Pieces Of You

Chapter 9

Patricia

Pain was the very first thing I felt when I opened my eyes.

A dull ache lingered throughout my body, but it was the soreness between my legs that made me wince almost instantly.

"...Ugh."

Before I could even figure out where I was, another sensation pulled me back to reality.

Warmth.

There was something warm pressed firmly against my back.

No.

Someone.

A large hand rested protectively around my waist, gently pulling me closer as if that was where I belonged.

My entire body went rigid.

Our bare skin brushed against each other beneath the sheets, sending an unexpected jolt of electricity straight down my spine.

I opened my eyes slowly.

The unfamiliar ceiling above me was the first thing that greeted me.

Definitely not my condo.

My heart skipped a beat.Please tell me this isn't-

I turned my head.

The man beside me was still asleep.

Half of his face was buried against the pillow, his breathing slow and steady, completely unaware that I had just woken up in his bed.

For the first time, I was seeing him without the flashing lights of the club or the haze of alcohol clouding my judgment.

He was...Unfairly handsome.

His jet-black hair was slightly messy, with a few stubborn strands falling over his forehead. A strong jawline, a straight nose, thick brows, and the faint shadow of stubble along his chin gave him an effortlessly masculine look.For some reason, he reminded me of Theo James.

Hindi man sila eksaktong magkamukha, they shared the same quiet confidence, masculine features, and that effortlessly commanding presence that didn't have to demand attention.

Even asleep, there was something composed about him. His broad shoulders disappeared beneath the white duvet while his slow, steady breathing remained undisturbed, completely unaware that the woman lying beside him was silently questioning every decision she had made the night before.

I found myself staring a little longer than I should have.

"...Damn."

No wonder I ended up making terrible decisions.

Then...Reality caught up with me.

A wave of pure panic washed over me. The awe I felt looking at his perfect face a second ago was instantly replaced by sheer terror.Slowly,I held his large, heavy hand that was still wrapped securely around my waist. Pinilit kong buhatin 'yon nang dahan-dahan, making sure not to make a single sound.He stirred slightly. He let out a low, deep groan that vibrated against my bare back, shifting his weight and turning his head a bit closer to my neck. Sa sobrang lapit niya, I could smell the faint scent of his expensive cologne mixed with that warm, morning-after scent-an intoxicating combination of mint and sandalwood.I froze completely.

Halos hindi ako huminga, praying to every saint that he wouldn't wake up right now. When his breathing finally slowed back down to a steady rhythm, mabilis ngunit maingat akong umusad paalis sa kama.The moment my feet hit the cold floor, nagtaasan ang balahibo ko. But more than the cold, a sudden wave of exhaustion hit me.

My entire body felt heavy, and a deep, unfamiliar ache flared up between my thighs.Gosh, I am so incredibly sore.Napapikit ako sa kirot habang dahan-dahang humahakbang. Every single muscle in my body was protesting, reminding me exactly how intense and uninhibited last night had been. My head was pounding from a massive hangover, and my throat felt like sandpaper.

I am never, ever drinking alcohol again, I fiercely vowed to myself, clenching my jaw. Hinding-hindi na talaga.I practically crawled on the floor like a ninja, holding the white duvet tightly against my skin to cover myself. A quick grab here, a reach there.

Once I finally managed to secure my bag, mabilis kong isinuot ang navy blue dress ko habang ang mga mata ko ay nakapako pa rin sa kaniya. Every bend and stretch made me wince, but the adrenaline kept me going. Thank God, he didn't move an inch.Holding my heels in my hand para hindi lumikha ng ingay sa sahig.

I carefully walked toward the massive door of his bedroom. But right before I turned the doorknob, I glanced back at him one last time.He was still completely dead to the world, looking utterly exhausted from whatever happened last night.

"Hanggang dito na lang tayo," I whispered to the empty room before quietly slipping out the door.

I practically sprinted out of that penthouse, completely unaware that in my frantic rush to escape, one of my small gold earrings, the precious pair my mom gave me for my birthday, had slipped off my ear. It was left lying there, shining silently against his expensive white sheets.

"You did WHAT?!"Halos mailayo ko sa tenga ko ang cellphone ko dahil sa lakas ng sigaw ni Bianca. I was currently leaning against the door of my own condo unit, completely breathless, and still barefoot while holding my heels in my hand.

My hair was an absolute mess, para akong dinaanan ng bagyo and my entire body felt so incredibly heavy and exhausted."Hinaan mo naman ang boses mo, Bianca! Baka marinig ka ng mga kapitbahay hanggang sa kabilang unit!" I hissed into the phone, kahit mag-isa lang naman ako rito.

"Patricia, seryoso ba?"

I heard the loud clatter of a mug on the other end of the line. Mukhang nabulunan siya sa niyang kape. "Sino ba 'yon? Anong pangalan niya?"

Napahawak ako sa noo ko bago dahan-dahang napaupo sa sahig. "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?!"

"Hindi ko nga alam ang pangalan, okay?! It was late, dark, we both had way too much to drink, and... basta! He looked like Theo James, Bianca. Sobrang gwapo. But I don't remember his name, which is exactly why I sneaked out while he was still fast asleep!"

"Gaga ka talaga! What if he's a serial killer? O baka naman sindikato? But wait... did you leave your number? O kahit i********: handle man lang?"

"Are you insane? Siyempre hindi! I left that place without leaving a single trace. Hinding-hindi na kami magkikita muli. That's it. One night of pure madness, and now it's over."Huminga ako nang malalim, trying my best to calm my racing heart.

Bago patayin ang tawag sinabi ko sakanya ,huwag na huwag niyang sasabihin sa mga kaibigan namin ang nangyari lalong lalo na kay Jez.

I stood up to head straight to the bathroom to take a shower and wash off any remaining scent of that man from my skin.But as I stepped forward, a sharp, deep ache flared up between my thighs, making me wince in pain again.

I walked toward the bathroom mirror to tie my hair up. But the moment I reached up to remove the earring from my left ear, my hand automatically checked the right side.It was completely bare.Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. I touched my earlobe again and again, then frantically ran back to the living room and dumped all the contents of my bag onto the floor. Lipstick, wallet, keys.No earring."No, no, no... please, huwag naman doon," I whimpered in pure panic, my eyes tearing up.I couldn't lose that. The small and simple gold earring was a birthday gift from my mom. Kapag nalaman niyang naiwan ko 'yon sa kama ng isang estranghero, siguradong malalagot ako nang husto.

Ralf's POV

A sharp throb behind my temples woke me up. I groaned softly, shielding my eyes as the morning sun filtered through the large windows of my penthouse. Sobrang sakit ng ulo ko. I usually don't drink that much, but last night was an exception.Actually, she was the exception.

Automatically, I extended my right arm, expecting to pull her warm body back against my chest. I wanted to bury my face in her neck again and inhale that sweet, addicting scent that drove me crazy a few hours ago.But my hand met nothing but cold, empty space.I opened my eyes, my brows furrowing instantly. I sat up, letting the white duvet fall to my waist as I scanned the entire bedroom. The bathroom door was wide open-walang tao. The living room outside was dead silent.She was gone.Isang tipid at sarkastikong ngiti ang lumabas sa mga labi ko. I couldn't help but let out a low, dry chuckle. This is new.

As the head of the De Guzman Holdings, people usually do everything they can just to stay in my lane.

Women don't just walk out on me. But this girl? She practically pulled a disappearing act in the dead of the night, leaving me alone in my own bed.I ran a hand through my messy hair, clenching my jaw.

Akala ba niya matataguan niya ako pagkatapos ng lahat ng nangyari kagabi?Akmang tatayo na ako para maligo nang may maramdaman akong matigas na bagay sa ilalim ng unan ko.I reached out and picked it up. It was a small, elegant gold earring. Simple but classic. I held it up against the morning light, running my thumb over the smooth metal, and a vivid flash of last night hit me like a truck.

I remembered exactly how this piece of jewelry danced against her neck while she was wearing that stunning navy blue dress-right before I slowly took it off her."You dropped your glass slipper, Cinderella," I murmured, my voice still rough and deep from sleep.A dangerous but highly amused smirk crawled onto my face. She thought she was being smart by running away. She didn't realize she just left the perfect breadcrumb trail.

I grabbed my phone from the nightstand and hit speed dial. My personal assistant picked up on the second ring."Sir? Good morning-""I-check mo ang lobby's CCTV footage mula 5:00 AM hanggang 7:00 AM ngayon," I interrupted coldly, my corporate tone immediately taking over. "Look for a woman wearing a navy blue dress. Alamin mo ang pangalan niya, her background, and where she lives. Find out everything about her. Now."