"Mmm... delicious," I murmured, happily devouring the chicken adobo.
"Shrimp, too!" I exclaimed, gleefully attacking the buttered shrimp. I ate until comfortably full, savoring every bite. It wasn't every day I enjoyed a meal this good.
"Are you ignoring my presence?"
I grabbed an iced tea, taking a long sip. "Ahhh… so full!" I announced, letting out a satisfied burp.
I was about to stand when I noticed a scowling, undeniably handsome man at the other end of the table.
I raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you're here," I said, feigning surprise.
His brow furrowed, disbelief etched on his face.
"You're telling me you didn't see me? The fuck, this is my apartment, and you're raiding my fridge," he said, his voice low and intense. His accent was perfect now, smooth and captivating. Seriously, the man was dangerously attractive.
I rolled my eyes. "Oh my, I apologize. My vision is filtered for those I don't care about," I said sarcastically.
Don't care about him? You moved into this building to be closer to him! I mentally scolded myself. Who was I kidding?
His face darkened, so I smiled sweetly. "Sir Hottie, it was a joke!" I laughed, hoping to charm him. Remember, Domi, you need to get on his good side.
"You found me… hot?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.
I saw a flicker of something in his gray eyes, so I smiled and nodded.
"Yeah, that's why everyone's drooling over you. You look hot," I said truthfully. He was undeniably hot.
His soft grin took me aback. He actually laughed?
I stared, utterly captivated. This man could kill with his charm alone.
"And you call me 'Sir Hottie'?" he chuckled.
I swallowed, my cheeks burning slightly. "Well… you are hot. And besides, you're my advisor."
A playful smirk curved his lips. So handsome! Why was this man so incredibly attractive?
"I prefer 'Sir Vhon,' though."
I squinted. "Oh, you're just bribing me to keep your secrets."
He chuckled, shaking his head, then stood. He walked towards me, stopping directly in front of me, towering over me.
"I'm certain you won't talk bad about me," he said, his confidence unshakeable. I watched him leave the kitchen. I followed, hearing him open the door.
I laughed in disbelief, seeing him standing by the door, arms crossed, silently dismissing me.
"You hate my existence that much, sir?" I murmured, though I knew he heard me. I rolled my eyes and left his apartment before he could reply.
God, this man was impossible to read. Getting him to HQ alive would be a challenge. Should I just take him out from a distance? That way, the odds would be more in my favor. Hand-to-hand combat was too risky.
—
The next morning, I wanted to bang my head against a wall. I'd been so happy to graduate college, thrilled to escape the boredom of lectures. But who knew I'd end up like this?
I was dressed in a dark blue pencil skirt, a light blue polo shirt, a dark blue vest, and a tie, sitting in an armchair, staring blankly while listening to our incredibly hot advisor.
"Miss Asher," he called.
I looked up, meeting his gaze. I almost slapped myself. Shit! This is a cover identity. I need to act like a student.
I sat up straight, offering him an innocent smile.
"Yes, Sir?" I asked politely, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear. I couldn't miss the sharp look from the woman who'd tried to embarrass me yesterday in front of Sir Vhon.
"Since you're new, why don't you participate in our activity?" he suggested.
I feigned excitement, nodding enthusiastically. Shit, what activity was he talking about? I hadn't been paying attention! I only heard something about understanding the self.
He gestured for me to come forward. I bit my lip, reluctantly approaching him and standing beside him.
I noticed his smirk as I approached. He turned his attention to the class, and I did the same. All eyes were on me.
"Miss Asher will answer your questions. We'll see her perspective as a human being. Start with questions about her life—a chance to get to know her better."
I stared at the man beside me. What?! Wait—this was getting dangerous! What if I said something wrong?
I looked at him hesitantly, hoping he'd sense my discomfort. But the sassy man just smirked! Bullshit! Was he getting back at me for last night?
I took a deep breath, calming myself, then faced the class. I saw curiosity in their eyes, and of course, the usual judgmental stares.
As if on cue, almost everyone raised their hands! My eyes widened. They were that curious about my life?
I heard Vhon chuckle softly beside me. He chose one student, a girl named Cel.
Cel smiled sweetly. "Uhm… are you a pure Filipina?"
I chuckled at her question. She could have asked this yesterday or another day. But I answered.
It was time to lie.
"Honestly… I don't know. Some say I look Latina, but I have no way of confirming it. There's no one to ask." A blatant lie. I'm half Latina, half Filipino.
Cel nodded and sat down. Vhon chose another student. "Why did you enroll so late? Do you have siblings?"
I smiled, playing the role of a kind, easygoing girl. "I wanted to study again, to help the one who cared for me. And yes, I have siblings, but not by blood. We're siblings by bond."
A wave of relief washed over me. This wasn't a lie. I was grateful to the woman who'd sheltered me. I wanted to repay her kindness, which is why I joined the Agency. But I felt lost now, unsure of right and wrong, truth and lies. This was the consequence of my actions.
The student nodded and sat down. Vhon chose another student, a girl with dark hair. "Could you elaborate on your answer about your siblings? Who are you referring to?"
I hesitated. This was getting out of hand. But I had to keep up the charade.
"I'm an orphan. I lived in an orphanage run by nuns. That explains why I don't know my parentage. The siblings I mentioned were the other children in the orphanage."
Shock rippled through the class, while Vhon remained impassive. He was assessing me, gauging my strength. I smirked, showing him I wouldn't break.
"Thank you for sharing your story, Miss Asher," Vhon said.
I rolled my eyes. As if I had a choice.
He walked towards me, tapping my shoulder, making me jump. I awkwardly smiled, nervously facing the class.
What the heck? I felt a jolt of electricity when his hand touched my shoulder.
"Let's begin with the situational questions," he said, approaching his laptop.
The monitor in the front of the classroom displayed three simple, yet difficult questions for me. The questions were designed to probe my morals, my loyalties, my very core. This was far more than a simple class exercise. This was a test.
I stared at the monitor until I heard his voice. "If you had to choose between death and betraying someone who raised you, to save someone you love and who loves you for who you are, what would you choose?"
My heart pounded. The question was simple, yet it stirred up a maelstrom of conflicting emotions. Especially since that woman was connected to this question. I should answer as if I were referring to the nuns. Why was I so confused? Everything I said was a lie. Why was I so flustered whenever she was involved?
I calmed myself, forcing a smile. "I… I don't know," I whispered.
The discomfort was palpable, and Vhon noticed, telling me to return to my seat. I was lost in thought for hours, even after returning to my apartment. I kept thinking about his question. I wondered what I would truly choose.
I let out a long sigh. "Why am I even thinking about this? I don't love anyone, and no one would accept someone like me," I muttered, standing and heading to the kitchen.
I only planned to have coffee; I didn't want to eat. I was scared of what was happening to me. My mind was a chaotic mess when it came to justice, truth, and morality. I was confused, especially after our deployment to the church. Those sessions and seminars were making me question everything, affecting my work.
I sighed again, about to take a sip of coffee, when a knock came at my door. Reluctantly, I went to answer it.
"Hey…"
I raised an eyebrow, surprised to see Vhon standing there.
He was wearing a simple black sweatshirt, khaki cargo pants, and slippers. He even had stud earrings. He looked even more handsome.
I forced a smile. "Sir… it's you!" I said, trying to suppress my sarcasm.
"Are you busy?" he asked, surprising me.
I noticed the slight curve of his lips and he put his hands in his pockets. "You should come with me then."
I stared, utterly bewildered. "Where to, sir?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Someone might see us, and think you're my sugar daddy," I added, making us both laugh.
"You'll see… Get ready, I'll wait for you here."
Though hesitant, I went back inside. My heart was pounding. I wasn't nervous, not exactly scared. It was more of a wary anticipation, a sense that something significant was about to happen.
I looked at myself in the mirror, my earlier anxieties fading. All I could think about was Vhon… and his schemes.
What was he planning? Why did I have such a bad feeling about this?