Loving Him

Chapter 14

When they arrived back at the mansion, Levi requested Mike to carry her again. She had already asked him while they were still inside his car.

Mike felt rather proud of himself—he thought maybe his “manhood” was really impressive since Levi still winced every time she moved her legs.

“No problem, of course I’m very willing to carry my bride-to-be,” he replied with a mischievous smile on his lips.

“Can you please stop smiling like that? Your face is so annoying!” Levi snapped at him irritably, then winced again.

“Darn! It really hurts. Is this normal? I think something’s wrong,” she complained, holding her thighs. Mike helped her sit properly before carefully lifting her out of the car.

At the mansion’s doorway, Mr. and Mrs. Montenegro and Micah were waiting for them, both watching with furrowed brows.

“Is there something wrong? Why are you carrying Levi? Did something happen that you’re not telling us?” Mrs. Montenegro asked worriedly.

Levi was the one who answered.

"It's because… I twisted my ankle on the stairs. Y-yes, that’s it. I sprained my ankle, and it really hurts, so I can’t walk properly,” Levi stammered nervously. Luckily, she managed to convince her, as well as Mr. Montenegro and Micah.

“Did you already have that treated, Michael Angelo?” Mrs. Montenegro asked her son with a raised brow.

“Yes, Mom. She’s fine now. I think I should take her to her room so she can rest,” Mike replied politely before heading off, while the three just watched them as they went. Meanwhile, Levi’s heart was pounding fast.

Mike carefully laid her down on her soft bed. Both of them let out a deep breath afterward. Mike flopped down beside her on the bed, while Levi squeezed her eyes shut tightly. The pain had lessened by now. She glanced at him and smacked his arm.

“And what are you doing here inside my room?” she snapped sharply at Mike who was still lying there, unfazed by her tone.

“Could you please just give me a minute to relax? I’m tired, Levi. I didn’t realize you were this heavy, imagine, from the garage all the way up to your room. Look at me, I’m still catching my breath,” Mike replied.

Levi just rolled her eyes at Mike, lost in deep thought. “What if we end up having a baby? Mike, what if I get pregnant? No way!” she exclaimed in distress.

Mike’s brows furrowed at her words, his jaw tightening. “And what do you mean by that, Ms. Velez?” he asked seriously.

Levi immediately noticed the sudden change in his aura—his tone was firm, almost intimidating. Her heart started pounding with nervousness. She couldn’t find the right words to respond. Why did she even say that?

“Huh? I—I mean…” she stammered, unable to finish her sentence.

“What do you mean?!” he suddenly barked, standing up from the bed to face her. His presence carried an air of authority, and Levi felt like a child being scolded by a parent.

“What if I really do get pregnant?” she asked him directly this time.

“And what’s the problem with that? We’re getting married anyway, so what are you so worried about?” he shot back.

“I mean, it’s not that simple, Mike. This isn’t the life I want. My dream is to build a family where love is at the center of it all. Look at us—we don’t even love each other. And do you really think what happened between us last night had anything to do with love? I don’t think so. That was just lust, a call of desire. You did it because you found me attractive,” she said softly.

“I don’t believe in love, Levi. Ever since my heart was shattered, I don’t think love still exists. You were there—you saw how deeply I was hurt because of the woman I loved. You saw how I begged her to choose the love I offered her. Until now, the pain is still here,” Mike said seriously, pointing to where his heart was.

If only she could tell him what she truly felt for him, she would have—but she needed to protect herself from him. That was all she had left. You can’t sail two rivers at once when it comes to love. Levi felt a pang in her chest as he finally confessed, face-to-face, how he still felt about his former lover.

Why did he have to admit it now? Just when her heart had finally learned to love him. Why does fate have to be so cruel? She felt a faint ache in her heart.

“I know… but you still love her. Why don’t you get back together with her if you still have feelings for her?” she suggested, even though it hurt to say those words.

“I can’t—especially now that something happened between us. What if it results in something more? It’s my responsibility to take care of you and our possible child,” Mike said seriously.

“What if I don’t end up pregnant? Maybe we’re just assuming things,” Levi replied softly.

***

Everyone was busy preparing for the upcoming engagement party. Everything was ready, and only a select few guests had been invited by Mr. and Mrs. Montenegro.

Levi felt happy knowing that the engagement party would be held right in Montenegro's own garden. She could say that nothing felt more relaxed or festive than celebrating in a place as intimate as home. She was lucky enough to live in a space with such a beautiful garden, and Levi thought their guests would surely appreciate the garden venue.

The Montenegro garden was spacious, adorned with different kinds of lights surrounding the lovely flowers. Ten tables were set up, with catering services and a photoshoot area for the couples.

At that moment, Levi was in her room, staring at her reflection. The makeup artist was busy applying delicate touches to her face. She had already put on her mermaid-style long gown. The dress fit her body perfectly—it highlighted every curve, making it impossible for any man to take his eyes off her. She paired it with a white Louis Vuitton purse and her usual white flat sandals.

When her makeup was finally done, she took a deep breath. She could barely recognize herself—she looked absolutely stunning. It would have been perfect if only everything weren’t an arrangement. If only it were real, then her happiness would have been complete. She silently wished that what happened between her and Mike that night would not bear fruit. She wasn’t ready yet—and she didn’t want to bring a child into the world only to let it feel the pain she herself was trying to avoid.

“Goodness! You look exactly like my idol, Marian Rivera—except you’ve got her beat when it comes to your eyes. Yours are brown, and that little mole by your nose? Oh my gosh, your groom-to-be is going to go absolutely crazy over you!” the makeup artist exclaimed dramatically.

Levi couldn’t help but smile at the makeup artist remark.

Still, she couldn’t shake off her nervousness that evening. This was it—the night when their upcoming wedding would finally be announced. Her hands suddenly turned cold.

“Relax, Ms. Velez, it’s just an engagement. All you have to do is enjoy the night. And let me remind you, take good care of that handsome Mike, okay? My goodness, there are tons of women dying to have him! But in fairness, he’s lucky to have you too. You’re so beautiful—you could totally be a model or even a beauty queen!” the makeup artist gushed again.

“Thank you… but I don’t think so,” she replied with a shy smile, while the makeup artist continued to admire her beauty in awe.

“Oh, stop being so humble,” the makeup artist teased before finally excusing herself.

Levi let out a deep sigh once more.

“Oh my gosh, Levi! You’re so beautiful!” Micah exclaimed the moment she entered, holding Levi’s hands and twirling her around in admiration. Levi smiled at her reaction.

“So, how does my outfit look?”

Levi smiled again when she saw what Micah was wearing—everything always suited her perfectly. She was truly a pretty girl; her features clearly resembled her mother, Mrs. Montenegro.

“Of course it suits you, Micah. I don’t think there’s any outfit that wouldn’t look good on you,” Levi replied with a warm smile.

“Thanks, Levi. But honestly, I didn’t recognize you at first. You look so perfect! By the way, congratulations!” Micah said before wrapping her in a tight hug.

“Really, Micah? We both know we’re only doing this because of Mrs. Montenegro's request. Please don’t take it too seriously. I don’t want you to get your hopes up. I know you want me to be your brother’s fiancée—but we can’t ignore the fact that he’s still in love with his ex,” Levi said, forcing her voice to stay steady. Thankfully, it didn’t crack.

Micah frowned at what Levi had just said. She simply took her hand and led her toward the living room, where her parents and her brother Mike were already gathered. Mike was in the middle of a conversation with their cousin, Royce. Both men held glasses of wine as they chatted casually.

Micah descended the staircase first, with Levi following behind. She almost burst into laughter when she saw her brother’s expression upon catching sight of his soon-to-be bride. Mike’s jaw literally dropped—and it wasn’t just him. It seemed that everyone present was stunned by Levi’s breathtaking beauty.

Micah’s smile faded, however, when she noticed an unexpected guest. She rolled her eyes, raised a brow, and walked straight toward her parents. Vince greeted her with a mischievous smile.

Vince was her mortal enemy back in school. Even through college, he never stopped teasing her. After all, they went to the same university. Now, Micah graduated with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, just like Mike and Levi. The only difference was that her brother had also finished Agricultural Business, majoring in Economics. Their parents had encouraged her to take the same course—and she didn’t object, since it was also her dream to help her family grow and expand Montenegro Industries Corp.

Levi’s smile faded the moment she saw Yuna. The woman looked so elegant in her red cocktail dress. She hadn’t expected her to be invited to the engagement party. Her eyes instinctively darted toward Mike—his gaze was intense, piercing—and her heart began to pound. As much as she wanted to feel happy, something inside her kept reminding her that everything between them was only temporary. A contract marriage, to be exact.

“I can’t find the words to say how beautiful you are, Levi,” Mike said softly. His words made her smile despite the heaviness in her chest. He took her hand and gently led her to the center of the dance floor. They began to dance gracefully, and soon, other couples followed, swaying to the slow, romantic music.

Levi couldn’t bring herself to meet his eyes, afraid he might read the truth hidden in hers. She didn’t know why she suddenly felt a sting in her heart. Was it because of Yuna? Maybe yes. What if Mike saw her again—would she suddenly become invisible to him?

“You seem lost in thought. Care to share, my lovely fiancée?” he murmured sweetly, and Levi almost flinched when she felt his lips brush against her ear. Goosebumps ran down her neck and arms.

“Nothing… I’m just tired, I guess,” she lied, forcing a faint smile.

“How are you? Does it still hurt?” he asked softly. Her ears burned at the reminder of what had happened between them. She had almost managed to push it out of her mind—until he brought it back.

“I’m fine,” she replied shortly, her tone restrained.

A few minutes later, the clinking of glasses filled the air—signaling the start of the announcement of their upcoming wedding. All the guests took their seats, smiling and waiting for Mr. and Mrs. Montenegro to speak.

Soon enough, the announcement was made. Their wedding was officially declared forthcoming. Mike and Levi stepped into the center for photos. Every guest came forward to congratulate them, and Levi’s cheeks were already aching from smiling so much. She never thought posing and greeting people could be this exhausting.

Then she saw Yuna again—walking toward them. A few guests gasped softly, clearly surprised to see Mike’s ex-girlfriend appear. Whispers spread quickly among the crowd.

“Well, congratulations to both of you,” Yuna greeted politely. Levi’s hand instinctively tightened around Mike’s arm. When she turned to look at him, her heart felt as though it had been stabbed repeatedly. His gaze toward Yuna was different—deep, unreadable. She wasn’t numb. She could feel the pain slicing right through her.

“What are you doing here? I don’t think you were invited to this engagement party,” Micah snapped sharply.

“Oh dear Micah, I’m not here to cause any trouble. Relax. I just wanted to congratulate them,” Yuna replied sweetly, casting a brief glance at Mike, who was now staring intently at her.

“Oh really? Then you can leave now,” Micah said sarcastically, grabbing her arm and pulling her toward the exit of the mansion.

“Mike, Levi, how did that woman even get in here?” Mrs. Montenegro asked angrily. Mr. Montenegro was by her side, trying to calm her down.

“Mom, please, calm down. Yuna was only here to congratulate us. Please...mom,” Mike pleaded gently as he approached his mother. He kissed her on the cheek and rubbed her back soothingly. His father and the private nurse stayed close to assist his mom.

“Ladies and gentlemen! Please enjoy the evening!” the host cheerfully announced, and soon, the atmosphere of the party began to return to normal.

When the celebration finally ended, Levi immediately took off her gown. Yet she couldn’t erase the image from earlier—the look on Mike’s face, the way he defended his ex-girlfriend. Why did she feel so heavy inside? Why was there an ache in her heart she couldn’t ignore?