The Heart That Belongs To Both (SSPG)

CHAPTER 9: CONFESSION

MHIARA CASTANIEDA’S POV

“Please… not again…” bulong ko sa sarili.

Hindi na ako naghintay na tuluyan nila akong malapitan. Dali-dali akong tumayo, kinuha ang bag ko at nagsimulang humakbang papalayo sa lamesa.

“Where are you---” Ylina reacted

“Leaving,” I cut her off, my voice low but final.

Before she could say anything else, I turned.

And walked away.

Ngunit habang naglalakad ako ay ramdam ko ang mga mata nilang nakasunod sa akin.

Tracking every step I took as I walked past tables, past people, straight toward the exit.

My jaw tightened.

Why are they even here?

Coincidence?

"I don’t believe in those."

The glass doors pushed open, and the cool night air hit my face the moment I stepped outside.

I exhaled.

Finally.

I kept walking.

Down the pavement.

Away from the restaurant.

Away from them.

At least...that was the plan.

“Ms. Castanieda.”

I stopped.

D∆mn it.

I closed my eyes briefly before turning around.

And there they were.

Both of them.

Standing a few steps behind me.

And what made it worse?

They weren’t even looking at me.

They were looking at each other.

“Stop following her,” Caelum said, his voice low but sharp.

Lucien let out a quiet, amused breath.

“You’re the one who showed up uninvited,” he replied smoothly. “If anything, you should leave.”

Caelum’s jaw tightened.

“Don’t push it.”

Lucien tilted his head slightly, unfazed.

“Or what?”

Silence.

Heavy.

Dangerous.

My patience snapped.

“Enough..." pag-awat ko sa kanilang dalawa.

My voice cut cleanly through them.

Both of them went quiet.

And finally, they looked at me. Almost at the same time.

I crossed my arms slowly, my gaze cold, unimpressed.

“Are the two of you done?” I asked, my tone laced with irritation.

Neither of them answered immediately.

I stepped closer.

Heels clicking sharply against the pavement.

“First, you show up uninvited,” I continued. “Then you leave flowers. At ngayon ay nandito na naman kayong dalawa?!!"

My eyes narrowed slightly.

“Tapos nag-away kayo eh pareho lang naman kayong walang ginawang maganda!" dagdag ko at tahimik pa rin sila.

I let out a quiet, humorless laugh.

“Let me make this clear.”

I looked at Lucien.

Then at Caelum.

“I don’t like being chased.”

A pause.

“And I definitely don’t like being involved in whatever this---” I gestured between them.

Caelum spoke first this time.

“It’s not what you think—”

“I don’t care what it is,” I cut him off immediately. "Basta ayaw ko na sinusundan ako. Kasi napaka-creepy ng ginagawa niyong dalawa!"

Lucien’s gaze sharpened slightly.

Observing.

Calculating.

Always calculating.

“I have work,” I continued, my voice steady. “I have responsibilities.”

My eyes hardened.

“I don’t have time for two men who can’t even act professionally in public.”

That hit.

I saw it.

Even if neither of them reacted outwardly

I stepped back.

Creating distance again.

“If you have something to say,” I added, calmer now.. but colder, “then say it properly.”

A beat.

“Set a meeting. Through my office. Doon tayo mag-uusap, kanya-kanyang appointment. Hindi 'yung basta na lang kayong susulpot sa lugar kung nasaan ako at sinusundan niyo ako."

My chin lifted slightly.

“Stop wasting my time.”

And just like that...I turned my back on them.

I took one step.

Then another.

Heels steady against the pavement.

Controlled.

Unbothered.

“I want to court you!!”

I stopped.

My eyes closed slowly.

No.

Not again.

But before I could even turn, another voice followed.

“I want to court you too.”

My fingers curled slightly at my side.

Silence stretched for half a second, then I let out a quiet breath.

I turned, and my gaze landed at them again.

They were still standing there like they just declared something… normal.

Like what they said wasn’t completely absurd.

Like they weren’t standing side by side... wanting the same woman. At the same time.

My brow lifted slightly.

Then, I laughed.

"Seryoso ba kayo? hindi naman siguro kayo ad!k ano?" tanong ko, palipat-lipat ng tingin sa kanilang dalawa.

No one answered immediately.

“Let me get this straight,” I continued, my voice calm but cutting.

“You followed me out here… argued like children… and now.. you're buth telling me that you wanted to court me?" pagka-klaro ko.

I gestured between them again.

Lucien stepped forward first.

Just one step.

But deliberate.

“Yes.”

Simple.

Confident.

Certain.

Caelum didn’t move.

But his gaze didn’t waver.

“Same intention.”

My lips pressed into a thin line.

Unbelievable.

I studied them for a moment.

Really looked this time.

My chest rose slowly as I inhaled.

Then I exhaled.

“Do you even hear yourselves?” I asked quietly.

Neither of them backed down.

Of course they didn’t.

I nodded once.

As if confirming something to myself.

Then I spoke.

“Alright.”

That caught their attention.

Both of them straightened just slightly.

I stepped closer again.

“You want to court me?” I said, my voice was smooth again. “Then follow my rules.”

A beat.

Then I shook my head.

“Actually... no," mabilis kong pambawi sa nauna kong sagot.

Their expressions didn’t change.

But I felt the slight shift in the air.

“I don’t have any interest in being in a relationship,” I continued, colder now. “Not now. Not ever.”

My gaze moved between them.

“And for the record…” I added, my tone turning sharper, “ni minsan, hindi pumasok sa isip ko na magpapaligaw ako, lalo na sa dalawang lalaki nang sabay.”

“Then reject one,” mabilis na agad ni Lucien. “And let the other court you.”

My brows slowly furrowed.

Excuse me?

Before I could even respond, Caelum’s voice cut in.

“You should be the one to back off, Montoya.” Asik niya.

There it is again.

Lucien turned his head slowly. Facing Caelum.

And for the first time, I saw it clearly.

That crack in his composure. That sharp edge beneath all that calm.

His eyes darkened.

“Say that again,” Lucien said quietly.

Too quietly.

The kind of quiet that comes before something breaks.

Caelum didn’t flinch.

Didn’t look away.

"Kung may dapat man siyang i-reject sa ating dalawa...walang iba kundi ikaw," hamon niya kay Lucien. “And I’m not repeating myself.”

The air between them shifted, from tension to something far worse.

Explosive.

Lucien took a step forward.bLike he was holding something back... barely.

“You don’t get to decide that,” Lucien replied, his tone now stripped of amusement. “Not for me.”

Caelum stepped forward too.

Closing the distance.

“And you don’t get to dictate anything here.”

I stepped forward.

Right between them.

Forcing space.

“For two men who claim they want to court me…” I said slowly, dangerously calm, “you both seem to be doing a terrible job at it.”

That made them pause.

Finally, their attention snapped back to me again.

“If this is how you act,” I continued, my gaze cutting from one to the other, “then let me save you both the trouble.”

“I’m rejecting both of you," pahabol ko.

“Because I don’t entertain men who turn everything into a competition,” dagdag ko, malamig ang boses. “Especially when I never asked to be part of it.”

My eyes hardened.

"Kaya itigil niyo na ang kahibangan niyong ito. Sinabi ko nang ayaw kong makipag-relasyon. Wala akong oras para sa mga lalaki lalo na sa mga kagaya niyo--"

"What's wrong with us, Mhiara?" putol sa akin ni Caelum. "It took me so long to have the courage to approach you. And now that I'm here, I wouldn't let it slide away."

Napalunok ako.

Masyado akong nagulat sa paraan ng pagkakasabi niya ng salitang iyon.

"Do you want me to change? then I will. If that's what you wanted," dagdag niya, unti-unti ay naramdaman ko ang init ng palad niya sa aking pisnge.

"Tell us what you want, Mi Lady..." Lucien said.

Their words made me stunned. Mas matangkad silang dalawa sa akin, pakiramdam ko ay para akong pinapalibutan ng matatayog na pader habang nakatayo ako sa gitna nilang dalawa.

TO BE CONTINUED....