Vanna woke up in a familiar blue room with a man's scent she loves sniffing. She felt the IV line on her wrist. Bahagya ring nanakit ang tiyan niya nang pilitin niyang gumalaw.

Her heart almost jumped when Cloud entered the room. Ngumiti ito ng alanganin nang makita siyang gising. He walked slowly towards her.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart." He sat on her side as he slowly held her hand and kissed it. Her heatbeats raced as she smiled. Hindi na niya kailangang tanungin kung bakit nasa loob siya ng kuwarto nito. He had always been on the rescue for her since time immemorial.

"I was just frustrated because I wasn't the one who helped you fought those culprits," he explained.

"Iyon lang ba?" She wanted to laugh but she has no energy. Umiling naman ito.

"I was damn jealous. He's your first boyfriend," tugon nito. Her stomach ached when she attempted to laugh at him. Napangiwi tuloy siya.

"He's not," tugon na lamang niya.

"He was. Nagpakilala nga siya sa daddy mo," kontra nito.

Naalala niya ang naging tono ni Clyde kagabi nang sabihin nitong mabilis niya itong ipinagpalit sa iba. She's not sure what he meant by that. Hindi rin niya maintindihan kung bakit nito nasabi iyon.

Did he assume that they were lovers? Kung totoo ang sinabi ni Cloud na alam ni Clyde ang tungkol sa trabaho niya at nangangalap lang ito ng impormasyon, bakit ganoon na lamang ito magsalita?

Bakit may mga parang ninjas na naman na sumulpot kung kailan sumulpot rin ang binata?

She stopped herself from her own reverie. Tiningnan niya ang binatang kaharap. His reactions last night really show how jealous he was.

She smiled as she reached for Cloud's face. His stubbles tickled her skin and she loved it.

"Ikaw ang boyfriend ko," sambit niya rito. She doesn't want to make him mad. Not again. Hindi lang siya makapag-isip ng maayos kagabi dahil sa dinaramdam kaya napatulan niya ito. She was supposed to appease him last night not the other way around.

"You didn't even formally introduce me to your family," reklamo nito.

"Ikaw lang ang dinadala ko sa lahat ng okasyon sa bahay, alam na nila 'yon." She breathe in as she smiled at him. Hinawakan nito ang kamay niyang nakahawak sa pisngi nito at hinalikan. His hot breathe warmed her feeling.

"I don't think so," iling nito. Huminga ito ng malalim bago ibinaba ang kamay nang hindi binibitawan.

"Then go tell my dad, you're my boyfriend and we are sleeping together," biro niya rito.

Tumawa naman ito ng mahina.

"He'd kill me. Hindi na kita mapakakasalan," tugon naman nito. She wanted to chuckle but the chuckle stayed inside her mind. Sasakit kasi ang tiyan niya. She'd never felt this badly beaten before.

"I'm sorry about that. Maayos lang ang sitwasyon ni Liam, we'll really start arranging our wedding," she muttered to appease him. Pinisil nito ang palad niya at marahang minasahe. He smiled lovingly at her.

"Yeah, I understand," he told her. Ngumiti na lamang siya at hindi nagsalita. They both became silent feeling each other's presence.

"Ayoko talagang nag-uusap kayo ng koreano na 'yon," putol nito sa katahimikan.

Ngumiti siya ng tipid.

"Why are you so jealous of him?" she asked teasing.

"I saw how you stared at him. Iba," seryoso nitong saad. Hindi niya tuloy napigilang mapatawa ng mahina na sanhi para mapahawak siya sa tiyan na kumirot na nang tuluyan. Sa halip na alalayan siya ng binata ay nagsalubong pa ang kilay nito.

"See? You're guilty. Galit talaga ako sa ex-boyfriend mo na yon," parang bata nitong binitawan ang kamay niya.

She tried hard not to chuckle again. She inhaled slowly to gather her strength before speaking.

"Si Lacy ang naging girlfriend niya. Ikaw si Vanna Lei ang girlfriend," pang-aalo niya rito. Pakiramdam niya ay nag-iinarte na lang ito dahil inaalo niya.

"Iisang tao lang 'yon," giit pa rin nito. Her insides laughed at his stubbornness.

"Kaparehong-kapareho mo talaga si daddy ng ugali," saad niya rito. Cloud only stared at her.

"Kapag nagseselos hindi tumatanggap nang kahit na anong paliwanag mula kay mommy." Nginitian niya ito nang matamis. Hindi naman ito nagsalita at nanatili lang sa kinauupuan.

"Papaniwalaan lang niya kung ano ang gusto niyang paniwalaan," dugtong niya. She reached for his face again. Her eyes settled on his lips.

She bit her lower lip. How could a man have such sexy lips? Kahit ang mga kapatid niya at ama ay hindi matatalo ang kaseksihan ng labi nito.

Cloud cleared his throat. Kinuha nito ang kamay niya at ibinaba. Tumingin ito sa side table.

"The doctors ran some tests on you. You had an internal bleeding but it isn't that risky as long as you have complete bedrest for 2-3 days and take all the meds," pag-iiba nito sa usapan.

"Kapag nagbawas ka, mailalabas mo rind aw 'yong dugo. They injected medicines that would help the wound inside heal," sumulyap ito sa kanya. Nakatuon ang pansin niya sa adam's apple nito na kanina pa tumataas-baba.

"Mga medical terms ang nandito sa chart mo, i-check mo na lang kung tama yung pagkakaintindi ko," dagdag nito. Iniabot nito ang folder na kinuha sa side table. Her eyes didn't leave his face. His blue eyes really match him well.

"Vanna please stop staring," he snapped that made her stop scrutinizing his face and movements.

"Bakit?" kunot-noo niyang tanong rito.

"I can't always promise to stop myself from making love with you. Lalo na ngayon na biglang sumulpot ang karibal ko," seryoso nitong tugon.

The statement made her brain buffer for a moment before she was able to react.

"Karibal? What a word?" she commented. His face lightened a bit.

"Pasalamat ka may sakit ka ngayon." Pinitik nito ang ilong niya bago nagmadaling tumayo at iniwan siya sa loob ng kuwarto. She was left staring at the closed door.

*****

Cloud came back holding a tray few minutes later.

"I know you are hungry but you can't take in solid food," sambit nito. Napangiti siya. Alam kasi nito kung gaano siya kalakas kumain. There is only a bowl of soup on the tray and a glass of water.

Tumango na lamang siya. She understood that part. Kailangan lang talaga niyang makausap ang doctor. She can't stay in bed for three days baka mas lalo niyang ikamatay.

Klein helped her sit down and lean on the headboard. Pagkatapos ay sinubuan siya nito. Hinihihipan pa nito ang soup bago isubo sa kanya. She felt like the luckiest woman in the world.

*****

She stayed in Cloud's bed for another 24 hours before she insisted to go home. Maayos na rin kasi siyang nakatatayo pero pinayuhan siyang magpahinga lang at huwag masyadong gumalaw. She still needs to rest for a whole week before going back to work.

Nasa ikaapat na araw siya sa pamamahinga nang tawagan siya ng daddy niya dahil may bisita raw siya.

Nagtaka siya dahil kung si Klein ang pupunta, hindi na siya kailangang tawagan ng ama. Pinapatuloy na kasi ito ng mommy niya sa taas kahit anong kontra ng daddy niya. Sanay na rin kasi ang pamilya niya kay Klein.

Hindi na niya tinanong kung sino ang bisita dahil pababa na rin siya nang tumawag ito.

Her dad was seated on the couch when she went out of the elevator.

"Sino 'yong sinasabi mong bisita dad?" tanong niya rito. Mag-isa lang kasi itong nakaupo roon.

"Your ex-boyfriend some years ago is being interrogated by your mom." Itinuro nito ang receiving area ng bahay. It has glasswalls. Kita ito mula sa living room pero hindi makikita mula roon ang sala.

Kumunot ang noo niya nang makita si Clyde na nakaupo sa couch habang ang ina ay nakahalukipkip sa harap nito. They look like talking or her dad maybe right, it looks like her mom is interrogating him.

Umupo siya sa single couch.

"So, why did you two broke up?" tanong ng ama niya. Bumaling ito sa kanya.

"Dad, he wasn't my boyfriend," she corrected.

"You drove his car and brought him home when he was drunk at the roadside," her dad stated. Parang gusto niyang mapa-face palm. She remembered that night. Iyon 'yong time na nalaman ni Clyde kung ano ang totoo niyang pangalan. She felt guilty as hell back then.

"He appeared at my office asking for your hand in marriage. Then, you went off together from the building," dagdag ng ama niya. She was dumbfounded. Naalala niya noong naabutan niya ang binata na kausap ng ama.

"Did you have any idea how me and your mom panicked that time? Then, he suddenly disappeared from the picture. What happened?"

Halos mapanganga siya sa pahayag ng ama. Hindi siya makapaniwala sa sinabi nito.

"Marriage talaga dad?" salubong ang kilay niyang tanong.

Her dad looked at her and then chuckled.

"I was just kidding," sambit nito.

"Nagpaalam lang siya na manliligaw pero siyempre hindi ako pumayag. I scared him away," dagdag nito. Sumeryoso ang mukha nito.

Napatango na lamang siya.

"I was just wondering if he was that scared not to show up for years," he said nonchalantly. Nailing na lamang siya. Hindi rin niya alam ang nangyari. Basta ang alam niya head ito ng intel unit ng NoKor ang binata.

"You shouldn't let him in, dad. He may be dangerous," saad niya nang maalala ang lahat ng sinabi ni Cloud tungkol rito.

Tumingin ang ama sa binata. Kausap pa rin ito ng mommy niya.

"Tao siyang humarap sa amin ng mommy ninyo kaya tatanggapin namin siya ng maayos. If he's a dangerous man, he can't probably mess inside the Filan territories," saad nito. His voice spoke of authority.

Napangisi siya. Her dad would always be the same Vaughn Filan even if he aged. It seems like nothing can overpower him. He's still as intimidating as ever.

Napatingin sila pareho sa pintuan nang magkasunod na pumasok ang mommy niya at si Clyde. May dala-dala palang basket ng prutas at palumpon ng stargazers ang binata. The two walked towards the couches. Tumayo silang mag-ama nang makalapit ang dalawa.

She slowly looked at Clyde's eyes.

"My shining star," he muttered handing her the bouquet. Ngumiti siya ng alanganin. Hindi niya sigurado kung aabutin ang bulaklak o hindi. It felt like forever.

She was about to raise her hand to dismiss him when Cloud went inside their living room. Pinapasok ito ng head security ng bahay nila. May hawak itong brown paper bag. She assumed it was a takeout food from a restaurant.

Nagsalubong ang kilay nito nang makilala kung sino ang lalaking kaharap niya. Klein's eyes settled on her hand suspended in midair. Sakto namang ipinahawak ni Clyde ang stargazers. She wasn't able to do anything but hold the flowers.

She saw how Klein's jaw clenched at the sight.