Unfinished Business (POV: YANNA)
1456 Words
May kakaibang lamig ang dala ng umagang ito na kumakapit sa aking balat—pero hindi iyon ang dahilan kung bakit nanginginig ako ngayon.
Kundi dahil ngayong araw…
ay araw na sinabi ni Kairo na e meet ko siya, at ipapasundo pa niya ako.
Not “see you if you’re free.”
Not “message me if you’re ready.”
No.
Kukunin daw niya ako. Personal. With his own driver and his own car.
At dadalhin niya ako sa Valencia Towers.
Privado.
Eksklusibo.
At walang kahit sinong makakaistorbo.
I shouldn’t be nervous.
I shouldn’t be excited.
I shouldn’t be… whatever the hell this feeling is twisting inside my chest.
But I am.
I absolutely am.
Pagmulat ko, hindi pa umaabot sa bintana ang araw pero ramdam ko na ang parang mabigat na presensyang nakadikit sa paligid.
Alam ko kung kanino galing iyon.
I check my phone.
4:56 AM.
One message.
From a name that looks like trouble wrapped in velvet and danger:
> KAIRO: I already dispatched the car. ETA: 5:40. Don’t keep me waiting.
Hindi “Good morning.”
Hindi “Are you awake?”
Just pure command—at walang kahirap-hirap na napapasunod ako.
“Why am I like this…” bulong ko habang tumatayo.
My pulse is ridiculous. My chest feels tight.
At yung mismong kahapon lang, parang matutunaw ako sa ginawa niyang paglapit, paghawak, pagtaas ng boses sa’kin—lahat iyon ngayon ay parang nakaukit sa leeg ko, sa wrist ko, sa utak ko.
Para akong sinabuyan ng init kahit malamig ang hangin.
Hindi ako dapat ganito.
Hindi ako dapat sumusunod sa isang lalaking hindi ko ma-decode kung mabuti ba o sisirain lang ako nang tuluyan.
Pero siguro iyon ang problema.
Kairo Valencia doesn’t just enter someone’s life.
He consumes it.
Quietly. Slowly. Dangerously.
At ngayon…
he’s consuming mine.
Naligo ako para kumalma.
Hindi gumana.
Sa bawat bagsak ng tubig sa balat ko, napapapikit ako habang bumabalik sa isip ko ang huling sandali kagabi—yung sandaling hinawakan niya ang kamay ko, parang pag-aari niya ako.
And the word he said.
Not softly.
Not gently.
But low, deep, and commanding:
“Yanna, don’t walk away from me again.”
Hindi ko pa rin alam kung bakit nag-freeze ako nung sinabi niya iyon.
Ang alam ko lang—may kakaibang sakit at init na naghalo sa dibdib ko na hanggang ngayon ay kumakapit pa rin.
Para akong hawak niya kahit wala siya rito.
Paglabas ko sa shower, nagbihis ako ng pinaka-neutral na kaya ko:
Soft gray dress
Light makeup
Tied hair
Hindi ko alam kung bakit ang pakiramdam ko, parang may exam ako sa prestihiyosong academy at isa lang ang professor—si Kairo.
My phone vibrates.
Another message.
> KAIRO: Driver is downstairs. Go.
GO.
As if I’m one of his assets being activated.
And damn it.
I go.
Pagbaba ko, bumungad ang matte black Mercedes na hindi ko kilala pero halatang sobrang high-end.
Bumukas agad ang pinto.
Driver in full black uniform. No expression. No hesitation.
“Ma’am Yanna,” sabi niya, bahagyang yuyuko.
“Sir Kairo instructed that we take you directly to Valencia Towers. No stops.”
No stops.
Of course.
Pumasok ako sa sasakyan, trying not to overthink.
Pero ang hirap.
The moment I sit, I smell it...
the faint, expensive, unmistakably masculine scent na naka-imprint sa memorya ko mula kagabi.
Kairo.
He sent a car that smells like him.
Parang sinadya niya.
Parang gusto niyang maramdaman kong kasama ko siya kahit wala siya rito.
And that does something to me I’m not ready to admit.
Tahimik ang loob, pero hindi ako mapakali.
The city is barely awake, pero ako—alerto, kabado, nag-aalab.
The closer we get to Valencia Towers, the more my breathing becomes shallow.
Because everyone knows that building.
The private entrance.
The top floors reserved only for the Valencias.
The security tighter than a government facility.
And the rumors…
God, the rumors.
About how no one enters that tower unless personally allowed by a Valencia.
And no one leaves unchanged.
Why did he call me there?
Why me?
I don’t even realize I’m tapping my fingers on my knee until the driver speaks.
“Relax lang po, Ma’am.”
Napalingon ako, startled.
The driver smiles politely.
“Sir Kairo specifically said he doesn’t want you stressed.”
WHAT.
My heart stops.
“He… said that?” bulong ko.
Tumango ang driver.
“Yes, Ma’am. His exact words were:
‘Make sure she’s comfortable. She gets overwhelmed easily.’”
I swallowed hard.
That man watches me more closely than I realized.
Pagdating namin sa gate, automatic na nagbukas ang massive steel doors, walang card, walang scanner, walang kahit ano.
The guards see the car.
They bow.
Deep.
Respectful.
Almost terrified.
Because the only cars allowed through without clearance…
are those tied to the Valencia bloodline.
Napasinghap ako.
“Ma’am,” the driver says softly. “You’re expected.”
Expected.
Para bang appointment ng katawan at kaluluwa ko.
And the car enters.
Pag-park, bumukas agad ang elevator.
There’s no buttons inside.
Only a biometric scanner, na hindi kailangan ng driver.
Because the elevator moves on its own.
To one floor.
To one person.
To him.
My chest tightens.
“Oh God…” bulong ko.
The driver stays outside.
“You go alone from here, Ma’am Yanna. Sir said he wants to be the one to receive you.”
Receive me.
Those words shouldn’t feel like they’re burning through my skin but they do.
The elevator doors close.
I hold my breath.
Ding.
Pagbukas ng elevator, hindi hall ang bumungad sa akin
kundi isang malawak at sobrang tahimik na penthouse lobby, with glass walls overlooking the waking city.
It’s quiet.
Too quiet.
Then I hear it.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Measured.
Powerful.
At bago ko pa maprocess...
he appears.
Kairo Valencia.
In a dark shirt, sleeves rolled up, first buttons undone, hair slightly messy as if he just ran a hand through it—and eyes burning directly into mine.
He looks…
Not cold.
Not unreadable.
But like he hasn’t slept—
because of me.
My knees nearly give out.
Then he says it—
low, dangerous, intimate:
“Come here, Yanna.”
Oh God.
That voice.
That tone.
That command.
Hindi ko alam kung bakit automatic na gumalaw ang paa ko.
Parang may sariling isip.
Parang ako mismo ang gustong lumapit.
But before I reach him—
before I even speak—
he steps forward.
One step.
Two.
Then he stops barely inches in front of me.
Close enough that I feel his breath.
Close enough that my entire body reacts.
His eyes scan me slowly.
Not sexually.
But possessively.
Ang bigat ng tingin niya.
Parang hinuhubaran ang kaluluwa ko.
“You came.”
His voice is low, almost relieved but also reprimanding.
“I… you told me to—”
His jaw tightens.
“Yanna.”
A warning.
I close my mouth.
Then he exhales slowly, steps even closer, and lifts two fingers—touching my chin gently but firmly.
“You came because you wanted to.”
My breath catches.
Because it’s true.
Because even if I deny it, he’ll know.
“Hindi ko alam kung bakit,” mahina kong sabi.
He leans slightly, lips dangerously close to my ear.
“I do.”
I grip his shirt without meaning to.
Then he says the one thing that shatters me:
“You’re scared of how much you want me.”
My heart stops.
My knees buckle.
And before I fall...
his arm snakes around my waist, pulling me against his chest.
Not roughly.
Not gently.
But like he’s been wanting to touch me all night and finally lost patience.
“Don’t deny it,” he whispers.
“I’m not...”
Huminga ako nang malalim.
“I’m confused.”
“I know.”
His hand tightens on my waist.
“And I know exactly what to do with that confusion.”
Before I can ask...
he steps back.
Just one step.
Enough to make me feel the loss of his warmth so violently that it steals my breath.
Then his eyes darken.
“Follow me,” he says.
“Because you and I…
we have unfinished business from last night.”
My stomach drops.
He turns.
Walks away slowly.
Not checking if I’m coming.
Because he knows I will.
And I do.
Because I can't not follow him.
But just before I fully cross the threshold into his private space..
he says something that freezes me mid-step.
Without turning around.
Without softening his voice.
But with a promise that feels like danger wrapped in silk.
“Today, Yanna…
you’ll finally understand why you can’t run from me.”
The door closes behind us.
And the cliffhanger begins.
- Writer
