"ARE YOU really not going to tell me what happened between you and Cash?" Curtis asked, and I nodded my head immediately. He heaved a deep sigh before rolling his eyes in annoyance. I'm sure he is naiinis na sa'kin. He's been asking me that question, and my only response to him is either a "yes" or a "nod."

"I don't know what I'll do to you and my cousin. You won't tell me what is going on while he keeps pestering me if I know where you're hiding. You two are giving me headaches!"

I pouted at him. Napabuntung hininga lang siya nang makita niya iyong nagmamakaawa kong mukha. "You know naman na ayaw kitang idamay dito, but your cousin was the one involving you in this. Siya kaya iyong nambubulabog sayo,"

"You know, he won't stop pestering me until you show yourself to him."

"I know that, but..." I trailed off. I heaved a deep sigh again. "I don't want to see him yet. I don't want to talk to him pa muna." I replied.

"Just tell me what he did to you so I can give him a good smack in the head. At least let me do that to him for hurting you,"

"I am not hurting—"

"You can fool them, but not me, Serenity Rose Madriaga."

"Wow, buong-buo ha!" I chuckled, but Curtis' face remained passive. He even raised an eyebrow at me. I rolled my eyes at him before grabbing the bottled water in front of me and taking a drink. We're at the coffee shop just near The Empress. We had a 15-minute break and Curtis dragged me out of my office kanina kasi siya ang tinatawagan ni Cash.

"Just don't tell him where I'm staying,"

"How would I tell him if I don't even know where you're staying." he retorted.

I giggled at the realization. I mentioned to Curtis that I'm staying at my friend's place, but I didn't tell him where because they're cousins pa rin and I'm not sure baka biglang sumuko si Curtis sa pangungulit ng pinsan niya sakaniya at sabihin niya kung nasaan ako and I don't want to involve Tia in this. Tama nang si Curtis nalang ang nadadamay.

I'm really thankful that Cash hasn't bugged Kuya Baker about my whereabouts. Takot lang niya siguro kay Kuya Baker kapag nalaman niyang pinaiyak niya ako at baka totohanin na talaga ni Kuya iyong pag FO kay Cash. Mukhang seryoso pa naman si Kuya sa sinabi niya sa'kin dati.

We stayed for a few more minutes at the coffee shop before returning na to work.

Curtis called out, "Sera." I looked at him. He had just gotten off of the elevator. I pressed the open button on the elevator to keep the door open.

"Bakit?"

"Don't run away from him. If you don't want him anymore, just say it to his face so he will stop chasing after you. I know my cousin can be an asshole at times—probably taking after his dad, but... I know that he won't be like this over you if you're not special to him." he gave me a small smile after his speech. "See you around," he said before finally turning his back on me while the elevator door closed at the same time.

If only Curtis knew that his cousin proposed to me – naked – just to get back to his father.

#

Days had passed and Cash still wouldn't stop bothering Curtis. Naaawa na nga ako kay Curtis kasi ayaw nang umalis ni Cash sa condo niya dahil panay siyang binubulabog tapos lasing pa raw kaya hindi mapauwi ni Curtis. Cash stopped calling me na rin because I blocked his number na kasi napapagod na akong mag decline ng mga tawag niya.

"Tita Sera dito ka na rin po ba titira kasama namin?" nakangiting tanong ni Evo. Dalawang linggo na akong nakikitira sakanila dahil alam kong kapag nalaman ni Cash na bumalik na ako sa unit ko sa Empire ay pupuntahan ako agad noon.

Nagtataka nga ako kung bakit he doesn't go to my office, e. Nahihiya siguro siya na pag-chismisan kami ng mga empleyado kapag pinuntahan niya ako while working tapos iiwasan ko lang siya. Idagdag mo pa na may pagka-chismoso rin si Sir Andres.

I lowered myself to the level of Evo's eye. I smiled at him. "Gusto mo ba dito na rin titira si Tita Sera?" tanong ko at agad naman siyang tumango kaya natawa ako. He was even holding his favourite action figure, Ironman.

"Opo Tita!"

I chuckled, and then I saw Tia emerge from the room while shaking her head with a hint of a smile on her face. "Basta huwag kana raw magulo kapag may ginagawa si Tita Sera mo,"

"Opo Mama! Pwamis hindi na ako malikot," sagot ni Evo tapos nakataas pa iyong right hand niya at nagkatinginan lang kami ni Tia bago natawa.

I tousled Evo's hair before I said, "Lika nga dito. Hug mo si Tita," which Evo's quick to oblige. He gave me a tight hug and a kiss on my cheeks pa.

I played with Evo until he got tired and fell asleep. This became my routine na. I will go to work and then, after worknaman I will play with Evo hanggang mapagod siya tapos kami naman ang magkwe-kwentuhan ni Tia.

"Sa susunod na linggo na papasok sa eskwelahan si Evo." Tia said while cutting some veggies for tomorrow's lunch,chopseuy.

"Wow! He's really a big boy na. What are your plans? Are you going to start working na rin ba? I'm sure bored kana rin dito sa bahay," natatawang sabi ko.

"Kung may mahahanap sana ako kahit part-time lang para habang nasa eskwelahan si Evo tapos pangdagdag ipon din."

"I'll try to ask around the area para hindi kana babyahe pa,"

"Nakausap ko kanina si Amber, iyong nakatira riyan sa tapat namin, sabi niya nangangailangan daw ng assistant iyong mama niya sa clinic nila. Malapit lang rito iyon,"

"That's great!" I beamed, clapping my hands in excitement.

"Oo nga, e. Mababait naman sila kaya hindi ako nag-aalangan. Paminsan-minsan din pinupuntahan niya si Evo dito para makipaglaro." sabi ni Tia. "At saka nga pala sa The Empress din siya nagtatrabaho, baka kilala mo siya." dagdag ni Tia.

I paused for a second trying to recall every employee's name, even though it's impossible because there are hundreds of employees in The Empress.

"Her name seems familiar naman, baka we've met na noong nagpakilala ako sa mga employees dati." I replied, and she just nodded her head in agreement. Tia continued cutting veggies before she spoke again.

"Kinukulit ka pa rin ba niya?" napatingin ako kay Tia and she's just focusing on what she was doing.

"Hindi na. I blocked his number na but iyong pinsan naman niya ang kinukulit niya parati. He wants to know where I'm staying," I sighed.

"Ano palang balak mo kapag bumalik kana sa Empire? Siguradon akong hindi mo naman gusto tumira dito kahit na pinipilit ka ng anak ko," natatawang tanong ulit ni Tia.

"If I can just stay with you two, why not. It's more peaceful here and I'm sure mami-miss ko kayo ni Evo kapag umalis na ako."

"Alam mo namang welcome ka parati dito sa bahay namin." Tia replied while smiling at me. Tumayo ako sa upuan at agad ko siyang nilapitan para yakapin.

"You're the sister I never had! Sobrang thank you talaga, Tia." I said while hugging her.

#

The following days, I busied myself with work lang and before I knew it, it's time for me to go back to the Empire. Curtis hasn't complained to me about Cash, so I figured he probably stopped looking for me.

It's not even 3 weeks since that night but he already gave up looking for me. It's not that I want him to look for me but... hanggang ganon lang ba iyong pinagsamahan namin? He will just give up without properly asking for my forgiveness? Kahit na I will not accept his apologies, still... deserve ko naman na hingan ng tawad niya 'di ba?

"Tita Sera I'm ready na!" Evo exclaimed while excitedly knocking at the door of my room. I let him in, and I saw that he was wearing the clothes that I bought for him.

"Wow. Ang gwapo naman ng baby Evo namin,"

"Big boy na raw po ako sabi ni Mama, Tita." He replied. That made me chuckle.

"Okay. Let's go na?" I said, and he held my hand before we went outside.

Today's my last day at their house kaya I told them na igagala ko muna sila. I brought them to the mall tapos nag-arcade si Evo hanggang maubos lahat ng tokens na binili ko and then we ate our lunch.

"Okay lang ba mag ice cream si Evo?" I asked Tia. I plan to bring them to the ice cream store that Cash bought. I don't want to own it kasi si Cash pa rin ang bumili nun.

"Puwede naman pero huwag lang masosobrahan," natatawang sagot ni Tia kaya niyaya ko sila agad na umalis ng mall para pumunta sa Serenity's Icecream.

I parked in the parking lot just near the store, and we walked from there nalang. I told them we could walk sa park mamaya after eating ice cream.

I saw how Tia's eyes widened when she saw the sign on top.

"Sayo 'to?" agad na tanong niya at agad naman akong umiling. Mabuti nalang she didn't ask further. Medyo madaming tao sa loob kaya we had to fall in line.

"Strawberry sa'kin Tita Sera!" Evo beamed.

"Okay. Ikaw Tia? What do you want?"

"Vanilla nalang," sagot niya at tumango ako.

Sobrang daming bata sa loob kaya medyo mahaba-haba ang pila. Noong turn na namin para um-order agad na ngumiti si Manong nang makita niya ako.

"Kamusta po kayo?" I politely greeted Manong.

"Mabuti naman Ma'am Serenity. Busy po kami parati e pero mabuti nalang at napapadaan dito si Sir Cash at tinulungan kami. Nasa loob lang ho siya at nagpapalit sandali ng damit dahil natapunan siya ng ice cream kanina noong isang bata." dire-diretsong sabi ni Manong at bago ko pa siya mapigilan ay agad na siyang nakaalis para tawagin si Cash.

Hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko! I was fidgeting.

I can't just ask Tia and Evo that we must leave because I know that Evo was super excited about eating his ice cream. Sobrang lakas ng puso ko at hindi ako mapakali.

Bago ko pa kausapin si Tia para sana magpaalam na aalis lang ako sandali ay nakita ko na si Manong na naglalakad pabalik habang nasa likod niya si Cash. My breathing hitched.

He was just wearing a plain white t-shirt and faded jeans, and yet he looked so hot! I could feel my face starting to heat up as soon as his eyes landed on mine, pero hindi rin nagtagal iyong mga mata niya sa'kin dahil napatingin siya agad kay Tia na katabi ko.

His eyes widened and his lips slightly parted. My eyebrows furrowed and I looked over my shoulder to see Tia had the same expression on her face while staring back at Cash.

"Cynthia?" Cash said, and my body froze.

W H A T Y A S E Y