Max was waiting when they stepped into the house."Are you good?" He asked at once, worry etched on his face.She blinked, "yeah, I am. How have you been?""I managed. Your friend here helped me out," he answered, "you look tired. Go into your room and sleep more."She nodded, not used to the long conversation."I'll get going now," Ezekiel spoke, looking between the both of them then he said to her, "give me a call when you wake, okay?""Okay." She nodded, melting at the concern in his eyes.She watched him leave."Are you both in a relationship?"She turned back to her father, "no.""I want to know what happened," Max demanded, his face and tone now serious, "and I want to know who dared to rape you.""Can we talk about it after I wake?"He stared at her, "okay. After you wake," he replied sternly.She nodded and ventured into her room. She sank into her bed with a sigh. She didn't like it, she didn't like any of it at all. She rubbed the back of her neck. His laughter, his smile, h
Ezekiel walked through the doors of the bar where Isabel worked. His mood was much different from the other times he visited and it was all because of a certain brown-haired lady. He found her, waiting tables.He ran a hand through his hair. After what she had gone through, wasn't she supposed to be rid of them once and for all? Women were frustrating. Aurora, Irene, Isabel; they were all frustrating.*Isabel felt eyes boring holes in the back of her head. She forced a smile at the middle-aged man she was serving."Enjoy," she drawled the usual way with the customary wink afterward then picked up her tray and turned away. Her eyes went instantly to the hidden corner where she had first met Ezekiel. Her heart skipped a beat. Of course, he was the one. She rolled her eyes and returned to the bar.She ignored him completely throughout her shift and when she put on her clothes and went out through the other doorway, he was surprisingly waiting at the other end."Are you stalking me again
One week later, Ezekiel walked out of professor Clifford's office feeling burdened. Professor Clifford was complaining about Isabel's performance in classes and even in the impromptu test he had given that day. She was failing. He rubbed a hand across his neck. He stayed away from her since the night they cooked dinner together but thoughts of her plagued his mind throughout. She didn't visit the cafe again but he did see her sometimes, mostly in glimpses. It was Friday. Perhaps he could visit the bar to see her or he could continue staying away from her but she needed his help. She wouldn't admit it but she did and he sincerely wanted to help her. Isabel... why did she like making things difficult for herself? He waited in the cafe but as usual, she didn't show up. He busied himself with getting some work done but he could barely concentrate. He liked her, he finally admitted to himself, he really liked her. He ventured to the bar in the evening and as he hoped,
"Can't you think!? Zoom in! I want a closer look!"The CCTV personnel zoomed in, bringing the figure to light."Isn't this..." Boss's eyes narrowed in confusion then darkened in rage, "what... what..." Exactly what relationship did Isabel have with this client? She blew out a breath and ran a trembling hand through her hair. How would she explain what she just saw to Stan?"Find him. Now," she ordered harshly then stalked out of the surveillance room."Where's Mr. Stan?" She asked a guard when she stepped back out. His two men were conscious already."He took Nicky in."Her heart sank in relief. "Good, good," she murmured, rubbing her sweaty palms against her dress."Send in more girls, the best we have," she ordered then walked up to Stan's men."Are you two weaklings?" She barked, "how were you so lax to allow yourselves to get outwitted?""We were caught off guard," one of them answered rudely, "who are you to give us orders?""Question me again and I'll have you saying your goodby
Ezekiel jerked awake at the sound of his ringing phone. His breathing was heavy and his eyes darted around feverishly. Isabel, where was she? He darted out of the room and was halfway down the stairs when he heard clanging sounds coming from the kitchen. Huh?He tiptoed and peeped in. His agitation went away immediately, seeing her moving about in his clothes, cooking whatever, and humming a happy tune as she worked. He smiled, finding contentment in watching her activities. He remembered his ringing phone and he tiptoed back up the stairs. It was still ringing.11:09 pm.It was Max, Isabel's father."Ezekiel! Where are you!?"He pulled back sharply, his ears ringing. He shook his head and put the phone on loudspeaker instead."Evening, sir. Is anything wrong?""Isabel, is she with you?""Yes, she is. Were you worried about her?" He asked in amusement."Very worried, son. Two men barged into my home and ransacked the house because they were looking for her. They said she wasn't at her
"Isabel," Boss called, disapproval evident in her tone, "why are you acting this way and putting us through so much trouble?"Isabel shook her head, forcing herself not to look at the beast in her presence."How dare you send Nicky to drug me?" She asked accusingly, "isn't that just too low, even for you?""You do not tell me what to do," Boss eyed her, "perhaps if you had refused right from the start, our VVIP client here wouldn't have been so adamant about having you. Come back, Isabel. I'll pay you well, you know that.""Never," she spat, tearing up.Ezekiel stepped in front of her, "leave her alone.""Or else what?" Boss snickered, "you had her to yourself for several nights yet you never touched her. Aren't you a fool?""He had her?" Stan growled, stepping forward. Isabel shrank back."Yes, I had her," Ezekiel answered, glaring at the boss, "but I chose to treat her like the human she is rather than a thing to be toyed with.""Oh yeah," Stan chuckled, moving to stand in front of
An hour after waking up bright early the next morning, Ezekiel still hadn't woken up. At first, she was worried but the nurse told her that it was due to fatigue and it was a good sign. She sat, watching him. He slept peacefully but she still felt bad about the injuries he had. It was all because of her. She didn't even ask how he managed to save her from the bar in the first place.She sighed, looking up at the ceiling. She was grateful to the God she knew existed for blessing her with such a gift, the gift of a true friend. She was smarter now. After everything they had gone through, she would be a fool to throw all that away for the sake of keeping her ego intact. She looked back at him. He chose to be her friend and he persisted in being one. She was willing to be his too and oh, what a jealous friend she was. She would have him all to herself. She smiled, blowing out a tense breath.Thirty minutes later, the police came in for a report and she gave it to them. She took them to hi
Isabel rang the doorbell to Ezekiel's home. Wasn't it pitiful? He had been trying so hard to get her to open her heart to him and just when she decided to do just that, he shut down. She wouldn't let herself be used in such a manner.The front door opened slowly."Hey," she greeted, smiling foolishly. All the scolding she planned vanished from her head.He smiled cutely, "you must be cold. Come in."She raised a brow but followed him in. "Are you kidding me?" She blurted out to his blushing face when she saw his living room. It was all a mess."I have not really been... well, you know..." he stuttered, looking anywhere but at her."You would have just asked," she scoffed, eyeing him up, "with my case being taken up, I don't think I'll end up paying any compensation which means I won't need your help any longer but that doesn't mean, I won't be a friend. After all, I was the one who caused this. Why have you been avoiding me?"He blinked and turned away from her."Ezekiel," she called