CHAPTER 2

HE THOUGHT HIS night would be cozy, but he was wrong—he just thought it was. Instead of having a good evening, it got even worse because of that woman. She was so dramatic and crying nonstop.

Elvin walked back to his house. He was on 'Fucker Island' in Batangas, which he owned. He had some houses there, but he only stayed there occasionally when he had a woman to fool around with.

He heaved a sigh and opened the door, stepping inside. Just as he took a step, his cellphone in his pocket suddenly rang. He narrowed his eyes and picked up the phone. Without thinking twice, he answered it.

"Damn, Elvin! Where is the woman you were supposed to dispose of? Where the hell is she, huh?"

He quickly arched his eyebrow, irritated. Before responding, he walked towards the nearby couch and pretended to sit there, as if he didn't care about that woman.

"She's dead, Dave, and I believed that. I shot her, so there's no way she could have escaped. Search the woods if necessary." He chuckled. "Include the sea in your search," he sarcastically added.

Dave scolded him repeatedly. "You idiot, Elvin! Damn you! I'm serious! We didn't find any woman. All we found was blood."

He rolled his eyes. "You guys are so slow in taking action! Tell your men, you idiots! Leave before I kill you myself. You're all a bunch of slow idiots!" He ended the call.

He sighed heavily as he placed his cellphone beside him. He didn't know what to do at that moment. But his mind kept thinking about that woman. She must have escaped. He didn't even know where he hit her.

He wasn't satisfied. He didn't want someone so dramatic and crying like that woman earlier. He wanted to fuck a woman all day. He was so damn horny. Fuck! Dimwit!

SHANELLE WANTED TO stop her friend, but she couldn't hold her back. She was just concerned about her friend's safety because she had gotten herself into a very dangerous situation. Pamela would become a slave to a man who would take away her innocence. As far as she knew, Pamela was still young. She was only around 20 years old, so Shanelle was worried for her. But it seemed like Pamela didn't even think about the consequences once everything was over.

Shanelle let out a sigh before groaning as she got up from the bed she was lying on and walked out of the room to have breakfast. It was already morning, but she still hadn't heard any news about Pamela. She was also worried about her father because the doctor had said last night that his condition was worsening. She couldn't think of any other way to save money for his operation. Her earnings from the juice bar where she worked weren't enough.

She sat down on a chair and absentmindedly fiddled with her phone. She just wanted to call her mother, who was currently watching over her father at the hospital. After a few rings, her mother answered.

"Did you accidentally call, my dear? Don't you have any food there?" Her mother's voice clearly indicated that she had just woken up.

She took a deep breath before responding. "How are you there, Mama? Is Papa okay? Don't worry about me because I'm fine, and I just finished having breakfast." Although the truth was that she didn't have any appetite and was really troubled.

"I'm fine, Shanelle. I don't know if your father is okay. He woke up earlier this morning but went back to sleep."

She forced a smile. "Don't worry, Mama. Once we have money... we can have Papa's surgery. 'Ma, how much money do we need for Papa's operation?"

"Child, the doctor told me to prepare half a million pesos for your father's surgery."

She covered her mouth and couldn't speak immediately. Half a million pesos? Where was she going to get that? It was a large sum of money, and it seemed impossible for her to save up that amount even if it took her whole life.

Instead of responding to her mother, she quickly ended the call and stared into space. She didn't know what to do because her father's life was at stake. If he didn't undergo the operation soon, he might die. She didn't want to give up on her father because she loved him so much. Very, very much.

Unbeknownst to her, tears slowly began to flow from her eyes. To prevent them from multiplying, she stood up and quickly headed to the bathroom to take a shower. After showering, she put on a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt for women. She matched it with shoes.

She didn't know who urged her to go to Pamela's apartment. She didn't even eat breakfast. And there she was, finding herself standing in front of her friend's apartment.

"Miss, who are you looking for?" a voice came from behind her, and she quickly turned around to see a middle-aged woman standing in front of her.

"Pamela. Is she here? I've been knocking earlier," she said with a smile, but deep inside, she was extremely worried.

"Oh! She left last night," the woman answered.

"H-Huh?!" She was taken aback by the woman's words and couldn't help but shout.

"Yes, she just left last night." The woman walked towards her. "Come in, let's go inside," she said with a smile, to which Shanelle nodded.

The woman passed her to open the door with a key. When it opened, she entered first before Shanelle followed. It was quiet inside, and Pamela's belongings were no longer there. Maybe the woman was right.

"By the way, I'm Decing, and I own this place where your friend lived. Last night, I was surprised because she suddenly gave me money. I asked her what it was for, and she said it was for the rent. I thought that was it. Little did I know she also packed her things and left without saying goodbye."

Shanelle didn't know what to do upon hearing that. Pamela left without a word? Why didn't she contact her before leaving?

"What did she look like last night?" she asked, confused.

"She looked like a mess, to be honest, dear. Her clothes were disheveled, and her shirt was torn. I also noticed she was walking unsteadily," the woman replied.

There was some kind of spirit whispering to her at that moment. She smiled at Decing and opened her mouth to ask, "Did you see a folder?"

"A folder? Wait a moment!"

Decing went out of the apartment, leaving Shanelle behind. She wanted to know what happened to her friend and why she left without a word. She momentarily set aside her worries about her father.

When Decing returned, she had a folder in her hand. "Is this it, dear?"

She nodded and took the folder from her. She thanked the woman before finally leaving Pamela's former apartment. As she walked away, she opened the folder and dialed the number written inside.

After three rings, someone finally answered.

"Hello! Good morning, woman! Want to apply as his puppet?" It was a man on the other end, and his voice sounded gruff.

"I'm not applying! I just want to ask what he did to my friend! She suddenly left without a word," she said with a raised eyebrow.

Her interlocutor chuckled. "Miss, I'm not the one you should be asking. I'm just a P.A. You should visit the Royal Route Building and ask the owner if you really want to know the truth." And then the call was cut.

She was speechless at what the person said. If she wanted to find the answers to her questions, she had to go to the Royal Route Building. And she had to ask the owner. If she wasn't mistaken, the owner of the luxury car dealership was famous throughout the country. And if she wasn't mistaken again, maybe that person had something to do with Pamela.

"I'M GLAD YOU'RE in the office," Dave said with a laugh. "Don't leave because there's a woman coming. Did you hear me, Elvin? There's a woman coming."

Elvin furrowed his brow when Dave said that. "A woman? Why is someone coming?" He was interrupted by Dave's statement. Dave could be quite annoying!

Dave really irritated him. Sometimes, Elvin imagined giving him a good punch in the face, but he couldn't do that to someone who had been there for him. Dave was there during the ups and downs. When Elvin started his business, Dave was there. When his business suffered setbacks, Dave was there. When Elvin felt depressed or didn't know what to do, Dave was there. Dave was not just his personal assistant; he was a friend and family. Dave had been with him since the beginning.

Elvin was lost in his thoughts when there was a knock on the door. He let out a deep sigh. "Come in..."

He wasn't surprised when the door opened and Mina entered with a cup of coffee. She walked over to his desk and placed the coffee in front of him.

"Thanks, Mina. I really appreciate your efforts," he smiled.

Mina smiled back. "Always welcome, Sir Miller. By the way, there's a woman downstairs who wants to talk to you. Should I bring her up?"

He nodded, remembering Dave's mention of someone coming to see him. "Yeah, bring her up."

Mina nodded and hurriedly left his office, closing the door behind her. As Elvin sipped his coffee, he felt its warmth soothing his throat. He drank it a bit too quickly, causing his tongue and throat to be scalded. He winced and coughed.

Realizing he was rushing, Elvin reminded himself that he had plenty of coffee left. He decided to take a moment and walked to his mini-kitchen. Yes, his office had a small kitchenette, like a miniature version of a house. He went to the mini-refrigerator, opened it, and grabbed a can of soda, ignoring his usual restrictions due to his kidney condition. At that moment, he didn't care.

As he was finishing the soda, there was another knock on the door. Elvin quickly discarded the can in the nearest trash bin and hurried back to his desk. He sat down in his swivel chair, trying to compose himself.

He cleared his throat and said, "Come in..." with a smile on his face.

As the door opened, two women entered. It was Mina and another woman whom he didn't recognize. He couldn't help but notice her beauty. She had an elegant presence that captivated him. Elvin tried to focus on her face, avoiding any other physical attributes that had caught his attention earlier.

"Sir Miller, this is the woman I mentioned," Mina said, offering a smile before leaving the room.

Elvin greeted the woman politely, "Hello, please have a seat. How can I assist you?"

THE MAN'S GAZE was intense. Shanelle didn't know what to do as she stared at his gentle face. It felt like her panties dropped the moment she looked at him. Who wouldn't have their panties drop when the man in front of you looked like an angel thrown down to earth? He was incredibly handsome. It was evident that he had recently shaved, accentuating his good looks. Not to mention his thick eyebrows. She was also captivated by his eyes. Her gaze shifted to his nose. Damn, it was perfectly shaped! She followed his lips, and oh my... why did they look so tempting to kiss? Even though they were slightly dry, she knew they were kissable, with a shade of red as if wearing lipstick. Why did they look so delectable? She couldn't help but wonder.

The man seemed surprised when he saw her, and he cleared his throat, bringing her back to reality. His face suddenly changed. Not literally. His expression changed from gentle to arrogant. His eyebrows furrowed as if they were in a quarrel that he wanted to avoid.

"Introduce yourself," he said without any emotion, sipping his coffee that was conveniently placed in front of him.

She swallowed her saliva before speaking. "What did you do to my friend? She left without even saying goodbye. Tell me, what did you do to her?"

The man smirked before standing up and walking towards her. He stopped a few steps away, creating a little distance between them. Due to his height, her face was level with his mouth, and she could smell his breath. It smelled like coffee with a hint of mint.

"Did you know me?" he asked with a grin.

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, I know you very well. I just don't know your name. And you're the owner of the building I'm standing on. So now, answer my question. What did you do to my friend?"

"Let me introduce myself first." He smiled, causing her world to momentarily stop spinning. His smile was dangerously captivating. "I'm Elvin Davis Miller, and I am the owner of the Royal Route Building."

She didn't need to know his name. What did she care if she knew it? Was she going to search for him on F******k and stalk him? No way, she wasn't that kind of woman who immediately searches for someone attractive. She wasn't like that. There was a big difference between her and those people.

"Now, answer—"

She was interrupted when he spoke.

"Introduce yourself first."

"Why?" she asked, confused.

"To know who you really are," he said softly.

She rolled her eyes before speaking. "I'm Shanelle Lane Dela Cruz. There, I answered you, so now it's your turn. Answer my question. What did you do to my friend?"

He suddenly turned serious and walked away from her. He went to his desk and sat down. She felt like a fool as his gaze traveled from her feet to her head. How rude!

"How much are you, Lane? Could you name yourself?" he provocatively asked, licking his lips.

Shanelle couldn't utter a word in response to the man's vulgar statement. She couldn't process the obscenity he had just said. Frustrated, she quickly threw the folder she was holding, which luckily landed on the desk. But she wasn't satisfied. She approached him and mercilessly pulled his hair. He just let her do it. He deserved it because he was rude!

"For your information," she stopped pulling and looked at him angrily, "I don't sell myself, and I will never let my name be tarnished. I won't stoop so low as to bargain myself to you. You son of a b*tch! Pervert! Rude! Yes, I know you're wealthy, and I know I'm at a disadvantage, but remember this, I won't sell myself to you!" she declared angrily before marching out of the office.

She hadn't even left the office when someone suddenly grabbed her arm. Not knowing what was going to happen, she was surprised when she felt her lips pressed against the man's lips.

Quick as lightning, she pulled away and slapped him hard. "You rude bastard! Just die!" she angrily exclaimed, continuing to walk away from that man!