["What? really?"]

Kristine said with a bored tone while checking her nails.

"Wait...You didn't know your brother is actually here?"

Kunot noong tanong ni Saphire sa kaibigang si Kristine.

["Nah...He didn't tell me, but I still found out the moment he set foot on my Island. Masipag magreport saakin ang mga tauhan ko diyan eh. Well, I'm more surprised na nagtagal siya diyan. Akala ko ay isang araw palang, magmamadali na siyang maglayag palayo sa isla ko."]

Natatawang pagkukwento ni Kristine.

Nailing nalamang si Saphire sa pinagsasabi ng kaibigan. They were currently having a video call. Namiss din kasi niya ang baliw na ito na mukang naging busy na sa ospital kung saan ito nagtatrabaho.

'Wait a minute...'

Saphire thought when noticed something.

 He forehead ceased when she saw a handsome man in the background, who just got inside silently and intently looking at Kristine. The man has messy black hair, a piercing black eyes that was intently staring at her friend.

 Kunot noong napatingin sya kay Kristine. The man has a dark expression, creeping the hell out of her. Gwapo nga, pero mukang baliw atang nakatakas sa selda nito.

"H-hey? who is that man behind you?"

Saphire asked.

"Who?----"

Natigilang, kunot noong lumingon ito sa likod niya. Kristine gasped the moment she saw the man behind her.

["A-Ahm... Sa susunod nalang uli tayo mag usap, may baliw na nakatakas sa selda nya eh! bye bye!"]

With that, their video call ended. 

She sighed then stayed there a little longer. When suddenly, a pair of strong arms snaked on her belly and hugged her from the back. It's enough to make her heart pound like crazy as she smell that manly perfume that she could sniff all day while she burries her head in his broad chest. 

Napapikit pa siya sa sensyasyong iyon pero agad ding napamulat ng mata nang mapagtanto niya ang posisyon nila.

"Let go of me Matteo...."

Mariing saad nya. 

But Matteo is just too stubborn. He left little kisses on her nape then to her neck, making her feel the sparks circulate all over her system. She tried escaping his grip, but Matteo is too strong for her.

"Let me hug you please, wag kang madamot."

Tila ba nagtatampo pang saad nito. Napabuntong hininga nalamang doon ang dalaga, saka hahayaan nalang sana si Matteo nang may maramdaman siyang matigas na bagay sakaniyang likuran na bigla nalamang tumayo.

Hindi na niya kailangan pang hulaan kung ano iyon.

"Calm your soldier, captain. Hindi ako ang heneral para, saluduhan niya."

Mataray na sambit ni Saphire na malakas na nagpahalakhak sa lalaki.

"Sorry, I can't help it baby, you're too addicting." 

He chuckled making her bit her lower lips and avoided his intense gaze.

"Stop bitting your lips, unless, you want me to bite it for you."

He whispered on her ears. Marahas na napabuga lamang ng hangin doon si Saphire.

"Stop it Matteo,ano bang kailangan mo saakin? I told you I have a boyfriend."

She hissed.

God know how much she's trying to stop herself into feeling something for this man. Ayaw niyang madamay ito sa gulo nila, ayaw niyang mapahamak ito oras na mapalapit sakaniya. Those people will make him their target, the moment they find out that something is going on with them.

 "And I told you to break up with him."

He shrugged, while looking at her seriously. Hindi kakayanin ni Saphire na may mangyaring masama sa binata dahil sakaniya. Hindi ito maaatim ng konsensiya niya kaya kung maaari ay siya na dapat ang lalayo.

Dapat nga noong una palang ay pinilit na niyang huwag mapalapit sa binata. Sadyang marupok lang siya at sa totoo lang ay gusto niyang sabunutan ang sarili at iuntog sa pader ng ilang beses para lang matauhan siya.

"Get away from me, please Matteo, nanahimik kami. What happened between us is a mistake, I shouldn't have done. Nadala lang tayo masyado okay? please? ayoko ng mas maging komplikado pa ang lahat. So whatever you were planning, please spare me, I have no time for any of tha----"

Puno ng frustrasyong saad niyang naputol nang takpan ni Matteo ang bibig niya habang masama ang tinging ipinupukol sa dalaga.

"Ang daldal mo, ang dami mo masyadong sinasabi."

Iritang saad nito saka iniharap sya sakanya habang mahigpit ang pagkakahawak sa bewang niya. Napangiwi nalamang sya nang maalalang tinawag siya nitong Emerald.

"Akala mo ba ginusto ko din ito? I feel like there is some kind of force that kept pulling towards you since I met you. Para akong isang magnet na kahit akong gawing pilit na pagpigil ay didikit at didikit sa iyo. I don't undertand myself too!"

Madilim ang ekspresyong, seryosong sambit ng binata habang titig na titig sa mga mata nuto.

"Admit it emerald, no matter how many times you deny it. You enjoy every second of  that night we made lo----we had sex... That you also feel something whenever you were with me since we met. Bakit ba kailangan mong pahirapan ang sarili mo?"

Malamig na saad ni M atteo na napaiwas lamang ng tingin si Saphire.

"Hindi iyon ganun kadali, Matteo, hindi mo naiintindihan. Simpleng atraksyon lang ang nararamdaman mo at ganoon din ako."

Marring turan ni Saphire.

"How about this? I will forget everything that happened that night and you will too. As if that night never really existed. We will stay just like before,how's that sound?"

Saphire suggested, Matteo looked at her with an irritated, dissaproving, dark expression.

"How about a better sugguestion. Stop fighting for a relationship that you're not happy with anymore and be honest to yourself. Paano nalang kapag nalaman niya ang nangyari?"

Naniningkit ang matang tanong ni Matteo. Saphire managed to just look at him with a calm cold expression.

"He doesn't need to know."

She shrugs.

"Break up with hi----"

"No."

Mariing saad nito.

They glared at each other. As if on cue Zaffiro came with Luke. Masayang yumakap ang bata sa binti ni Matteo. 

"Magluluto lang ako ng dinner natin"

Saphire said calmly as she marched out, to go to the kitchen.

Kanina pa nya halos pilit pinipigilan ang pag hinga habang kaharap ang binata. Her heartbeat has gone crazy again while remembering their encounter earlier.

Marahas siyang napabuga ng hangin at nagtungo muna sa banyo malapit sa kusina, saka naghugas ng muka sa lababo.

She locked the door then removed her contact lense.

Saphire sighed,looking at her pair of krystal clear, ocean blue eyes. A tear fell from her eyes remembering everything in the past.

They've suffered so much for 15 years. Sampung taon na din silang nagtatago at tumatakbo sa mga taong iyon at natitiyak niyang pag iinitan ng mga ito ang ama ni Zaffiro.

She's so tired of being afraid, she is so tired of pushing almost everyone away from her. She's so tired of always running away. She's tired being chased.

At natatakot siya para kay Zaffiro. What will be his future, kapag nagpatuloy pa ito?

Mabuti nalamang at naagapan ng connections ni Ruby, para hindi na makarating pa sa mga taong iyon na anak talaga niya si Zaffiro, matapos ng insidenteng iyon dalawang taon na ang nakararaan.

Saphire again sighed as she put her contact lenses back.

She went out of the comfort room and decided to start preparing their dinner. Mula sa kusina ay tanaw nya si matteo at Zaffiro na masayang naglalaro kasama si Luke.

Seing how happy they are together makes her heart swell. The scene made her realize something.

'If I tell him the truth? Will Matteo accept him as his son? He told me he's willing to be my son's father.'

She said at the back of her mind.

Her life is too complicated and dangerous, to keep dragging  her son with her. Nasisiguro niyang gaganda ang buhay nito sa piling ng ama at hindi na siya kailangan pang tumakbo at malagay sa panganib ang buhay kasama siya.

Zaffiro is the first son of the family, the first successor. Siya ang may pinaka delikadong buhay, kapag nalaman nilang anak niya ito.

Masyadong delikado ang buhay ni Zaffiro, kung mananatili itong kasama siya..

Kung maaring lumuhod sya sa harap ni Matteo para lang tanggapin si Zaffiro ay gagawin niya. Kahit masakit mukang kailangan niyang isuko ang bata, ang buhay niya. Hindi niya maaatim na madamay pa ito sa gulo niya. Paano kung mangyari muli ang nangyari 2 years ago?  At ang mas hindi niya kakayanin ay baka mas lumala pa ang mangyari kapag nagkataon.

Zaffiro seems to like his biological father a lot too..

"Kaya ko ba?"

Tanong ni Saphire sakanyang sarili.

Not now,give me a little more time.

She thought. Just thinking about her being away from her son makes her heart contradict in pain. Hindi niya kaya, pero kailangan dahil mas hindi niya kakayaning may mangyaring masama dito.

She already made a decision, matagal na niya iyong pinag iisipan. Pero mukang kailangan niya pang ihanda ang sarili, sa oras na kailanganin niya na itong iwan sa puder ng ama.

Matteo Stilled

"D-Did you just speak?"

He stammered, Zaffiro smiled at him then hugged him tight.

"I love you daddy...."

Saad nito.

Again for an unknown reaso, a tear just fell from his eyes with a smile plastered on his lips as he hug Zaffiro tight.

"Why are you crying daddy?"

Zaffiro asked innocently, napatigil siya saka pinunasan ang luha nya.

He doesn't really know why but his heart filled with happiness the moment he finally spoke then called him his dad.

He was so happy that he didn't care about anything right in that momment.

"I-I'm just happy....C-Could you call me daddy one more time?"

He asked making Zaffiro smile.

"Daddy...."

"Oh good god"

He said then hugged him again. But then, he suddenly realized something.

"W-wait your mom ahmm...has a boyfriend right? T-then why are you calling me daddy?"

He asked Zaffiro.

"Yes mommy has a boy friend but he's not my real dad----"

Hindi na nito natapos ang sasabihin nang bigla namang dumating si Saphire galing ng kusina.

"Kain na tayo."

Saphire said then smiled at the two of them making his heartbeat pound like crazy again. Melting all the confusions he just had, on what Zaffiro said.

He cursed under his breath, that moment he realized that he was so under her spell already....

'I like her, I like Emerald a lot that I am going to snatch her with whoever is that bastard boyfriend of hers. I will make her want me, need me so much, she wouldn't even think of having anyone by her side, other than me.'

He thought while staring at the two, intently. Matteo grinned at that thought. He already made his decision clear, 'I only want Emerald.'

A/n:Guys sorry kung masyadong mabilis ang mga pangyayari. Parang naninibago pa kasi ako sa gantong klase ng genre kumbaga nagsasanay palang. So ayun di po ako sanay since action talaga yung comfort zone ko. But let's try kung kaya kong mag improve sa genre na to sa every book ng bachelor series.