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He must have been a big fool.

The realization came to Laurence as he stood in front of an abandoned building at dusk.

He turned his gaze to the far west, where the livelier side, the marks of the city's civilization, could be found. Stunning shades of purple, pink, and orange dressed up the usually blue vault of heaven—a sight that was seldom appreciated by the people of Perlientas, too busy in their day-to-day tasks to give a single second of heed to these little things in the world. The number of high-rise buildings could also take some of the blame; impressive as those towering establishments were, they obstructed the sky and made it harder for the citizens to get a glimpse of the sunrises or sunsets in all of their glories.

Yet, from this distance, from this location, which seemed to be deserted and separated from the developed areas, he had a clear view of the vast canvas of colors above.

Laurence mused that life was indeed a paradox. The simple gifts of nature were growing more elusive the further society advanced.

A sudden light from his phone interrupted his rumination. He peered at the screen and tapped the push notifications, opening the inbox to Jade's text message.

Where are you, Rence? I dropped by your office to pick you up, but I was informed you timed out earlier than usual. I ran into your boss too and found out you told him you had a plan with me today, but I haven't seen you once and you're not in the house either. What were you doing, Rence?

Laurence stared at the woman's message with an apologetic smile as if that expression could be delivered through the screen. He supposed he'd been busted. He felt bad, imagining how anxious Jade must have been. Now that Isaac had discovered that his excuse for turning down another dinner invitation was a lie, the young boss must be on edge, too.

He sent a short reply, 'it's nothing serious. i'll tell you everything when I get back,' to reassure Jade. Not that he meant to reveal this business he'd gone to once he met with the older Villena sibling.

He closed the conversation and scrolled to an older message sent by the mysterious number the other day.

Don't let others know about it. Not even, NO, not especially Isaac Ruiz. You might have cared for that man, but don't let your bias for him fool you. Choose the truth over the pretense he has been showing you.

Laurence had been curious how much this person knew, how long they had been watching Isaac. What did they want? And how in the world had they even gotten hold of the particular photo of him and the young boss together? Those were the questions that had compelled him to play along with whatever game this bastard was staging.

He wished he could have at least sent a text to that person, cursing them, but he'd learned that replying to the number was as impossible as blocking it, so the quickest way of confronting the one behind the messages and forcing out answers was agreeing to meet them face-to-face.

In retrospect, he should have known that keeping this a secret from everyone and going to a derelict area alone was a terrible idea. Any rational person would have reported it to the authorities first instead of acting on their own.

The thing was, after everything that had happened, after all the betrayal he had experienced, he was no longer certain if he could fully trust anyone.

Sure, he could count on Isaac, except that punk was the last person he'd hoped to know about this. It was not because he doubted his former junior's loyalty to him, but because he'd believed this was a way to protect the young boss from the people who might be targeting him. He had no idea who was trying to tarnish the ND Corporation CEO's name, although he'd considered some potential suspects, including the business rivals eager to witness the conglomerate's downfall. Whoever they were, Laurence was determined to uncover, thus his appearance in this suspicious place the coward messenger had pinned for him.

He turned around, scanning the mini-forest on the right side of the land. His attention rested on the old willow tree at the end of the unpaved road, which also served as an entrance to this zone.

The corner of his lips contorted into a wry smirk at how eerie the tree's silhouette looked at this hour.

However, what made him more apprehensive was the black pickup truck under it. It had been there when he'd arrived, yet its driver was missing. No one had greeted him since earlier. He should have run away the moment he'd gotten a bad feeling regarding this, but a strange thought that this matter might be connected to his murder had swept over him, prompting him to wait around.

What if his original body was killed because of Isaac? And now Florence Villena was next on the list for the same reason?

He frowned at the vehicle and racked his brain for a reason it was familiar.

While busy with his speculations, he picked out the sound of footfalls and the crackles of dried leaves. He stood rooted on the spot, eyes wide, throat tight. He fisted his hand as the steps grew closer and closer. Finally, he sensed a presence right behind him.

Laurence whipped around, jumping back a few inches, when a person in a full black outfit, including the ski mask, jabbed at him with a sharp, metallic object. A butterfly knife, he judged upon glimpsing its long, twin handles.

An unexpected tingling on his cheek arose, followed by trouble to keep his eyelid up. He touched his face, cursing when his palm was met by something warm and sticky. He gaped at his hand, which was now covered by his own blood.

Laurence had no time to process that the blade had caught and slashed his skin since the stranger was dashing toward him, raising the knife, ready for another stab.

He managed to stop the attack by gripping the brute's wrist. Because his current body was almost half the size of his opponent, he gauged he would be at a great disadvantage, and it was only a matter of minutes before he would be overpowered.

His eyes lowered for a second. Identifying an opening, he put all the power he could gather into his leg and kicked the thug's shin.

The attacker staggered, crouched with a whimper, and nursed the hurt area below their knee.

Laurence took advantage of the brief period to bolt. He fumbled for the first number he could call from his contacts. Unfortunately, the other person gained on him and grabbed hold of his trousers. He tripped and kissed the soil. His phone leaped out of his fingers and bounced inches from him.

He rolled onto his back as soon as the assailant hovered over him.

His strangled cry echoed when the person thrust the heel of their rubber shoe against his stomach. Saliva sputtered out of his mouth. Enduring the pain, he forced himself to sit up.

However, the bastard was on him once more after spearing the screen of his phone, shattering it. They swung their arm to deliver a blow with their knife.

Laurence was quick to block it again. He struggled to shove the person's hands with the weapon away from his face. In the end, he was pushed back until he lay on the ground.

He could not fathom how he'd lasted to this point, how he'd been brawling against someone this huge and way stronger than Florence's delicate frame. It might be the adrenaline rush helping him. Or it must be his desperation to continue living.

Still, what had he been fighting for all this time? What was the point of battling for a life that Fate itself was hellbent on robbing off him?

He craved to yell, demand the heavens to provide him with a fair explanation for this madness. Instead, a weak, acid-filled chuckle escaped his mouth.

How many more times would the universe try to screw him until it was satisfied? Did the world let him survive the previous tragedies in his life just so he could experience these misfortunes over and over and over?

Laurence kept struggling with the last fiber of his strength, even when the tip of the knife came in contact with his forehead.

Perhaps this was it. Perhaps the grim reaper could collect his soul at last.

In his possible last moments, Laurence wondered what kind of horrible deeds, what unforgivable sins he'd done in his past lives that impelled the gods to punish him this much. Would all of it stop once he died for real? He wouldn't be surprised if these torments would follow him to hell.

His hold on the brawny wrists of the assailant loosened. He was drained, no longer had the energy to care about the fresh cut on the fine skin of his forehead, if the blade would soon pierce his skull.

Just as he was ready to let everything be, the weight above him disappeared. The cold metal ceased its motion before it slid to the side of his head. He pictured dried twigs breaking when a series of light cracks resounded in the area, together with a thud. A grunt followed in less than a second.

Laurence opened his right eye. Staying still, he observed the moon and the first few stars that graced the evening sky. His short, shallow breaths reached his ears.

He wanted to check his surroundings, but he could not move his body. His back was sore. The muscles in his limbs felt like they were torn apart.

A shriek startled him and returned his senses to reality. He gazed over his feet while he remained lying down. A few meters from him, his attacker now tussled with another man.

Leaves rustled while the two rolled over the dirt. The new guy managed to get on top and pried the ski mask from the assailant's head. But because of the darkness and the continued scuffle, it was hard to discern the person's features.

Laurence's attacker kicked the new guy's stomach, freeing themselves from the latter's grasp, and wasted no time in fleeing to the nearby mini-forest before the other man could recover.

The strange savior stood up shortly. He took a step toward the direction where the would-be killer had beaten a hasty retreat. The man halted as if remembering something and glanced at the person lying on the ground.

Laurence didn't know him, had never seen him until tonight. He could only tell by the few wrinkles on the stranger's face that the man might be a couple of years older than him. Whatever had brought this fellow to this place, Laurence was just thankful he was safe for now.

The older guy shifted and made an impression that he was about to approach Laurence. He paused once again when a light flashed upon their location.

A red sedan pulled over under the large willow tree, next to the black pickup truck the attacker had abandoned. Laurence's mind had no chance to recognize the new vehicle when another man—this time, a very familiar one—stepped out of the car.

The distance, on top of the dimness of the surroundings and his impaired vision, caused difficulty for Laurence to perceive the man's expression. Yet, there was no mistaking the imposing aura even when all the person did was walk to their spot.

Laurence figured a wordless exchange had passed between the two men. He also noticed how his savior's demeanor had become more deferential once the young boss neared them. After bowing to Isaac, the older guy raced to the woods, no doubt to chase the attacker.

Crickets chirped overhead. More stars emerged from the sky. The quietness that the boss's subordinate had left broke the instant Isaac rushed to his former senior.

"Laurence!" the young CEO called out, and Laurence thought he'd heard something similar to this in the past. A cry of his name charged with so much fear and other emotions that it could almost break the man's voice.

Isaac helped him sit up.

Laurence winced and let out a hiss when his abdomen ached at his movement. "Thanks," he said weakly.

Up close, he could finally make out that Isaac's perfect image as a composed, prominent figure in the business industry had been ripped up. In place of the usual confidence, dread swam in his wide, green eyes.

"Hey there, why are you... what are you doing here?" Laurence attempted a sheepish smile, but he was aware there was no way he could lighten the mood in this situation.

"That's..." Isaac swallowed, the shock sticking to his countenance. He raised his hand and acted as if he would touch the other man's cheek. He hesitated, curled his fingers before dropping his arm to the side.

At the young boss's behavior, Laurence became conscious of the sting on his forehead and the left side of his face. It reminded him of how awful his appearance must have been right now.

Isaac clutched the sleeve of Laurence's t-shirt and dropped his head, the top of his hair brushing against the other man's chest.

"That should be my question, senior," he began, his voice hoarse and unsteady. "Why... what have you been up to? Why are you here, getting yourself... getting yourself almost killed again?"

Laurence stared in surprise at the firm but shaking fingers that would not let go of him.

"If we had been a minute slower..."

Isaac was silent for a full beat. His shoulders vibrated. He grasped the fabric harder, tugging it, resulting in the shirt collar to slip down to Laurence's shoulder.

"Why did you have to... why would you hide this from me? Why... couldn't you have told me the truth? If there had been..." The young boss hiccupped. He sniffed. "If there had been a serious problem... why did you have to deal with all of it on your own? Why, Laurence, why did you always have to put yourself in danger?" he asked, his sentences coming off more of a demand with each syllable despite the sobs that muffled them.

"Not like..." Laurence wanted to argue it was not as though he'd ever desired to be the regular subject of these cruel circumstances. He pressed his lips together, unable to draw any more words from his tongue, awed at Isaac's state.

"I wouldn't have known if I hadn't run into Jade Villena. It would have been too late... we wouldn't have found you if... if..." Another hiccup. "If you didn't... have the calathea charm with you."

Laurence's eyes widened. He glanced to his side and at the leaf charm attached to his smashed phone. "That was... a GPS tracker?"

Isaac stiffened. He did not give an immediate confirmation. He slowly lifted his head.

And the sight of his face ruptured Laurence's heart. Gone were the signs of the dominant conglomerate leader; if there were any that lingered, the tears flowing on his cheeks and down to his chin shrouded them.

"I apologize," Isaac said in a pleading tone that squeezed Laurence's chest more. "I understand that is breaking your boundaries, and I have no excuse for it. I was aware even before I gave you the charm."

Now with both hands, Isaac held onto the front of Laurence's top. He hung his head again, lower than earlier.

"That's why I am prepared to accept any repercussions you will deal out to me. I will understand if you're... if you're mad right now. You can scold me all you want, Laurence. But please... Believe me.

"It was not any of my intentions to disrespect your boundaries or to make it seem like I am controlling your life... or your every little action. I never wished for you to feel uncomfortable with what I do... Only, it's... I was scared." The quiver in the young boss's voice became more apparent. A torrent of emotions poured from his utterance. "I was extremely worried about you, senior. You had been acting strange these past couple of days, and I sensed you were hiding something important from me. I suspected you would act on a foolish decision and set off on your own. And... it terrified me. I was scared you would run head-on into trouble, that I might lose you again, and I would not be able to do anything to save you like the previous times."

For someone as confident and esteemed as Isaac Ruiz to admit he was afraid, to discard the entire façade of elegance he'd always carried around other people and lay his distress bare, to beg for the safety of a person dear to him, to almost kneel and bow in search for pardon, just how much of this incident could have affected him?

While Laurence gazed at him with regrets, he acknowledged he must have indeed mattered a great deal to this young man.

More than wealth.

More than the title as a notable personality in the city.

More than the pride for all the grand achievements.

It was a truth that he might have often failed to recognize, a devotion he'd underestimated.

"I can give my word, Laurence. I will not do anything questionable like that again, not without your consent, but will you promise me too? Please... please, don't hide an issue this serious from me ever again. Or am I being too much for asking that?"

There was no way he would be mad at Isaac for that intention and desperate means to protect him. He could not be at least disappointed. Not when he understood what it was like to be in this helpless position, watching death steal a loved one right before his very eyes.

It must be worse for Isaac, who had witnessed him perish once. He could only imagine how traumatized the young boss must have been, how frightened he was at the thought of that tragedy repeating itself.

Laurence bent and nuzzled Isaac's hair, relief settling within him when the younger man calmed down with his gentle effort to comfort him.

"I'm sorry. I never meant to scare you," he murmured, caressing the boss's nape. The physical pains on his face and stomach faded to the corner of his mind for a little while as he got lost in Isaac's warmth and soothing scent. "I'm okay now, yeah? You're able to save me this time. Thank you for coming to my rescue. Thank you, Ice. I ain't going anywhere and leave you in the dark 'bout anything like this again. I promise. I'm sorry."