Vanna Lei wants to shut her mind from everything but it kept streaming on every fiber of her being.

Cloud tried to manipulate her life.

Ni sa hinagap ay hindi niya inaasahang magagawa nito iyon kaya pilit niyang itinanggi sa sarili. But now, it is as clear as the sun, his admission of the hacking is enough proof how deceptive and manipulative he is.

Wala siyang ibang lalaking nagustuhan sa tana ng buhay niya maliban kay Klein. Pero bakit gano'n? Sa tuwing handa na siyang papasukin ito sa buhay niya, may mga bagay na magtutulak sa kanila palayo sa isa't-isa.

...at ang mga dahilang iyon ay nagmumula sa pagiging duwag nito.

She wants to love him but how could she ever love a man like that?

Saglit siyang napatigil nang makitang papasok sa agency ang kakambal pero nilagpasan na lamang niya ito nang magkasalubong sila.

Why is she surrounded by cowards?

She shook her head and continued walking as she gritted her teeth bitterly.

She found herself staring at nothingness inside her car. Her heart is pounding hard as a lone tear escaped her eye. She used to believe she was strong and that nothing could tear her down, not even love. But this time, she thinks she needed someone's embrace.

She wiped her eyes as she started the engine.

*****

"I'm sorry but I will only allow my daughter to marry at 37." She heard her dad talking. She was about to move a step so she could see whom he was talking to when she heard the man spoke.

"That's not for you to decide, sir."

She inhaled deeply. Even without seeing his face she immediately recognized Clyde's voice. Napatigil siya at 'di agad nakakilos.

"Nobody controls her life except her," Clyde added. His voice was low but there is strength in it yet it didn't sound disrespectful.

"That's courageous of you, young man," Vaughn's voice was rather mocking. She even imagined her father smirking at Clyde. Gustong-gusto niyang sumilip pero parang naitulos na siya sa kinatatayuan.

"Standing for one's self is not bravery, Mr. Filan. It's a necessity."

Napailing siya at napangiti ng mapait sa narinig mula sa binata.

Naalala niya ang sinabi ni Cloud sa kanya noong nakaraan.

"Tell me, what will you do if he suddenly appears at your house and tell your parents that he's your boyfriend?"

Pakiramdam niya lahat ng inaalala ni Cloud na maaaring mangyari ay isa-isang nagiging totoo. She didn't see it coming.

She forcibly closed her eyes to shut off that feeling. Pero hanggang sa ibukas niya ang mga mata ay nandoon pa rin ang isiping 'yon.

She turned around and made her way out. Dinala siya ng mga paa sa comfort room.

Why does Clyde need to be what Klein wasn't?

Lahat ng bagay na gusto niyang gawin ni Klein noon pa man ay unti-unti niyang nakikita sa binata. Kaya siguro ganoon na lamang ang nararamdaman niya kapag kaharap ito at kaya rin nagugustuhan na niya ito.

Yes, she likes Clyde and she may not admit it but she might've fallen for him.

That thought made her static for minutes before she decided to finally walked out of the washroom.

Nagulat siya ng makitang nag-aabang si Clyde paglabas niya. She tried to mask her agitation with a weak smile.

"Let's go out for a walk." It was a statement rather than a question. Nauna itong naglakad. She wanted to refuse but her feet trailed his steps.

She later found herself seated inside a restaurant with him.

*****

CLOUD knew Vanna was already falling for that Korean man. Ilang beses naman niyang sinabi sa sarili na hahayaan na niya ito. But being a fighter within, he doesn't want to give up without fighting the hardest.

Hindi niya mapigilang magalit sa tuwing malalamang magkasama ang dalawa. Pakiramdam niya, sa tuwing hinahayaan niya itong makasama ang binata ay mas lalo itong lumalayo sa kanya. He also hates that the guy seem to take advantage.

No matter how much he tells himself that he must not be ruled by his emotion or anger, he can't help but get mad most of the time.

Ang totoo pagbalik niya galing bakasyon ay napagdesisyon niyang hayaan na lang ang dalaga sa gusto nito. He even acted cold the last time. He was ready to let go. Kaya lang dahil sa nangyari kanina bumalik na naman ang lahat ng sakit na nararamdaman.

Sinundan niya ito nang lumabas sa opisina. Gusto niyang humingi ng pagkakataon para patunayan ritong karapat-dapat siya sa pagmamahal nito pero pilit siyang itinaboy ng dalaga hanggang sa hinayaan na lang niya. She's mad and she doesn't want to accept any of his reasons nor wants to give him a chance to prove his worth. Wala naman siyang karapatang pilitin ito. Kanina naisip na niyang pabayaan na talaga ito kaya lang may nalaman na naman siya.

Cloud gritted his teeth as he stepped inside the restaurant. One of his men told him that Vanna was inside a restaurant with Clyde. Nakatalikod lang siya saglit, magkasama na ulit ang dalawa. Her mission already ended. Bakit kailangan nilang magkita?

He is not supposed to follow her. Galit pa ito sa kanya pero hindi niya maiwasan. He was no longer sane. All he wanted was to shun away the man by hook or by crook. Kung hindi niya ito gagawin baka tuluyan na nitong makuha ang babaeng pinakamamahal niya. O nakuha na nito nang tuluyan si Vanna?

He'd warned the guy once. Sinabi na nga niyang kasal sila, hindi pa rin ito tumitigil sa panunuyo sa dalaga.

He inhaled deeply trying to calm down but his raging heart emerge as he saw them facing each other on the restaurant.

"Get out of here, @sshole. Get away from Vanna Lei," he said gritting his teeth. The man's blank expression all the more made him mad.

"I said get your ass off here," he repeated addressing the man. Gusto niyang bunutin ang baril at tutukan na lang ito pero alam niyang mali. There is still a part of him that could think straight. Prente lang na nakaupo ang binata na mas lalong nakapagpangalit sa kanya.

"Ano ba kasing ginagawa mo dito?" baling ni Vanna sa kanya. He looked at her.

"Please send this man away, Vanna," sambit niya. Umaaasa siyang ayunan siya ng dalaga alang-alang sa ilang taong pinagsamahan nila.

"Please Klein, umalis ka na muna. Let me spend this night with him," Vanna's jaw clenched at him. Though he knew Vanna was tough, he didn't expect her to embarrass him infront of the guy.

For a moment, he was lost. Mas lalong umakyat ang galit sa dibdib niya. Matagal ang ipinagsama nila ng dalaga kahit bilang magkaibigan lang at hindi niya inaasahang ipahihiya siya nito sa harap ng lalaki.

"Layuan mo si Vanna," baling niya sa lalaki sa halip na pansinin ang sinabi ni Vanna.

"Vanna already decided, so I am not backing down."

The remark hit another nerve. Nagtagis ang bagang niya. He wasn't able to think straight.

"What you knew about her was only limited to what she told you. You know nothing," madiin niyang bigkas. He tried so hard to stay calm despite his raging being.

The man wasn't able to say a word with his statement.

"Ikaw ang umalis," sambit naman ni Vanna.

He knew they were already creating a scene but he can't stop himself. All he wanted is that Vanna stays away from Clyde for whatever it may take.

"You are still my wife, Vanna." He told her out of desperation and pain. Alam niyang hindi niya dapat iyon ginagamit na panlaban pero nawalan na siya ng iba pang dahilan para ipakita sa lalaking kaharap na may karapatan siyang paalisin ito.

What he didn't expect was Vanna's next statement.

"I am not your wife. You only hacked the registry of the world," madiin nitong bigkas. There is anger in her voice. Rinig na rinig ito ng taong nakapaligid sa kanila. He swallowed hard.

"Please do not embarrass me, Vanna," mahina niyang sambit.

"Sawa na ako sa pangmamanipula mo!" Vanna's voice raised.

"I only did it once," he said helplessly.

"Sawa na ako sa 'yo. Get out of here!"

The remark shot like a bullet in his chest.

"You don't own the restaurant," he told her to spare himself from further embarrassment but what she said next hurt like hell again.

"Eh di kami ang aalis," madiin nitong saad sabay tayo.

Hinawakan niya ang kamay ng dalaga ng akmang tatayo. He didn't care if the people around are already staring. He can't let her leave with the guy.

"Let go of me, Klein," sambit nito pero hinigpitan niya ang hawak sa pulsuhan nito.

This wasn't the man that he is. Ni sa hinagap ay hindi niya naisip na magpakababa ng ganito pero nasa sitwasyon na siya kung saan hindi puwedeng umatras.

When he didn't let go, she twist her wrist and skillfully slid it out from his palm. Mabilis itong lumabas ng restaurant nang mabitawan niya kasunod ng lalaki. The man even warned him with a dangerous stare but he cared less.

His heart clasped in pain seeing her walk away. Hindi na dapat siya sumunod. It was very clear that she chose to be with the man. Pero sumunod pa rin siya hanggang sa labas.

Papasakay na si Vanna sa kotse nito. The man was riding on the passenger side.

"Sasama ako," wika niya nang maabutan ito.

"No," Vanna shouted as she opened the car door and hopped in. Vanna's shout sent shards throughout his being and to his desperation, he opened the backseat to ride in but the car moved fastly leaving him behind.

He was lost. Mabilis niyang tinungo ang sariling sasakyan pero hindi na niya ito naabutan.

He helplessly stopped at the middle of the road with cars blowing their horns as they passed by on his car. Nagsilaglagan ang mga luha niya.

That was so STUPID of him, but he can't feel any regret. He did fight hard enough. Alas, it was futile.

It was weak for a man to cry but tonight he doesn't care feeling his frailty at least for the LAST TIME.