Chapter 7

Napako ang tingin ni Emily sa singsing. Ang ekspresyon niya? Para bang pinagsakluban ng langit at lupa. Her perfectly glossed lips parted in shock at sa unang pagkakataon ay mukhang nawalan siya ng sasabihin.

Cinderella just smirked and savoring the moment. “Oh Emily, did you really think you still had a chance?”

Samantala, si Nero? Tahimik lang na nagmamasid but his sharp eyes didn’t miss a thing. He took one slow step towards Cinderella. His presence overwhelming and his gaze locked onto the ring on her finger.

“Interesting,” mahinang bulong ni Nero.

Nagkibit balikat lamang siya sa binulong nito.

Nero reached out for her hand. His fingers lightly touched her skin and his thumb ran over the diamond ring, almost as if he were checking if it was real. He tilted his head a bit and then gave her a knowing look. “Funny,” he remarked. “I don’t remember putting this on your finger.”

Cinderella’s heart skipped a beat. Of course, he would notice. Napamura na lamang siya sa kanyang isip.

She quickly pulled her hand back and tucked it into her coat pocket. “Does it really matter?” she replied calmly. “The outcome is still the same, right?”

Nero let out a low chuckle. “Matapang ka talaga,” he murmured. “But tell me, Cinderella…” He leaned in and his warm breath brushing her ear. “Where did you get that ring?”

Cinderella raised her chin, determined not to back down. “Does it really matter where it came from? What’s important is…” She glanced at Emily and then turned back to Nero with a confident smile. “She understood the message.”

Emily stood still and her face flushed with embarrassment.

Nero looked at her once more, his dark eyes shining with a mysterious feeling. "Smart move," he said, a touch of humor in his voice. "But just so you know, princess, I don’t really like being outsmarted."

Cinderella lifted an eyebrow. “And just so you know, I don’t like being questioned, Babe.”

A brief silence followed with the atmosphere feeling charged and intense.

Nero chuckled gently and shook his head. "You’re going to be a real challenge."

Cinderella grinned. “You have no idea.”

Hinawakan niya ang kamay ni Cinderella at hinila ito palapit sa kanya, as if claiming her in front of everyone.

“Let’s go inside, Babe.”

Emily, still filled with disbelief, tightened her fists. “This isn’t over,” she exclaimed angrily before leaving the office, her high-end heels tapping loudly on the marble floor. Every tap was a declaration of war.

Pero hindi natinag si Cinderella. In fact, she looked… amused.

Cinderella sighed and shook her head. "What a drama queen," she said. 

She was going to enjoy this game. She gave one final glance kay Emily, then casually turned to the stunned secretary who clearly had no clue kung dapat ba siyang matakot o humanga.

Nginitian niya ito. "Don't stress, I'm familiar with storms. This one's just a light rain." With that, she walked confidently into Nero's stylish and contemporary office.

Nadatnan niya  si Nero na nakaupo sa kanyang leather chair na tila nag-eenjoy sa palabas na nangyari lang ilang segundo ang nakalipas. Nero leaned back with his arms crossed, keeping his eyes fixed on her. What did his face show? A blend of curiosity, amusement, and a hint of something more darker… something mischievous...

“Enjoy ka?” tanong ni Cinderella, wearing her signature smug smile as she strolled over to his desk like she owned the place.

“More than I probably should be,” Nero replied. “I should be concerned that you just challenged someone like Emily Montenegro.”

Cinderella gracefully settled into the guest chair, exuding the poise of royalty. “She started the fight first. I merely accepted her invitation.”

Nero let out a soft chuckle. “You do realize she’s ruthless, right? She doesn’t play by the rules.”

Cinderella crossed her legs, raising an eyebrow. “Good. I don’t either.”

A moment of silence lingered between them.

Then, he leaned in closer, resting his forearms on the desk and locking eyes with her. “You’re enjoying this,” he said, as if accusing her.

She began with a sarcastic tone. "So, tell me, Mr. Vergara. Ilang ex pa ba ang kailangan kong makasalubong sa hallway bago tayo tuluyang makapirma ng kontratang ito?”

Napangiti si Nero, ngunit sa halip na sumagot agad, tumayo siya mula sa pagkakasandal at lumapit sa kanya nang mabagal—napakabagal na halos marinig ni Cinderella ang bawat hakbang ng kanyang mamahaling sapatos sa sahig ng opisina.

“Bakit?” tanong ng lalaki, ang kanyang tinig ay may bahid ng amusement. “Naiinip ka na ba?”

Humalukipkip si Cinderella, hindi natinag sa presensya ng lalaki. “Hindi naman. I just think it’s a little exhausting. Hindi ko alam na kasama sa package deal ng kasunduang ito ang pagharap sa mga ex na hindi makamove on.”

Natawa si Nero, mababa at malalim, tila ba aliw na aliw sa inis na nararamdaman niya. “Ah, but Babe, you should know—none of them matter.”

Tumaas ang kilay ni Cinderella. “Right. Kaya kanina muntik nang dumikit sa’yo ‘yung babaeng ‘yon.”

Nero smirked, ang kanyang titig ay nagdilim habang mas lumalapit pa sa kanya. “Jealous?”

Napairap si Cinderella. “Jealous? Please. Hindi ako natatakot sa competition.”

“Now, that was entertaining,” he murmured. “Pero…” Tumigil siya at pinagmasdan ang kaliwang kamay ni Cinderella. “That ring…”

Napatingin din si Cinderella sa diamond ring na kumikislap pa rin sa kanyang daliri.

Umangat ang isang kilay ni Nero. “Why are you wearing that? I don't remember giving it to you.”

She returned his stare with a calm, amused smile that conveyed, "I know what I'm doing."

"That's because you didn't," she explained calmly, raising her chin and crossing her arms.  "I bought it myself."

His brow wrinkled.  Of course she did.  Her inner fire would not allow for anything less. "Para saan?" he asked, his tone a delightful blend of humor and something deeper.

Cinderella came forward.  "Para sa sarili kong peace of mind," she added, her tone hinting at mockery.  She held up her hand, allowing the diamond to catch the light again—this time purposefully. “To remind myself that I don’t need a man to protect me from the rest.”

Nero laughed low and dangerously.  He took one step forward, narrowing the gap between them.  "That ring won't protect you," he muttered.  "Not from me."

Cinderella smiled. "Are you sure?" mapanghamon na tanong niya.

Nero's smirk vanished.

In one breath, he was in front of her, his hand reaching out to seize her wrist, not violently, but with a commanding hold. "You think it's a shield," he said fiercely, "but really…"

He brought her hand to his lips and kissed the diamond slowly—Once... Twice... It's the third time. Each kiss burned deep into her skin.

Then his gaze met hers—and they weren't simply intense. They were really destructive.

Cinderella’s breath caught.

"You want men to stay away from you?"  He whispered on her skin.  "Then why wear something that makes me want to tear it off you with my teeth?"

 She attempted to speak and think, but his eyes...  Those eyes were exposing every layer of her pride.

 "I should hate you," she said... hating how weak it sounded.

 But Nero simply smiled.  "Then why are you shaking?"

She released her wrist from his grasp, turned quickly, and began walking, her heart pounding so fiercely... But before she could take another step—

He grabbed her waist, turned her around and shoved her back into the wall. "You're mine, Cinderella." His voice was low, intimate and terrifying. "And no diamond you buy will ever change that."