Under My Skin

Chapter III.I:Crime

"I'm sorry, honey. I promise we will continue our honeymoon, hmm?"

I gradually opened my eyes as the warmth caressed my skin, finding myself in an unfamiliar room with pristine white walls. While surveying my surroundings, I was briefly blinded by sunlight streaming through the window, prompting me to quickly close my eyes again.

Where am I?

“Jasper…”

I turned to Wilston, who was leaning against the door. He seemed to be on the verge of crying because of who he was talking to on his cell phone. Slowly, I got up to approach him.

"Jasper, please... I'll be back too. I can't leave Cresancia alone here. You know that, right?" Wilston said softly, but his tone indicated that he was losing patience. It turned out that he was talking to his husband on his cell phone.

I stopped approaching him.

Oh, right... He and Jasper had recently tied the knot, but he flew back home less than a day later just because of the scandal I had sparked. I even canceled their honeymoon because of the mess I created.

Gradually, guilt began to consume me.

With all the problems I've given Wilston, I only now realizing how much trouble I've caused him. I can't tell how much Wilston has sacrificed for me since I brought him into my industry world.

And I don't want him to also sacrifice his only happiness just for me.

I took a deep breath. I stood next to him, slightly leaning against the doorway, and stared coldly at the familiar blue sea.

"Go home to your husband," I said coldly.

I noticed Wilston looking at me in surprise out of the corner of my eye.

He quickly straightened up and grabbed both of my arms.

I immediately frowned at him, saying, "What the hell, Wilston-" but when I saw that he was crying, I stopped.

"I... I'm sorry... Cresancia," he sobbed, his eyes filled with exhaustion and regret.

I quickly averted my gaze.

You won't even feel bad about bringing me here if I didn't pass out, you jerk.

"Wipe it off and just go home to your husband," I hissed, looking at him briefly before returning my gaze to the sea. "I'm fine here," I added.

I noticed the shock on his face again out of the corner of my eye.

"Are you now willing to stay here?!" he exclaimed, still not believing it.

I scoffed. "Is there anything else I can do?" I asked, annoyed and sarcastically. "After you kidnapped me from my house just to take me to this f*cking hell province, do you think I can do anything else?"

"I'm sorry, Cresancia... I know my apologies aren’t enough, but I don't see any other way to keep you away from the media. Only the Pontevedra is the place that-"

"Yeah, yeah..." I cut him off as I rolled my eyes. "Of all the places in the Philippines, there is no other place I can hide than this f*cking province. Sure, Wilston." I couldn't keep the rage and bitterness out of my voice.

"Cresancia, I'm only doing this for you..." he softly said.

I tried not to look at him, but when I saw the tiredness in his puffy eyes again, an overwhelming sense of guilt washed over me. I'm sure he hasn't slept since he returned to the Philippines to clean up the mess I made.

Wilston was more than an acquaintance. Our relationship is more than just between a manager and an artist. He is the only person who is aware of my story and who I truly am, so... If this province is the only solution he came up with...

I can't do anything but trust him.

"I'll give you one month to clean up my mess and get me out of here," I stated firmly.

"Three months-" He was about to object but then, I glared at him. He quickly backed away and nodded. "O-kay, one month it is. I can do that!" he exclaimed cheerfully, rawly laughing.

I just stared at him with a frigid gaze before shifting my attention back to the sea. However, my brow furrowed that instead of the sea, a body of a man blocked my vision.

"How are you feeling?" a deep baritone voice filled my ears.

I slowly looked up, and there I met two pairs of ember-colored eyes. They look warm... but for some reason, they’re looking coldly at me.

Gradually, the edge of my lips rose.

"And who's this gorgeous man in front of us, Wilston?" I asked while still looking up at the man in front of me.

A flicker of amusement danced across my lips when I witnessed this man's eyebrows meet slightly.

"Ah, right. He's the doctor who looked at you while you were unconscious," Wilston said while quickly wiping away his tears.

My mouth formed an 'O' before I looked around the small room where we were.

"A doctor for this tiny clinic?"

"Cresancia!" Wilston whispered sharply.

I frowned at him, confused, but it wasn't until I looked back at the man in front of me that I realized how insulting my question was when I saw the insulted smirk on his lips.

"You appear to be perfectly fine now. You may leave now," he stated icily, dismissing us as he strode past and entered the room.

Wilston thanked him immediately and gently drew me away, but I remained standing, staring at the man standing tall now in front of the small table, holding a folder.

My eyes narrowed, intently observing his every move.

Dressed in a crisp white shirt beneath the pristine folds of a doctor's coat, he exuded an aura of manly and professionalism just… just to work in this very small clinic?! And his features were also strikingly handsome, with his sharp nose, brown skin, red lips, and chiseled jawline. It was even surprising that there was a beautiful creature besides me here in this small province!

But most importantly... It was his eyes that held an almost otherworldly allure—an enchanting shade of ember.

Gorgeous.

Again, the edge of my lips slowly rose.

"Cresancia..." Wilston called my name with a menacing tone, as if he already knew the thoughts racing through my mind, fueled by the mesmerizing creature in front of us today.

“Doctor.”

As he glanced up from his reading, I noticed a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. A small smile formed on my lips.

"I'm still not quite feeling myself, and actually, there are lingering emotions within me that impel me to seek a doctor's counsel," I said with a smile, but he remained silent, looking at me with no expression.

I smiled even more. "Should I come here again tomorrow for a checkup?" I asked.

"Cresancia..." Wilton's eyes widened as he weakly tried to pull me away, but I pulled my arm and kept smiling, waiting for his answer.

But after a few minutes, he remained silent and just stared at me.

I was annoyed at first, but when I realized what was going on, I laughed.

"Don't just stare at me, Doctor. I just look like an actress, but I'm not." I lied because he might have realized I was an actress because of my beauty.

I don't want to jeopardize Wilston's plan to keep me hidden here and out of the spotlight if anyone in this province discovers that I'm a famous actress because of my extraordinary beauty-

“I don’t understand.”

The thoughts running through my mind stopped when he suddenly spoke.

“What?” I asked, smiling.

"Several decades had slipped away..." He gently set the folder on his desk and then slid both of his hands into the pockets of his coat.

The smile on my lips slowly faded when I caught sight of his icy stare. It wasn't just the coldness in his eyes that struck me, but the unmistakable intensity of… hatred?

Am I just seeing things?

"What brought you back here after fleeing your family's crimes?"