Collision of Hearts

Chapter 7

Kinabukasan, tahimik ang buong villa matapos ang ambush.

Pero ang loob ko? Magulo. Basag.

Nakatayo ako sa veranda, suot ko ang isa sa mga oversized shirt ni Damon, balat ko'y nanlalamig sa dampi ng madaling araw. Nakapatong ang siko ko sa marble railing, hawak-hawak ang tablet na kanina pa umiilaw sa screen. Naka-pause ang lumang video logs. Naka-freeze ang mukha ng kapatid kong si Elian.

Ang dating matalik kong kakampi...

Ngayon, isang tanong na hindi ko masagot.

“Siya nga ba talaga?”

Pilit kong sinasabi sa sarili ko na hindi. Na imposibleng gawin ni Elian ‘yon. Pero sa dami ng senyales, sa dami ng palatandaan... para bang unti-unting sumisikip ang espasyo sa pagitan namin. At ang distansya, hindi na lang pisikal—emotional na. Malalim. At mapanganib.

Naalala ko noong bata pa kami.

Si Elian, laging nakasiksik sa gilid ng kama ko tuwing may kidlat. Ako ang unang nagturo sa kanya kung paano humarap sa board. Ako ang nagbayad ng tuition niya sa Harvard nang hindi niya alam.

At ngayon?

Siya ang posibleng dahilan kung bakit muntik akong mamatay.

Napalunok ako.

May pait sa lalamunan ko na hindi kayang alisin ng kahit anong alak o sigarilyo.

Muling bumukas ang email na kanina ko pa binabalikan.

From: Elian Monteverde

To: unknown@secureproxy.io

Subject: She flies over site Bravo next week.

Ang salitang “She.”

Masakit. Mapait. Parang suntok sa sikmura.

Ako ‘yun. Malinaw. Hindi na puwedeng itanggi.

Ramdam ko ang pagkabog ng puso ko habang sinasabi ko sa sarili kong baka... baka may ibang paliwanag. Baka hindi siya. Baka may nangyaring hindi niya ginusto.

Pero bakit?

Bakit sa lahat ng tao, siya ang nagbigay ng routing plan?

Bakit siya ang may access sa pilot manifest?

Bakit siya ang unang-unang nag-suggest na gumamit ako ng private route above “Site Bravo?”

Pinaglalaban ng utak ko ang dalawang bagay:

Pagmamahal… at katotohanan.

I trusted him.

With my life.

With the company.

With everything.

And now?

I don’t even know if I can trust his name.

Napapikit ako. Pinilit kong pigilin ang luha. Pero lumabas pa rin. Isa. Dalawa.

Tumulo sa pisngi ko, malamig sa balat, pero mas mainit sa loob.

Ang dami kong gustong itanong pero iisa lang ang paulit-ulit sa utak ko:

“Bakit mo ‘ko pinili?”

Bakit ako, Elian?

Tumayo ako nang diretso, lumingon pabalik sa loob ng kwarto.

Sa dulo ng hallway, may ilaw sa ilalim ng pintuan ng surveillance room. Doon pa rin si Damon. Malamang naka-headset. Nagtatrabaho. Nagsusuri. Naghahanap ng katotohanan habang ako… habang ako’y nakatayo lang dito, basang-basa ng luha at takot.

Bakit ba mas madali pang ipaglaban si Damon, kaysa sa kapatid kong minahal ko buong buhay ko?

Maybe because… deep inside,

I already know the answer.

But I’m not ready to say it out loud.

Not yet.

And maybe…

Maybe I’m afraid that once I do,

I’ll never be the same again.

Naligo na lang ako para kahit papaano guminhawa ang pakiramdam ko. After that dumeretso ako sa kitchen para magtimpla ng kape. May mga pagkaing nakatakip sa dining room, pagbukas ko agahan pala.

Umupo ako, I was wondering kong kumain na ba si Damon. Maybe kumain na yun. 10am na ng umaga. Kaya nilantakan ko na ang mga pagkain na nakahain. Gutom ako, halos magdamag ba naman kaming nagbakbakan sa kama ni Damon.

After kong kumain , hinugasan ko na ang mga pinagkainan ko at hinanap si Damon.

And there nakita ko sya nakabukas ang pinto ng surveillance room.

Wala akong ingay na ginawa nang lumapit ako — ayokong ipakita kay Damon na nanghihina ako.

Pero alam niyang andiyan ako. Hindi man siya lumingon, narinig ko ang boses niya, mababa, tahimik… pero diretso.

“I was wondering when you'd come in.”

Nasa harap siya ng tatlong malalaking monitor, ilaw lang sa mga screen ang nagpapakita ng hugis ng katawan niya. Suot pa rin niya ang tactical gear, pero wala na ang bigat ng labanan sa postura niya. Ang bigat, nasa mga mata na.

“Nandito ka pala,” sagot ko. “Obvious naman.”

He tilted his head, then tapped a few keys.

“May gusto akong ipakita sa ‘yo,” sabi niya, walang pasakalye. “But you’re not going to like it.”

Lumapit ako. Hindi na ako umupo. Tumayo lang sa tabi niya, kamay ay nakapatong sa likod ng upuan. I could feel the tension coming off him like steam.

Then he opened a file.

Encrypted. High-level. Malinaw pa sa hard drive ko: CLASSIFIED – SIGMA OPS ACCESS ONLY.

I should’ve questioned why he even had access to something like this.

Pero mas matimbang ang kaba.

One click, and the screen filled with scanned documents. Emails. Bank transfers. Intercepted calls. Photos.

And at the center of them all…

Senator Leandro Gallardo.

At sa tabi niya?

Elian Monteverde.

“What… what the hell is this?” tanong ko, nanlalambot ang tuhod.

“Monteverde Holdings has been under quiet investigation for over a year,” Damon said. “Particularly your brother’s movements. He’s been in contact with Gallardo through shell companies, offshore accounts… and black routes.”

Hindi ako agad nakapagsalita. Ang mga mata ko, nakatitig sa isang blurry photo—sina Elian at Gallardo na magkasama sa isang private hangar. Nakasuot ng civilian clothes si Elian. May hawak siyang folder. Confidential-looking.

“This was taken two months before your plane went down,” Damon added. “Gallardo’s involved in arms trade. Espionage. Surveillance black-market.”

“No,” sabi ko, mahina. “No, Elian wouldn’t—”

“Wouldn’t what?” putol niya, tinig niya’y malamig. “Sell your coordinates? Provide intel on your flight path? Get paid through a Cayman account that links directly to a proxy firm he controls?”

“Hindi totoo ‘to,” bulong ko. “This can’t be real.”

He looked at me, finally turning in his chair.

“It’s very real, Skyra. And you know it. You just don’t want to admit it.”

Humakbang ako palayo. Pakiramdam ko'y nahulog ako sa kailaliman. Umiikot ang paligid ko — hindi dahil sa pagod, kundi dahil sa bigat ng katotohanan.

“Why didn’t you show this to me earlier?” singhal ko. “Why now?”

“Because you weren’t ready,” sagot niya, calm as ever. “You still wanted to protect him.”

“I still do,” pabulong kong sagot, halos hindi ko na rin alam kung bakit. “He’s my brother, Damon…”

“And that’s why it hurts.”

He stood and walked toward me — slow, steady, predatory in the way he moved. Hindi galit ang mukha niya. Pero punô ng awa. At galit na nakatago sa ilalim.

“Skyra,” he said gently, “I’ve seen people betray their own blood for less than what you have. Power makes people monsters. But family? That makes them unpredictable.”

Tiningnan ko siya, struggling to keep my voice steady.

“If this is true… if Elian really did this… then everything I built, everything I fought for — it was all a lie.”

“No,” sabi ni Damon, and he placed a hand over my heart. “You were the truth. But he? He just used your truth to hide his.”

My breath caught.

His words sliced me open — not with cruelty, but with precision.

“I don’t know what to believe anymore,” bulong ko.

“Then believe this,” Damon said, stepping closer. “You’re not alone in this war. Not anymore.”

And for the first time since the crash...

I felt something shift.

Not peace.

Not hope.

But surrender — to the idea that maybe, just maybe, I had to stop saving Elian…

…before he destroyed what little was left of me.

Hindi ako makagalaw.

Nakaharap pa rin ako sa mga dokumentong ipinakita ni Damon.

Each file felt like a dagger sa dibdib ko.

Ang bawat ebidensya — pirma, timestamp, larawan — parang kulungan na unti-unting sinasara sa paligid ko.

Pero kahit anong sabihin ni Damon, kahit anong ipakita niya…

Hindi puwedeng si Elian iyon.

“He’s my blood. Hindi siya ang gumawa nito. Hindi siya.”

“Skyra…” Damon’s voice was behind me, low and steady. “Don’t lie to yourself just to keep breathing.”

Umiling ako.

“I need… I need to see something.” Dali dali akong lumabas at pumasok sa kwarto.

Skyra secretly connects the tablet to Damon’s uplink router, trying to access her private vault to find proof of Elian’s innocence.

Napansin ko ang liwanag mula sa uplink antenna sa sulok ng control panel — saglit na sumindi. Ibig sabihin, may signal.

Gone in five minutes tops. That’s all I need. Then I rerouted to my secure drive — the hidden one. Hindi naka-save locally sa device. Cloud-synced sa isang offshore server sa Switzerland.

Only accessible through:

- biometric scan,

- encrypted network route,

- and a voice command.

“Monteverde Vault Access. Authorization: Skyra Athena Monteverde. Protocol Red Dawn.”

Nag-blink ang screen.

**SECURE CHANNEL FOUND.**

**Uplink unstable — limited window. Proceed?**

“Yes.”

**Authenticating…**

Nagbukas ang vault. Pag-scroll ko, nakita ko agad ang folder na hinahanap ko — *ELIAN/2025 STRATEGIC HOLDINGS.*

I opened it.

Or tried to.

**ERROR. FILE NOT FOUND.**

Napakunot noo ako. Nag-backtrack ako sa log.

**ACCESS ATTEMPTED: 3 DAYS AGO**

**INTRUSION PATTERN: MATCHED TO CREDENTIAL ID — MONTEVERDE CTO (ELIAN MONTEVERDE)**

My hand froze over the screen.

No…

Sinubukan kong i-restore ang logs. Ang mga attempt. Ang mga tampered codes. Lahat ay naglalabas ng isang pangalan — *Elian*. Pero hindi pa ‘yon ang pinakamasakit.

Sa Activity Log sa baba ng screen:

**EXFILTRATION SUCCESSFUL**

**USER ID: EM-1025**

**LOCATION: SINGAPORE NODE / SENATE LINK NETWORK**

“f**k…”

I couldn’t breathe.

Hindi lang niya sinubukang buksan. **Na-access niya.**

**Na-download niya.**

And the only reason I knew that server existed… was because I trusted him to help me build it.

“Elian…” I whispered.

My brother.

The only family I had left.

He didn’t just know where to find my secrets.

He used them.

Against me.

Tumulo ang luha ko bago ko pa man maramdaman. Hindi ko alam kung pawis ba o luha ang nasa pisngi ko, pero lahat ng parte ng katawan ko—nanginginig.

I tried to stand.

Tried to breathe.

Pero parang lumiliit ang mundo. Parang umiikot ang paligid. I held onto the edge of the control table, pero dumulas ang palad ko. Nabitawan ko ang tablet. Tumama ito sa sahig, nag-slide palayo.

Hindi ko na ‘yon nakuha.

I slumped down to my knees. Doon mismo sa tiles ng villa ni Damon. Pawisan, basang-basa sa takot. At sa katotohanang ayaw ko pa ring aminin kahit sinisigaw na ng lahat.

Si Elian.

Kapatid ko.

Ang lalaking inuna ko sa lahat.

“Skyra—?”

Boses ni Damon.

Mababa. Matalim. Agad niyang nakita ang tablet sa sahig at tinungo ako.

Hindi ko siya tiningnan.

Pero naramdaman ko ang bigat ng hakbang niya. The way his shadow blanketed mine. And then—his hands were on my shoulders. His warmth pressed against my trembling body.

“Hey,” bulong niya. “What did you see?”

Napailing ako. Umiling ng paulit-ulit. “No… no, please don’t ask me that.”

“Look at me.”

He gripped my jaw gently and lifted my chin.

Nakita niya ang mga mata kong basang-basa.

“You know it now,” he said, firm. “You finally know.”

“Stop—” hinawi ko ang kamay niya, pero mahina. Wala akong lakas. “Hindi pa ‘to proof. Hindi pa sure…”

Damon’s eyes darkened. “He hacked your vault.”

“You don’t know that—”

“I saw it on your screen, Skyra. The log was clear. Singapore node. Senate-linked proxy. That’s not coincidence.”

I clenched my fists. “It could’ve been spoofed. Puwedeng inside job. Puwedeng hindi siya…”

“He used your CTO ID.”

I froze.

Napakagat ako sa labi. My voice broke. “That ID—only I and Elian had the master key.”

Damon kneeled in front of me.

“I told you,” he whispered, voice deadly calm. “This war didn’t start on that island. It started the moment you handed your loyalty to someone who didn’t deserve it.”

Bumalik ang init sa dibdib ko—pero hindi pagnanasa.

Galit. Guilt. Shame.

I shook my head. “I loved him. I gave him everything. I believed in him—”

“And that’s what he used against you.”

Pikit ako. Ayokong umiyak pero hindi ko na kayang pigilan. My whole chest cracked open like a ribcage splitting.

“Why would he do this?” I whispered. “Bakit… ako?”

Damon didn’t answer right away. He stood up slowly and pulled me to my feet. His arms wrapped around me, firm, unshakable.

“I don’t know, Skyra,” he said. “But we’re going to find out.”

His hand stroked the back of my head, gently.

“You need to stop protecting the memory of a man who already decided to destroy you.”

Mas mahigpit akong napayakap sa kanya. My fingers dug into his shirt. I was shattering. And for the first time… I let him hold me while I did.

“He was my family…”

Damon’s breath ghosted across my ear.

“Then it’s time to build a new one.”

Tahimik.

Walang tunog kundi ang ulan na biglang bumagsak sa labas.

At ang t***k ng puso naming dalawa — sabay, mabigat, hindi na magkaiba.

Hindi ko alam kung paano kami umakyat ng rooftop.

Parang wala akong ulirat, pero naroon na kami — sa pinakataas ng villa, kung saan tanaw ang buong kagubatan at ang dagat sa malayo, ang mga ulap ay tila mabigat at ang hangin ay malamig na may dalang babala.

Ang ulan ay ambon lang nung una.

Pero ang bigat ng langit — parang kasing bigat ng dibdib ko.

Tahimik si Damon habang nasa tabi ko. Pareho kaming nakatingin sa kawalan, pero alam kong hindi pareho ang tanong sa isip namin.

Ako? Nais kong malaman kung paano naging ganito si Elian.

Si Damon? Alam kong hinihintay niya akong sumabog.

I finally spoke.

“Do you think… it was always this way?” tanong ko, halos bulong. “Na matagal na niya akong niloloko?”

“You already know the answer,” sagot ni Damon. Hindi malamig. Hindi rin galit. Pero totoo.

“You don’t understand…” Lumingon ako sa kanya. “Siya lang ang meron ako. Since Mama and Papa died, it’s always been us.”

Damon faced me. The wind whipped his hair back, at may namuo sa mga mata niya na hindi ko inaasahan.

Empathy.

“Skyra… I do understand,” he said, mababa ang tinig. “I had a brother, too.”

Napatingin ako.

“He died protecting a lie,” dagdag niya. “A lie that I believed in. Just like you believed in Elian.”

“Damon…”

“You’re not the only one who’s been betrayed by blood.”

Tumigil ang hangin. Sandali lang. Parang pati ang mundo ay nakikiramay.

And I finally let it out.

“Then why does it still feel like I’m the one who failed?”

Napasinghap ako, at bago pa man bumagsak ang luha ko, lumapit na siya.

His hand cupped my jaw. Thumb brushing away the tear.

“You didn’t fail. He did.”

“But I gave him everything.”

“Then he lost everything. Because he lost you.”

I looked up at him. And for the first time, I saw something in Damon’s eyes that scared me more than his guns, his control, his dominance.

Devotion.

Hindi ko napansin na umiiyak na ako. I tried to turn away — pero hinawakan niya ang braso ko. Pinihit pabalik.

“You don’t have to hide anymore.”

I shook my head, tears spilling freely now. “You don’t get it. You keep saying I’m strong. But I’m not. I feel like I’m falling apart. And the worst part?”

Napatingin ako sa mga mata niya.

“You’re the only one I want to fall apart with.”

Damon stared at me.

Then stepped forward.

His hands slid to my waist.

At walang pasabi — hinalikan niya ako.

Marahan sa simula.

Pero lumalim. Tumalim.

Parang may humahabol.

His lips moved over mine like he was memorizing every broken breath. Every silent confession. Every tear that never got the chance to fall.

I kissed him back — with everything. With pain. With fear. With longing.

My arms wrapped around his neck. His hands curled around my waist. Hinila niya ako palapit, hanggang sa wala na kaming espasyo.

“I’ve got you,” bulong niya sa labi ko. “You’re safe now. You’re mine.”

At sa gitna ng ulan, ng dilim, ng lahat ng damdaming hindi ko na kayang pigilan — I let him hold me.

I let him feel everything I couldn’t say.

I let him kiss the pieces of me that Elian broke.

And I didn’t run.

I rested my forehead against Damon’s.

Hinahabol pa rin ang hininga. Basang-basa kami sa ulan, pero wala akong pake. Sa gitna ng dilim at unos, para kaming naglalakad sa gilid ng bangin — isang maling hakbang, at pareho kaming mahuhulog.

He touched my face — both hands now, cupping it gently.

“I’ll protect you,” he whispered. “No matter what happens. No matter who tries to hurt you again.”

My chest tightened. The words should’ve felt like comfort.

But they came with weight.

“But I need everything,” dagdag niya. “Your past. The secrets. The ones you’ve buried — even from yourself.”

Napapikit ako. “Damon…”

“You want me to stand between you and this war?” His eyes burned into mine. “Then I need to know what’s in the line of fire.”

“I already told you—”

“No more lies.” Mas mariin ang tinig niya ngayon. Not loud. But immovable. “You want me to protect you? Then give me the whole f*****g picture.”

Hinugot ko ang sarili ko sa yakap niya. Umatras ng bahagya.

I looked away.

Not because I didn’t want to tell him.

But because I didn’t know if I could.

“I built walls for a reason,” bulong ko. “There are things… people… I’ve locked away so deep, even I forget they exist.”

“Then start remembering,” he said, stepping forward again. “Because if we’re going to win this, I need to know every player on the board. Every dirty move. Every shadow. Including yours.”

Bumalik ang tingin ko sa kanya.

“You’re asking for everything.”

“I’m not asking,” Damon growled. “I’m demanding it.”

I swallowed hard.

This man — this dangerous, damaged, relentless man — was offering me more than protection.

He was offering me partnership.

But only if I surrendered my truth.

My ghosts.

My shame.

My sins.

And in that moment, I realized something terrifying.

I wanted to.

“I’ll give you what I can,” I whispered. “But don’t expect it all at once.”

Damon reached up — thumb tracing my lower lip, gently. “Then start with this.”

I blinked.

“Who else knows about the vault?”

My stomach dropped.

I took a step back.

Damon didn’t chase me.

He just waited.

And I knew — this was the beginning of something bigger than both of us.

Basang-basa pa kami ni Damon nang bumalik kami sa loob ng villa.

Tahimik.

Tanging tunog ng ulan sa bubong, at pagpatak ng tubig mula sa mga katawan namin. Nakasara ang sliding doors, ngunit ang init sa pagitan namin—mas malagkit pa sa kahit anong ulan.

His shirt clung to his chest. His jaw clenched. His eyes, dark and hungry.

“You didn’t answer me,” he said, boses niya’y mababa, bahagyang paos. “Who else knows about the vault?”

Hindi ako sumagot. Sa halip, nilapitan ko siya, dahan-dahan, habang unti-unting nilalabas ang galit, takot, at pagod mula sa katawan ko.

Dumampi ang mga daliri ko sa dibdib niya—wet and firm. I looked up into his eyes.

“I don’t want to think,” bulong ko. “Not tonight.”

Damon didn’t speak.

He didn’t need to.

Hinawakan niya ang batok ko—bigla, marahas, gutom—at hinila ang labi ko sa kanya.

Our mouths crashed. Basang-basa. Mainit ang laway. Halos magkapalit ang hininga namin.

He shoved me backward hanggang sa bumangga ako sa wall. My back arched. My shirt clung to my body, n*****s hard beneath the thin fabric.

“I don’t want to think either,” he growled against my mouth. “I just want to feel.”

Dumausdos ang kamay niya sa hita ko, hinila ang shirt ko pataas, at saka inalis iyon nang buong diin.

Wala akong bra.

And the way he looked at my breasts—parang gusto niyang kainin ako ng buo.

“f**k…” bulong niya.

He bent down and took one n****e into his mouth—wet, hot, savage. I moaned loudly, hands threading into his damp hair.

Sinipsip niya ng mariin habang pinipisil ang kabilang s**o. Dinidilaan niya ang paligid, sinusundan ng mga halik na pababa.

Then he dropped to his knees.

Hinila niya ang shorts ko at panty nang sabay. Bumabaon ang kuko niya sa balat ko habang hinihila iyon pababa.

“You’re shaking,” he murmured.

“I’m not scared,” sagot ko, nanginginig.

“No. You’re starving.”

And then—his mouth found me.

Sinibasib niya ang kaselanan ko habang nakatayo ako, ang likod ko nakasandal sa wall, hita ko’y bahagyang nakaangat sa balikat niya.

Mainit ang dila niya. Malikot. Parang hayok. Paikot-ikot sa clit ko, habang dalawang daliri ang unti-unting pumasok sa loob ko.

“D-Damon…” napakapit ako sa buhok niya, balakang ko kusa nang gumigiling sa bibig niya.

“Louder,” utos niya. “I want to hear how much you need this.”

“f**k… yes! Don’t stop—please…”

PLOK. PLOK. PLOK.

Ramdam ko ang rhythm ng pagfinger niya—matulis, mabilis, punong-puno. He flicked his tongue across my clit at the exact moment na pinasok niya ang pangatlong daliri.

“Ayan na… Damon… s**t—”

My body shook.

I came hard—against his mouth, on his fingers, sa mismong dingding ng villa.

He stood up fast, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, then kissed me again—savoring my taste on his tongue.

“Bed. Now,” utos niya.

Hindi ko na kinontra. Hinila ko siya papunta sa master bedroom, pareho kaming hubad, basa, naglalakad habang magkahawak pa rin ang mga labi at katawan.

Pagbagsak namin sa kama, siya ang nasa ibabaw ko. He aligned himself with my core, hand gripping his c**k—thick, leaking, angry red.

“Do you want this?” tanong niya, boses niya’y parang halik ng kidlat.

I nodded. “I want all of you.”

And with one deep thrust—he entered me.

“Damon—ahhh—!”

“Shhh. I’ve got you.”

He moved slowly at first—rolling his hips, savoring the feel of me clenching around him. Every slide in and out was deliberate, possessive, torturous.

His hand wrapped around my throat—not tight, but just enough to make me gasp. His eyes were locked on mine.

“You’re mine,” he growled, “even in your f*****g pain. Even when you're breaking.”

“Yes… yours… all yours.”

PLOK. PLOK. PLOK.

The sound echoed through the room. Skin on skin. Wet heat and rising moans.

Then—he flipped me.

On all fours.

Doggy. My ass in the air. My face on the silk sheets.

He slammed back inside.

Harder. Deeper.

“Aaahhh! Damon!”

He gripped my hips, then leaned over—his chest brushing my back, lips to my ear.

“You’ll give me everything, Skyra,” he whispered, f*****g me hard, deep, punishing. “And I’ll give you protection no one else ever could.”

My second orgasm ripped through me—loud, messy, uncontrollable.

And just as I tightened around him again—

He exploded inside me.

Cum spilled deep, thick, hot.

We collapsed—twisted in each other’s arms, panting, wet, raw.

But even in silence, I could feel the tension still rising between us.

Because no matter how deep he was inside me…

He still hadn’t touched the deepest secrets I swore I’d never tell.

Nakayakap ako kay Damon sa kama. Pawisan pa rin. Basang-basa pa ang buhok ko mula sa shower. His hand was lazily tracing circles on my back, habang hinihimas ng isa pa ang buhok ko.

“Sleep,” bulong niya. “You’re safe now.”

And then— someone knock

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

Mabilis. Matatag. Hindi pamilyar.

Napatayo si Damon.

“Who the f**k—” bulong niya, grabbing his pants at kinuha ang sidearm mula sa drawer.

Nagbihis ako ng oversized shirt, hawak-hawak ang sidearm ko sa ilalim ng bedsheet habang bumaba siya sa receiving area ng villa.

Tahimik.

Pero ang t***k ng puso ko? Parang giyera.

Then I heard it.

Isang boses mula sa ibaba.

Babae.

“Damon, baby,” her voice purred. “You didn’t think you could disappear without me finding you, did you?”

Parang tinamaan ako ng kidlat.

Bumilis ang bawat pintig sa dibdib ko. Lumapit ako sa hagdan, dahan-dahan, hanggang sa makita ko siya mula sa taas—

A woman in red. Dripping in wealth. In power. In arrogance.

Matangkad. Maputi. Golden brown hair in a sleek bun. Red lipstick. Black stilettos kahit nasa gitna ng kagubatan.

And the way she looked at Damon?

Like he still belonged to her.

He didn’t speak agad. But his jaw was clenched. His arm was still near his weapon, but he didn’t raise it.

Instead, he said her name.

One word.

Sharp as glass.

“Isabella.”

The woman smiled like a lioness entering a den she once ruled.

"Miss me?"