The Problem with Enzo

Chapter 4 : An Invitation in Disguise

♀ Hers...

With the Manila skyline shrinking in her rearview mirror and the long stretch of highway unfurling ahead, Ana kept a steady hand on the wheel. She was driving south, away from the city’s restless lights, toward the quieter edges of Batangas she now called home. The hum of the engine was a low, steady companion as she finally let her shoulders loosen, releasing a tension she hadn’t realized she’d been carrying since stepping onto that rooftop. Out here, the air was different—cooler, tinged faintly with earth and distant grass. Not salty; their rented bungalow sat far from the sea. But it was quieter. Still. Familiar.

Batangas nights had their own kind of silence, one Ana had learned to live with. It wasn’t empty—it was the hum of crickets, the occasional bark of a neighbor’s dog, the creak of bamboo in the wind. The kind of quiet she filled with routines and a strength built from necessity.

By the time she reached home, it was just before 10 PM. The bungalow’s small windows spilled warm yellow light into the street, a gentle beacon against the night. Inside, laughter floated from the living room. Lia sat on the couch between Pao and Kaeli, their two housemates, the table in front of them cluttered with a popcorn bowl tipped on its side, a half-empty soda bottle, and a scatter of candy wrappers.

“Mama!” Lia’s voice was bright as she stood and closed the distance in quick steps, wrapping herself into Ana’s arms.

“You’re lucky,” Pao said, crossing his arms with mock sternness. “Another five minutes and we’d have reported Ashley to the authorities.”

“Overacting much?” Ana teased, ruffling her daughter’s hair.

“Oh, come on,” Kaeli chimed in with a grin. “We’ve been stalking your boss on i********:. Ashley posted a boomerang from the Veloura rooftop. You were in it—blurry, but there. You don’t just go to a five-star hotel for a dinner buffet ‘for business.’ Spill.”

Ana rolled her eyes, though a faint smile tugged at her lips. “It was just work. And I didn’t stay long.”

“You smelled like roast beef when you walked in,” Pao sniffed dramatically. “Business, my ass.”

Ana ignored the jab, slipping into the kitchen. The lingering aroma of their earlier dinner mixed with the faint scent of detergent from freshly washed dishes. She reheated a small bowl of leftover sinigang, its tamarind tang curling into the air, while Kaeli poured Lia a glass of warm milk.

They gathered at their modest dining table, its surface worn smooth from years of use. Lia sat with a quiet poise that always startled Ana—mature for her eleven years—speaking about her summer plans and the books she wanted to finish.

Ana nodded, smiling in the right places, asking questions. Yet her mind—traitorous and unruly—kept slipping away, drawn back to a rooftop in Manila.

Back to Enzo.

To his offer.

To those eyes that seemed to look through her, rather than at her.

And with it came that familiar sting of irritation—what exactly did he think of her? She pushed the memory away, almost forcefully. She had no business thinking about that man. No business replaying his words, wondering why his gaze had felt like recognition she hadn’t invited.

When Lia finally drifted off, curled into the couch cushions with the soft rise and fall of her breathing, Ana moved to the window. Outside, the street lay in calm stillness, the lamplight painting the pavement in gold. Above, the stars shone sharper here than in Manila, where the city glow smothered everything delicate.

Behind her, the quiet wasn’t so quiet. Pao and Kaeli lingered on the living room sofa, their voices low but brimming with the kind of curiosity only old friends could get away with.

“Okay, seriously—spill it,” Kaeli said, leaning forward with a grin that was equal parts mischief and conspiracy. Her long wig caught the dim light, and she flicked it back like a diva about to break scandalous news. “What’s Enzo like?”

Ana didn’t turn, keeping her eyes on the stars. “Tall. handsome. hmm.. Intense.” She let the words land, knowing they would bite onto them like fish to bait.

“Hot intense or creepy intense?” Kaeli pressed, her painted nails drumming against the armrest.

Pao snorted, his voice dropping into its usual low, masculine register—only to switch mid-sentence into that exaggerated, squeaky tone he used just with her and Kaeli. “Girl, you know there’s no such thing as just intense. It’s either ‘I’ll protect you from the world’ or ‘I’ll bury you in the backyard.’”

Ana chuckled. “Too soon to tell.”

“Ohhh, so you’re thinking about it,” Kaeli said, pointing at her like she’d just solved a crime.

“Thinking about what?” Ana arched a brow.

“About him. About the rooftop. About—” Kaeli’s voice took on a dramatic sigh—“the way he looked at you like you were the last piece of roast beef at the buffet.”

Pao clapped a hand over his mouth, his shoulders shaking. “Stop! You know she’s pretending she doesn’t like the attention.”

Ana crossed her arms, turning just enough to give them both a flat look. “Goodnight, you two.”

But Pao wasn’t done. “Mmm-hmm, sure. First it’s ‘goodnight,’ then next week it’s ‘Kaeli, help me pick a dress for my island getaway.’”

“Oh! Speaking of dresses—” Kaeli practically bounced. “Do you want me to lend you my emerald satin one? Trust me, it would kill on a Cebu beach. Just… you know… in case he invites you again.”

Ana shook her head, trying to hide her smile. “I’m going to bed before you two start planning my wedding.”

“That’s Chapter Twelve,” Pao called after her in his girliest voice.

Ana didn’t look back, but their laughter followed her down the hall like a warm blanket—reminding her why, even after all she’d been through, she had never let go of these two. They were the kind of friends who’d seen her at her lowest, in headsets and fluorescent lighting during their BPO days, surviving on bad coffee and worse customers. And now, in the quiet of her Batangas nights, they were still here—ready to tease, ready to laugh, and ready to call her out when she needed it most.

______๑♡⁠๑______Veloura Royale Hotel, Manila – The Next Day______๑♡⁠๑______

♂His...

Enzo was awake before the sun.

Outside his suite window, the city was caught between night and day—sky streaked in ash and pale lavender, the skyline wrapped in that fragile stillness that only existed before Manila’s full roar began. He hadn’t slept much. Couldn’t.

All night, his mind kept circling back—Ana’s composed expression, her quiet refusal, the unshakable calm in her voice when she said no.

He wasn’t impulsive. Not with people. Not with money. And certainly not with women. Yet somehow, last night, he’d blurted out an absurd offer—ten times her salary, no responsibilities, just… join us.

What the hell had he been thinking?

He dressed quickly and headed downstairs, hoping movement might shake off whatever she had cracked open inside him. The hotel was hushed at this hour, footsteps muffled against the plush carpet. The lounge carried the warm scent of fresh coffee and polished wood.

Ashley sat curled in an armchair, tablet in hand, coffee steaming on the side table. When she looked up, her smirk said she’d been waiting for him.

“Morning,” she said. “Didn’t think I’d see you this early.”

Enzo poured himself coffee, keeping his tone even. “Couldn’t sleep.”

Ashley’s brow arched. “Thinking about Ana?”

He didn’t answer directly—just leaned against the table, sipping.

“So?” she pressed. “What did she say?”

“She said no.”

Ashley gave a short laugh. “Of course she did. Ten times the pay? Enzo, what were you thinking?”

“I wasn’t thinking. Maybe I was drunk,” he said, the words more for himself than her.

“Mmm. Clearly. You’re not as smooth as you think, cousin.”

He shot her a flat look. “Where is she?”

“She left last night. Said she had things to take care of. Home stuff.”

His frown deepened. “She left? Drove back?”

Ashley nodded. “She’s from the province—south. Around a three-hour drive from here.”

“You asked her to drive all that way just for this?”

“She offered. Said it was easier since she works remotely most of the time. She’s flexible, you know that.”

He nodded slowly. “Right. Her daughter’s waiting at home.”

“Lia,” Ashley said with a softer smile. “Yeah, she mentioned her. Pretty and smart, from the few stories I’ve heard.”

Enzo swirled the coffee in his cup, gazing distant. He pictured a sharp, observant little girl waiting on a dimly lit couch, wrapped in a blanket, glancing at the clock while her mother navigated dark provincial roads.

“Where’s the father?” he asked quietly. He tried his best to sound like not interested.

Ashley lifted one brow. “I don’t know the details. I just know she’s raising Lia alone. And as far as I can tell… Ana’s single and not willing to mingle.”

That shouldn’t have mattered. It wasn’t his business. But it did. The idea of someone else in her life, in her space, touching parts of her she hadn’t offered him—it bothered him more than he wanted to admit.

He stood, brushing the thought away. “I’m going to take a walk. Inspect the place while I’m here.”

Ashley’s smirk returned. “You mean haunt the last spot she stood?”

He didn’t dignify that with an answer.

Wandering through the still corridors, Enzo tried to pull himself back into business mode. The hotel was running well—staff polished, details crisp. Still, his steps carried him to the suite where Ana had worked with Ashley the day before. The door was ajar. Inside, the air held a faint mix of lavender and coffee.

On the side table, a small brown box sat half-open—gold lettering gleaming faintly in the light. Kapeng Barako. Ana’s gift to Ashley. Left behind as if someone had admired it but forgotten to put it away. He picked it up, thumb brushing the edge of the box. Lifting it to his face, he inhaled. The aroma was immediate—bold, bitter, earthy… unapologetically strong.

A slow smile tugged at his mouth. “Strong and a little stubborn,” he murmured.

Then, almost to himself, “Just like her.”

Two Days Later — Morning

♀ Hers...

After sending Lia off to school, Ana set up her laptop on the dining table. The house was quiet except for the ticking wall clock and the faint hum of the ceiling fan.

Right on time, Ashley’s face filled the video call window—hair damp, cheeks still flushed from the sun, the faint shimmer of seawater clinging to her skin.

“You look like you’ve been surfing all morning,” Ana teased.

Ashley grinned. “We tried. But I wiped out like five times. Enzo’s better than he looks.”

The name landed on Ana’s chest like a pebble in her shoe—small, but distracting.

They worked through documents and emails, but Ana’s focus faltered more than once. Her gaze kept straying to the background: a swath of white sand, the sprawl of a sunlit villa, and Enzo walking past in a white shirt, sunglasses hooked at his collar, a towel draped loosely over his shoulder. He didn’t glance toward the camera.

Ashley caught the flicker in her expression. “Still thinking about his absurd offer?”

Ana’s lips pressed into a faint smile. “No. Just processing everything.”

Ashley’s tone softened. “He doesn’t normally do that kind of thing, you know.”

“Doesn’t matter. I said no.”

“Fair.”

They continued—contracts, schedules, invoices—but Ashley, being Ashley, had never mastered the art of leaving things alone.

“We’re be here in Siargao for a week, then Cebu,” she said casually, like she was only half paying attention, "...I might need some help there. Unless you’re too busy.”

Ana raised an eyebrow. “Help?”

“We don’t have a local driver. And no one here has a valid license. I booked a van, but I don’t like the idea of trusting a complete stranger with us—or with our schedule. I know you’re amazing behind the wheel.”

Ana frowned. “You want me to fly to Cebu to drive you around?”

“Well… partly.” Ashley’s smile deepened. “But also, you could do your VA work from there. Good Wi-Fi, quiet spot, ocean view instead of staring at your dining room wall. And I got an extra room with two beds. You could bring Lia—she’d have the time of her life.”

Ana hesitated. “Ashley…”

“I’m serious,” Ashley pressed, her voice warm but insistent. “I know you don’t take these kinds of trips, but you should. Let her see the world a little. Not just pictures in a book. Let her feel the sand under her feet, hear the waves. You’ve been doing everything for her—working, holding it all together—but sometimes she needs to see you smile for no reason, too.”

Ana looked away, her throat tightening.

Ashley lowered her tone. “Just think about it. No pressure. But… it could be good for both of you.”