Chapter 02

KEI

I stared at the name on the invitation, my heart is pounding. It couldn’t be him. It just couldn’t. But as I mulled over the possibility, the frantic beating of my heart made it harder to dismiss. A part of me, deep down, whispered that this wasn’t just a coincidence—that it might actually be him.

“Can I see your invitation?” A security guard’s voice jolted me back to reality, shaking me from my spiraling thoughts. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves, and handed him the invitation, the paper suddenly feeling heavier with each passing second.

As he inspected it, I couldn’t help but think about the possibility. What if it really was Gio? I still owed him 50 thousand pesos—how could I pay him back when I didn’t have the money? His image loomed large in my mind, those eyes that always seemed to be searching for something, always observing. I still couldn’t figure out why he entered my life back then, and why now, at a bar that seemed so unrelated to him.

“Sir, can I ask who owns this bar?” I asked, trying to keep my voice calm despite the doubt gnawing at me. Every word felt weighted, as if I was digging into a painful memory I wished I could forget.

He stared at me seriously, almost as if he could read the fear in my eyes. “You were invited, weren’t you? So I’d expect you to know the owner. Next,” he replied coldly. I exhaled deeply, rolling my eyes before forcing a smile. What kind of security guard was this? Was it so wrong to ask a question these days?

“Hey, why’d you ask who owns the bar? Are you losing it?” Sam asked, noticing the anxiety I could no longer hide. I sighed deeply, rubbing my forehead as I felt like I was running out of breath.

Sam didn’t know the name of the man I owed money to. I was terrified he might know him, which was why I never told him the truth. What if he found out? What if his whole family found out? Just imagining the scenes in my head made me want to run away. But in which direction? Where could I go if he was here?

“Come on, spill it. Do you know who owns this bar?” Sam asked directly, sensing my confusion. I hurriedly looked around to make sure no one could hear us and then pulled him aside before answering.

“No, I’m just nervous because—because what if he’s the guy I owe money to,” I finally admitted, my voice trembling. I could see the shock on Sam’s face, but I could no longer ignore the fear that was slowly wrapping itself around me.

“What? You owe money to an Evangelista?” he almost shouted, clearly taken aback by the weight of my words. I immediately covered his mouth, terrified that someone might hear us, especially with the bar’s noise growing louder as my anxiety increased.

“Shh, keep it down!” I whispered, my hands shaking as I desperately tried to quiet him. He pulled my hand away, looking at me with a mixture of doubt and seriousness.

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Don’t you know how powerful the Evangelistas are?” I swallowed hard, scratching my head, knowing I could no longer explain my situation clearly. I couldn’t piece together all the reasons I hadn’t told him before.

“I didn’t know back then… Besides, I didn’t even know that Evangelista,” I defended myself, but I knew my words were pointless. It felt like every excuse I had was dissolving in the face of reality.

“Of course, you wouldn’t be interested in business matters. That’s why you didn’t know that the Evangelistas are industry leaders,” he said in frustration, though his tone carried concern. It was as if he wanted to help me but didn’t know how. And with each passing second, I felt more trapped in this situation.

“So who exactly did you borrow money from?” he asked, clearly waiting for the most dreaded answer. I swallowed, searching for the right words in my mind, but I knew there was no way out. I had to admit it.

I swallowed hard. I didn’t want him to know the truth, but there was nothing more I could do. “It’s Gio,” I whispered, as if saying it more quietly would make it less true.

He froze, clearly shocked by the words I had just uttered. “Gio Javier Evangelista? Kei, you’re in deep trouble.” I could see the shock and fear in his eyes, as if he couldn’t believe how deeply I had gotten myself into this mess.

“I need to go. He can’t see me here. I have no way to pay him back, Sam. What if he humiliates me in front of everyone?” Panic laced my voice, and I could hardly explain the fear coursing through me.

“We can’t leave. They know Mom and Dad, they’d wonder why we didn’t stay. Here’s what we’ll do—I’ll lend you the money. When you see Gio, tell him you’ll pay. I’ll send the payment to his account, okay?” he offered, reaching for my hand to try to calm me down. But I couldn’t bring myself to look at him. I felt weak. Once again, Sam was stepping in to save me. He was always the one catching me, the person who was always there to rescue me from every mistake I made.

“Sam, I already owe you so much. I don’t want to add to it,” I could barely hide my distress. I felt like I was becoming more of a burden to him, with every time I needed help.

“How will you pay if I don’t help you? Do you know anyone else here?” he asked, and I knew he was right. There was no one else who would help me but him, but how could I bear that thought? “Think of it as repaying me for the help you gave me before. Besides, you can work to pay me back, instead of just hiding and waiting for some other guy to save you,” he insisted.

“Miss Rivera?” We both stopped as a familiar voice called out to Sam. I didn’t know where to turn. The sound of that voice made my world spin, bringing back all the memories I had tried so hard to forget.

I was about to turn around, but Sam quickly grabbed my hand, clearly nervous. I could feel the tension between us, but even more so, I felt the fear tightening its grip on me.

“Mister Evangelista,” she said, and I froze. My skin prickled with dread, and I could barely breathe.

That deep voice—it was the voice I feared most now.

“Just Gio. I’m happy that you accepted my invitation,” Gio said. I could feel the weight of his presence even though I hadn’t seen him yet, and I knew this wasn’t the time to keep playing games. “By the way, who’s your companion?”

My eyes widened. No. I couldn’t let him see me. I quickly grabbed my phone and pretended to take a call. It was the only way left to escape this situation.

“Yes, Dad? We just arrived… excuse me,” I muttered and hurriedly walked away. I tried to push his image out of my mind, but the harder I tried, the clearer it became.

I rushed down the hallway until I reached a secluded corner with no one around. I took a deep breath and lowered my phone. It felt like I was losing myself; I didn’t know where to run. Why was this happening to me? I wished I’d never borrowed money from him back then. If only I hadn’t clung to the luxurious life I once had, I wouldn’t be in this mess now.

“Hey, there you are. You went pretty far,” Sam said as she approached, concern etched on her face, and I felt the urge to apologize for everything.

“Did he wonder why I left?” I asked, and she shook her head. I closed my eyes and pressed my hand to my forehead. I could feel the weight of each passing moment, and every step I took seemed to distance me further from the truth.

“How did you meet Gio?” she asked. I didn’t know how to explain it without trapping myself in my own words, but I knew I had to tell the truth.

“It was summer… There was a business seminar. I went there, hoping to see my brother, but he wasn’t there. He was abroad with Dad. I had nothing at the time, and then I met Gio. I didn’t know who he was, but he insisted on helping me,” I explained, the memories flooding back. I didn’t know how he became part of my life, but I knew something was off about all of it.

I remembered that day. He was the only one who approached me, and I… I let him help me. But as time passed, I felt the weight of the debt we shared. But that was my mistake, I realized. I let him into my life, and now, I couldn’t make him leave. I couldn’t return to the life I once had.

“Kei, just talk to him. Tell him you’re going to pay him back. End this,” Sam said, trying to offer advice. But how could I do that when even the thought of him weakened me? “I’ll send the money. You talk to him. Face your problem.”

“I can’t, Sam. I don’t want to see him again. I already blocked him, changed my number… I don’t want to talk to him,” I replied, feeling like I was suffocating with every word that left my mouth. I didn’t want to go back to that situation where I had no choice but to wait for retribution for every mistake I’d made.

“If it’s just about the money—”

“No, Sam. It’s not just about the money. Something happened between us… that’s why he gave me the money. He wanted something in return. That’s why I can’t face him.”