"Papa!"

Masayang saad ni Zaffiro saka tumakbo sa direksyon ni Lucas, maging si saphire ay lumapit at niyakap rin ito.

"I miss you"

She smiled at him making him smile.

"You two were always so sweet, buti pa kayo. Nakasalubong ko si Ruby sa Greece, binigyan lang ako ng reunion black eye. Tapos si em---si saphire naman nakita ko bago ako pumunta dito, putcha binayagan ako. Dang! bat ba ang sisiga ng mga kakambal mo? "

Nakasimangot na reklamo nito na malakas na nagpatawa kay Saphire. Mukang nakuha agad ni lucas na nagkukunwari sya bilang si emerald dahil sa ayos nya ngayon.

"Paano eh kabulastugan pinaggagagawa mo"

Natatawangiling iling na sabi ni saphire.

"Papa!May pasalubong ka po?"

Zaffiro asked making Lucas chuckle, saka ginulo pa ang buhok nito na nagpanguso sa bata.

"Of course I have! Malilimutan ko ba ang baby namin."

Ngisi niya saka pinisil ang ilong nitong nagpatawa kay Zaffiro.

"Nasa maleta pa yung pasalubong ninyong dalawa, mamaya ibibigay ko sainyo"

Nakangiting sabi nya na malapad na nagpangiti kay Zaffiro.

"Papa did you also saw my cousins on your way here? Is ate Zaniah and Zanaih doing well?"

Zaffiro asked Lucas about his cousins, the real Emerald's daughters.

"Yes, I saw the Z's and the two of them were with their mom. Want us to visit them next time?"

Parang biglang pumalakpak ang mga tenga ni Zaffiro sa narinig.

"Yes! I miss them already! Me and luke wants to play with them!"

He excitedly giggled while sitting on the lap of Lucas and clapping his hands happily. When suddenly someone cleared his throat behind them that caught their attention. Matteo clenched his jaw and has a dark expression while glaring at them---Lucas.

Lucas grined when he realized something as he look at  Saphire suspiciously then smirked at Matteo.

"Andiyan ka pa pala?"

Lucas asked with an innocent tone. Pasimpleng siniko pa siya ni Saphire pero kinindatan lamang siya nito. Saphire just rolled her eyes on him.

"You asked me the reason why I'm here, well here it is. Susunduin ko kasi ang girl friend ko at and anak namin."

Saad niya habang may nang aasar na ngiting gumihit sakaniyang labi. He's enjoying the new entertainment he just discovered. Kanina pa niya pinipigilang kunan ito ng litrato at isend iyon sa mga kaibigan nila para pagtawanan nila.

"Your girlfriend?"

Mapait itong natawa at madilim ang tinging iginagawad sa kaharap. Medyo napalunok doon si Lucas dahil pakiramdam niya ay huling litrato na ni Matteo ang maisesend niya sa group chat oras na lalo pang naasar sakaniya ang lalaki.

'Should I write a last will and testament? atleast if I send them a picture of Matt, the authority will find out who murdered the most handsome man in the world.'

Saad niya sa isipan. Nalulungkot siya dahil alam niya kung gaano kalaking kawalan sa bawat babae sa mundo, oras na mawala siya dahil lamang sa pang aasar niya sa kaibigan na kulang nalang ay magtransform bilang si hulk sa itsura nito ngayon.

"Girlfriend huh? I wonder if you can still have that annoying smile of yours, once you find ou----"

Agad na iniwas ni Saphire ang kamay kay Matteo na akmang hahablutin iyon saka inilingan siya't hinila na palayo si Lucas.

Matteo has an intimidating aura surrounding him right now. Sa itsura nito ngayon ay akala mo ay mapapatay ang sino mang haharang sakaniyang dinaraanan.

He still couldn't process the information on his mind. Right now he is walking away with  with a heavy heart. Of all people,why it has to be one of his friends? He keep asking that to himself. He never saw himself having a friend rival, not until now. 

They have a damn rule! They could bang as many girls as they want. But they should never want to have a friend's girl when it's serious, not even in their dreams. That's their fucking rule he doesn't give a fuck anymore.

To hell with the rules! He cursed under his breath. He already made his decision, 'Emerald is mine,mine alone. That I am willing to break that rule, even ruining our friendship just to have her.'

 Naikuyom nalamang ni Matteo ng mahigpit ang kaniyang mga kamao. He never wanted a girl as much as he wanted Emerald.

No he doesn't just want her, he needs her...

So much that he will put their friendship at sake. Wala na siyang pakielam, aagawin niya si Emerald sa gagong Lucas na iyon at kahit pa humarang ang iba pa nilang kaibigan ay hindi siya magpapapigil sa mga ito. 

He needs her so much that he don't think he could bare facing everyday life without her anymore. And just by thinking of her kissing another guy, hugging, touching, making love----with other man makes him have an intense urge to kill someone, even if it was his friend...Lucas.

***

"A crazy man, a woman, a child...and a cat. In one house, one big house---"

Saphire glared at Lucas who were currently grinning at her direction, ear to ear while moving his both eyebrows up and down.

"Shut the fuck up Lucas, ang dumi ng utak mo. There's nothing going on between me and Matteo."

Iritang saad ni Saphire. 

Kanina pa sya nito kinukulit sa kung anong namamagitan sakanila ni Matteo at konti nalang ay baka putulan na niya ito dila sa kakatanong nito.

"Really huh? Bakit mali ba ako?"

Mahina siyang natawa habang may nakakalokong ngising naglalaro sakaniyang labi.

"Then Kristine is probably lying when she told me about an erotic pool scene between you and that ma----"

"What?!"

Saphire shouted, shocked and confused.

"Oo babaeng marupok. That man whom you told me that you had nothing going on with. Who are you fooling Saphire? If there's nothing going on, then what are you two doing? playing house? bible study?"

Iling iling na pang aasar nitong ikinasimangot ni Saphire lalo.

"Sinabi daw sakaniya ng isa sa mga katulong dito ang mga nangyayari."

Lucas shrugged, inis na sinuntok nalamang niya ito sa braso, pero nginisian lang siya nito na nagpairap sakaniya.

"Ewan ko sayo Lucas"

Iling iling na sabi niya. Then suddenly, the atmosphere became serious.

"But you know that you can't involve him to your problem right? Siya ang unang itutumba ng mga taong iyon oras na makipagrelasyon ka sakaniya."

Lucas asked seriously making her nod her head on him.

"I know that Lucas, hindi ko kakayaning pati si Matteo ay madamay sa problema namin."

She sighed.

"He's the father of your child right?"

He asked.

Natigilan doon si Saphire at tumingin sa gawi niya.

"I saw you in that bar, naroroon ako noon. Lalapitan sana kita para iuwi na kay Ruby kaso kausap mo yang gagong kaibigan ko. Tapos pag lingon ko wala na kayo? then months later, hello Zaffiro!"

Makabag damdaming pagkukwento nito na nagpakunot noo kay Saphire.

"Shut up Lucas! kaya asar sayo mga kapatid ko eh."

She frowned making him smile.

"Matagal ko ng alam, ang kaso lang ay alam ko ang panganib na mangyayari oras na mainvolve siya sainyo kaya hindi ko agad sinabi. But right now, don't you think he has the rights to know? Why don't you tell him? Base on the looks on his eyes, he's head over hills for you. Baka siya na mismo ang magpropose kapag nalaman nya"

Saphire glared on what he just said.

"Yes, he has the rights but I wont marry him. I wont marry a guy who will marry me just because we had a child and not for love."

She stated.

"How do you say so?"

He lift an eyebrow saying that to her. Saphire heaved a deep heavy breath before answering.

"I just know"

She frowned, nginiwian siya ni Lucas.

"But you know that marriage will be the only solution for this problem. Kaya nga ang mga makakarelasyon ninyo ang pinaka target nila para pigilan iyon. Pero wala na silang magagawa oras na ikinasal ka na. Alam mong kapag kinasal ka lang, saka ka nila titigilan, kapag kinasal ka  matatahimik na kayong mag ina sawakas, that's the fucked up rule remember?"

Lucas reminded her,napabuga nalamang sya ng marahas na hangin.

 Lucas has been her friend since they were little, he is like a brother to them. Makikita talaga ang concern nito sakanila. Lucas even offered them marriage when they turned twenty five to save even one of the three. But they declined, they don't want to put his freedom away from him just for them to be freed.

"Think of it Saphire, as long as you were married into someone powerful, you will be finally free from them. And Matteo is one of those powerful businessmens around the globe. He's definitely single and I am also a man and just by looking at him?mukang patay na patay sayo ehh..."

Ngiti nito.

"How can you say so?"

Nakataas pa ang isang kilay na tanong niya.

"Matteo can be really mean to his friends but he never glared at me like he's really going to torture me, slowly killing me on his mind, just for a mere woman. We have a rule but by the look of it, since he think of you and me as an item, mukang balak akong isalvage para lang maagaw ka."

Lucas was still grinning saying that to her, Saphire just shook her head on him.

"No. You must be imagining things lucas, kakikilala lang namin. He's probably just attracted to me.Marami na akong pinoproblema at mahirap sumugal, dahil hindi lamang bagay ang mawawala saakin. Pati buhay ng mga taong pinahahalagahan ko ay posibleng maipatalo ko, oras na gawin ko iyon."

Mariin siyang napapikit nang sabihin iyon.

"And I talked to emerald earlier, kailangan na din naming umalis dito kaagad. Emerald needs my help for now Lucas, my sister needs me, so help me out."

***

Matteo groaned in annoyance. Inis at padabog itong lumabas ng kwarto nya,kanina pa sya parang invisible at hindi pinapansin ng lahat. They are all busy with Lucas. 

Buong araw ay magkakasama sila, it's really hard to admit it but he's really feeling the green monster growing inside him. He is jealous of lucas! Kanina pa sya nagtitimpi ang naghihintay ng tamang pagkakataon para kausapin si Saphire pero sa tuwing makakahanap sya ng tyempo ay iiwasan naman sya nito.

Gusto na nga niyang hablutin nalang at isako para mailayo sa punyetang kasintahan niyang mukang gago naman.

It was late at night and he was planning to sneak in their room. He won't let that fucker touch his woman. 'Makakapatay ako ng dating kaibigan, tangina' Sambit niya sa isipan at mariing naikuyom lamang ang kaniyang kamao.

But looks like timing is good at him this time. Saphire came out and looks like she's heading to the kitchen, making him grin wickedly. 

Nakangising bigla nalamang niya itong hinila mula sa bewang saka isinandal ito sa pader at bigla nalamang nilukumos ito ng halik.

Napaungol pa itong ikinangisi niya.

She is his woman now, and that bastard Lucas can go fuck himself up, cause he's gonna snatch her away from him. He'll make her his and he won't let that ex-friend of his ruin it. Magkamatayan na sila pero aagawin niya si Emerald kay Lucas.

"Matteo ano ba! paano kung makita tayo ni Lucas?!"

Gulat na gulat namang saan ng maganda nitong muka na napatingin sa nakangising si Matteo.

"Then let him see it! Gusto mo katukin ko pa? You didn't push me away and still kissed me back. You moaned, under that kiss, our kiss! Ngayon mo sabihing siya padin ang pipiliin mo gayong hindi naman siya ang mahal mo!"

Galit na litanya niyong nagpalunok kay Saphire na hindi makasagot.

"Wala ka ng kawala Emerald, I won't let you be with him."

Matteo whispered.

Pinangko niya ito patungong kwarto niya habang ito naman ay tahimik lang.

Marahil ay ayaw makagawa pa ng eksena dahilan para mapangisi pa lalo sya. Good

"What do you want Matteo? Ano bang kailangan kong gawin para itigil mo ito?"

Saphire said with a calm face and cold tone, meeting matteo's intense gaze.

"We need to talk Emerald."

Mariing saad nito na nagpairap lang kay Saphire.

"We are already talking."

He glared at her.

"We need to talk about us."

His grip tightened as he said every word. Ibinaba niya si Saphire paupo sakaniyang kama.

Saphire just shook her head on him.

"There's no us matteo,Walang tayo at nag iilusyon ka lang kung iniisip mong mayroon. You have good looks, you have money. Pwede mong makuha ang kahit sinong babaeng gugustuhin mo. So please matteo, please wag ako ang paglaruan mo. As you can see I already have-----"

"Shut the hella up emerald!"

He is furiously glaring at her with a dark expression visible from his eyes.

"Akala mo ba gusto ko to?Of all people bakit kaibigan ko pa?I am not like this not until you came! Hindi ko alam kung anong meron sayo at adik na adik ako. Now I don't care if our friendship will be ruined for what I am going to do. I am going to make you mine Emerald whether you like it or you like it and you wouldn't be able to do anything to stop me!Now shut up and kiss me back"

With that he crashed his lips into hers then kissed her full of desire and hunger. Saphire is doing her best, trying not to respond to his hungry kisses but looks like the more she tries to resist, her body is pushing her more to do it.

Matteo kissed her deeper as he bit her lower lip making her mouth open a bit. Matteo took that chance then slid his tongue inside her mouth.

She can't take it any longer. In the end she is unconsciously kissing him back with full of intensity and desire.

"Break up with Lucas, Emerald."

Matteo exclaimed, catching his breath as their lips parted.

"If you really love him you wouldn't dare kissing me back. Ako na ang mahal mo at hindi ang gagong iyon at alam mo sa sarili mong tama ako."

Mariing saad nito, she was about to defend herself answering that, but matteo again crashed his lips into hers kissing him passionately.

Again her body betrayed her, and started controlling her system. Making her response to his addicting kisses again as her heart race, knowing who she is sharing a kiss with.

She was so lost of thought because of the mind blowing kiss. Ni hindi niya namalayang nakahiga na siya sa kama habang nakapaibabaw sakaniya si matteo.

"I love you, please ako nalang..."