Chapter 3: The Secret He Buried
1052 Words
Kisses barely slept that night.
Every time she closed her eyes, she felt it again—Darven’s hand on her waist. His voice. I never stopped.
It was infuriating.
After everything he did.. after five years of silence.. how dare he still make her feel like this?
The next morning, Valderrama Holdings was buzzing with activity. Employees greeted her respectfully as she walked through the lobby, her heels echoing against the marble floors. She wore confidence like armor—black fitted blazer, sleek ponytail, sharp red lipstick.
Untouchable.
That’s what she needed to be.
But the moment she stepped into the executive elevator—
A familiar hand stopped the doors from closing.
Darven.
Of course.
The doors slid shut behind him, trapping them inside the mirrored space.
Too close. Again.
“Good morning,” he said casually, like they hadn’t almost crossed a line yesterday.
She faced forward. “We have a meeting in fifteen minutes.”
“I know.”
Silence.
The elevator hummed as it ascended, tension rising with each floor.
“Why now?” she suddenly asked, her voice steady but low.
He glanced at her reflection. “Why now what?”
“Why partner with us?” she clarified. “Out of all the companies in Manila.”
His jaw tightened slightly.
“It wasn’t random.”
Her eyes snapped to his.
“So it was intentional.”
“Yes.”
The honesty startled her.
“Why?”
The elevator dinged, but neither of them moved when the doors opened to an empty executive floor.
Darven pressed the “close” button.
The doors slid shut again.
Her heart skipped.
“Five years ago,” he began quietly, “my father made a deal.”
Her stomach dropped.
“What kind of deal?”
“A dangerous one.”
His voice was calm—but there was something dark beneath it.
“My family was in debt,” he continued. “Not the kind you read about in newspapers. The kind that involves people who don’t accept late payments.”
Her throat tightened.
“And what does that have to do with me?”
“Everything.”
The word echoed.
“My father owed money to a powerful investor,” he said. “When he found out I was serious about you… he made it clear that being connected to the Valderrama name would complicate things.”
Her chest felt tight.
“Complicate how?”
Darven’s eyes softened, but his voice stayed firm.
“They threatened to use you as leverage.”
The air left her lungs.
“What?”
“I was given two options,” he continued. “End things with you and focus on fixing our family’s mess… or risk dragging you into it.”
Her mind raced.
“So you chose to disappear?” she whispered, disbelief mixing with hurt. “Without even telling me?”
“If I told you,” he said, stepping closer, “you would’ve stayed. You would’ve fought for me. And I couldn’t let you be part of that world.”
Anger and pain collided inside her.
“You didn’t trust me.”
“I trusted you too much,” he replied immediately. “You would’ve chosen me over your safety.”
Silence filled the elevator again.
Her chest rose and fell unevenly as she processed everything.
Five years of hatred.
Five years of thinking she wasn’t enough.
Five years of wondering what she did wrong.
And all this time—
He thought he was protecting her.
“You should have given me the choice,” she said quietly, her voice trembling despite her effort to stay composed.
“I know.”
It was the first time she heard regret in his tone without restraint.
“I paid the debt,” he continued. “Built my company from the ground up. Cut ties with the people involved. I made sure there was no threat left.”
“And now?” she asked.
“Now I can stand in front of you without putting you in danger.”
The weight of his words settled heavily between them.
“So partnering with us..” she murmured.
“..was my way back,” he admitted.
Her heart pounded so loudly she was sure he could hear it.
“You don’t just get to walk back into my life because the danger is gone,” she said, though her voice lacked its earlier sharpness.
“I’m not asking for easy forgiveness.”
“Then what are you asking for?”
He stepped closer again.
Not aggressive.
Not forceful.
Just close enough to blur the line between business and something far more personal.
“A chance,” he said softly.
Her breath trembled.
“You hurt me.”
“I know.”
“I hated you.”
“I know.”
“I tried to forget you.”
His gaze dropped briefly to her lips before meeting her eyes again.
“I never forgot you.”
The elevator felt impossibly small now.
The air thick.
Her anger was still there—but now it was tangled with something else.
Understanding.
Relief.
And something dangerously close to hope.
“You should’ve trusted me,” she whispered again.
“I was young,” he admitted. “And scared. But I would make a different choice now.”
Her heart twisted.
“Don’t say things you’re not ready to prove.”
His eyes darkened.
“I don’t say anything I’m not ready to fight for.”
The intensity in his voice sent warmth rushing through her veins.
For the first time in five years, the narrative in her head shifted.
He didn’t leave because she wasn’t enough.
He left because he thought she was too important to lose.
The elevator finally dinged again—someone calling it from another floor.
Reality intruded.
Darven stepped back slightly, giving her space.
“We have a meeting,” she said softly.
“Yes,” he replied.
But neither of them reached for the open button.
Because something had changed.
The anger wasn’t as sharp.
The hatred wasn’t as strong.
But the desire?
It burned brighter than ever.
And now that she knew the truth—
The real danger wasn’t the past anymore.
It was falling for him all over again.
- Writer
