Back in Singapore, in the luxurious confines of Scott Square, Chad and Tristan engaged in a banter.
"Woah, Chad, I never expected you to have such a stylish apartment," Tristan teased, raising an eyebrow in mock surprise.
Chad smirked sarcastically and retorted, "Oh, please, Tristan. I think I have more style than you."
Chuckling, Tristan shook his head. " I highly doubt that. But seriously, Chad, why did you shift from being a famous model to photography? Modelling seems like a more lucrative and exhilarating career."
Chad's eyes sparkled with passion as he responded. "Photography is my true passion, Tristan. It allows me to express myself and capture beautiful moments."
Curiosity piqued, Tristan added, "You know, Mila used to be a photographer too. She was actually quite talented. But when she moved back here, she left photography behind and pursued her first love...dancing. I wonder why she quit photography, though. She had a real knack for it."
As they stood there on the balcony, gazing into the enchanting night sky, Chad voice trembled with anticipation as he asked, "What do you think will happen when she wakes up?"
"I don't know, Chad. I just hope she won't lose it. She's been through so much this past week and there's still an alarming amount of drugs in her system. She's strong, but this might be too much for her,"
Chad's eyes pierced through the darkness. "You really love her, don't you Tristan?"
Tristan nodded. "I do, Chad," seriousness creeping into his voice. "I will do anything for her.... What about you? It seems like you've grown quite fond of her in such a short amount of time."
Chad took a deep breath, his gaze upon the dancing city lights. "No, Tristan, I'm not just fond of her. I'm head over heels in love. From the moment I saw those mesmerizing blue eyes on that plane, and ever since, I couldn't get her out of my mind."
Tristan's voice filled with determination and his eyebrows raised. "Well, this is going to be a problem, Chad. Because I'm not sharing. You can forget about having her. Mila's mine, and that's final."
Chad chuckled and his gaze hardened. "Oh, really? And just who gave you authority to claim her, Tristan? And let me be clear, I won't stand aside and watch her dodge bullets all the time and hide to stay alive, ever since you came back into her life, chaos has followed. She was happy and leading a normal life until you showed up. She was kidnapped twice. Is that the type of life you want her, Tristan? Because I as hell don't. She's precious, and someone like her deserves to be treated with love and care."
Tristan's fists clenched. " Listen lover boy. You've only known her for two months. You have no idea what she needs or wants. And what's more, you have no clue what she's fighting against. Maybe you haven't noticed her entire life, her background, her family. And if we don't stop it, even her future is in danger. But the important thing for you to remember now is that I am and will always be her first love. Do you understand, or do I need to make you understand, Chad?" Tristan's fist threatened in the air.
Chad let out a mocking laugh. "Hahaha, you think you're the king of the castle, and you can make and break things as you please because your daddy is the head of the Chinese Triad. Well, I've got news for you, Tristan. You have no idea where I come from or what I'm capable of"
A smirk crossed Tristan's face. "Really? Well then, why don't you show me, lover boy. Or are you scared?" With that, Tristan assumed a defensive stance, ready for whatever was to come.
"I'm not scared, Tristan," Chad declared defiantly.
But just as the words left his mouth, chaos erupted in the apartment. Tristan and Chad engaged in a brutal fight, crashing into furniture and shattering anything in their path. The intensity of their battle was like a tempest, tearing through every corner of the room.
Amidst the chaos, Chad suddenly reached down and picked up a book from the small table. "Not this," he pleaded, holding it tightly. "This was my mother's."
Tristan paused for a moment, a flicker of guilt crossing his eyes. He resumed the fight, evading the book with precision. Their bodies clashed, blood spattering in all directions, yet neither showed any signs of yielding.
In the midst of their battle, a gunshot echoed through the air behind them. They turned simultaneously, their hearts pounding with adrenaline, only to find Mila standing there, holding a gun high in the air.
"When both of you are done," she said coolly, "I would like a glass of water. My throat is dry."
Tristan rushed to offer his help. "Yes, cupcake. Of course, I will get it."
Chad's expression hardened, matching the determination in his eyes. "No, I will get it."
They stumbled over each other, desperate to please Mila and earn her favour. Through the debris and destruction, they sprinted towards the kitchen, both wanting to be the one to fulfil her request.
Meanwhile, Mila marched through the desolate living room, sweeping aside broken glass from the couch where she intended to wait. With crossed arms and a raised eyebrow, she watched the two warriors vie for her attention.
Chad and Tristan emerged from the kitchen, one carrying a glass of water and the other a plate of food.
"Your water, cupcake," Tristan offered, presenting the glass to her.
"And your food, love. It's crucial for your strength," Chad insisted, sitting beside her. Concern etched on his face, he offered to feed her. "You're not strong enough yet."
"Thank you, boys," Mila said with an amused smile on her face.
After finishing her meal, drinking water, and taking her medication, Mila turned to them and said, "Okay, now can someone please tell me how my sister's doing, and after that, explain to me why I was kidnapped from my parents' house."
"All in good time, babe," Tristan reassured her. "I will update you on Anna's condition, but then you need to rest. We will explain everything to you tomorrow when you regain your strength."
"Okay, that's good. So how is my sister?" Mila eagerly asked.
"She's actually doing well," Tristan replied. "She woke up from her coma this morning, and she's making great progress. The doctor is happy with her recovery so far, and he said she can be discharged by the end of the week." He took her hand gently. "Come, babe, let's get you to bed."
"Oh, thank heavens. I was so worried about her. Wait, where is Phoenix? I haven't seen or heard from him," Mila inquired.
"He's at the hospital, sitting right beside Anna's bed," Chad explained. "He hasn't left her side since the incident. Luckily, the doctor let him sleep on the couch in her room."
"Okay, I'm going to bed," Mila said, and both men stood up with her. "Alone," she said again, walking towards her room without looking back.
"You can sleep on the couch. I'll bring you a blanket," Chad said to Tristan.
"Funny... all this luxury and I have to sleep on the couch," Tristan muttered, his frustration evident.
"Shut up or I'll let you sleep on the floor," Chad retorted.
That night, Chad couldn't sleep. He stood up and went to get a glass of water. Returning to his room, he noticed that Mila's light was still shining from under the door. Curiosity got the better of him, and he walked to her room. Chad softly knocked on the door, but there was no answer. He slowly opened the door and saw Mila standing by the window, lost in deep thought. She was only wearing a T-shirt that was just long enough to cover her butt.
"Holy crap... you truly are absolutely beautiful," Chad whispered, his voice loud enough for Mila to hear.
She turned around, smiled at him, and said, "Why, thank you, sir."
"I mean, just wow! Alfonso was a fool!" Chad exclaimed, walking towards Mila. He took her hand, continuing, "He was an idiot to let you go," and kissed Mila on the forehead. "If I have a chance, I would be all over you and never let you go." Chad then bent down and gave her a few feather-light kisses on her neck.
"Mmm... okay, you have to remember that" Mila whispered back, looking up into his brown, almost black, eyes.
"No doubt," Chad said, wrapping his arms around Mila's waist. He kissed her on the lips slowly and sensually, gently licking the seam of her lower lip, causing her to gasp. Pulling her tight against him, he put his hands under her butt and lifted her, her legs wrapping around his waist. They kissed passionately, their bodies intertwining. Mila grabbed the seam of Chad's shirt, pulling it up and over his head. When she looked down and saw his muscular body, she gasped again, tracing her hands over his chest and rock-hard abs.
"I had no idea you worked out," Mila said softly, her hands still exploring his body as he looked at her intently.
"Do you like it, mi amor?" Chad asked, and Mila stopped and looked at him, bursting into giggles.
"What? Why did you stop? Don't you like it?" Chad questioned, his confusion evident.
"No... I love your abs. It's just... when did you learn to speak Spanish?" Mila asked, a playful tone in her voice.
"Wait... isn't it Italian?" Chad asked, truly perplexed.
"No, lover boy, it's Spanish. And it's 'amor mio' (my love) in Italian," Tristan said, standing in the doorway.
"What do you want, Tristan? Can't you see we're busy?" Chad exclaimed in frustration.
"Yes, lover boy, I can see that you're busy. But you'll have to take a rain check. We have visitors on their way up to the apartment, and we need to leave, like, now, or you won't see the sunrise tomorrow," Tristan informed them, a mischievous glint in his eyes.