Joel shrugged turning away after that.
——
While waiting outside, Canary leaned against the balcony railing and pulled out his phone.
Seeing several missed calls from his mother, Lucy, he frowned slightly but chose not to call her back immediately. Instead, he recorded a quick voice note.
"Hey, Mom," he said, his tone soft but reassuring.
"I saw your calls. Don't worry about anything—I've got it under control. I'll check in with you later, alright? Love you."
He sent the message and slipped his phone back into his pocket.
As he turned to admire the ocean view, the door to the suite creaked open behind him, pulling his attention back to Lisa.
" Ready to go !" Lisa said giving him her hand and they begun walking down to the dock.
The sound of waves gently lapping against the shore filled the brief silences in their conversation.
Lisa glanced at him, a playful smirk on her lips.
"So, Canary… how many girls have you slept with?"
Canary stopped in his tracks, his eyebrows raising in surprise.
He turned to face her, his signature grin quickly returning.
"What kind of question is that?"
Lisa shrugged, trying to sound casual. "Just curious.."
He chuckled, crossing his arms. " Ooh, That…around thirty I guess..? "
Her steps slowed, and she looked at him in disbelief.
"Thirty?"
He nodded, his tone calm but reflective.
"Yeah, but they were all just one-night stands. Nothing serious. It was… a phase."
Lisa crossed her arms, processing his words.
"A phase? That's quite a… busy phase."
Canary chuckled softly, his gaze steady.
"I'm not proud of it, Lisa. I was just… searching for something, I guess. Or maybe running from something. But none of it ever meant anything."
She studied him for a moment, her expression softening. "And now?"
He stopped walking, turning to face her. "Now, I know what I want. And it's not just a fleeting moment—it's something real. Something worth holding onto."
He stepped closer, his grin widening.
" Wouldn't you rather be the one who makes me forget all the others?"
Lisa blushed and looked away.
" Lisa.." Canary called going to stand in front of her.
" So, you're saying you never had any serious relationship before? Nothing real?"
Canary's expression shifted, his usual playful demeanor replaced by a rare moment of vulnerability. He sighed, looking out at the ocean.
"There was one… Regina."
Lisa stopped, her eyes widening. "Regina? You loved her?"
He nodded, his tone quiet. "Yeah. I thought what we had was real. I gave her everything—my time, my trust, my heart."
He paused, a flicker of bitterness crossing his face. "But she cheated on me."
Lisa's chest tightened as she saw the pain in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Canary," she said softly. "That must've hurt."
"It did," he admitted, his voice steady but low.
"I was angry, confused. For a while, I didn't think I'd ever let myself love someone again…So…I started seeing different women…you know.."
"After what she did, I didn't see the point in love anymore. I convinced myself it was easier to keep things shallow—no attachments, no expectations, no heartbreak."
As Canary explained now Lisa begun understanding why he has been playing around with women all along, Camilla, Bianca and the others.
Canary suddenly smiled. " But now that I got you, That will never happen again" he promised her.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she looked away, trying to hide the warmth rising to her cheeks.
"Well, you better mean it," she said, her voice quiet but tinged with emotion.
"I do," Canary replied, stepping closer. "With you, I'll never need to go back to who I was."
Lisa glanced up at him, her eyes meeting his, and for a moment, the world around them seemed to fade away.
Canary's eyes softened as he leaned in closer, his face mere inches from Lisa's. Her breath hitched, her heart pounding as the moment between them grew more intense.
Slowly, their faces inched closer, the world around them fading as they were drawn into each other.
Just as their lips were about to meet, a distant voice broke the spell.
"Excuse me! The boat is ready!"
Startled, Lisa stepped back, her cheeks flushed. Canary let out a small, frustrated sigh before breaking into a soft chuckle.
"Perfect timing," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.
Lisa avoided his gaze, trying to compose herself. "We should… get going."
"Yeah," he agreed.
She rolled her eyes, though her lips curved into a small smile as they walked toward the dock, the moment lingering between them.
As the boat glided across the water, Canary pulled out his phone, the sunlight reflecting off the screen. He turned to Lisa, his trademark grin in place.
"Come on, let's take a selfie," he said, angling the phone toward them.
Lisa shook her head, laughing softly. "Canary, seriously? Do we have to?"
"Of course," he replied, leaning closer. "Gotta capture this moment."
Before she could protest further, he snapped a picture, catching her mid-laugh. "Perfect," he said, showing her the photo.
Lisa glanced at it, her cheeks flushing. "You didn't even warn me!"
"Natural moments are the best," he teased, taking another selfie, this time with both of them smiling.
"Alright, one more," Lisa said, giving in and leaning closer to him.
Canary's grin widened as he clicked the camera again. "Now we're talking. These are definitely going in my favorites."
Lisa rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help smiling as she looked out over the water, the playful moment warming her heart.
While they got to the mainland, Canary offered to drive Lisa back home but she opted for the orphanage instead.
" So, what's so urgent at the orphanage?"
Lisa smiled softly, her gaze out the window.
"It's not urgent. I just need to be there. I narrate stories to the kids every Sunday after prayers."
Canary's grip on the wheel loosened as he chuckled.
"Are you a good storyteller ?" He asked.
Lisa nodded, her voice tender. " Of course, It's something I've been doing for years. It's the least I can do to make them smile."
Canary's expression softened as he glanced at her again. "That's… sweet. You're something else, Lisa."
As they reached the orphanage, Lisa looked out through the window and said,
"I grew up in this orphanage, you know. The kids there… they remind me of myself when I was younger."
Canary glanced at her, intrigued. " Ohh..!.."
Lisa chuckled quietly, a hint of nostalgia in her voice. " I used to be just like them—waiting for someone to come visit,
someone to tell me a story." She smiled to herself. "Stella used to tell the best stories. She was always the one the other kids gravitated toward. I used to look forward to her narrations every week after prayers."
Canary nodded, not saying anything more, allowing her to hold onto her memories.
The car finally stopped before the Church.