It has been almost three days since Audrey and Grae stayed in Batangas. Audrey had been ignoring Lianne's call.
Meanwhile, Grae still had contact with his secretary. It would be their last contact since they might get caught by his father.
"Kate, thank you." Grae thanked his secretary.
He saw Audrey through the living room's window, hanging her clothes by the side of the house. When she saw him watching her, he quickly looked away.
[Mr. President, I suggest you leave the girl out of this mess. I am already having problems controlling the press. They are suspecting that the girl is your real lover or that you even got her pregnant.] Grae suddenly exhales.
"I want to, Kate. But she's already involved in this." He suddenly recalls the talk they had three days ago. On the same night of their first stay at Batangas. "Actually, I think I might need to ask for your help once more."
[Grae, you need to relocate now and let that girl live on her own.] Grae smiled.
"This is the least I could help her. I don't want to see her alone in this just because she got involved with my mess. It's my fault that she has to stay here, Kate. And I feel guilty for that. She has nothing to do with my problem and yet I got her involved. Dad might target her anytime. As long as I'm not coming home, I'm sure he won't stop looking for me. So does looking for Audrey. Things will just get more complicated if I leave it like this."
[Grae.] There was a long pause on the other line before he heard Kate speak again. [Okay, what do you want me to do?]
"She needs to continue her studies. I don't want her to stop it just because of my family problem. Find a way to transfer her documents and school credentials from there to here. Also, find a way to transfer money for me. Or you can come here but just be careful." Grae ordered.
[Okay. Do you need anything else, Sir?] Kate was on full work mode after listening to Grae.
"Yes. Please find any information regarding Audrey Alcantara's parents. I want to know something about her at least. I will say goodbye to her when everything is settled for her." Kate answered yes and they quickly ended their conversation.
He suddenly remembered Audrey's broken shoe. He sent a message to Kate asking her to buy Audrey a new pair of white shoes. He even sent her a picture of the same shoes Audrey wore that day.
Meanwhile, Audrey just got finished doing her laundry. She was about to go inside when Grae went out and approached her.
"You do your own laundry?" Audrey just glared at him and was about to leave. When he stopped her by holding her left wrist. "Audrey, I'm sorry about everything. I didn't mean to get you involved."
"Then why me? Why did you bring me?! There were other girls in the room. Why did you randomly pick me?" She shouted in frustration.
"I don't know." Grae stared straight at her eyes. "I don't understand either, Audrey. Of all the girls I could've randomly picked at the church. It was you whom I decided to take with me."
It was as if the time had stopped when he said that. Audrey froze at her place. Grae slowly lets go of her wrist.
"You should've just randomly picked any beautiful girls in that place, Grae. I just wanted to go to school normally and be Lianne's assistant as my part-time while I'm still learning to be a professional photographer. I want to earn both a diploma and a certificate." Tears are starting to form on Audrey's eyes.
"Yeah. You're right. I should've just ignored you and just picked a random girl." Grae didn't realize what he just said. He gently wiped Audrey tears. "So, I'm sorry. I will be leaving soon. But first, I need to make sure you'll be okay here when I leave. I won't let my father bother you here when I'm gone."
"You better be. I suddenly left my life in Manila just because of you." She slapped his hand away and went inside the house, leaving him.
Grae took a minute to compose himself before going inside the house. He went in front of Audrey's room and knocked before speaking.
"Just give me fews days before I leave, Audrey. I'm really sorry about this." He paused for a minute before speaking again. "I just want to make sure my father won't be bothering you. That's why you can't go back yet. You need to stay here."
"Jerk. Leaving me here won't solve anything." Grae almost jumped when she spoke behind him. He suddenly cursed.
"You scared the life out of me!" Audrey held her laughter.
"Don't blame yourself too much, Grae. Your family forced you anyway. But really, I still don't understand why of all those beautiful girls out there, you choose me." Audrey frowned. "From what I remembered we just had these few chats here and there while you were preparing for your wedding."
"Chats. But not just a small talk." Grae smirked.
"Whatever," Audrey shrugged. " I'm not the type of girl who holds grudges but you're still not forgiven." She exhaled before continuing. "Anyways, let me have your laundry and I'll go wash them while the sun is still up."
"Don't. Please, Audrey. Let me do it myself." Grae smiled awkwardly. "It's embarrassing enough to randomly pick you up by this stranger and bring him to your house."
"Well, actually, the caretaker of this house could wash it for you. She's been our family's maid since my parents married. She'll be here in few minutes. I just took care of my own clothes since I've got nothing to do." Audrey explained.
"Does she come here often? I didn't know you had a caretaker." Grae was confused.
"Not that often." Audrey bit her lower lip. "Just...when I'm around."
"Why?"
"Because she's scared that I might burn the house." Knowing Audrey's cooking skills just two days ago, Grae already knows why.
He chuckled. Making her pout.
"Don't laugh. I just don't have time for cooking lessons." Audrey glared at him.
"No wonder every food you cook is FRIED." Grae mocks.
"Thanks for the compliment, CHEF GRAESON MONTEREAL." She said, sarcastically.
"Anytime." He answered while holding his laughter.
Audrey's phone suddenly rang. She quickly took her phone out of her pocket and answered the call.
"Hello?" She greeted.
[Sisterette*! How could you do this to me?!] It was Gio. He was her gay best friend. [I heard from Manang Linda you were here! And yet, you didn't bother calling me. We could've had a sisterly bond you know!]
She looks at Grae for a second before looking away again.
"Gio! How are you, sis? Sorry. It was just a sudden visit. I just miss the house." Audrey gestured to Grae to keep quiet because she's talking with someone on the phone.
[Oh c'mon. Let me visit you, sissy. It's not like you're hiding something, right?] She suddenly swallowed.
When it comes to her best friend, she can't really hide anything.
"Gio, I-"
[Oh c'mon, sissy! Let me meet President Yummy at least. I want to see the man who broke the ice queen's frozen walls.] She closes her eyes in defeat.
"Sorry. But not now, Gio. Things are still complicated here. I'll contact you after we fixed some things, okay sissy?" Gio smiled on the other line.
[Of course, sissy! Muwah muwah! Love yah!] He quickly ended the call. Audrey hid her phone back in her pocket and awkwardly stared at Grae.
"That was my best friend." Grae just nodded. " Well, She…. he … uhm… he wanted to meet you. Sorry."
"No… uh… No, it's fine. We're… uhm… Did he saw the news?" He asked her awkwardly.
"Why else would he ask me to let him meet you?" She asked him back sarcastically. "I guess we have to pretend as a couple as well."
"I...I guess so." Audrey shrugs before turning to leave. But Grae suddenly spoke. "Where are you going?"
"Cook-" She didn't finish her sentence when she saw him raised an eyebrow.
"Let me handle the cooking, danger baby." Audrey scoffs.
"Oh! Is that how you see me now?" Grae just shrugs. "I'll show you. First one to the kitchen will be the one to cook."
The two quickly raced through the kitchen.
Meanwhile, Ciara was having a hard time. She kept arguing with her parents these days. She kept on calling Kelvin several times but failed. No one is answering.
Kelvin is her lover. He is from an ordinary family but became famous after a talent scout noticed him.
The two kept their relationship until Ciara was to be married. But then, things changed when Graeson chose to set her free.
Kelvin and Graeson we're close friends. But the two came to a misunderstanding when Kelvin found out about the marriage.
The night before the wedding, he and Grae had a heart-to-heart talk. Grae did mention something about protecting Ciara. But he can't do anything as long as Ciara's parents kept her captive in their house like a prisoner.
"Kelvin, protect her for me. Will you?" He recalls as he took another sip from his can of beer.
His phone rings again. He looked at it and saw Ciara's name.
A sudden guilt forms in his chest. For him, if he doesn't answer now, it will feel like stabbing his own chest. He finally decided to answer.
"Babe," Kelvin started as he stopped himself from the urge of crying. "I'm sorry."
A tear fell from Ciara's eye. She wiped her tears before speaking.
"It's fine. As long as you're still there, it's fine." She sniffed. "I'll keep waiting for you, babe. You know that."
"I will find a way to break you out of that house, Ciara. I promise. Just give me some time. Okay?" Ciara closed her eyes for a second and let her tears fall.
"Okay. I love you." She stated.
"I love you too." He quickly ended the call.
~***~
"Hey, Grae?" Grae looks at Audrey when she calls him. They were both in the living room. "Is it okay with you to show up as my boyfriend? I mean… you know? My best friend will come over and he thinks you're my…"
"Yeah. Sure. It's fine with me if it's fine with you." Audrey laughs.
"You keep saying that line since we were shopping at the grocery store. People will definitely think you're my real boyfriend." Grae smiled. "There you go again with your smile. Be careful with that."
"Why? Will that make you fall?" He mocks her.
"No. But that antique vase behind you will." Audrey laughed hard when he panicked. "Good gracious, you're so easy to trick."
" Oh c'mon! I respect art. And they might be one of your dad's precious gems." He complains before facing the glass window behind him. "Including you." He whispered his last words.
Audrey suddenly stopped cleaning and stared at him with a questioning look. She heard him right?
"What did you say?" She asked him.
"I said, your antiques here might be one of your dad's precious gems. I don't want him to haunt me after breaking one." Audrey scoffs.
"You. You're scared of my dad?" Grae laughs. But that quickly faded when he realized Audrey was staring behind him.
"Your dad is here, isn't he?" He nervously asks.
"B-behind you." Audrey said. Then he suddenly ran behind her and hid himself.
Audrey laughed so hard.
"Okay. That was epic. Hahahahahaha." She mocks him.
"Haha very funny, Miss Danger Baby." She suddenly stopped laughing and glared at him.
"I'd rather let my dad haunt you then." She continued on mopping the floor.
"Audrey!" She just stuck out her tongue at him.
"If you don't stop, I'll kiss you." He warns her.
"Oh you wouldn't dare. Or my dad will definitely haunt you." She warns him too.
"We'll see about that." He threw the rag he was holding and stepped closer to Audrey.
She unintentionally let the mop slipped out of her hand and took a step back.
"I wonder if you are attracted to a man like me, Audrey." She swallowed hard and took another step backwards.
"W-what are you doing? Stop fooling around, Grae. We might- Oof!" Her back touched the wall. Grae got her cornered.
"Might what, Audrey?" Grae smirked.
"Ay jusmeyo*!" They suddenly heard a crash. It was Manang Linda, Audrey's old housemaid. "What are you doing?"
"Nay," Audrey quickly runs to her side. "Grae is bullying me." She pouted.
Grae suddenly chases her. But she was able to dodge his hands when he attempted to grab her. Now they are running around Manang Linda.
"Stop running around you two. You two look like kids playing around." Manang Linda can't help laugh at them.
"Manang, don't let her cook in the kitchen when I leave." Grae said as he laughed hard.
"Where did I kept that ouija board?" Audrey poses like she's in a deep thought.
"In the storage room, hija. You still play that old thing?" Audrey smirked when Manang told her that.
"Manang!" Grae nags.
Audrey laughed in an evil tone. Like a villain.
"Manang, be careful. I think Audrey is already possessed." Audrey glares at him. She snatched a pillow from the couch before throwing it at him.
"Jerk!" Manang Linda was already laughing hard at the two running around the house.
"What? Are you still going to use your father against me? Huh?" Grae asked while running away from Audrey.
"Only if that could stop you from teasing me." She answered while still chasing him.
"Oh? I'm teasing you? Really, Audrey?" Audrey grunts in frustration as she tries to catch him.
The doorbell rang and the two stopped running.
"Who's that?" Audrey asked.
"Well, that was fast. Did she take the helicopter?" Grae asks himself.
"I'm going to help 'Nay Linda cleaning up the living room." Grae nodded before heading to the front door.
"Hey, that was fas-" Grae was surprised to see a man standing by the door. "Sorry. I thought you were someone else. Do you need something, Sir?"
The man looks furious while staring at him.
"'Nay," Audrey nags. "Let me do it. You might hurt yourself."
The man looked at Audrey.
"Audrey! I think you have a visitor." Grae called her.
"I'll be right back, 'Nay." She stood up and headed to where Grae is standing.
"Who is-" Audrey was surprised to see the man standing at the front door. "Dad?"
"D-daaad?" Grae shifted his stare from Audrey to his father. "H-eee's your...H-e's your-"
"Grae!" Audrey luckily caught him when he fainted.