CHAPTER 4
1736 Words
A&M Empire
“Mr. Rosales,” Rustam greeted, then turned to the elegant woman beside the older man—beautiful still, despite the traces of age softening her features. “Ma’am, I want you to meet my fiancée, Amirah Atienza,” he said, introducing her as they approached the Rosales couple inside the grand hall of A&M Empire.
Amirah offered them a polite, restrained smile.
“What a stunning young lady,” the older woman exclaimed, her admiration unhidden.
“Thank you, ma’am,” Amirah replied softly, her voice tinged with nervous grace. “You’re very beautiful yourself.”
If A&M Empire were to be compared to giants like Ayala Land or Megaworld, it was still young—a company in its prime but not yet in its peak. Founded in 1986 by Rustam’s father, it began as a modest real estate brokerage housed in a cramped office. Two decades later, it had evolved into a construction firm, then into land development—now recognized as a rising name in the residential housing sector.
Amirah had learned from Alota that Rustam was an architect by profession—a man who turned his back on design to inherit and lead his father’s empire.
She wanted to protest the way Rustam introduced her—as his fiancée—but she decided against it. Instead, she gave him a sharp, meaningful glare that went completely ignored.
“How are you, my dear?” Mr. Rosales asked kindly. “Why, Rustam, she’s gorgeous. We’ll be hearing wedding bells soon, I assume?” His tone was teasing, though his smile carried warmth. Amirah guessed he must be in his fifties—aged, yes, but still strikingly dignified.
“Don’t ever let go of this lovely girl, Rustam. You might miss your chance,” Mrs. Rosales chimed in with a playful laugh.
“Surely not, ma’am. You’re all invited to our wedding,” Rustam replied smoothly, slipping an arm around Amirah’s waist. His smile was infuriatingly charming. “Right, love?”
For a heartbeat, Amirah froze. Her voice deserted her. She could only nod faintly while subtly trying to pry his hand from her waist. Instead, Rustam’s grip tightened—teasing, possessive.
“Rustam,” she muttered through a forced smile, “I think I’ll get something from the buffet.”
It was the first escape that came to mind—the only way to breathe.
She’d been tense since yesterday, when Rustam picked her up. The moment she saw him walking toward her—in what felt like slow motion—her heart had gone into chaos. She’d frozen mid-step, one foot still poised on the pavement beside Celso’s car. The sight of him had stolen the rhythm of her world. Her chest fluttered uncontrollably, and her jaw trembled. She had no idea where the nervousness came from, only that it was impossible to suppress.
She forced the memory aside and headed for the buffet table.
“I heard Rustam introduced you to Mr. Rosales as his fiancée, right?”
Startled, Amirah turned and almost bumped into a striking woman—taller than her by at least three inches, draped in quiet luxury and effortless poise.
Before she could respond, Rustam’s voice cut in smoothly from behind them. “You’re right, Aisha. Meet my fiancée, Amirah Atienza,” he said. “I was worried you might drop your plate, love, so I followed you.” He smiled at Amirah before turning politely to the other woman. “Excuse us, Aisha. Mr. Rosales is waiting.”
“I don’t recall you ever being engaged, Rustam,” Aisha said, confusion laced with a faint sting in her tone. “Not until tonight, at least.”
Rustam stopped briefly, glancing back. “I’ll explain later, Aish.” Then he walked away, leading Amirah back to the table.
The moment they were out of earshot, Amirah hissed under her breath. “Why did you have to introduce me as your fiancée? No one here would care if you simply said I was your companion—which happens to be the truth.”
Rustam took the plate from her and leaned closer, his breath grazing her ear.
“I have no intention of taking back what I said, love. We’ll talk about it later. For now, let’s just enjoy the night.”
Amirah stiffened. The warmth of his voice, the nearness of his scent—it all made her dizzy. She tried to move away, but his presence was magnetic. Despite her irritation, her body betrayed her—aware of every word he whispered, every look that seemed to see right through her.
“Relax,” he murmured with a quiet laugh, finally letting her go. “Haven’t you noticed how all the bachelors and engineers here can’t take their eyes off you? I’m only keeping an eye on what’s mine.”
“I don’t see the point of bringing me here, Mr. Montelibano,” she snapped. “I’m not even part of your business dealings. I don’t understand any of what you’re discussing.”
He only smiled faintly as they reached their table, where the Rosales couple greeted them warmly.
“As I was saying, sir,” Rustam continued, setting Amirah’s plate in front of her. “This is my first time venturing into the shipping industry. With your expertise, I’m confident we’ll succeed.”
“You won’t regret partnering with us, Rustam,” Mr. Rosales said with a knowing smile, then turned to Amirah. “And you, young lady—you’re Timothy’s daughter, aren’t you? Your father was my classmate at UST.”
Amirah’s eyes widened. “You know my father?”
“Of course! And your grandfather—he was a legend in business. Everyone knew him for his food chain empire,” the man laughed, nostalgia shining in his eyes.
Amirah smiled softly, keeping her thoughts to herself. It was true—her grandfather had built an empire that began in the Philippines and flourished in Hong Kong. Her father, Timothy, though illegitimate, had been given a share of that success, managing one of the Hong Kong branches where he met Amalia—a cruise ship crew member, once a teacher who had sought better fortune abroad.
Her gaze wandered around the hall and locked, once again, with Aisha’s. The woman was staring straight at her.
Amirah looked away first.
“Who is Aisha?” she asked later, once the Rosales couple had left. “The woman you introduced earlier.”
Rustam smiled, leaning closer again. “You look beautiful tonight, love.”
“Rustam, I’m warning you—”
“She’s a childhood friend,” he cut in, still smiling. “Don’t mind her. She was just surprised. This is the first time I’ve ever brought a date to a company event.” He rose to his feet. “Come on. Let’s go home.”
“I’ve been wanting to leave since earlier,” she said flatly, standing as well.
He followed with a quiet grin.
The car ride home was thick with silence. Every now and then, Rustam would glance at her, and every time she caught him doing it, she’d meet his eyes with a glare. When he reached for her hand, she pulled it back and turned to the window.
She didn’t even notice when sleep claimed her.
A soft touch on her lips woke her.
“We’re here, love,” Rustam whispered.
“Why did you—” she began, but stopped when she saw his face, inches from hers.
He kissed her again—just a feather-light touch, but it sent a thousand sparks racing through her veins.
Rustam smiled faintly. “Did you like it?” he whispered.
Her lips parted. She didn’t answer. Her eyes spoke for her, shimmering with confusion and longing.
Rustam read them perfectly. He pulled her close, his mouth capturing hers once more, deeper this time. Her heartbeat stumbled as she melted into the kiss, her restraint dissolving. His hand found the buttons of her blouse—one came undone, then another, and another—until his palm touched her bare skin.
A startled gasp escaped her lips, but desire drowned out her thoughts. The warmth of his hand, the taste of his mouth—everything was a blur of heat and madness. His lips trailed down her neck, lower, until her breath caught and she shivered.
When his mouth brushed her breast, clarity struck like lightning.
“What are we doing?” she breathed, trembling.
“Making love, darling,” he said hoarsely.
That broke the spell.
Amirah shoved him away and hurriedly fixed her clothes. “We’re here. I’m going inside.”
She got out of the car and headed straight to his front door.
Rustam sighed heavily, parked the car, and followed her inside. She waited silently by the door, refusing to meet his eyes. He unlocked it and let her in first.
“Would you like some coffee?” he asked gently. “I’ll make you a cup.”
“No, thank you. It’s almost morning. Coffee will only keep me awake,” she replied, heading for the stairs.
Just as she reached her door, Rustam caught her hand. “Can we talk about what happened in the car?”
“There’s nothing to talk about, Mr. Montelibano,” she said firmly. “It was unexpected—for both of us. Let’s just forget it.”
She pulled her hand free, opened the door, and disappeared inside.
Amirah leaned against the door, listening to his retreating footsteps. When the house finally fell silent, she pressed a hand to her chest, her heartbeat frantic.
What was happening to her? Why couldn’t she control herself when he was near?
Guilt gnawed at her. Guilt for Cliff—her boyfriend. No one knew what happened except her and Rustam, yet it felt like betrayal. She had never lost control like that with Cliff. She had always been careful, cautious, reserved. But with Rustam… she couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t resist.
Tears welled up as she stripped off her clothes and stepped into the shower, hoping the water would wash away the heat that still clung to her skin—and the memory of his kiss that lingered like fire.
It was three in the morning when she finally drifted into sleep, still haunted by the taste of Rustam’s lips.
- Writer
