"A-Are you going back to the military?" Aurora asked Ace habang nasa kwarto ito at nagpupusod ng buhok. Napaaga ang uwi nito mula America dahil gusto niyang surpresahin ang pamilya niya. Kagagaling lang daw din ni Aurora sa bahay ni Gretel kaya hindi na niya ito nasalubong sa pag-uwi niya.

"5 years of service lang naman ang gusto ni Mommy, then I'll join the biggest Security Provider here in the Philippines. Remember the agency who provided the lady butlers of Kuya Hansel?" Ace told her. Aurora pressed her lips tightly before closing the door in Ace's room. 

"M-May hihingin sana akong pabor sayo..." 

Ace faces Aurora at napansin naman agad nito na mukhang malaki ang problema nito. She offered her a seat at tumabi dito before holding her hand. 

"Ace, parehas kami ni Ate Gretel na ipinagkasundo... This time si Lola Grandma naman yung may pakana." Aurora cried on her arms.

Their Ate Gretel is already married for three years pero hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa niya namimeet ang asawa niya. Though her responsibilities was lessen dahil si Austin na ang nagpapatakbo ng McNeils, si Ylona sa hospital pero si Gretel pa rin ang may hawak ng Primera.

"Sshhh, what do you want me to do then?" 

Nag-angat ng tingin si Aurora at bahagyang nagpunas ng luha. 

"I've been meeting him for these past few months but I am so afraid of him. He's so intimidating at ayaw na ayaw niya sa maarte, I was born maarte. Natural na sakin ang pagiging maarte." 

"You like him?"

"Heck no! I am so against this! Please help me! You are my last resort!" Umiiyak na sambit nito.

"Then why not just tell him you don't want to continue the marriage---"

"Are you hearing yourself? Ace! Pangalan natin ang nakasalalay dito! Pangalan ni Lola, I wanted him to back out voluntarily but I can't confront him kasi nga natatakot ako sa kanya!" 

"How can I help you then?" 

"Please! Ikaw na ang makipagkita sa kanya and do everything you could para magback out siya! Forte mo naman ang mang-inis diba?" Aurora was hopeful. Kumunot ang noo ni Ace at pinakatitigan ng maigi ang kakambal. 

"Are you asking me because you know I would do everything for you?" Naniningkit ang mga matang tanong nito kay Aurora. Napahagulgol si Aurora sa narinig at mas lalong yumakap sa kambal. 

"H-Hindi naman sa ganun. I am just desperate to escape this!"

"Pero makakahalata siya, we have different fashion taste, the way we carry ourselves and I am tanner now." Ace brushed her sister's hair para pakalmahin ito. 

"H-He won't notice. Hindi naman kami madalas magkita. Halos tatlong beses pa lang kaming lumalabas." Aurora sniffed. "He's a very stiff and rude, please Ace, help me please?" 

Ace sighed and softly smiled at her. "Okay. I'll try my best." 

Lumiwanag ang mukha ni Aurora sa narinig. Halos tumalon na siya payakap sa kakambal niya sa sobrang tuwa. 

"Thank you! Thank you! Actually, we have a dinner date tonight, can you go?" Aurora was smiling at her widely and that's Ace weakness. Ang tagal din niyang hindi nakita ang kakambal niya. And she's willing to do anything for her just to make her happy. 

"May picture ka ba niya? I need to know my target." 

"Ehhh? Why would I have a picture of someone I hate? Basta matangkad siya, medyo malaki ang katawan, a little bit tan, brown eyes, thick furrowed brows, proud nose, pinkish lips---"

"And you don't like him?" Ace can't help but be amused. 

"HINDI NGA! Nakakaappreciate naman ako ng magandang lahi! He's hot okay? Pero ayoko ng ugali niya! Ugh!" 

Ace laughed wholeheartedly at napailing-iling na lang.

"Basta, siya yung nagpareserve sa restaurant, his name is Spade Alfonso Marquil." 

"ARE you going out with a bare face?" Aurora asked her while checking Ace out. She's wearing a peach long sleeves na folded hanggang siko, a pair of black slacks and black stiletto. Pinusod lang niya ang mahaba at alon-along buhok. 

"I'm pretty with a bare face." Ace chuckled. Ngumuso sa kanya si Aurora. 

"I know! No need to rub it." Ingos nito.  

"Are you really going to be okay?" Alalang tanong nito Aurora kay Ace. Hawak-hawak nito ang kamay ni Ace para hindi pa ito makasakay sa kotse. 

"Are you having second thoughts now?" Ngisi nito sa kanya. Muling napanguso si Aurora then sighed. 

"Thank you, Ace." 

Ace drove to the restaurant where Aurora told her to go. She uttered the name for the reservation at dinala naman siya dun ng usher. Napapangiti na lang siya kapag nababasa niya ang sunud-sunod na text ng kakambal niya na sobra ng ninenerbyos. 

It's been 30 minutes since the supposedly meet up time pero hanggang ngayon wala pang dumadating na kadate si Ace. Napansin niya ang couple sa katabi niyang mesa. Mahina lang ang pag-uusap nila but Ace can hear it. 

"I'm sorry Erika. That child is not mine..." 

"A-Ano bang pinagsasabi mo Paul---"  The lady gasped ng bigla na lang magwalk out yung kasama nitong lalaki kasabay ng malakas na pag-iyak ng sanggol sa stroller. The restaurant was very exclusive, kaya tahimik sa loob at umaalingawngaw na yung iyak ng bata. Natataranta na rin yung babae kung paano nito patatahanin ang anak. She was crying and very nervous. 

"I'll hold the baby for you, calm yourself first." Ace approached her. Nag-angat ng tingin sa kanya yung babae while sobbing silently. She handed her a glass of water bago niya kargahin yung sanggol. 

Agad na tumigil sa pag-iyak yung baby, while the lady is still staring at her at awe. 

"P-Pasensya ka na..." The lady sniffed. 

"It's okay, I have a soft spot for babies." She smiled at her. Ace put her hand on her shoulder to comfort her. "Everything will be, okay." 

"T-Thank you..." She gave her back the baby dahil tulog na rin naman na ito. Bumalik siya sa pwesto niya kanina. She's not impatient but it has been an hour. She checked Aurora's message pero wala din daw itong sinasabi na malelate ito or hindi makakapunta. 

She decided to wait for another hour, pero wala pa ring dumadating. She stood up at lalabas na sana ng may mahagip siyang dalawang lalaki na nasa bar counter, agad na nag-iwas ng tingin yung isa kaya hindi niya nakita ang mukha nito. 

She dialed her cousin's number. 

"Hey Vince! Saang bar ka? Punta ako diyan!" She said excitedly over the phone. Lumabas na siya ng restaurant at naglakad papuntang parking space. 

"ACE!!! Nasa Casa Azul ako! I'll wait for you here!" Vince said. She was about to answer ng biglang may humablot sa phone niya mula sa likuran niya. She was fast enough to grab his arm. She looked at him pero hindi niya masyadong maaninag ang mukha nito dahil nakatalikod ito sa may street light. 

Ace was holding his arm when she smacked his chest forcefully. He was caught off guard. Napaatras ito ng ilang beses hanggang mailawan ang mukha nito. 

"WHAT THE HELL?!" He cursed at her. 

"You grab my phone jerk! Ganyan na ba ang bagong pormahan ng mga snatchers ngayon?" Pinasadahan nito ang suot niyang 3-piece suit. 

"W-What?!" 

She just rolled her eyes at him. Tinalikuran na niya ito and started to walk when he grab her arm and made her face him. Napsinghap si Ace sa gulat, lalo na sa pagdikit ng katawan niya sa estranghero. She was about to yell at him when she remembered Aurora's description of her fiance. 

"S-Spade?" She gasped. 

"Ngayon mo lang ako namukhaan?!" He hissed at her. Kaya pala takot ang kakambal niya dito dahil napakaagresibo nito. "Who's Vince?! At bakit mo siya kikitain sa isang bar?!" 

She jerked her arm and pushed him again. 

"What is it to you? Ano ba kita? As far as I remember I am not yet married to you. Wala ka pang karapatan sakin." She smirked. She crossed her arms and looked at him mockingly. Hindi makapaniwalang nakatitig lang sa kanya si Spade dahil naninibago siya dito. 

"I am your fiance, and it also means that I am more than just your boyfriend! Mahiya ka naman! Makikipagkita ka sa ibang lalaki?!" 

"Wow! Grabe!" Ace was so amused. Ngayon lang siya nakakilala ng isang lalaking ganito ang ugali. "Okay! Mr. Self-Righteous. Whatever you say, you still don't have the right to order me around, wherever I go or whoever I meet is out of your f*ckin' business. So, excuse me." She smiled sarcastically and grab her phone from his hand. Inirapan niya muna ito bago dumiretso sa kotse niya. 

Ace is known for having a lot of patience and for always keeping her cool no matter how complicated things are. Hindi siya pikunin but for the very first time napika siya dahil sa isang lalaki which she finds so absurd. 

"AAAAACCCCCEEEEE!!" Napabalikwas ng bangon si Ace ng marinig ang matinis at malakas na sigaw ni Aurora malapit sa tenga niya. Her head is still throbbing dahil medyo naparami siya ng inom kagabi. 

"Aurora please! Your voice!" She grunted and covered her face with a pillow. 

"Nasa baba si Spade! Alam mo bang first time niya lang pumunta dito?! What did you do?!" 

Ace grunted at tamad na bumangon sa kama niya. 

"Then, talk to him. I'm sorry Aurora, I can't handle him." Ace snorted at muling humiga sa kama niya. 

"No! Get up! He's not looking for me! He's looking for you! Did you introduce yourself last night?!" Marahas na napabangon si Ace at bumaling kay Aurora. Lahat ng hibla ng antok ay nawala dahil sa narinig. '

"WHAT?!" 

"Yes! He is looking for you ACE!!! Alam mo bang ang ganda na ng bungad ko sa kanya kanina then he just shoved me to the side and said, 'I don't need you Aurora, I'm here for Ace', he said and in all fairness kinilig ako dun para sayo." Aurora giggled. Napabuga na lang ng hangin si Ace at pumasok sa banyo para maghilamos. 

"You just gave me another headache..." Ace hissed at her while combing her hair. 

"Ganda mo eh, nagkacrush agad sayo yung fiance ko. Sayo na siya, for free." Aurora giggled. Hindi na nag-abala si Ace na ipusod ang buhok. She's wearing an oversize shirt on top of her cotton shorts na humarap kay Spade na as usual nakasuit ulit. 

"What do you need? Pakibilisan, wala pa kong breakfast." Nakahalukipkip na sambit ni Ace sa harap ni Spade na nakaupo sa couch. Wala ang parents nila dahil nasa trabaho ang mga ito, so with Austin. 

"Di na ko magpapaligoy-ligoy pa. I'll cancel my engagement with Aurora, but you have to marry me instead." Napasinghap si Ace sa narinig at napalingon sa pwesto ni Aurora na mukhang nagulat din sa narinig. 

"What the hell?" Ace gasped. 

"A-Ace..." Aurora called her. She bit her lower lip. Ano na naman bang gulo ang pinasok niya? 

"W-Why me? You can just pick whoever you want after setting my sister free..." Ace gasped when Spade suddenly stood up from his seat and held her on the waist. 

"Hmmm? But I like you." Spade said that makes her heart skip a beat.