Secretly Yours, Boss

Chapter 8

Huminto ang kotse ko sa harap ng isang ultra-sosyal na high-rise building dito sa BGC—at hindi basta-basta lang na high-rise ha, ito 'yung tipong may sariling aura of exclusivity na para bang may invisible velvet rope sa entrance. Dito nakatira si Liam.

The moment I stepped out, I couldn't help but take it all in—'yung grand façade ng building, 'yung shimmering glass walls na parang salamin sa mga skyscrapers ng New York, and the discreet yet obviously expensive lighting na parang kumukutitap lang to whisper: You don't belong here unless you're somebody.

I mean, I also live in a condo naman—pero hindi ganito ka-engrande. My place is nice, yes, but this? This feels like another level entirely. Parang the kind of place na kapag naglakad ka sa lobby, automatic tataas ang credit score mo.

Speaking of lobby—oh my gosh, the reception area! It's not just luxurious, it's five-star hotel in Monaco levels of grandeur. The marble floors glisten under soft golden lighting, 'yung chandelier parang art installation na may sariling storyline, and the scent? My God. It's that expensive hotel smell na hindi mo mabibili kahit ilang bote ng Jo Malone or Diptyque pa ang bilhin mo. If James Bond were to check in, I swear this is the set. Entrance pa lang, I already feel like I'm in a movie.

At siyempre, hindi rin basta-basta ang mga residents. The kind of people na kahit naka-jeans at white shirt lang, you just know na naka-landbank ang kayamanan nila. Me? I made sure I'm not papakabog. I'm wearing a crisp designer shirt, my Chanel Le Boy bag proudly hanging sa balikat, and heels that scream I belong here. Pero kahit na I'm serving a full "I'm expensive but approachable" look, deep inside I know—wala pa akong actual Birkin or Kelly bag. Meanwhile, the women here? They're carrying theirs like it's just some grocery tote. Birkin sa kaliwa, Kelly sa kanan—parang they're just deciding which one to use for picking up fresh flowers sa weekend market.

Liam, of course, walks in like he owns the entire building—which, honestly, baka nga may share siya dito. Everyone knows him. From the reception staff who greet him like royalty, to the valet who instantly takes my keys, to the Hermes-toting ladies who giggle softly when they see him. I can't help but ask myself—ano ba siya? President ng HOA? Or honorary mayor of this building?

And yet, despite all that status, he's warm to everyone. He gives polite nods and genuine smiles, the kind na mararamdaman mong sincere. Another side of Liam I don't usually see at work—because sa office, he's the definition of intimidating. But here? Even the janitor gets the same warm acknowledgment.

On our way in, inaya niya ako na umakyat muna sa condo niya for a drink—his "token of appreciation" daw for not thinking twice about picking him up from the airport. Of course, why would I say no? This is my chance to see more of him outside the work bubble.

I hesitated at first, trying to play it cool. But then, you can't really say no to Liam. He's one of those rare people who can make a simple invitation feel like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I even offered to carry his luggage since bag lang naman ang dala ko, but he gently refused—saying I've already done more than enough. Like, wow. Sobra naman siya ka-thankful. Boss pa rin naman siya in the end, but this? This is different.

Before I knew it, we were already standing in front of his condo door. He unlocked it, pushed it open—and my jaw might have actually dropped.

Para akong pumasok sa Architectural Digest spread. The space was massive, like a bachelor's penthouse straight out of a glossy magazine. High ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows framing the BGC skyline, and high-end furniture that you don't just buy—you commission. The palette is masculine perfection: clean whites, deep grays, and bold blacks. Everything about it whispers understated power. And yes, even his condo is as gwapo as he is.

"Have a seat," he says, his voice low but warm as we step fully inside. And just like that, I'm wondering how in the world I got here—in his world.

Pagkaupo ko agad sa couch — mabilis pero trying-hard pa rin na magmukhang graceful — si Liam naman ay naglakad papunta sa kitchen... I think? Hindi ko rin sure kung kitchen ba 'yun or parang mini bar area niya, kasi hello, sa ganitong klase ng condo, parang bawat sulok ay i********:-worthy.

And then, ayun na naman ako — hindi ko mapigilang i-analyze every single detail of his place. Like seriously, ang sosyal! Yung ambience, yung amoy ng expensive candles na parang nagkakahalaga ng kalahati ng rent ko, and the way the lighting hits the marble countertop? Ugh, parang Architectural Digest meets GQ Bachelor Pad edition.

Tapos biglang pumasok sa utak ko — ilang tao na kaya sa office ang naka-step foot dito? Like... si Shin, for example. Nakarating na kaya siya rito? Or am I... the very first one? Gusto ko tuloy magtanong sa kanya pero syempre, I stopped myself. Hindi ito interrogation moment, besh. Ang mahalaga, nandito ako ngayon. Period.

Then bumalik siya, holding two glasses. Oo nga, galing siya sa kitchen. One glass of freshly squeezed orange juice — yes, kita mo talaga na hindi ito yung boxed juice na nabibili sa grocery. He handed it to me, and of course, I gave him my sweetest "thank you" smile habang tinanggap ko 'yun. I took a small sip, trying so hard not to gulp it down kasi hello, refined tayo dito.

He sat right beside me. LIKE. RIGHT. BESIDE. And that's when my brain decided to go on airplane mode. Nilapag ko ang baso sa coffee table, then... silence.

And not the awkward kind of silence — but the kind na parang nasa slow-motion scene ng pelikula. Hindi ko alam kung anong uunahin: magsalita ba ako o mag-concentrate sa fact na nararamdaman ko yung init ng presence niya sa tabi ko?

Kasi naman, every single time na magkasama kami, parang ako 'yung bida sa romcom na medyo pabebe sa umpisa pero deep inside ready nang magpa-fall.

Then he broke the silence.

"Brix, thank you again. I know this is not part of your job, but still... you made a way for me," sabi niya in that calm, serious Liam voice.

I looked at him. And oh my gosh, he was already looking at me.

Our eyes locked — matagal. As in, tipong kaya na naming magkausap gamit lang ang tinginan. Until...

Before I could even process what was happening... I kissed him.

Like... ako ang nag-initiate.

And for about five long, cinematic seconds, my brain was just frozen. Then suddenly, reality hit me like a freight train — WHAT. THE. HELL. DID. I. JUST. DO.

Why did I kiss him? WHY ME? Ako talaga? Ako 'yung nag-take ng first move? Tangina, Brix!

I lost control. Yung cool, professional poker face ko? Gone. Disintegrated.

Dahil lang sa titig niya, nahulog ako. At sa paghulog ko, nakagawa ako ng isang bagay na hindi dapat ginagawa ng isang empleyado sa boss niya.

At ngayon, wala na 'tong bawian.

I pulled away slowly — as in parang isang eksena sa pelikula na may dramatic camera zoom out. My heart was racing so fast, I swear I could almost hear it.

Liam didn't move. He just... stared at me. That same steady, unreadable look — the kind na parang you can't tell kung galit ba siya, confused, o secretly pleased.

My brain, meanwhile, was having a full-on panic party.

"Uh... I—" I started to speak, pero naputol agad kasi biglang nag-smirk si Liam. Not a smile, not exactly, but that tiny lift in the corner of his lips that made him ten times more dangerously attractive.

"Brix," he said in this low, calm voice na parang may hidden weight. "Was that...?"

WHAT.

My soul left my body for a solid three seconds.

"Wha— No! Of course not!" I blurted out, shaking my head so fast I probably looked like a bobblehead on caffeine. "That was... I mean... I don't even know why I—"

"Because you wanted to," he interrupted softly.

I froze.

Because here's the thing — he was right. As much as I wanted to deny it, cover it up, make an excuse... I did want to. From the very first moment I met him, I wanted this.

But I couldn't say that. So instead, I laughed nervously — the kind of laugh na medyo pilit pero hoping it comes off as cute.

"Wow. You're so full of yourself, Boss," I said, crossing my arms para magmukha naman akong defensive. Pero deep inside, my entire system was just one big fire hazard.

He didn't answer. Instead, he leaned back, eyes still locked on me. That silence again — heavy, loaded, like the room was holding its breath.

Then, without warning, he leaned forward.

My eyes went wide.

Oh no. Oh yes. Oh crap.

And before I could overthink it, his lips were on mine.

This time, it wasn't my move. This time, it was him.

The kiss was... intense. As in, hindi lang basta smack or cute moment. It was the kind of kiss na parang pinaghandaan na ng universe, pero sabay kaming nagulat na nangyari siya ngayon. It felt like we've been unconsciously waiting for this — craving it, even — without admitting it to ourselves.

But of course, never in my wildest, overdramatic daydreams did I expect that he would be the one to kiss me back. Walang single clue, walang kahit isang pahiwatig na he'd actually want this too.

Sure, alam ko sa sarili ko na gusto ko siya. That much is undeniable. Pero I've been in denial sa thought na baka he feels the same. Kasi hello — what if nadadala lang siya sa emotions ng moment? What if pinagbigyan lang niya ako dahil magaling ako sa trabaho, and I've done things for him na technically way beyond my job description? My mind couldn't help but keep replaying the worst-case scenario reel.

Pero despite my brain being a full-time pessimist, our bodies seemed to have signed a separate contract — one that said: enjoy this moment.

And then, without breaking the kiss, bigla niya akong binuhat. As in effortlessly — parang scene sa slow-motion movie — papunta sa bedroom niya. My heart was pounding so loud I swear I could hear it over the sound of our breaths.

He gently laid me down sa ridiculously soft niyang kama — the kind of mattress na baka mas mahal pa sa sahod ko for a year. I could still feel his lips pressing against mine, warm, insistent, until I finally found my courage to reach for his buttons.

I started unbuttoning his crisp polo, slowly, like I was unwrapping some rare, expensive gift na kailangan dahan-dahanin. And he let me. Walang pigil, walang hesitation. Until, finally, I slid it off his shoulders.

And then I froze.

Because there it was — his body. Not in a corporate event photo, not in my imagination, but right in front of me, in full HD, personal viewing mode. Broad shoulders, perfectly toned arms, abs na parang kinulayan ng shading pencil ng Diyos mismo.

Grabe. Am I in heaven already? Kasi kung oo, please lang, huwag niyo na akong ibalik sa lupa.

My fingers slid across the planes of his torso, feeling the slight roughness of his skin, the warmth, the ridges of his muscles. And all the while, he just kept kissing me — deeper, slower, as if memorizing my lips.

Then it was his turn.

He began undressing me, his movements careful, almost reverent. Nahiya ako bigla, kasi wala naman akong assets na pwedeng ipagmayabang. So instinctively, I wrapped my arms around my chest, half-covering myself.

But he gently took my arms away, his eyes scanning my body with this look — a mix of admiration and something dangerously close to hunger. And then that smile — that damn smile — the kind na parang sinasabi, "You have no idea what you're doing to me."

Nakakaloko.

And before I could overthink it again, his lips were back on mine, pulling me into another dizzying kiss.

We were... completely bare. No pretenses, no barriers, no fabric between us — just skin on skin. And for the first time, I could see everything — every line, every contour, every part of him.

And my God... his asset. Let's just say, it deserved its own NDA. Mas malaki pa kaysa sa akin, and yes, I kind of expected it — he is a big guy after all — but still, seeing it up close? It was a different kind of... breathtaking.

He began kissing me, his lips traveling everywhere — and when I say everywhere, I mean walang skipped territory. Every inch of my skin was claimed, touched, worshipped. Mabuti na lang talaga, I smelled divine, my skin was soft and glowing — maputi rin naman, at of course, may ganda rin kahit na bakla ako. Let's be honest, I wouldn't even dare strip in front of someone like him kung hindi ko rin kayang i-back up with my skincare game. So yes, I stood my ground — confident, unapologetic.

But here's the thing — this wasn't like any other intimate moment I've had with guys I dated before. Wala itong halong pagmamadali, wala rin yung parang gutom na gutom na vibe. This... had finesse. Every movement was deliberate, soft, intentional. It felt less like lust, and more like... we were celebrating each other's existence.

And then, before I could even gather my thoughts, he was suddenly on his knees — lips pressing, kissing, exploring places that made my whole body tremble. And then... oh my God. He was there. Doing that.

I swear to all the saints, tinawag ko silang lahat sa isip ko. The way he moved, the way he tasted me — it was like he had a PhD in this. My fingers found his hair and I couldn't stop myself from holding on, tugging gently, lost in the sensation.

The night... was perfect. Too perfect. Something I never thought would actually happen. Wala ito sa Diary ko for him — hindi ko ito isinulat sa mga pangarap ko, kasi nga, hello, it was supposed to be just a crush. Just harmless admiration from afar.

Pero wala. Nandito na tayo. Nangyari na. And in that moment, I knew... I was completely, hopelessly, irreversibly gone for him.