Chapter 17
1394 Words
The world really was small. Drake had thought, no, hoped, that their paths would never cross again. He had believed that their brief entanglement in the province would be the end of it, nothing more than a passing coincidence.
But fate had other plans.
Now here she was, right in front of him again, slipping back into his life with a smile too bright, too insistent, and with a persistence sharp enough to cut through the walls he had carefully built.
Fate itself seemed to be mocking him. The harder he tried to stay away, the closer she came.
As she had requested, he ended up driving her to Lean and Kelseay’s house. The car ride should have been quiet, at least that’s what he wanted. But Lucy was Lucy, and silence was her sworn enemy.
“She’s going to be so happy, my Momsie, when she finds out I’ll be working for you,” Lucy chirped, her voice bubbling with excitement as she leaned comfortably against her seat. Her eyes sparkled in the glow of the passing city lights.
Drake kept his gaze fixed on the road, jaw clenched, his hands steady on the wheel. He’d long learned that responding too much only fueled her fire. But ignoring her completely wasn’t easy either.
“You know what’s funnier?” she continued, leaning closer as if sharing a secret. “Papsie already sees you as his future son-in-law.”
The words hit him like a stone. Without realizing, his foot pressed too hard on the brakes. The car jerked violently, both of them lurching forward until the seatbelts yanked them back into place.
“Ouch! Drakey!” Lucy yelped, rubbing her shoulder. “We’re not even married yet, and you already want us both dead?”
He shot her a sharp glare, but the heat in his chest wasn’t just from irritation. It was from the uncomfortable thud of her words. Future son-in-law.
“You let your imagination run wild,” he muttered.
“Better to be ahead than late!” Lucy retorted proudly, puffing her chest. “Papsie told me once, ‘If you love someone, don’t waste time. Show them now, before it’s too late.' Otherwise, you’ll regret it when the chance is gone and that person is asleep forever.”
The last line made him grip the steering wheel tighter. His eyes flickered toward her, brows furrowing. She had no idea how her playful words could pierce through him like that. Sometimes she sounded insane. Other times, she unknowingly prodded at scars he desperately wanted to keep hidden.
“This girl…” he muttered under his breath, shaking his head.
Lucy only puffed her cheeks, then brightened again, undeterred. “Anyway, besides being a little crazy, I’m full of talent. I can sing, dance, cook, act, and my best talent of all?” She paused dramatically, then grinned. “Loving you, Drakey!”
Drake coughed into his fist, trying to disguise the small twitch of his lips. She was impossible.
“You’re crazy.”
“Crazy for you,” she shot back, winking.
She leaned back against her seat, her voice softening for the first time in the entire ride. “I missed you these past few days. You don’t know how many times I dreamed about you, about us, our future.”
Her words hung in the air. Something inside him shifted. For the first time in a long while, Drake felt a smile tug at his lips. It was faint, barely there, but it was real.
Lucy gasped as if she had just witnessed a miracle. “Look at you, smiling at me!” She pointed dramatically, as though she had caught him committing a crime.
His expression hardened instantly. He cleared his throat and turned his eyes back on the road. “I just remembered something.”
Lucy’s eyes glimmered mischievously. “Was it me you remembered? Don’t worry, you’re always in my heart and mind.”
Drake exhaled, almost in defeat. “By the way, are you really planning to stay at Kelseay’s place?”
“Of course! I don’t know anyone else here in Manila. Unless…” She leaned closer again, lowering her voice into a playful whisper. “You want me to stay with you?”
He blinked, horrified. “No way. I live alone.”
“Perfect then! I’ll keep you company so you won’t be lonely. Maybe even forever. Happily ever after!”
He pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head. “I’m used to being alone.”
“Simple solution to that problem: marry me,” she said casually, shrugging as though it were the most practical thing in the world.
Drake barked a laugh, short, bitter, disbelieving. “You’re unbelievable.”
But Lucy only smiled. This time, her tone shifted. It wasn’t teasing. It was thoughtful.
“I wonder if someone like you ever feels sad, Drakey. You always look so cold, so untouchable, but me? Even when I’m sad, I laugh. Why? Because every problem has a solution. Crying doesn’t fix anything. If you keep laughing, sooner or later, even the problem gives up and walks away.”
Her words silenced him. For a long moment, only the hum of the engine filled the air. Against his will, he turned to glance at her. There was no irony in her expression. No joke. Just sincerity.
And it struck him harder than he wanted to admit.
She was different. Not just playful or irritating. She was resilient. The kind of woman who refused to let the world crush her.
By the time he realized how much her words had affected him, they had already pulled into Lean’s driveway. The massive gates swung open at the sound of his horn.
Lucy’s jaw dropped. “Oh, wow! Is this really where Kelseay lives? This isn’t a house, it’s a mansion! Drakey, my eyes are blessed today.”
Drake chuckled faintly. “This is just one of their properties. The Buenaventura family is well-known.”
The car rolled to a stop, and the maids greeted them politely. Lucy waved back as though she were already part of the household.
Inside, the warmth of family was immediate. Lean and Kelseay were wrapped in each other’s arms, their happiness glowing like sunlight. Kelseay quickly broke away when she spotted Lucy.
“Cous’!” Lucy squealed, running forward. They hugged tightly, laughing like children reunited after years apart.
“I miss you so much, Kelseay!”
“I missed you too! How was the trip? And where will you be working?” Kelseay asked eagerly.
Lucy beamed. “Guess what, I’ll be Drakey’s sexy secretary!” She practically sang the words, her pride filling the room.
Kelseay raised an eyebrow. “You’re crazy. You’re not even sexy! But I’m happy for you.”
“Excuse me? I am sexy. Don’t ruin my moment!”
Their laughter rang out, playful and carefree.
Meanwhile, Drake clapped Lean on the shoulder. “How’s it going, bro?”
Lean’s grin was wide, his eyes softer than usual. “Great. Happier than I’ve ever been. And you? You and Lucy seem to be getting along.”
Drake snorted. “We’re not. She just asked for a ride.”
“Sure. That’s what I said at first too. Denial, bro. It’s classic.”
“You’re talking nonsense,” Drake laughed, but unease stirred in his chest.
“You’ll understand soon. It’s only a matter of time before you realize it yourself.”
Drake’s smile faltered.
“Listen, bro,” Lean said quietly, his voice dropping into a rare seriousness. “I know you. I know what you’ve been through. But you don’t have to punish yourself forever. Love isn’t always tragedy. It can heal too. Don’t lock yourself away. Don’t keep living in the shadow of your past.”
Drake’s jaw tightened. His throat felt dry.
“I can’t, Lean. You don’t understand. I promised myself,” he said firmly.
A shadow crossed his face, the weight of old memories pressing in. That tragedy, the nightmare that haunted him, would never let him go.
It wasn’t just fear. It was guilt.
Never again, he told himself. The vow was etched into his bones.
It was the promise he made to himself.
And most of all, the promise he made to her.
- Writer
