Author's POV

All are standing and giving the dancers a round of applause. The audiences and visitors commended the the teacher choreographer of the group. The event was a success. The shareholders were very impressed of the outcome. Even the invited investors were ecstatic of the result of the events. The booths are a success as well. Organising such a big event were Aireen's expertise especially if it involves the students welfare. Trying to implore the investors to invest and help improve the facilities of the school and provide special care and support for the students as well.

Mr. Cornwall waltzed towards her and asked her to come with him. He introduced him to all the investors, of course there's Ervin as well. She smiled at all of them and slightly inclined her head to Ervin's to indicate the she knew he's been looking at her the entire time.

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"Congratulations my dear for a job well done. I'm so proud of you and what you've accomplished here today" Mr. Cornwall hugged then patted her back. She teased her boss about telling on him to his wife with the hidden cigarettes in his office table drawers. The principal looked frightened making her  laughed out loud.

Ervin stayed at the background looking at the exchange between the old man and his not yet ex girlfriend ( since they've never really broken up in the first place). To those who may not know these two personally, it may look like they're flirting with each other while the wife is there. He even thought about before. Good thing his assistant had the gall to outright ask the principal's secretary and found out that it's just more of a father - daughter relationship because the old man took her under his wing and guided her. The secretary and the principal together with his wife knew of Aireen's real situation. His assistant tried to pry some more information out of her but to no avail.

The after party's over and most are now going home. Catering crews are starting clean up. Ervin saw Aireen give out a few more instructions before heading out of the building so he followed her.

He's now just about a meter away from reaching her when he heard a squeal from behind him and someone called out her name. A plump shortish woman is holding a little boy, probably between 5 or 6 years old. The kid's trying desperately to get out of her tight hold and succeeded running away towards Aireen.

"Mommy!!! Look what aunt Mariane got me." Jhayvee excitedly jumped up and down holding a stuff dinosaur in his pudgy hands.

Ervin stood still on the spot staring at the boy who just called Aireen his mom and at the other woman. He was shocked to the core. Aireen had a baby?? Who's the father???  Suddenly the boy looked at him and he felt a like sucker punched to the gut. It was like he's looking at a himself, only 20 years younger. He stayed rooted to the spot and kept on staring at the boy as he pointed at him to his mom while walking ahead of the two shocked women towards his direction. Aireen's face showing mixed emotions from shock to fear.

" Hi mister, I know you. I saw a picture of you from my mom's closet. Are you my dad?" the little boy curiously asked when he finally reached Ervin and looked at him with awe written in young face.

Ervin knelt down bringing himself to the boy's eye level. He holds his breath and barely stopped himself from grabbing the boy and hugging him. He just let on staring at him as if memorising every detail of the boy's facial features. The boy stared back at him and unlike him, he got the guts to raise his little hand and touched his face making Ervin took a hold of the hand touching his face.

Aireen slowly moved forward and come near the two of them. Tears running down her eyes. She felt pained at the scene playing right in front of her. The man kneeling down, staring at the son he hasn't had a chance to meet. She can't fathom the feelings Ervin is going through right now. And she fear that one of them is probably anger. She nervously approached them.

Ervin stood up carrying the boy with him and taking ahold of Aireen's hand, he pulled her towards his parked car much to the two women's surprise. He placed the little boy gently inside the backseat of the car, not letting go of her hand, he put on the seat belt over him and then he opened the front seat and gave her a push to get inside too. He then walked to the driver's seat.

"Put your seat belt on." ordered Ervin. His voice menacingly  opened the window as Mariane knocked on it. " I'm taking them with me. Go home. I'll keep her in touch with you." Rolling up the car window, Ervin drove out the parking lot and into the busy highway.

The drive is bearable only because of the constant chatter of the little boy at back seat, asking his father questions after questions about the car and where'd he been all this time. Ervin tried to answer it as much as he could, leaving out some details of his whereabouts. Aireen sat silently, listening to their conversation. Her nerves getting wreck by the minutes of waiting to arrive to their destination wherever it may be.
A few minutes more and silence filled the air, she looked over the back seat and found her chatterbox of a son already asleep. She was about to say something when she noticed the car going in an underground garage of a grand Hotel in Makati. The car stopped at a parking slot reserved only for  VIP's. Ervin got out of the car and opened the backseat to carry his sleeping son on his shoulder and walked towards the private elevator, leaving behind Aireen to follow them. He punched the number of the floor going up the presidential suite. When the elevator door opened, he went straight to his suite, carefully took out his card key and swipe it. Once inside his hotel room, he walked straight to the guest room laying his son gently on the bed and cover him with blanket. Turning on the lamp and setting it to dim so the boy won't be afraid if he ever woke up into the middle of the night.

Through all this, Aireen just stood right in the middle of the living room, as if waiting for the ticking bomb to explode. Ervin went out of the bedroom, walked to the fridge, took out a bottle of beer. He offered one to her which she declined and ask for water instead. He takes swig of  the beer as he approach her with the mineral water in his other hand and giving it to her to drink.

Ervin studied Aireen's face as she take a gulp of the water, her hand trembling slightly indicating her nervousness. He waited patiently for her to finish drinking. Once she's done, he took the bottle from her and placed it on top of the center table. She was about to speak when suddenly she pulled to a hard embrace, her mouth covered with his, kissing her passionately, tongue sliding inside hers easily. She was taken aback by the force of emotions emitting from the man whose kisses are slowly drowning her, making her hands go up to hold unto his hair and kissed him back. She can't hold back the moan coming from her lips. The kiss lasted like for an eternity. When Ervin pulled back, their breathing is erratic and hearts pounding so loud it might just popped out of their chests.

"God, I needed that." Ervin breathlessly spoke, while brushing Aireen's nose with his while touching their foreheads together like they used to do. His hands lightly holding her waist.

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Author's note.

Hey, hope I didn't kept you all waiting too long. I'm just winging it and letting the storyline flow right through me as it comes from my head.. Don't hesitate to comment whatever is on your mind. I'd be glad to hear from you what you think so far of this story. Thank you😊