only see his silhouette in front of me. 

"E-excuse me. You might have been mistaken, Mister," I stammered. 

He released a smirk and shook his head. "I've seen the scene earlier. I thought I was the only one?" I was stunned. I am slowly having a hint of who this person might be but I don't want what I was thinking until he rested his forehead on mine, still pinning me on the wall with his hands. 

"I thought you won't forget me ever again? What happened to the promise?" he said with a trace of sorrow in his voice. I heaved a sigh when I suddenly felt a heavy feeling inside. I was like splashed by extremely cold water. My eyes were welling as I could feel his heavy breathing and smelled his scent, my favorite scent. 

"Y-you're dead," I stuttered, forcing myself to speak despite of the lump building on my throat.