Chapter 8 - We’re Almost There, Your Highness
961 Words
“Sir… please. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. It was all just… a terrible misunderstanding. I beg you, don’t press charges. Don’t fire me.” Her voice wavered, her eyes glossy with unshed tears. “I’ll do anything to make it right. I—I didn’t know you were the owner. I thought… I thought you were//” she stopped herself before blurting out a ghost.
Micah’s eyes darkened, his jaw clenching. His voice was quiet, almost too calm. “Anything to make it right? Miss Enriquez, do you realize how close you are to completely ruining your own life?”
“I know, Sir… I know. And I’m sorry. Please… don’t kick me out of the condo. I have nowhere else to go. I swear I’ll stay out of your way. I’ll even move out first thing tomorrow if you want me to. Just—don’t end this here. Please.”
Tracy, standing between them like a reluctant referee, sighed and placed a calming hand on her cousin’s shoulder. “Micah… let it go. It’s late. You’re jet-lagged, tired, and clearly irritated.” Her voice softened as she glanced at Alondra. “And Alondra’s been through enough tonight. She was terrified out of her mind. It was a misunderstanding on both sides.”
“A misunderstanding? Tracy, she nearly made me impotent.” Micah’s sharp retort cut through the air like glass. His deep voice carried no trace of humor.
Alondra flinched but held her ground. “I didn’t know who you were… you didn’t announce yourself. You just...showed up. If I really thought you were human, I… I would never...”
“You would never what?” Micah leaned forward slightly, his piercing gaze locking onto hers. “You kneed me like I was a criminal. Tell me, Miss Enriquez, do you make it a habit to assault men first and ask questions later?”
Tracy raised a hand, stepping in before Alondra could stammer out a reply. “Micah, enough. This isn’t helping. It’s nearly midnight. You’re exhausted. She’s traumatized. This isn’t the time or place to sort this out.”
For a long moment, Micah said nothing. The room felt suffocating, the faint ticking of the wall clock sounding far too loud. Then he exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand over his face.
“Fine,” he muttered at last, his tone clipped and heavy with warning. “We’ll let it go...for tonight. But don’t think this is over, Miss Enriquez.” His eyes flicked to her like ice shards. “You and I… we’re far from finished.”
Alondra’s shoulders sagged in relief, but her stomach remained twisted in knots. “Thank you, Sir. I… I truly appreciate it. I promise I won’t cause any more trouble.”
Micah stood abruptly, his imposing height only adding to her unease. “You already have. You’ve caused enough trouble for ten lifetimes. Tracy, let’s leave.”
Tracy gave Alondra an encouraging squeeze on the arm. “Get your things, Alondra. You’re coming with us. We’ll sort the rest tomorrow.”
As they walked out of the precinct, Alondra trailed behind Micah, watching his broad shoulders tense beneath his coat. He didn’t look back at her once.
She wasn’t sure if she should be grateful or more terrified.
ALONDRA kept glancing at the back seat of the car where Micah was sitting, his eyes tightly closed. He had been silent since they left the precinct. It was then that she noticed how tired he really was.
She sat in the passenger seat beside Tracy, who was on the phone with her husband while driving. “I’m coming home. I’ll just drive Micah back to his condo. Yes, everything is okay now. Please look after Nikka for a while. She may want some attention because she’s teething. Don’t panic, I’ll be home soon.”
“Ma’am, I’m sorry for being a pain. I didn’t know your baby was sick. I shouldn’t have bothered you.”
“That’s okay. You did the right thing since you’re my responsibility. I was the one who told you to live in the condo. I’m accountable for anything that happens to you.”
Alondra breathed deeply as she remembered her foolishness. She had been almost n***d in front of him earlier. She had even offered him prayers, thinking he was a lost, restless soul. He probably thought she was a lunatic! Why would he still want her to work for him?
“I didn’t know he was coming,” Alondra said in a low voice.
“Neither did I. Most likely, he fell victim to his friends’ pranks. It’s his birthday today. What we knew was that he wouldn’t be back in the Philippines—that he’d be spending his birthday in Chile. I think he was exploring some volcanic region along the boundaries of Chile and Bolivia. I was shocked to see him at the precinct. Even his parents had no idea he was coming home. If we had known, we would’ve prepared a party for him.”
“He mentioned something about his friends’ gift a while ago. That’s why he mistook me for a prostitute.”
“He probably couldn’t say no to his friends,” Tracy said. "But I know this is for the best. After Belle, he lost all interest in women. Our whole clan got worried that he might not get married anymore. That is so sad. Everyone who’s married in our family has a happy marriage. No one has ever separated. You see, we only love once. I wouldn’t be shocked if one day he told us he wanted to be a priest.”
“Such a waste. A waste of good genes.”
- Writer
