The CEO Who Stole My Heart

Chapter 5

“Beautiful Soul” was blaring from the car stereo — and I swear, ang sarap niyang pakinggan habang tinatahak namin ang tahimik na highway. Gabi na, and the city lights were glowing like scattered stars. Cool breeze seeped through the slightly opened windows, and in that moment, everything just felt… perfect.

Ang nakakakilig dito?

It happened to be one of my all-time favorite songs.

I don’t know what it is about this Jesse McCartney classic, pero tuwing naririnig ko ito, automatic na akong napapangiti. It never fails to bring me back to my teenage years, 'yung tipong wala pa akong ibang inaalala kundi kung paano ko maii-stalk si crush online nang hindi ako nahuhuli. Beautiful Soul was my personal anthem of kilig — lalo na kapag ini-imagine ko si Jesse mismo, nakatayo sa harap ko, hawak ang gitara, tapos ako lang ang kinakantahan niya.

“I Don’t want another pretty face…”

Bigla ko na lang napansing sumasabay na pala ako sa kanta. Hindi ko napigilan, eh! The lyrics were too nostalgic to ignore. My voice, kahit papaano, went along with the melody — hindi naman pang-professional, pero swak sa tono. I had no intention of showing off in front of Papa Vince— este, Dr. Vince Allen Cua — pero ayun na nga.

Oops.

First meeting pa lang namin. As in, ngayon pa lang niya ako inihatid pauwi mula sa event ng Stratosight Marketing Corporation kung saan ako bagong empleyado. Ayoko pa sanang i-reveal agad ang hidden talent kong ito. Sabi nga sa t****k, “keep some mystery, girl!”

Pero hindi ko inaasahan na mas ikagugulat ko ang sumunod na nangyari.

Habang ini-enjoy ko pa ang chorus ng kanta sa sarili kong bubble of nostalgia, bigla ko na lang narinig ang ibang boses na sumasabay sa akin.

“I Don’t want just anyone to hold…”

Oh my God.

I blinked. Slowly.

That wasn’t part of the original track. That was him — Papa Vince. Kumakanta. Sa tabi ko. Sa loob ng kotse niya.

I almost choked on my own breath.

Grabe. His voice was shockingly good. Not just passable — like, seriously, record-label-pwede-pagka-gwapo-mo-pa level good.

“I I want you and your beautiful soul…”

And I swear, para kaming nasa isang eksena ng romantic movie. He was driving, hands steady on the wheel, his gaze forward — but the corners of his lips were curled up in a small, relaxed smile as he sang along. Walang ka-effort-effort pero ang lakas ng impact.

Napatingin ako sa kanya. Tapos sabay naming binigkas ‘yung linya:

“You’re the one I wanna chase…

You’re the one I wanna hold…”

Aaaaaaaaah! Universe, bakit mo ako ginaganito?!

Hindi ko napigilan ang sariling mapangiti, tapos natawa na lang ako softly, trying to keep my cool kahit internally ay tumitili na ako. Nagka-duet kami ni Doc Vince nang wala sa plano — and for someone na hindi pa talaga kilala nang husto, this felt like an oddly intimate moment.

Hindi ko alam kung dulot lang ito ng kanta, o ng perfect playlist niya, o ng lambing ng boses niya habang kinakanta ‘yon — pero something shifted. I could feel it.

May kakaiba.

Dr. Vince Allen Cua — ang gwapong pediatric surgeon ng Zia Memorial Hospital na tumulong sa amin sa medical campaign ng Stratosight — was literally ticking every box in my secret checklist.

✅ Matalino – He’s a doctor. Need I say more?

✅ Mabait – Hindi niya kailangang ihatid ako. I mean, I could’ve booked a ride home. Pero he offered, at hindi pilit. It felt genuine.

✅ Gwapo – Don’t even get me started. As in, kung puwede lang siyang gawing wallpaper ng buhay ko, ginawa ko na. Chiseled jawline, kind eyes, and may dimples pa, besh!

✅ Talented – Aba! May live performance pa habang nagda-drive!

I was still watching him in awe when he turned to glance at me. And that’s when it happened.

Parang nag-slow motion ang lahat.

As in literal na slow-mo.

'Yung tipong nagkaroon ng cinematic blur sa paligid. May invisible wind effect pa. Tapos in my mind, may fireworks na pumailanlang sa langit habang umiilaw ang background music naming duet.

He blinked. Slowly.

Tapos ngumiti siya ulit. Ngiting hindi trying hard. Yung soft smile na nakakabighani. Tipong ngiti ng isang taong hindi aware sa epekto niya sa mga tao. Ngiti ng isang lalaking walang ka-arte-arte pero nakaka-bighani sa simpleng paraan.

Is this what they call falling?

Kasi kung hindi pa ito ‘yon, ewan ko na lang.

I clutched the seatbelt a little tighter, suddenly aware of my racing heartbeat. Girl, calm down. Baka marinig niya t***k ng puso mo. Pati ‘yon, baka duet-an ka pa!

“Okay ka lang?” tanong niya, still smiling, this time looking a little amused.

“Ah… yeah,” I answered, trying to compose myself. “Hindi ko lang in-expect na may pa-live performance ka, Doc.”

Tumawa siya. Low and warm.

“Kailangan bang doktor lang ang talent ko?” sabay kindat. “Multitalented tayo, Miss Aguas.”

Oh no. He knows how to flirt. Lord, tulungan mo ako.

I laughed nervously, turning my eyes back to the road.

“Next time, may bayad na ‘yan, ha?” sabi ko, trying to sound cool.

“Next time agad?” he teased.

Napatingin ako sa kanya, and we both laughed — at the joke, at the awkwardness, at the surprising comfort of it all.

In the middle of Makati traffic and Jesse McCartney’s voice still playing in the background, something quiet but undeniable stirred in my chest.

Maybe this was just the beginning.

Maybe fate was giving me a little push.

Or maybe — just maybe — my heart finally found a reason to sing again.

And this time, hindi na ako solo.