CHAPTER 1

Trixie's POV

"Trixie, please arrange the table and the room itself sa conference room. There will be a meeting with the shareholders today." I stepped back as I heard my boss slash friend's command.

I bowed and smiled. "Sure, Max. I'm on it."

Dahan dahan kong pinihit ang malaking pintuan ng office ng amo ko palabas. Pagkatapos nito ay ang magaan kong paglakad patungo sa conference room upang iayos ang lahat ng mga kailangan iayos.

"Ayan, okay na'to." I smiled.

I was about to walk to call my boss when my phone rang. A rare phone call coming from my parents.

"Hello, Ma? Napatawag po kayo?" I greeted.

"T-Trixie..." I heard her stutter.

Hindi ko alam pero bigla akong kinabahan sa tunog ng boses ni mama.

"What happened, Ma?" I worriedly asked.

"T-Trixie...Y-your...s-sister..." She did it again. And this time her voice almost broke.

"What happened to Ate Aless, Ma?"

"A-anak, ang ate mo. W-wala na..." At bigla na siyang umiyak sa kabilang linya.

Napatakip ako ng bibig sa sinabi ni mama. Tila nawalan ako ng kontrol sa aking katawan.

"Ma, you're joking right?" naluluha kong tanong.

"Your mom is right, hija. And we need you to come back home right now. Nasa mansion kami nilang dalawa ni Liam." I heard my dad sadly said.

I stopped. I am trembling. I almost drop the phone that I am holding.

"Sige, dad. I'll book a flight immediately." I said and ended the call.

"Are you okay, Trixie?" I heard Max calling me.

Tinignan niya ako sa mata and realizes that I am about to cry. Linapitan naman niya ako at pinaupo sa isa sa mga upuan sa conference room.

"Max, si Ate..." I cried.

"What happened to her?"

"M-mom c-called m-me k-kanina and told me that Ate was already g-gone." I cried and cried.

Naramdaman ko ang pagdapo ng kamay niya sa aking likuran. She's trying to calm me.

"Shh, tahan na. So, anong balak mo?" She asked.

"I'll book a flight pauwi." I answered, medyo kumalma na.

"Sige, kung yan ang maaari. Just send my condolences to tita and tito." Maxinne sincerely said.

"Oh siya sige, umuwi kana at magfreshen up. Para makapaghanda kana pauwi sa inyo. Susunod ako kapag may time ako. I want to visit your ate too." She added.

Tumango naman ako at lumabas na sa kompanya. Nagbook ako ng car at nagpahatid sa aking tintirhang condominium.

I packed my things to bring pauwi. Saksi ang mga ito kung gaano ako umiyak sa condo.

I just never expected it, to happen. Ate was just fine when I last visited sa kanilang bahay weeks ago. And now, malalaman ko nalang na wala na siya?

Nang makalma ko ang sarili ko ay nag-ayos na rin ako para makapunta na sa Airport. I booked the fastest and more available na plane ngayon para hindi na ako mag-aksaya ng ilang araw pa.

The travel was peaceful but not for me. Kahit ilang ulit kong kalmahin ang sarili ay hindi ko magawa. I have so many questions. A lot.

Hindi ko na rin namalayan na tumutulo na pala ang mga luha ko. Ate is not just a sister, she's my hero, my savior.

There's a lot of things I wanna told her pa. And we promised to got engaged at the same time. Pero nauna na siya sa lahat.

She left me behind, hanging.

Nakatulog ako sa kakakaisip sa mga alaala namin ni Ate. I didn't bother to wipe my tears and just slept.

Ilang oras pa ang nakalipas ay nakarating na kami sa aming destinasyon. Nang palabas ako sa plane ay napansin ng floght attendant na namumula ang mata ko.

"Are you okay ma'am?" She worriedly asked.

Nginitian ko naman ito. "Yes, I am okay."

"Thank you for riding with us ma'am, hoping to see you again. Soon!"

Ngumiti naman ako rito at tumango. "Yeah, thank you for the safe ride."

Pagkalabas ko sa airport ay kinapa ko ang aking bag para tignan if may spare na mask ako. Nang makakita ako ng isang piraso ay agad ko itong kinuha at isinuot. Pinaresan ko siya ng sunglassess para maitago ang aking namumulang mga mata.

I texted my mom na nakarating na ako sa airport and I need someone to fetch me.

Trixie: Ma, I'm at airport na. Pakisabi may Anthony na sunduin na ako.

Mom: Sige, anak. Papupuntahin ko na siya.

I closed my phone as I received my mom's message. I'll just wait for a few minutes before Anthony—my brother fetched me.

Tumungo ako sa isang upuan na malapit lang sa Airport at nagmuni-muni. Habang hinihintay si Anthony, linibang ko ang aking sarili sa paglalaro ng mobile games at panonood ng mga reels sa social media.

I even try to contact Max if how was the shareholder's meeting. But I didn't get any reply. Siguro ay hindi pa tapos.

Ilang minuto pa ay naramdaman ko ang pagvibrate ng aking phone, someone texted.

Unknown: I'll fetch you. Tita told me, since Anthony is busy.

Napakunot ako ng ulo dahil sa iniisip kung sino ito.

Maya-maya pa ay may pahabol siyang text.

Unknown: This is Lance. Where are you?

Oh.

My sister's fiancee.

Nagtipa ako sa aking phone and texted him back.

"Airport."

Ate was engaged, yes. To a wealthy person. Si Lance. Sa alam ko siya ang Chief Operation Manager ng CruzTech, a cybersecurity and programming company.

Unknown: Okay.

Hindi na ako nagreply pa, itinoy ko nalang ang panonood sa mga reels at paglalaro sa aking cellphone.

A few minutes later, my phone vibrated, again.

Mom: Lance will fetch you anak, busy si Anthony. Did he texted you? Binigay ko na sa kaniya number mo para incase magkaligawan kayo, you can contact each other. See you soon.

Trixie: Yes ma, malapit na ata.

I was about to close my phone when it vibrated again.

Unknown: Where are you? I'm at the airport na.

Sasagutin ko na sana ang kaniyang reply ng makita ko siya sa harap ng airport mismo. I didn't specified that I'm near at the airport.

Kaya imbes na reply'an ko siya ay tumungo na ako sa kanya.

Habang papalapit ako ay lumalaki rin ang pigura na nasa isang kotse, nakasandal. Wearing his mysterious eyeglassed and a well fitted jeans and shirt.

Yes, it's him. It's Lance.

He has this perfect jaw line, his moreno skin radiating with the sun's light. He's almost perfect, physically.

Ngumiti ako tsaka naglakad papalapit sa kanya at narating ko an rin siya ng tuluyan.

"Tara na?" I called.

He was busy typing at his phone when he glanced at me. His eyebrows furrowed for confusion.

I removed my sunglasses as well as my mask and look at him also.

"Tara na?" I repeated.

He clears his throat, sexily.

"Oh, let's go." His baritone voice echoed to my ears.

He opened the door for passenger seat. I smiled at thanked him for that.

Afterwards, he walked towards the other way and sat to the driver's seat.

Pagkasirado niya sa pintuan ng kotse ay pumalibot sa akin ang masarap na amoy ng kabyang perfume.

It's strong and an alluring scent. Lumingon ako sa kanya at seryosong tinitigan ang kanyang sideview.

No, Trixie. Why are you feeling this way?

"Seatbelt." He said making me interrupted from smelling his scent.

"Oh, sorry." I chuckled, silently.

Hinila ko ang seatbelt ngunit hindi ko siya makuha-kuha.

Nang mapansin siguro ito ni Liam ay agad na pumalibot ang kanyang malaki at matindig na braso sa akin.

Lumapit pa siya ng mariin at hinila ang belt.

I can feel his breathing. No, I should not be feeling this.

My heart is racing, like hell.

As I stare at his eyes and as his scent lingered my nose, I felt his lips claiming mine.

He, fucking kissed me.