SAM POV
I woke up abruptly, breathing heavily as I sat up in bed. My heart was pounding, my skin sweaty, and my mind filled with chaotic thoughts and images. It was a dream, but not an ordinary one. It was a vivid and disturbing recall of an event from a month ago.
"I remembered that night once more," I quietly said to the quiet room, my voice shaking. The memory of that night seemed fresh, as if it occurred just yesterday. The discreet glances, the tender words, the light caresses, and the passionate kisses." It was a foolish night, where I dropped my guard and surrendered to the charm of a man I hardly knew. A man named Tristan.
I thought it was a one-time thing, a brief moment of weakness. I thought I could forget it, move forward, and carry on with my life. But fate had different ideas. The man I tried to forget was now my boss's partner. The man I thought I'd never see again was back in my life.
"I thought he was going back to Manila," I said out loud, my voice full of disbelief and confusion. "Why did he come back here? Is this some sort of mean joke?" The questions kept coming, but I couldn't find any answers. Fate was indeed playing a mean game, and I was the unwilling player.
I softly tapped my cheek, trying to clear my jumbled thoughts. I needed to compose myself, to come up a strategy for when I inevitably encountered him. I couldn't allow my feelings to interfere with my work, with my dedication to my job.
As I sat on the edge of my bed, thinking about what to do next, I understood that I had to face the situation directly. But inside, I knew I couldn't avoid it. Sooner or later, I'd have to talk to him, but how? How could I meet his gaze and act like everything was okay, when the memory of our secret encounter still lingered in my mind?
Cursing to myself, I pulled at the stubborn corner of the bedsheet, wishing it would just cooperate as I tried to smooth out the wrinkles. Saturday mornings were supposed to be a break from the chaos of the workweek, a chance to sleep in and be lazy. But not today. Today, I found myself in a struggle with this stubborn sheet, getting more and more frustrated with each passing moment.
The loud knocks on the door pulled me out of my frustration, the sound slicing through the air sharply. With a sigh of defeat, I gave up trying to fix the bedsheet and went to the door.
As I opened it, seeing my grandmother at the door brought a little comfort to my tense nerves. Her calm presence always eased me, even on the toughest days.
"Grandchild, aren't you going out yet?" she asked, her voice soft and concerned.
I gave her a faint smile, trying to hide the chaos inside me. "I'll be done soon, grandma," I promised, pointing to the messy bed. "Just tidying up this blanket."
She nodded, her eyes showing kindness as she looked around the room. "Okay, hurry," she said softly. "Oh, by the way, Kent is waiting outside. He mentioned you have plans."
Hearing Alex's name confused me. Plans? When did he mention that? I tried to remember any discussions or arrangements, but couldn't recall any. Recent events had consumed my thoughts, leaving me oblivious to everything else.
"Kent is here?" I repeated, puzzled. "I didn't know we had any plans."
"He seemed pretty insistent," she said casually. "Said it was urgent."
Urgent? The word lingered, stirring my curiosity. What could be so pressing that Alex had to find me on a Saturday morning, without warning?
I looked around the room, my thoughts spinning with countless possibilities. Was it about work? Or maybe something personal? The uncertainty nagged at me, making me even more curious and eager to find out.
With a firm nod, I faced my grandmother again. "Okay, I'll go find out," I said, trying to sound resolute. "Thanks for telling me, grandma."
She smiled kindly, her eyes shining with love. "Sure, honey," she said, her voice filled with motherly comfort. "Just remember, no matter what it is, you've got this."
As my grandmother shut the door, leaving me to think about Kent's surprise visit and the strange messages on my phone, I felt a mix of excitement and worry. Quickly picking up my phone, I turned it on, my fingers shaking a bit as I unlocked it to see a bunch of notifications.
Five messages awaited me, each one a puzzle piece in the mystery that had taken over my morning. My heart raced as I read through them, feeling both puzzled and intrigued.
The first message, simple and friendly, surprised me with its unexpected familiarity. "Morning! Did you eat breakfast?" it said, making me feel a strange warmth. But the fact that it came from an unknown number left me feeling uneasy. Who was this person, and why were they reaching out to me?
The second message, though, was even more confusing. "Want to grab breakfast today? On me, Baby." My thoughts raced with questions as I wondered about the sender's motives. Who was this, and why were they suddenly offering to buy me breakfast?
The word "baby" made me uneasy. It felt too familiar, too forward. Who was this, and why were they using such a term? I couldn't shake the feeling of discomfort growing inside me.
And then, I read the final message, my heart jumping in my chest.
"Maybe another time, okay? Just take care, Baby. Love you."
Love you?
The mention of "Love" sent my mind spinning. What did it mean? Who was this, and why were they saying they loved me? It felt like a cruel joke, Who was this sender, and what did those three words mean? Were they for me, or had they been sent to the wrong person by mistake?
I scolded my heart for its erratic beating, for letting this stranger stir up emotions. I couldn't get caught up in their game, let their words get to me.
The mystery of the unknown sender bothered me as I stand there, looking at my phone screen with both frustration and curiosity. How did they get my number? And why did they decide to send me such intimate messages?
Is this one of those new scams? Scammers are everywhere, always coming up with new tricks to fool people. They'll do anything, even play with people's emotions, to get what they want. But they picked the wrong person this time. They thought I'd be dumb enough to believe it.
Taking a deep breath, I started typing with doubt and anger. "Who are you?" I asked, not believing it. "And how did you get my number? I'm not falling for any tricks, so stop it. And if you're going to deceive someone at least have the decency to use tactics that aren't so blatantly obvious. Only a fool would believe this nonsense. Got it? Fuck you, whoever you are!"
After I pressed the text, a grin appeared on my face. Then I blocked the number. They thought they could fool me, but they're the ones who got fooled. It's early, but my day was already ruined. I thought today would be fine. No work, no meetings, and calls, but why is this the first thing I encounter? Is there nothing good going to happen today?
I hurried out of the room, leaving my phone on the bed. I went down to the kitchen and saw Kent sitting there so composed, as if he owned the place. He was sipping his coffee, lost in thought, unaware that I had something to do with him.
I couldn't resist the playful urge that took over me. With a playful grin, I leaned over and gave him a strong tap on his arm. It surprised him, making him choke on his coffee and cough uncontrollably. As he tried to catch his breath, I couldn't help but laugh at the sight of coffee coming out of his nose.
"Sam, what on earth?" he gasped between coughs, glaring at me with fake anger.
I tried to hold back my laughter, but I couldn't help it as tears of amusement rolled down my cheeks. "Sorry," I said between chuckles. "I just couldn't help myself."
He shook his head, still coughing as he grabbed a napkin to wipe his face. "You're so silly," he muttered, though a smile was starting to show on his face.
I finally got myself together, wiping away the tears of laughter. "Hey, you know you love me," I said with a grin, nudging him jokingly.
He rolled his eyes, but the warmth in his look showed he liked our fun. "Sure, sure," he answered, unable to hide the smile forming on his face.
"Please Sam, if you're planning to harm me, can you do it with affection instead?" He blurted out, and I was surprised by what he said.
Love?
His words stayed with me, and a heavy silence settled between us. The casual conversation had abruptly turned solemn, stirring something within me. Love. Simply hearing that word felt like a painful stab, bringing back memories of all the pain it had brought.
I chuckled bitterly, my laugh mixed with sadness. Letting go of his arm, memories flooding my mind. "Do you realize," I started, my tone bitter, "that because of that love, I've had bad luck?"
He looked at me, his eyes showing worry and confusion. "What's do you mean?" he asked quietly, his voice soft.
"Nothing, what do you mean?" I avoided, my voice strained to sound casual. "What did you tell grandma about our plans? Where are we headed?" I shifted the topic, wanting to move away from the uneasy truths lurking beneath.
But as I spoke, I felt guilty deep inside. What had I done? What stories had I told myself, to hide the truth?
He looked at me, sensing something was wrong. "Why? What's going on?" he asked, his voice calm but firm. "Tell me. You know I'm here to listen, okay?"
I looked away, avoiding his intense look. "Nothing, honestly," I said, the words feeling sour. I faked a smile, my face twisting awkwardly. "I'll just go make some coffee."
I thought everything was fine. I thought I had let go, that the old hurts had healed with time. But now, as memories rushed back, I saw I'd been lying to myself.
Xander. Just hearing his name made me furious, memories of our past flooding back, making me feel like I was drowning. He was the reason everything went wrong, the one who pushed me into darkness.
And still, as I muttered curses at him, I couldn't help but wonder - what made him betray me like that? What made him so cruel? What demons haunted him, pushing him to hurt me so deeply?
But there were no simple answers, no easy explanations to untangle the mess of lies and betrayal between us. All I knew was I couldn't let him hurt me again, that I had to find a way to break free from his control.
"Sam, I may not get what's going on with you, but is that why you're back here?" Kent's voice broke the tense mood, bringing me back from my swirling thoughts.
I looked at him, thankful for his lack of pestering. "Yeah, Kent, it's one of the reasons," I said, my voice indicating I had come to terms with it. "But please, don't make me talk about it. I'm not ready to revisit those memories."
He nodded seriously, showing he understood. "I won't pressure you, Sam," he promised, his voice getting softer with sympathy.
"Actually, I was gonna ask for help picking out an outfit for my cousin," he said, sounding cheerful but also a bit worried. "But I changed my mind; we're going somewhere that'll make you forget your worries and feel good."
I felt guilty, realizing my problems had affected what should've been a fun time. "Oh, it's alright, I'm good," I answered quickly, feeling embarrassed. "What kind of outfit is it? For a girl or a boy? I can help with that."
I felt his uncertainty, the unsaid words hanging in the air like a wall we couldn't overcome. He had been there for me in my hardest times, giving me comfort and help when I needed it. It was only right that I do the same for him, even if just a bit.
But he shook his head, looking determined. "Nope, my gift can wait," he said, his voice strong but kind. "But I can't ignore the sadness I see in your eyes."
I swallowed hard, feeling a lump in my throat that threatened to choke me. How did he see through my act? How did he know that behind my calm face, I carried a heart full of sadness and regret?
"Okay then, where are we headed?" I asked, curious despite my doubts. If there's one thing I learned from being with him, it's that he can turn any ordinary trip into a memorable adventure.
"You'll see when we arrive," he answered mysteriously, a playful smile on his face. "So hurry up and finish there so we can leave."