"Let's get married, sweetheart," Cloud whispered as he caressed her hair. Pareho silang nakahigang patagilid at nakaharap sa isa't-isa. They are both naked under the sheet.

She really loves staring at his blue eyes. As she grew older, she thought she would never see a man more handsome than her dad and her twin brother, but the man in front of her proved otherwise.

"Klein Rich de Fiesta," she muttered and lifted her hand to hold his face. His facial hair tickled her palm.

Cloud's eyes became distant at how she addressed him. She inhaled deeply when he avoided her gaze. The entire room became silent.

"Tell me exactly what you want to say," he murmured after a minute. Sinalubong nito ang mga titig niya. Napalunok siya. She doesn't know where to start.

Hinintay nito ang sasabihin niya. Ngumiti siya ng tipid bago isinatinig ang nasa isip.

"I think it is about time you face your dad and fix your name," she muttered softly.

"Para naman alam ko kung magiging Mrs. De Fiesta ba ako o Mrs. Walgreen talaga," she added with a teasing tone. Cloud pursed his lips. She's sure he realized it was half meant.

He had always disliked his dad for whatever reason. Ayaw nitong pag-usapan ang bagay na 'yon simula pa noon.

"Which do you prefer? Walgreen or de Fiesta?" balik-tanong nito.

"Whatever pleases you? For as long as it is you I am going marry." Nginitian niya ito ng tipid.

"But the most important is that you fix everything with your dad. I know you can do it. Harapin mo na siya, hubbyness." She looked into his eyes lovingly. The last thing she wants is to upset him.

Cloud stared at her. Matagal na parang tinatantiya ang sasabihin.

"Even if it would break the IF rules?" Huminga ito ng malalim. She became wary at his question.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Ang alam lang niya sa ama nito ay kalaban ng IF. She's not sure if he's a terrorist or a part of another agency.

"He married my mom to get inside IF and kill everyone. It included me because my mom was pregnant then. If mom wasn't good enough he would have killed her, too," pahayag nito. She was dumbfounded. Ngayon lang nito sinabi sa kanya ang lahat.

"He killed my grandfather and everyone who were at the agency in Edinburgh that time," he narrated. Napalunok siya. Hindi niya alam ang bagay na iyon. Ang alam lang niya ama ni Mother Uni ang dating global head at ito ang humalili nang mawala ito sa sirkulasyon.

"But your dad has been trying to communicate with you, right?" tanong niya rito. Minsan niya kasi itong naabutan noon na naglalasing dahil nagpadala ng mensahe ang ama nito. Then, it happened again years after that. Akala niya galit lang ito sa ama kaya ayaw itong harapin. Hindi niya alam na ganoon pala ang naging sitwasyon ng mga ito.

"Mom doesn't have any idea about that. If she finds out where he is, she might kill him by herself," he answered.

She was silent for a moment before she spoke again.

"Is there a part of you that yearns to meet him?" tanong niya rito. Cloud was silent for a moment, then, he inhaled deeply.

"I always yearned for a father's love since childhood," he whispered. She saw frailty in his eyes. She felt like he's on the verge of crying so she remained quiet.

"Kay Vaughn Filan ko lang naman naramdaman kung paano magkaroon ng ama." Tumawa ito ng pagak. She was surprised to hear that from him.

"Kapag kinakausap niya ako tungkol sa 'yo at pinagsasabihan, doon ko lang nararamdaman kung paano magkaroon ng ama," saad nito. That made her smile.

"Talaga? Kinakausap ka ng daddy ko? Anong sinasabi niya sa 'yo?" curious niyang tanong. Cloud smiled.

"Classified," he chuckled.

"Tse!" irap niya rito. Natawa lang ito ng mahina. Natawa na lang din siya. Masaya siya na kinakausap pala ito ng ama nang palihim.

Napangiti siya nang hapitin siya ni Cloud palapit. Sumubsob siya sa dibdib nito. She really loves sniffing his scent. His manly cool scent is quite addicting.

Ilang minuto silang tahimik na magkayakap bago niya ito tiningala. He looked submerged in his own thoughts.

"So anong plano mo sa daddy mo?" tanong niya. Cloud looked at her.

"I want to talk to him. I want to know his side, but I barely knew him," he stated. He gently caressed and sniffed her hair.

"Paano ako makasisiguro na kakausapin niya ako bilang anak at hindi dahil may posisyon ako sa IF?" dagdag nito.

Tumingala siyang muli sa binata.

"College pa tayo noong sinabi mo na nagpadala siya ng mensahe sa 'yo," aniya. Tumango naman ang binata.

"Wala ka pa noon sa IF. Don't you think it is just fair to give him the benefit of the doubt?" dagdag niya. Cloud did not answer.

"There must be a story behind this. The reason why your mom did not alter your birth certificate and discard the Walgreen," saad niya. Naisip niya lang na kung ganoon kasama ang ama nito sana hindi na ipinalagay ni Mother Uni Verse ang pangalan ng lalaki bilang ama ni Klein. Mother Uni has all the machinery to erase Walgreen's record on her son's birth documents. Bakit hindi nito tinanggal?

"You have a point," Cloud muttered kissing her forehead.

"Why don't you go settle everything about your father while I go secure my family against Clyde and then let's get married after," suhestiyon niya rito. Cloud didn't speak. Nakatingin lang ito sa kawalan at nag-iisip ng malalim.

Silence filled the room. Ang paghinga lang nila ang tanging ingay sa paligid.

"Paano kapag di pa naaayos ni Liam ang gusot niya?" tanong nito matapos ang mahabang katahimikan.

"It doesn't matter. Basta ayusin mo ang sa daddy mo. We'll arrange our wedding after that," saad niya rito. Ngumiti naman ito ng tipid.

"Vanna Lei Filan-de Fiesta...Vanna Lei Filan-Walgreen...Alin ang mas gusto mo?" tanong nito habang nakatunghay sa mukha niya.

"Mas gusto kita." She smiled sheepishly. Klein grinned.

"Corny ka rin talaga minsan 'no? Mana ka sa daddy mo," natatawa nitong sambit. Natawa na lang din siya. Yumakap siya rito ng mahigpit. His naked body felt hot. Kinabig rin siya nito at masuyong hinalikan sa labi.

*****

Malayo pa lang sa bahay nila ang minamanehong sasakyan ni Vanna natanaw na niya si Clyde na nakasandal sa kotse nito sa tabi ng kalsada na katapat ng bahay nila. He's wearing cream tokong shorts and blue unbuttoned polo with white undershirt. Naka-shades pa ito na parang modelo. Napailing siya. Pati ang mga iyon napansin talaga niya. He removed his sunglasses when he saw her car.

Clyde stared at her car as it approached nearer. Huminto siya sa tapat ng gate nila saka bumaba.

"How are you?" he asked almost immediately. Agad itong lumapit sa kinaroroonan niya.

"No. How are you?" she asked back. Hindi ito nagsalita at tumitig lang sa kanya.

"Mahigit dalawang buwan kang hindi nagpakita ah," aniya. Napailing naman ito.

"Bilang na bilang mo ba?" nakangisi nitong tanong. She's not sure if he's teasing or fishing something. Nailing na lang siya at 'di na nagsalita pa.

"Bigla kang nawala," sambit niya para bumalik ang usapan sa tanong niya. Clyde nodded. Lumungkot ang mukha nito.

"Akala ko nakawala na ako sa kanila pero nagpakita ulit sila pagkagaling ko sa bahay ninyo para sabihin sa dad mo na tinangay ka ng ex mo," kuwento nito. Her forehead creased. She tried to gauge his sincerity. There are loopholes in his story.

"Hahanapin dapat kita noon. Glad you're okay. Anong ginawa sa 'yo ng ex mo?" tanong nito. She wasn't able to answer right away. Clyde eyed her.

"There is something that you have to know about Klein Rich," he said.

Napalunok siya. Alam na ba nito na nagtatrabaho sa IF si Cloud?

"What about him?" she asked. She tried to act casually. Her mind is working fast. Iniisip niya kung paano lituhin ang binata sa mga bagay-bagay. At the same time, she's observing his movements and decoding his intentions.

"Let's talk somewhere else," wika nito.

"Sabihin mo na lang ngayon. I still have a lot of things to do," she said dismissing his invitation.

"Believe me, this is important," saad nito.

"Tapos ano? May lilitaw na namang mga nakaitim na lalaki? Just leave me alone. I want a peaceful life." Huminga siya ng malalim. Tatalikuran na sana niya ito at bubuksan ang pintuan ng sasakyan nang muli itong nagsalita.

"Sa tingin mo matatahimik ang buhay mo hangga't hindi ka nilalayuan ni Klein?" tanong nito. She looked at him and tried to weigh things out. Sa tono ng pananalita nito, parang may iba itong alam tungkol kay Cloud.

"Ano'ng ibig mong sabihin?" tanong niya rito.

Does he already know where Cloud works and what he does? Pero kung nalaman nito ang tungkol doon dapat ay alam din nito na kasamahan siya ng binata.

"I will tell you everything I know but not here," he muttered instead of answering her question.

She became silent for a moment. Tinantiya niya kung dapat ba siyang sumama rito. Baka tuluyan na niya itong ikapahamak pero nanaig ang kagustuhan niyang malaman kung ano ang mga sasabihin nito.

"Alright. No more black men. Kapag may lumitaw ulit, I swear I won't talk to you ever again," she told him. Tumango naman ito.

She asked their guards to bring her car inside before riding on Clyde's car.