DISCLAIMER⚘‧

Disclaimer : This is a Boys’ Love

(BL)

and mpreg story. All

events

,

characters

, and situations are works of fiction created by the author. Any resemblance to

real persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Names

,

places

, and

incidents

are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously . This story does not intend to reflect or represent any individual or reality. All similarities are unintentional and coincidental.

This story contains fictional elements, including

mpreg

(male pregnancy),

which is a creative concept used in fiction. All events and situations are products of imagination and do not reflect real-life biology or individuals.

The author does not intend to misrepresent or offend, and this work is meant for fictional and entertainment purposes only.

PROLOGUE⚘‧

Alas dose na ng madaling araw ngunit dilat na dilat pa rin ang mga mata ko, nagbabakasakaling darating siya kahit hatinggabi na.

I was desperately clinging to hope, convincing myself na baka may pinuntahan lang siya o di kaya naman ay bumili muna ng mga pang-surprise niya sa akin-lalo na’t anniversary namin ngayon.

​Ngunit sa oras na ito, alam kong imposible na.

There were no flower shops or cake shops still open that could explain why he’s still not here.

Malamig na ang mga niluto kong pagkain—i yong mga

paborito

at lagi naming

kinakain

tuwing

lalabas

kaming dalawa .

Upos na rin ang mga kandila na kanina ko pa pinapalitan sa tuwing nauubos ang sinindihan ko.

I was literally watching my efforts turn into ashes.

​Dahan-dahan kong pinahid ang tumakas na luha sa aking mga mata. Kasunod nito ay ang nag-aalangang paglapit ng waiter sa akin.

​“Sir, iligpit na po natin. Alas dose na po at mukhang hindi na dadating ang hinihintay niyo,” ang malungkot nitong sambit.

I just let out a bitter, hollow laugh, trying my best not to break down.

​“Baka nga po,” ang natatawa at nahihiya kong sambit—pilit na pinapasigla ang aking boses kahit bahagya nang nababasag sa sobrang pagdurugo ng puso ko.

​“Pasensya na sa inyo kung naabala ko pa kayo. Di bale, magbabayad naman ako. Pasensya na at pinaghintay ko pa kayo” I added, feeling the sting of humiliation— h

iyang

hiya ang

buong

pagkatao

ko

sakanila

, lalo na’t kahit

madaling

araw na, ay talagang

matiyaga

silang

naghintay

kahit

lagpas

na sa

oras

ng trabaho nila.

​“Nako, ’wag na sir, sapat na ang paunang bayad ninyo sa amin. Hindi niyo na ho kailangang magbayad ulit,” ang nakangiti nitong sambit.

Instead of saying it verbally, I just nodded weakly as they started clearing the table— a signal that i’ve been waiting for to stop my delusions and end the stupidity I started.

​Pagkalabas na pagkalabas ko sa pintuan, the tears I was holding back finally surged forth,

My vision blurred as I walked through the dark street.

Bagama’t durog na durog ang damdamin ko, patuloy ko pa ring binabagtas ang madilim na daan papunta sa waiting shed, para ipahinga na lang ang lahat ng dalamhati, sakit, at kirot na matagal ko nang kinikimkim sa puso ko.

Nang tuluyan akong makarating sa waiting shed, agad kong inayos ang aking hitsura dahil may ibang tao ring naghihintay ng masasakyan.

Kahit mugtong-mugto ang mga mata ko at halatang galing sa matinding pag-iyak, I controlled my emotions.

Hangga’t maaari ay ayokong makakuha ng atensyon, lalo na’t hindi lang naman ako ang may pinagdadaanan sa buhay.

Minutes later, a taxi pulled up and I headed straight inside.

Habang nasa biyahe, tanging mga mahinang hikbi at pagtangis na ako lang ang nakakarinig ang pumupuno sa loob ng kotse.

I knew the driver felt my grief, but he chose to stay silent, which I truly appreciated.

Dahil sa katahimikang namamayani, hindi ko mapigilang mapabalik sa nakaraan.

In our three-year relationship, I could feel Kieth growing cold.

Tuwing gusto kong maging clingy, mabilis siyang iiwas.

He would forget important days like my birthday or our monthsaries.

​Nagsimula lang naman ang pagiging malamig niya nang sa tuwing may nangyayari sa amin, ay lagi ko siyang pinapasuot ng condom, na sobrang ikinagagalit niya ng sobra.

Kieth was the type of man who was never satisfied, and his mind was too narrow to understand my perspective.

​[FLASHBACK]

​“Nakakalalaki ka na, Jion! Sa tuwing may nangyayari sa atin, lagi mo na lang ako pinag-cocondom! Anong akala mo sa akin? Maduming lalaki na maraming kinakama at may sakit?!” ang nanggagalaiti niyang sambit.

I closed my eyes as his voice boomed, begging him to lower it dahil nandoon lang sa kabilang kwarto ang kapatid ko.

​“H-hindi naman sa gano’n, gusto ko lang kasing maging protektado tayong dalawa,” I reasoned, which only made him angrier.

​“Bahala ka nga diyan! Put*nginang ’yan! Akala mo kung sino kang punyeta ka! Eh nilaspag na naman kita! Bahala ka nga! Ang dami mong kaartihan, punyeta ka” He stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

​[END OF FLASHBACK]

​I wanted to tell him the truth, but I was terrified. Mahirap mang aminin,

but I am a carrier

—

isa ako sa maliit na populasyon ng mga lalakeng may kakayahang magdalang-tao.

​And Kieth? He despised people like me.

“Mga anak ’yan ng

demonyo

,“ he once said.

Tinawanan niya lang ako nung nagtanong ako tungkol sa mga lalaking kayang magbuntis.

Dahil sa maanghang niyang mga salita, I chose to hide my condition.

Natatakot akong isuka niya ako palayo, and I loved him too much to lose him. Kaya naman, I insisted on using condoms because he always wanted to release inside.

​Doon nagsimula ang lamat, hanggang sa unti-unti siyang lumayo.

“Sir, nandito na po tayo.”

Agad naman akong napabalikwas nang biglang magsalita si kuyang driver.

Mabilis akong nagbayad at bumaba ng taxi, but the moment the door closed, the cold night air hit me like a physical blow.

Wari’y nakikiisa ang langit sa nanlalamig kong katawan at damdamin.

Tulala at wala sa sarili akong naglalakad habang blankong-blanko ang utak ko. Marahil sa sobrang pag-iisip sa mga bagay-bagay, mismong utak ko na ang sumuko at nagdesisyong magpahinga.

If anyone saw me now, I probably looked like a zombie—pasuray-suray, animo’y pinagbagsakan ng langit at lupa ang hitsura.

Ngunit wala na akong pakialam. I just wanted to rest.

Gusto ko na lang ipahinga ang lahat, gaya ng lagi kong ginagawa tuwing umiiyak ang puso ko sa lungkot.

Ngunit agad akong napahinto.

Bubuksan ko sana ang gate nang makita kong bukas ang ilaw ng kwarto namin.

A flicker of hope ignited in my chest— nasa

loob na

si

Kieth.

Mapakla naman akong napangiti;

the fact that he was here, was the answer to my questions earlier

.

But as I stepped inside, the hope began to sour into dread.

Bukas pa rin ang ilaw ng kwarto—something Kieth rarely did because his eyes were sensitive to light. Ayaw na ayaw niyang bukas ang ilaw sapagkat hindi siya makatulog nito.

So why was our room the only source of light,

samantalang

patay ang

ilaw

sa sala at kusina?

Imposible ring si Clark iyon, dahil binilinan ko siyang huwag papasok sa kwarto namin nang walang paalam.

Dali-dali akong naglakad, trying to keep my movements as quiet as a ghost.

Hindi ko mawari, pero para nang nasa karera ng mga kabayo ang dibdib ko.

My heart had a life of its own, thumping against my ribs as if it wanted to escape the horror it already sensed.

Humigpit ang kapit ko sa laylayan ng damit ko, and I noticed my fingers were trembling uncontrollably.

Tahimik ang pasilyo, but that silence only amplified the sounds coming from the other side of the door.

Isang

impit

na

ungol

.

Mahina. Halos pigil.

Ngunit sapat na para mapatigil ang paghinga ko.

I tried to lie to myself, convincing my mind that it was just a cruel trick of my imagination.

Pero muli kong narinig ang mga daing at ungol na nagmumula sa mismong kwarto naming dalawa.

The sound shattered my world before I even turned the knob.

I wasn’t a fool. Alam ko ang tunog ng dalawang taong nagpapakasasa sa isa’t isa.

Dagli akong kumilos and I threw the door open, desperate to prove myself wrong.

Nagpupuyos ang puso ko sa sobrang kaba, praying he was alone. But the sight that greeted me was a nightmare carved in flesh—

ang hubo’t hubad na katawan ng kapatid kong si Clark na nakapatong sa hubo’t hubad ko ring nobyong si Kieth.

My body felt like it was made of lead, and I collapsed under the weight of the betrayal.

Bahagya akong natulala nang makita ko ang kababuyan nila.

The tears I had been fighting earlier came crashing down like a waterfall.

It wasn’t just a pain anymore— it was pure, unadulterated revulsion.

Diring-diri ako sa kahayupang ginagawa nila sa harap ko.

“Mga hay*p kayo!” I wailed, my voice breaking into a thousand jagged pieces.

“Kuyaaa!” “Jion!”

Panabay silang napabalikwas, scrambling to cover their shame.

“Jion, magpapaliwanag ako!” ang nagmamadaling sambit ni Kieth habang sinusuot ang shorts niya.

He tried to reach for me, but his touch felt like acid.

“’Wag mo akong hawakan! Baboy ka! Paano mo nagawa sa akin ’to?!” I screamed, my voice echoing the raw agony in my soul.

I slapped his hands away, feeling a deep nausea rising in my throat.

“At sa kapatid ko pa?! Sa mismong kadugo ko?!”

But instead of remorse, Kieth’s face hardened into a mask of spite.

“Kasalanan mo rin naman ’to! Kung binibigay mo lang sa akin lahat ng gusto ko, edi sana hindi ako matutukso sa kapatid mo!”

That was the final blow.

Ang sakit na kanina ko pa nararamdaman ay napalitan ng isang nagpupuyos na poot.

“Hay*p ka! Walanghiya ka! Napakababoy mo!” I lunged at him, punching his chest with every ounce of strength I had left.

“Pagkatapos kong gawin ang lahat para sa’yo?! I chose you over my family! I gave you my life, and this is how you repay me?! Putanginamo!”

“Kuya, patawarin mo ako, hindi ko sinasadya…” Clark was on his knees now, sobbing hysterically as he clung to my waist.

“Pinigilan ko naman, kaso hindi ko talaga kaya. Sorry kung minahal ko si Kuya… sorry.”

I looked down at him, and for a moment, I didn’t even recognize him.

“Sorry? ’Yan lang ba ang sasabihin mo?! Nagpakanda-kuba ako sa pagtatrabaho para maibigay sa’yo lahat-lahat, tapos ito ang ibabalik mo?!” My heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vice.

“Satingin mo ba sa isang sorry mo lang ay makakalimutan ko na ang lahat?!”

“Ilang beses na ’to?! Ilang beses na nangyari to! Put*ngina!” I demanded, my voice low and dangerous.

None of them spoke. They stood there like statues.

“Ilang beses na?!” I roared, the pain finally exploding into a scream that tore through the house.

“S-simula nang u-umalis tayo sa bahay,” Clark confessed, as his voice barely a whisper.

I felt my soul leave my body.

Every memory of the last two years flashed before me—every kiss, every “I love you,” every sacrifice—all of it was built on a foundation of filth.

For two years, while I was working to build a future for us, they were destroying it behind my back.

“Dalawang taon… dalawang taon niyo na akong niloloko. Ang bababoy niyo.”

“Kuya, sorry!” Clark wailed, tightening his grip on me.

“Bitiwan mo ako!” I screamed, the rage finally peaking.

I grabbed his hand and unleashed a stinging slap that sent him reeling to the floor.

“Hindi ako makapaniwalang kayo pa ang tatraydor sa akin! Ang bababoy niyo!”

Kieth tried to open his mouth to defend himself, but I didn’t let him speak.

I slapped him with everything I had— my grief, my exhaustion, and my shattered love all behind that one strike.

“Ano bang nagawa ko para ganito ang gawin niyo sa akin? Naging masama ba ako sa inyo? May mali ba akong nagawa?!” I was hitting him repeatedly now, as my vision swimming in tears.

“Sabihin niyo! Because I can’t find a single reason why?!”

“Anong ginawa ko sa inyo!” I screamed until my lungs burned.

I pounded on Kieth’s chest as he tried to hold me, whispering “sorry” over and over again like a broken record. But the word meant nothing now. It was just noise.

“Ang bababoy niyo…” my voice finally gave out, reduced to a ghost of a whisper.

I summoned the last of my strength to shove him away.

“Bitiwan mo ako! Hayop ka!”

I didn’t look back. I turned around and walked out of that room, leaving the wreckage of my life behind. Habang binabagtas ang daan papalabas ng bahay, the tears wouldn’t stop.

The two people who were supposed to be my strength had become the very reason I wanted to die.

CHAPTER 1

/1/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

Langong-lango na ang katawan ko sa alak, but no matter how much I swallowed, hindi pa rin nawawala ang sakit na nararamdaman ko.

Gusto kong lunurin ang bawat alaala, ang bawat hapdi ng pagtatraydor, pero tila immune na ang puso ko sa espiritu ng inumin.

Masyadong malalim ang naging sugat, that even the strongest alcohol couldn’t reach the hollow ache carving through my chest.

“Tabi.”

Isang salita lang ng kung sino, ngunit agad na nagbago ang ihip ng hangin sa loob ng bar.

Parang hiniwa ng malamig na talim ang ingay ng paligid nang biglang may pumasok na grupo sa entrada.

Kitang-kita at ramdam na ramdam mo ang awtoridad na dala nila— an unspoken power that demanded instant submission .

Sumisigaw kasi ang postura nila ng panganib, na sa hindi maipaliwanag na dahilan ay nagbibigay ng takot at pangamba sa sinumang makakita sa kanila.

“Sino ’yan?” ang lasing na lasing kong sambit, pointing a shaky finger at the hulking man at the center of the group.

“Regular customers namin ’yan, grupo ’yan ng mga basag-ulo,” bulong ng bartender habang nakayuko.

“They’re millionaires who treat the jail like a hotel—labas-pasok lang pero laging nakakalaya. Word is, the one in the middle is a notorious syndicate leader.”

Tumango lang ako nang mahina habang patawa-tawa pa.

“Gano’n ba?” Instead of letting their presence intimidate me, hindi ko na sila binigyan ng atensyon at mabilis na nilagok ang isang baso ng alak.

Ngunit habang umiinom, nakaramdam ako ng mga matang nakatitig sa akin.

I felt a heavy, predatory gaze anchoring me in place, kaya naman mabilis akong napalinga.

Gano’n na lang ang gulat ko nang makita kong ang buong grupo nila ay nakatingin sa gawi ko habang naglalakad papasok sa VIP room.

I tried to ignore the sheer intensity of it, fixing my eyes on the man in the center.

Sa hitsura pa lang nito ay alam mong masamang tao siya.

Tattoos climbed from his hands all the way to his jawline, framing a face that was the definition of lethal arrogance.

Bakas na bakas ang maangas nitong mukha—the typical “bad boy” archetype brought to life.

Lalakeng-lalake ang kanyang dating at kakaiba ang kanyang mga titig na parang hinahalukay ang kaibuturan ng kaluluwa ko.

“Mag-ingat ka,” ang biglang pagsingit ng bartender.

“Pumapatol ’yan kahit kanino. He’s a hunter, and it looks like he’s found his prey. Mukhang trip ka pa, brad.”

“Ikaw na ikaw pa naman ang mga tipo niyan,” segunda nito.

“He has a weakness for soft, innocent faces like yours.” Napangiti naman ako nang tipid sa sinabi niya.

“So, nakukyutan ka sa akin?” ang natatawa kong baling sa bartender, ngunit agad na naputol ang usapan namin nang biglang may lumapit sa aking lalake— isa ito sa mga

kasamahan

ng

maangas

na lalakeng kanina lang ay parang

kakainin

na ako ng buhay kung makatingin.

“Pinapasundo ka ni Boss,” ang deretsahan niyang sambit.

His voice was flat, leaving no room for negotiation.

“Excuse me? Ako bang kinakausap mo?” ang naguguluhan kong tanong.

The audacity of this stranger, acting as if he owned my time, set my teeth on edge.

“Sumama ka,” ang mautoridad na sambit nito sabay hablot sa kamay ko.

“Sir, ’wag niyo siyang pilitin, lasing na siya,” pagtatanggol ni kuyang bartender.

Pero hindi siya pinansin ng lalake; bagkus ay inusli nito ang kanyang itim na damit upang ipakita ang baril na naka-ipit sa kanyang pantalon.

The air between us turned to ice as we both froze in fear.

“Tara na,” ang nagmamadali niyang sambit sabay kaladkad sa akin papasok sa VIP room kung nasaan naglalagi ang kanyang mga kasama.

“Eto na, Boss,” ang malakas na sambit ng lalakeng may hawak sa braso ko.

Pagkapasok na pagkapasok namin sa kwarto ay tumambad sa akin ang nakangising mukha ng lalake.

“Ganito ba kayo mag-imbita ng bisita? Nangangaladkad at pwersahan?” ang buong tapang kong litanya habang nakatingin sa kanila nang seryoso.

It was the alcohol talking, fueling a streak of my bitchy defiance.

Lumalabas talaga ang masamang ugali ko lalo na’t nasa sistema ko pa ang alak na nagpapalakas ng loob kong sabihin ang kahit ano.

“I’m the type of person who gets everything I want,”

ang baritono niyang sambit habang suot ang isang nakakalokong ngisi.

“And I’ll do whatever it takes—mapa-pwersahan man o may permiso.”

Bahagya akong natahimik.

Matatas siyang mag-Tagalog kahit halata sa kanyang mukha ang lahing banyaga.

He was the physical embodiment of a dark romance lead—angas, galaw, at katawan. Ngunit imbes na matakot ay parang mas lalong nanginig ang mga tuhod ko sa ibang dahilan.

“The moment we walked in, I knew what kind of a person you are,” ang nakangisi niyang tugon.

“Hindi mo ba alam na masyadong delikado ang lugar na ’to para sa’yo? My men—and I—are struggling to keep our composure because of you.”

Nangunot naman ang noo ko sabay sabing.

“A-anong pinagsasabi mo?”

“Tignan mo ang pantalon naming lahat. Look at the effect your presence has on us,” ang seryoso niyang sambit.

“Para nang puputok ang alaga ko sa pantalon, yet here you are, completely oblivious to what I want to do to you.” Dahan-dahan siyang lumapit, his voice dropping to a dangerous rasp.

“Alam mo bang sa isip ko ay

linulumpo

na kita sa kant*t?“

Bahagya naman akong napatigalgal lalo na’t bulgar siya kung magsalita.

Imbes na ituloy ang pagmamaldita ko ay mabilis na nanginig ang kalamnan ko sa mga litanyang binitawan niya.

He noticed my reaction, which made his grin even wider. He signaled his men to leave, and they vanished in an instant.

Sa mga nangyayari ngayon ay bahagya kong nakalimutan ang lahat—lahat ng sakit at hapdi ay napalitan ng isang kakaibang kaba.

Gustuhin ko mang paniwalain ang sarili ko na hindi ko siya gusto, pero imposible.

He was that “rare find” that everyone dreams of.

Lalo na’t bihira lang ang may ganito kagwapong mukha—na sa isang tingin niya lang, and anyone would be willing to surrender.

“Hanggang sa isipan mo lang yata ’yan at hindi mo kayang gawin,” ang hamon ko sa kanya habang nanginginig ang boses.

“Kung puro ka lang salita, aalis na lang ako.”

Ang kanyang mapaglarong ekspresyon ay agad na napalitan ng isang mapanganib na ngiti.

He stood up slowly, a 6’11“ titan looming over me.

Bawat yabag ng kanyang mga paa ay nagpapakabog sa dibdib ko.

“Ahhhh!” ang hiyaw ko nang mabilis niya akong nabuhat nang walang kahirap-hirap.

Walang ano-ano ay sinunggaban niya ang aking mga labi.

It was a collision of hunger and desperation.

Para kaming mga gutom na leon na uhaw na uhaw sa isa’t isa.

I couldn’t believe I was doing this—giving in to the intensity of a stranger.

Marahil ay gusto ko lang makalimot, to let the physical intensity wash away the emotional wreckage of my day.

“Fck! You taste like a fcking candy!” ang pagputol niya sa aming halikan habang dahan-dahan niya akong nilalapag sa malaking sofa.

Dahil sa sobrang taas niya, saktong-sakto ang mukha ko sa kanyang bewang kahit nakatayo siya. I could see his massive, gym-honed frame—the kind of body built for pinning someone down and never letting go.

“Open your gift,” ang baritono niyang utos na nagbigay ng kakaibang kiliti sa aking tiyan.

Nanginginig ang kamay ko habang dahan-dahang kinakalas ang sinturon ng kanyang pantalon.

I never thought my night would end like this.

“F*cking shit, you’re so beautiful,” ang gigil niyang papuri sabay haplos sa aking mukha.

Nang makalas ko ang belt ay dahan-dahan kong hinubad ang kanyang pantalon, hanggang sa sumilay ang puti niyang boxer briefs.

Gano’n na lang ang pagkamangha at takot ko nang makita ko ang napakalaking umbok sa kanyang harapan.

It looked like he was hiding a monster under that fabric.

“Open it,” ang nakangisi niyang sambit, his gaze fixed on me with raw desire.

Agad akong napalunok. Kahit kumakabog ang puso ko sa kaba ay hindi na ako nagsayang ng oras at mabilis na ibinaba ang kanyang boxers.

“Ahhh!” ang bahagyang naibulalas ko sa gulat nang biglang sumampal sa aking mukha ang napakalaki niyang kargada.

My blood pressure spiked from sheer shock.

Seeing the size of it—hindi ito pang-karaniwan. It was unlike anything I had ever seen.

Jusko, kakasya kaya ’yan?

“T*ngina,” ang naibulalas ko na lang habang ang dalawang kamay ko na ang nakahawak sa kanyang pagkalalaki, ngunit hindi pa rin ito sapat sa sobrang laki nito.

Sino ba namang hindi matatakot? It was as long as a ruler but as thick as a soda can.

“You look scared,” ang hambog niyang sambit habang nakatingin sa akin. Napalunok na lang ako ng laway, realizing that this man was likely going to wreck my very existence.

“Putangina,” ang naibulalas ko sa aking isipan. “Walang panama ang 4 inches ni Kieth dito.”

  (_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊°

ciao.

CHAPTER 2

/2/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯 𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

Agad akong napasapo sa aking ulo nang makaramdam ako ng kakaibang kirot na tila gustong bumasag sa aking bungo.

My head felt like it was being split open by a jagged blade, and I could literally feel the veins in my temples throbbing with every heavy, rhythmic beat.

Bawat pintig ay parang martilyo na nagpapaalala sa akin ng lahat ng alak na ininom ko kagabi.

Sinubukan kong pigilin ang pagsuka, but the world was spinning in a nauseating blur.

“Putangina… hindi na talaga ako iinom,” ang namutawi sa aking isip habang sapo-sapo ang noo na tila ba kaya nitong pigilan ang pag-ikot ng paligid.

Magkagayon pa man, kahit na parang mababasag ang bungo ko, I tried to move slowly para takasan ang  nakakaput*nginang hangover na ’to.

But the moment I shifted my weight, a different kind of pain radiated from my lower body, shooting straight up to my spine.

Agad akong napaigik nang maramdaman kong hindi lang ulo ko ang may problema; masakit rin ang aking buong balakang at pang-upo.

It was a sharp, biting sting that made me gasp for air.

“Arayyyy…”

Agaran akong napapikit when the realization finally hit me.

It felt like I had been physically bruised inside, a raw and heavy soreness na ngayon ko lang naranasan sa tanang buhay ko.

Every tiny movement, even the simple act of breathing, triggered a sensation that made my breath hitch.

It was as if my body was marking the territory of the events from the night before.

“

Hrmmmhh

.“

Isang malalim at paos na ungol ang bumasag sa katahimikan ng kwarto, kasunod ay ang biglaang pagdantay ng isang napakalaking braso sa aking tiyan.

The weight of it was enough to pin me down solid.

Gano’n na lang ang gulat ko, sa

biglaang

pagyakap

nito.

My eyes flew open because for a split second, I had forgotten I wasn’t alone in this

massive

,

expensive-smelling

bed .

Nang tuluyan nang makapag-adjust ang mga mata ko sa liwanag, doon lang rumihestro ang lahat ng kalandiang ginawa ko kagabi.

The memories flooded back in vivid and in a terrifying detail— the heat of our skin, the desperate gasps for air, and the reckless decisions that led me to this stranger’s arm.

Agad akong napasapo sa mukha, feeling a wave of shame and disbelief.

I couldn’t believe I had actually fallen into this situation, letting a man I barely knew wreck my body and my senses.

Samantalang

ingat na ingat ako nung kami pa ni Kieth. Tapos

itatapon

ko lang ng basta basta sa taong hindi ko man lang kilala?!

Kaya naman, dahan-dahan kong kinuha ang kanyang dambuhalang kamay mula sa aking bewang.

I was being extra careful, watching him like a hawk to see if the slight movement would wake the beast.

Mabuti na lang at mukhang mantikang tulog pa siya, deeply lost in his dreams, kaya pinagpatuloy ko ang pagkalas sa pagkakapulupot niya sa akin.

“Hayyyy salamat,” I whispered under my breath once I finally broke free.

Nang maging tagumpay ako sa pagkakakalas, I quickly stood up, though I had to bite my lip to suppress a cry from the protest of my aching muscles.

I had to endure the stinging pain, moving like a shadow and making sure not to make a single sound that would wake the giant.

While I was quietly picking up my clothes scattered on the cold, polished floor, my heart nearly stopped when a deep, vibrating baritone voice cut through the silence.

“Tatakas ka?”

The cold seriousness in his voice made me freeze mid-motion. He stood up immediately— completely naked-not even caring that he was baring his entire, god-like physique to me in the morning light.

Mabilis akong napabaling ng tingin, trying to avoid the sight of his soft dicc which was still intimidatingly massive even in its relaxed state.

“’Wag ka ngang maarte. Akala mo naman ay hindi mo ’to nilamutak kagabi,” he said with a sharp, sarcastic edge that made my face turn into a literal tomato.

I quickly turned my back, while my hands were trembling as I fumbled with my shirt. I knew I was blushing furiously dahil sa sobrang hiya.

“A-alis na ako,” I said directly, keeping my eyes fixed on the artwork on the wall as if my life depended on it.

Ayoko

namang

tumingin

sa kanya, lalo na sa estado niya ngayon.

“Sigurado ka? Most people beg and crawl just to stay a few minutes longer in my condo, tapos ngayon, ikaw itong hindi makapag-hintay na makaalis?” He sounded so damn arrogant, his ego is massive as his frame .

He approached me, and I could feel the heat radiating from his body. While his eyes looked like he was about to pin me down and fold me like a piece of paper.

“Ibahin mo ako sa kanila. Aalis na ako,” I snapped with a surge of forced courage, finishing my dressing up in a blur of motion.

Once I felt somewhat decent, I marched toward the door with as much dignity as my aching hips would allow.

I was about to turn the knob nang biglang maramdaman ko ang bigat ng katawan niya sa likod ko.

His hand slammed against the door, stopping me in my tracks.

He loomed over me, a literal wall of muscle trapping me against the wood.

“Satingin mo makakaalis ka na lang nang gano’n-gano’n lang? Baka hindi mo kilala ang lalakeng nasa harap mo. Even if I didn’t break you last night, I can definitely finish the job right now.”

Bahagya kong namataan sa gilid ng mata ko ang muli niyang nabubuhay na kargada, looking like a literal weapon of mass destruction sa sobrang

dambuhala

nito.

I realized that I was staring a bit too long, so I quickly looked up to meet his predatory gaze. When our eyes met

h

e just smirked, looking every bit the dominant beast he was.

“Hindi mo ako matatakot sa LAKI at presensya mo. Kaya tumabi ka!” I growled, trying to sound much braver than I felt.

In my mind, I expected him to roar or demand that I stay, but he just gave me a wide, mocking smile and stepped away, giving me space to breathe.

“Okay,” he replied with a dangerous, playful glint in his eyes.

“Go ahead, sweetheart.”

I didn’t waste another second.

Mabilis akong lumabas sa kanyang magara at malaking condo, even though I was limping with every agonizing step.

I refused to look back, my pride wouldn’t let me show him how much I was actually struggling to keep my balance.

Habang naglalakad sa hallway papunta sa elevator, I realized the heavy thud of footsteps behind me.

He was right there, quietly following me like a shadow.

I tried to walk faster even though every step felt like I was stepping on shards of broken glass.

My ass, specifically my hole

, was in so much pain, but instead of paying too much attention. I just endure it, an act as if I didn’t care and its not painful.

Because right now, I just wanted to go home.

When the elevator arrived, I frantically pressed the ground floor button over and over. Pero minalas ako—bago pa magsara ang pinto ay napigilan na niya ang pagsara gamit ang kanyang kamay, kaya nakasingit siya at tuluyang bumukas ang elevator.

He was now wearing a white tank top that clung to his chest and black shorts, looking incredibly wealthy, powerful, and annoyingly handsome.

Kahit na simple lang ang damit niya ay talagang bagay na bagay sa kanya.

“Hmm pretty privilege” ang mahinang sambit ko saking sarili.

Ganon na lang ang gulat ko ng bigla itong tumingin sa akin ang seryoso.

“You can’t even f*cking walk straight, tapos nag-iinarte ka pa. Ihahatid kita! Tapos!” he barked, his voice echoing in the small space.

I just stayed silent, staring at the floor, my face heating up again when he suddenly leaned down.

“Ang liit-liit nitong shorts mo, halos ipangalandakan mo nayang pwet mo sa lahat ng tao dito,” he muttered, as his hand reaching out to pull the fabric lower.

“Kaya ko! ’Wag mo akong hawakan!” I protested, trying to swat his hand away.

But because he was so tall, he had to bend down just to reach me, making our faces level.

The proximity was suffocating; that I could smell his scent— a mix of expensive cologne and masculinity.

He stared at me for a long, intense beat, as his eyes searching mine. I could feel my tingle “

tinggling

“ as his eyes reach mine, even though i don’t have any.

“Potang lalakeng to, ang gwapo”

“Papalampasin kita ngayon dahil mukhang hirap ka nang huminga, but the moment I see you again… hindi ka na makakatakas sa akin. Sisiguraduhin kong hindi ka na makakatayo.”

The elevator ride was filled with a heavy, thick silence.

Pagkalabas na pagkalabas namin sa lobby, he immediately held my waist firmly to support me, ignoring my attempts to push him away.

“Ang liit mo talaga. You’re like a doll,” he grumbled, having to bend his back just to help me walk properly.

“Pwede ba, kung puro ka reklamo, ’wag kang tumulong! Kaya ko naman no—ayyyyy!”

I yelped in shock when he suddenly swept me up into his arms, carrying me bridal-style in front of the lobby guards and other residents.

Everyone was staring, but he didn’t seem to care.

I punched his chest with my small fists, but it was like hitting a brick wall of pure, solid muscle.

“Bitiwan mo ako! Nakakahiya!”

“Shut up. You’re such a noisy brat. Pasalamat ka na lang-,” he said as he deposited me into the plush passenger seat of his expensive sports car.

He looked at me with a frustrated, almost tongue-tied expression, as if he wanted to say something else but couldn’t find the words.

“At ano?! Sige, ituloy mo! Pasalamat saan?!” I challenged, as my maldita side coming out.

“Wala. Just please shut your mouth for a minute. O baka gusto mong ipalsak ko sa bunganga mo itong itlog ko para tumigil ka sa kakadakdak.” I rolled my eyes and stayed quiet, knowing he was crazy and depraved enough to actually do it in the middle of the street.

“Kagatin ko ’yang itlog mo hanggang sa matanggal eh, tignan natin kung makapag-yabang ka pa,” I whispered to myself, looking out the window.

“God, so morbid.” he remarked, a small chuckle escaping his lips before he floored the accelerator, as the engine roared to life.

As we drove, the adrenaline of our argument began to fade, and the crushing weight of sadness returned.

I remembered why I got drunk in the first place—It hurts, like a dull ache in my heart that was far worse than the pain in my body.

But looking at the man beside me, with his sharp jawline and effortless power, I realized my ex was nothing but a speck of dust compared to this titan.

“I’m sorry, okay? I shouldn’t have barked at you. Ang ingay mo kasi,” he said suddenly, as his voice turning soft.

“Pinagsasabi mo? Late ka na para sa sorry,” I snapped, though the edge in my voice was gone.

“I thought that you were sad and crying because of me. Because I was too rough,” he muttered, as his grip tightening on the steering wheel.

I raised an eyebrow, a small, bitter smirk playing on my lips as I looked at him.

“Wag ka ngang feelingero. Hindi sa’yo nakasentro ang mundo ko no.”

But deep down, I knew that for one night, he was the only thing that kept me from falling apart.

(_/) ( •-•) ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 3

/3/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

“Number.”

Isang salita. Maikli, mautoridad, at puno ng di-mapaliwanag na utos habang marahang inaabot ang kanyang mamahaling phone sa akin.

The sheer weight of his presence inside the car was suffocating.

The scent of his expensive leather seats mingled with his raw, masculine cologne, creating an atmosphere that felt like a trap.

Hindi ko magawang lumingon nang diretso sa kanya dahil bawat sulyap ko ay bumabalik ang alaala ng mainit na pinagsaluhan namin kagabi.

“Aanhin ko ’yan?” ang seryoso kong sambit.

I tried to keep my face stoic, despite the fact that my body felt like it had been run over by a truck.

He glanced at me, his eyes sharp and mocking, dancing with a dangerous kind of amusement.

“Kinakain yata ’to? Malamang hinihingi ko number mo? Ano pa ba?” ang sarkastiko niyang sambit sabay lahad ng kanyang phone sa akin.

His patience was visibly thinning, but his confidence remained unshaken.

Ayaw ko sanang iabot at kunin ito, but the intensity in his gaze made my skin crawl with a mixture of fear and something that I refused to name.

Kahit na labag sa loob ko ay inabot ko na lang; sapagkat alam kong maliit lang ang pasensya niya sa mga bagay na ganito, na malaking kabaliktaran naman sa oten niyang malaki.

Mabilis ko nalang na kinuha ang phone niya, para wala ng drama.

My fingers were trembling as I tapped the screen . I just wanted to get this over with .

So I typed my digits as fast as I could. But just as I was about to hand it back, when a notification banner slid down from the top of the screen, freezing the very blood in my veins.

BABY 🟢 online now

“ Asan ka na?

Nabili

mo na ba yung

pinabibili

ko? Dalian mo at marami pa tayong

gagawin

, ’wag kang

magpapagod

masyado

dahil

mapapagod

ka pa

mamaya

.“

Nanigas ako. My grip on his phone tightened until my knuckles turned white, the edges of the device digging into my palms.

“What was that?”

My heart, which was already shattered into a million pieces from Kieth’s betrayal, felt like it was being stomped on by this stranger’s expensive shoes.

Anong ibig sabihin nito? May jowa siya ngayon pero may nangyari sa amin? Gago ba ’to?

Ginawa pakong kabit ng hayop na

lalakeng to

!

Inis na inis akong napatingin sa kanya.

All the guilt I felt for sleeping with a stranger vanished, replaced by a searing anger.

“Stop the car,” ang seryoso kong sambit.

Pikang-pika ako.

The luxury of the car now felt like a cage filled with lies.

I felt like a cheap toy he just picked up for the night while someone else was waiting for him at home to finish the day.

“Grabe naman ’yang mood swings mo. Hindi mo pa kayang maglakad kaya ihahatid kita sa bahay niyo. Teka nga, tama ba ’tong address na binigay mo?” ang walang kaalam-alam niyang sambit.

He looked so innocent, so damn handsome with that jawline that could cut glass, but I knew better now.

He was just another Kieth, only wealthier and a great dicc.

“Ibababa mo? O babasagin ko ’tong salamin mo!” ang naiinis kong sambit sabay aktong babasagin ang windshield niya gamit ang kamao ko. I didn’t care if I broke my hand.

“Ibaba mo ako sabi!”

“Okay, okay, calm down! You’re gonna wreck my car!” natataranta niyang sambit sabay hinto sa isang eskinita.

The tires screeched against the pavement, echoing my internal scream.

Hindi na ako nag-aksaya ng oras.

I scrambled out of the car, ignoring the sharp, biting sting in my lower body that almost made my knees buckle.

“Huwag mo akong susundan, at baka batuhin ko ng bato ’yang kotse mo!” I screamed as I limped away into the alley.

I didn’t look back to see his reaction. I didn’t want to see those eyes that lied as easily as they looked at me.

I did it because I have respect for myself.

I won’t be another person’s mistake or a side-piece to a cheater.

I’ve had enough of being the second choice.

Offended na offended ako dahil pakiramdam ko ay ang sama-sama kong tao.

Malas ko lang dahil mismong ako ang nakakumpirma na isa ako sa naging instrumento sa kagaguhan ng lalaking iyon.

My moral compass was spinning wildly, and the only direction it pointed was away .

Habang binabagtas ang daan papunta sa bahay, biglang nag-play sa utak ko ang bawat detalye ng nangyari kagabi—the raw intimacy, the lack of hesitation from myself as i do all of those things.

“Put*ngina shitt” ang gulat kong sambit ng ma-realize ko ang kagagahang nagawa ko.

Agad akong

napatakip

sa

bibig

, while my stomach is doing a somersault of pure dread as i recall the things that i did yesterday.

“Shit! Wala siyang suot na condom.” The panic was instant, a cold sweat breaking out on my forehead despite the morning air .

Given my condition as a carrier, the risk was astronomical.

“Naglasing-lasing pa kasi, sana umiyak na lang ako magdamag. I should’ve just stayed home and cried my heart out instead of opening my legs because I was vulnerable!” ang kinakabahan kong ani habang nagpapara ng taxi.

My thoughts were a chaotic mess of “what-ifs.”

Habang hindi ko na alam kung ano ba ang dapat maging reaksyon ko, kung iiyak ba ako o magmumukmok.

“Ang landi-landi ko kasi eh. Kung hindi lang naman gwapo ’yon for sure di naman ako bibigay.” I leaned my head against the taxi window, watching the city blur past, feeling like a stranger in my own life.

__

Nang makarating ako sa tapat ng bahay, isang kakaibang kaba ang bumalot sa akin— It was a suffocating feeling, like the air itself was thick with the scent of betrayal.

Hindi ko alam kung kaba ba ito dahil sa galit na nagpupuyos sa dibdib ko, o kaba dahil takot akong makita silang dalawa— the two people who successfully destroyed my world in a single night.

Bubuksan ko na sana ang pintuan nang bigla itong bumukas mula sa loob na bahagyang ikinabigla ko.

Tumambad sa akin ang kapatid kong si Clark.

My stomach turned at the sight of him.

He was wearing an oversized shirt, and he was covered in fresh bite marks and dark kiss marks.

Those kiss marks was a confirmation na pagkatapos ng away namin nung madaling araw, nang umalis ako para magpakalunod sa alak, tinuloy pa rin nila ang kahayupan nilang dalawa sa mismong kama ko.

“Kuya, hindi ka man lang nagpasabi na darating ka. Naabutan mo tuloy akong ganito ang hitsura ko,” ang mahina at mahinhin niyang sabi.

That soft, delicate voice that used to make me protective now made me want to gag.

He looked so fragile, so “innocent,” but behind those eyes was a predator that fed on my happiness.

“Hindi, okay lang,” ang mapakla kong ngiti habang tinititigan siya ng diretso sa mata, letting him see the cold deadness in my gaze.

“Sa katunayan nga ay gusto ko ang ganyang hitsura mo dahil mas nakikita ko ang ahas at malanding katauhan mo na matagal mo nang tinatago sa likod ng santa-santita mong ugali.”

Mabilis ko siyang binunggo para makapasok.

My shoulder hit his, and I didn’t care if it hurt him.

I marched into the living room, the place that used to feel like home but now felt like it was haunted.

“Galit ka ba kuya?” ang parang batang tanong nito, his voice trembling as if he was the one who had been wronged.

I turned around, my vision blurring with a white-hot rage that I could no longer contain.

“Sino bang hindi magagalit kung ang kapatid mo ang anay na sumira sa relasyon ng kuya niya?!

At pwede ba?

Huwag kang umaktong parang tutang kawawa! Hindi na oobra sa akin ’yang pagpapanggap mo. From the moment I found out you were seducing Kieth behind my back, everything changed. You aren’t my brother anymore.“

I stepped closer to him, my voice trembling with the crushing weight of my broken heart.

“Buong akala ko pa naman ay kaya mo gustong sumunod sa akin dahil mahal na mahal mo ako.

Buong akala ko pa man noon ay ikaw ang kakampi ko, especially when Mom and Dad disowned me for choosing that damn Kieth!

I fought for you!

I slaved away at jobs I hated just to make sure you had food and a roof over your head! Tapos malalaman ko na nagkakantutan pala kayo simula nang sumama ka sa akin?!“

“Kuya-”

“Iba naman yata ’yang kalandian mo, mukhang inborn ha! It’s in your blood, Clark! Hindi na nakakapagtaka, inahas nga ng malandi mong nanay na muchacha lang namin sa mansyon ang Papa! Totoo nga ang kasabihan, like mother, like son!”

“Wala kang karapatang ungkatin at idamay si Mama dito! Wala kang alam!” ang naiinis niyang sambit habang galit na galit na lumalapit sa akin.

His “innocent” mask finally slipped, revealing the jagged edge of his true personality.

Itinaas niya ang kamay niya, his face contorted with a hatred that matched my own, ready to strike me—but I was faster.

I had nothing left to lose.

Nasangga ko ang kamay niya at buong lakas na linagapak sa kanyang mukha ang kaliwa kong palad.

The sound of the slap was loud and sharp, echoing through the silent house like a gunshot.

The force of it sent him reeling, and he hit the floor with a heavy thud.

“Kulang na kulang pa ’yan sa panloloko mo sa akin! Don’t act like you’re the victim here because your pretense is absolutely sickening.

Kung nalaman ko lang sa una pa lang na plano mo palang ahasin ang kuya Kieth mo ay hindi na ako nagpauto sa pagpapanggap mo! I treated you like my own blood, pero sa ginawa mo ay parang trinato no na akong parang hayop!“

Tumayo ako ng tuwid, looking down at him as he sat on the floor, clutching his reddening cheek.

I felt no pity. I felt no love.

Only a vast, empty ocean of pure, unadulterated disgust.

“Ngunit hindi na rin ako nagsisising nilandi at kinuha mo sa akin si Kieth. Tutal pareho naman kayong bagay! You’re both trash. Kanal ka, at basura naman siya! You both belong in the sewer together, rotting in your own filth!”

Iniwan ko siyang nakahandusay sa sahig, his quiet sobs filling the room.

I didn’t look back as I marched upstairs to my room.

Every step was a struggle against the pain in my body, but my mind was focused on one thing: getting out of this house.

I grabbed my largest suitcase and began throwing my clothes inside—i didn’t even bother to fold my clothes i just want to erase my presence in this house.

I saw the framed picture of me and Kieth on the nightstand.

With a shaky hand, I picked it up and smashed it against the floor.

The glass shattered, cutting through the smiling faces in the photo.

That was us. Broken. Irreparable.

As I zipped the bag, I realized I had nowhere to go.

My parents wouldn’t take me back, and my friends were all mutual friends with Kieth.

I was truly alone.

But seeing that sobbing traitor on the floor earlier, I realized that being alone was better than being surrounded by people who were killing me slowly from the inside.

(_/) ( •-•) ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 4

/4/

JION 𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

“Wala ka na talagang konsensya, pati kapatid mo sinasaktan mo na.”

Ang maanghang na mga salitang iyon ay nanggaling sa bibig ni Kieth habang nakatayo siya sa entrada ng kwarto naming dalawa.

He was leaning against the doorframe, looking at me with those judgmental eyes, as if he was the saint and I was the villain.

His presence alone made the air in the room feel heavy and suffocating.

“Wala akong panahon para makipag-usap sa’yo, kaya pwede ba umalis ka muna?” ang naiinis kong tugon.

Hindi ko man lang siya tinapunan ng tingin.

I continued grabbing my clothes from the closet, folding nothing, just shoving everything into my suitcase with a frantic energy—w hile my hands were shaking from a mix of adrenaline and pure, unadulterated rage.

Wala na kasing oras para sa mga walang kwentang bagay at wala na rin akong oras para magtupi pa ng mga damit at maging organisado.

Every second spent in this room with him felt like a minute being burned alive.

“’Wag kang aalis,” ang mautoridad niyang pagkakasambit.

The command in his voice was so arrogant that it made me stop for a second just to laugh—a bitter, hollow laugh that echoed against the walls of our room.

“Wala ka nang magagawa, at tsaka ayaw mo ba ’non? Mas masosolo mo na ang kapatid ko at hindi na kayo magtatago sa likod ko, para lang magk*ntutan,” ang sarkastiko kong sambit.

I turned to look at him then, letting him see the absolute disgust written on my face.

I looked at him as if he were a pile of rotting garbage on the side of the road.

“You two are a match made in hell, Kieth. Don’t let me get in the way of your ‘true love’.”

Imbes na magsalita at tumugon ay mabilis niyang sinara ang pinto sabay lapit sa akin nang dahan-dahan. His face shifted from authority to a desperate, pathetic kind of longing.

Oh please.

“Patawarin mo na naman ako oh, pinapangako kong magbabago ako. Babawi ako sa lahat nang pagkukulang ko,” ang parang asong nagmamakaawa niyang sambit habang pilit na hinahawakan ang kamay ko.

I felt a surge of nausea.

Totoo pala ang sabi-sabi nang iba na

pumapangit

ang isang tao kapag

nakikita

mo na ang

totoong

pagkatao

nito. The man I loved for three years was gone, replaced by this weak,

machild

.

“Eh paano naman ang kapatid ko? Iiwan mo na lang ba siya?” ang pagsakay ko sa kanya.

I stopped my packing and slowly reached out to caress his face, mocking the intimacy we once had.

It was a test, a way to see just how deep his depravity went.

Kung maaari lang na magsusuka sa harapan at mukha niya sa sobrang pandidiri ko ay ginawa ko na.

“Hindi naman siya mahalaga sa akin, sadyang natukso lang ako lalo na’t nagbibigay rin siya ng motibo,” he confessed, and the coldness in his voice when he spoke about Clark was chilling.

“Lalake lang ako kaya normal lang sa akin ang matukso.

May kasalanan ka rin naman kasi, Jion. If you just let me do what I wanted to you, if you weren’t so difficult with me to wear a freaking condom, edi sana hindi ako napipilitan na pumatol sa kapatid mo.“

I froze. He was

fvcking

blaming me? Is this trash fr?!

“Pinatulan ko lang naman siya lalo na’t lagi siyang nakabukaka sa tuwing nanjan ako,” he continued, oblivious to the fact that he was digging his own grave.

“Kaya mahal, patawarin mo na ako. Pangako kong magbabago ako para sa’yo. Hindi ko naman mahal si Clark eh, ikaw pa rin ang mahal ko. Sadyang hindi mo lang ako nasasatisfy sa sex because of your rules. ’Yon lang naman ’iyon.”

That was the last straw. My soul felt like it was scorching.

I was about to slap him when-

“HAYOP KA! HAYOP KA! Pagkatapos kong ibigay sa’yo lahat-lahat!”

Gano’n na lang ang aming gulat nang biglang bumukas ang pintuan at iniluwa roon si Clark.

He was trembling, his face flushed with a mixture of heartbreak and feral rage.

He heard everything.

He heard how the man he betrayed his own brother for didn’t even value him more than a temporary satisfaction.

Clark let out a scream and lunged at Kieth, punching him squarely in the chest.

“WALANG HIYA KA, KIETH! AKALA KO MAHAL MO AKO!”

“Arayyy! Mahal ko, tulungan mo ako!” ang pagtawag sa akin ni Kieth habang parang baliw na nagwawala si Clark.

They were a chaotic mess on the floor—Clark scratching and punching, and Kieth trying to shield himself while still looking at me for help.

The scene was pathetic. Absurd. I didn’t feel pity, nor did I feel joy.

I just felt a profound sense of emptiness.

Imbes na intindihin ang mga walang kwentang bagay na ’yan, mabilis ko na lang na kinuha ang huling set ng mga gamit ko at isinilid sa maleta.

My movements were surgical now-cold and detached.

Nang masigurong wala na akong naiwang gamit, I zipped my suitcase with a final, decisive sound.

I stood up and straightened my clothes, looking down at the two “lovers” still struggling on the floor.

“Ah, nga pala Kieth, baka makalimutan ko ulit sabihin sa’yo. Hiwalay na tayo kagabi pa. I actually ended us the moment I saw your filth, I just forgot to announce it officially,” ang nakangiti kong saad.

It was a sweet, toxic smile that made them both freeze.

Kitang-kita ko ang galit at pagkabigla sa mga mata ni Kieth.

Reality finally set in-he was losing his provider, his anchor, his everything.

“HINDIIIII! Hindi mo ako iiwan!” ang sobrang lakas nitong sigaw, his voice cracking like a child throwing a tantrum.

“HINDIIIIII! Bawiin mo! Bawiin moooo! Jion, bawiin mo ang sinabi mo!”

He began to thrash on the floor, literally wailing as if he were a spoiled brat denied of a toy.

“I can’t live without you! Mapapatay ko ang sarili ko!” Segunda nito habang naglulumpasay sa sahig.

It was a complete psychological breakdown—the ego of a  man crumbling into a pathetic pile of tears and snot.

“Eww,” ang naibulalas ko na lang.

The sight was so repulsive it was almost comical.

Maging ang gaga kong kapatid ay napatigil sa kabaliwan niya nang makita ang hitsura ni Kieth.

“Wag mo akong iwan mahal ko!! Papapatayin ko sarili ko!” ang naglulumpasay nitong iyak habang sinasakal ang sarili niya, at inuuntog ang ulo sa sahig sa harap ni Clark.

My brother, in his infinite stupidity, started trying to comfort him like a mother calming a toddler.

Kahit na nage-enjoy akong tignan silang magdusa, I knew I had to leave.

I felt like their insanity was contagious, a toxic fog that I needed to escape before I lost my own mind.

I grabbed my suitcase and walked out, the sound of Kieth’s screams echoing in the hallway—the sound of a man who realized he had destroyed the only good thing he ever had.

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

EARLIER THAT DAY

“Ahhh… pasensya ka na ha, wala na kasi akong malapitang iba,” ang nahihiya kong sambit sa kaibigan at katrabaho kong si Aiden.

Standing in front of his small apartment, I felt small and broken. Aiden, like me, was part of our community. Lalambutin, effem. Name it . Totoo naman, lalo na’t twinkies nga ang tawag samin ng mga colleagues namin saming dalawa.

“Gaga, ang daming drama! You are always welcome here, anytime, anywhere,” ang mabilis niyang sagot habang hinihila ako pabalik sa loob.

“Atsaka hindi naman kita papabayaan no, lalo na’t nalaman ko ang ginawa ng mga hayop na ’yan sa’yo. Kapag talaga nakita ko ’yang ex mo, babalatan ko ’yan ng buhay gamit ang nail cutter!”

I managed a small, bitter smile. At least I had one person who truly cared.

“Oh, pasensya ka na kung dito sa maliit na kwarto lang ang meron ako. Ito lang kasi ang extra room ko eh,” ang nahihiya niyang sambit habang binubuksan ang pinto ng isang simpleng kwarto.

“Nako, maraming salamat talaga, Aiden. I’m not picky and maarte naman no. This is more than enough.

Having a roof over my head is a blessing right now, kung alam mo lang“ ang buong puso kong pasasalamat sakanya.

“Sige na, magpahinga ka muna. Magluluto ako ng panghapunan natin. You look exhausted, Jion. Just sleep it off muna,” he said with a comforting pat on my shoulder before heading to the kitchen.

Nang maiwan ako sa kwarto, I felt the silence finally settling in.

I unpacked a few things, trying to make the space feel less alien.

I was about to lie down when my phone buzzed.

My heart skipped a beat, thinking it was Kieth, but the name on the screen made my blood boil for a different reason.

It was him. The arrogant man from the condo. If i’m not mistaken, i kinda know his name now. Is it Luca? Lucas? Whatever.

“Asan ka?”

Isang maikling mensahe na animo’y kung umakto ay walang “Baby” at shota na naghihintay sa kanya.

The audacity of these men!

“Baby mukha mo! Magsama kayo! Wala na talagang matinong lalake sa mundo! You’re all just a bunch of cheaters!” ang inis na inis kong sambit.

I felt a surge of impulsive rage.

I grabbed my phone, popped the SIM tray open, and threw the SIM card straight into the trash bin.

I didn’t need another complication.

I didn’t need another man who is attached to someone else.

“Arghhh! Makatulog na nga!” ang huli kong litanya habang pinipilit na pakalmahin ang sarili. But as I closed my eyes in the dark room, the silence was replaced by the terrifying thought that had been haunting me since the morning.

What if I’m pregnant with that

cheater’s

child?

I squeezed my eyes shut, praying for sleep to take me away from the nightmare that my life had become.

(_/) ( •-•) ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 5

/5/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

“Bwaaaarkkkk!”

Halos lumabas na ang bituka ko sa tindi ng pagduwal ko sa tapat ng sink. My stomach felt like it was doing a violent somersault for no reason at all. I clung to the edge of the porcelain, my knuckles turning white, as another wave of nausea hit me. Pakiramdam ko ay bumabaligtad ang buong mundo.

Kakagising ko lang pero para akong bugbog-sarado. My head was throbbing like a bass speaker, at ang katawan ko? It felt like a lead . Walang-wala akong ganang magsikilos at gusto ko na lang talagang humilata sa kama at maging bahagi na lang ng kutson habambuhay.

“Ilang araw ka nang ganyan sis, ikaw naman kasi at inaabuso mo ’yang katawan mo. Maghinay-hinay ka naman sa pagtatrabaho,” ang sermon saakin ni Aiden habang marahas na naghihiwa ng kung ano sa kusina. The rhythmic thwacking sound of his knife was making my headache even worse.

“Ano ’yang niluluto mo? Bakit ang baho?!” ang nandidiri kong saad. The scent drifted toward me— a sharp, fishy, and sickly sweet aroma that made my throat constrict.

Lumapit ako at dahan-dahang binuksan ang kaldero.

Gano’n na lang ang pagduwal ko nang masinghot ko ang nakakadiring amoy ng isdang may tubig, o kung ano man ang niluluto niya. Tinolang isda man ’yan o sinigang! Basta isa lang ang alam ko! Ang bahoooo! It smelled like a wet market in the middle of a heatwave.

“T*ngina hindi ko kaya ’yang niluluto mo!” ang naduduwal kong sambit sabay takip ng ilong ko gamit ang laylayan ng damit ko. My eyes were literally watering from the stench.

“Ang arte mo naman, hindi ka pala kumakain nang sinigang na isda?” ang sambit nito, looking at me like I had grown a second head.

“Paano ko ba makakain niyan eh parang amoy imburnal! Itapon mo na lang kaya? Bumili na lang tayo ng ulam,” ang diring-diri kong sambit habang pilit na humahakbang palayo sa kusina.

“G*ga ka! ’Wag kang magsayang nang pera. Kung hindi mo kaya ang amoy, lumabas ka muna nang bahay at wala ka talagang magagawa at malalanghap na malalanghap mo pa rin ’to.” Aiden waved his ladle at me like a scepter.

“Jusko napakaselan mo naman, kung hindi ka lang lalake ay baka akalain kong buntis ka!”

Napatigil

ako. The world suddenly went silent, save for the loud, erratic thumping of my heart. The air in the room felt heavy and cold. Ang

kabang

naramdaman

ko ay

higit

pa sa

kumakarerang

mga kabayo sa lakas ng

pagtibok

nito. I tried to play it cool, but my hands started to shake. Kahit na

nagmamaang-maangan

ako, hindi

maipagkakaila

na may punto siya.

The image of that night— the heat, the lack of protection, the raw intensity of that man— flashed through my mind.

I felt a cold sweat breaking out on my forehead. Gustuhin ko mang maging positibo at balewalain ang sinabi niya, hindi na ito mawala sa isip ko. It was a terrifying possibility that felt more like a looming death sentence.

“H-hindi…” ang kinakabahan kong sambit habang dahan-dahang napaupo na lang sa sofa, my legs

feeling

like jelly.

Namumutla ako sa sobrang kaba. I started mental mapping everything—the dates, the signs, the way my body felt different.

Imposible namang nagsilabasan ang mga sintomas na ’to nang dahil lang sa isang gabi na may mangyari sa amin ng Luca na ’yon? But then again, I am a carrier. My body was built for this, and it was reacting like i am pregnant.

Hindi to pwede, mali to.

“Ahhh baks, aalis muna ako ha. Bibili lang ako nang ulam ko. Hindi ko kasi talaga gusto ’yang niluluto mo ngayon,” ang pagdadahilan ko. I needed to get out. I needed to know the truth before I lost my mind.

“Gora baks,” tugon lang nito, not even looking up from the stinky fish that he is cooking.

Mabilis akong kumilos. I grabbed my wallet and practically ran out of the apartment. Habang naglalakad papunta sa pharmacy, feeling ko ay lahat ng tao nakatingin sa akin, as if they could see the secret I was carrying. The humidity was stifling, or maybe it was just my own panic.

Bilang isang lalakeng maagang nawalan ng ina, wala akong gabay. I felt like I was drowning in a sea of questions I didn’t have the answers to

Paano ko

bubuhayin

ang bata kung

mismong

sarili ko ay hindi ko pa maayos?

The fear of the unknown was carving a hole in my chest.

“Eto na po,” ang sambit ng pharmacist sabay abot ng paper bag. I bought five different brands. If I was going down, I wanted a second, third, and fourth opinion.

Hindi na ako nag-aksaya pa ng oras at mabilis na bumalik sa apartment. Wala akong imik at diretso agad sa CR. Bitbit ko pa rin ang kabang nagbibigay ng matinding pangamba sa buong pagkatao ko. Inside the small bathroom, the silence was deafening. I did what I had to do, my hands trembling so much I almost spilled the samples.

Limang

PT . Five little plastic sticks that held the power to change my life forever.

Habang naghihintay na lumabas ang resulta, kabadong-kabado akong nakatingin sa kisame ng banyo. I was bargaining with God. Please, let it be just a fever. Let it be the stress of the breakup. Anything but this.

Ngunit mali ako.

Dahan-dahang nagsipatakan ang mga luhang kanina ko pa pinipigilan. In front of me, laid out on the edge of the sink, were the results. I wanted to deny it. I wanted to believe they were all defective. Pero sa limang PT na binili ko, lahat sila ay lumabas na positibo. Dalawang pulang marka. Sampung linya sa kabuuan na nagsasabing hindi na ako mag-isa.

Walang humpay akong umiiyak habang nakatingin sa mga sticks na ’yon. My world was already in ruins, and now, this?

“B-buntis ako…” ang hindi ko makapaniwalang sambit. I gripped the sink, trying to breathe, trying to calm the storm in my soul.

I wiped my eyes and stepped out of the bathroom, clutching the results in my hand.

“Baks,” ang mahina at seryoso kong pagtawag kay Aiden. He was lounging on the sofa, eyes glued to his phone.

“Anek?” ang takang tanong niya. He put his phone down and looked at me, his expression shifting when he saw my red, swollen eyes.

“Alam mo ba ’yung mga lalakeng may kakayanang magdalang tao? ’Yung mga carrier?” ang malumanay kong tanong, my voice barely a whisper.

“Ay oo naman no! Naiinggit nga ako kasi kahit wala silang kipay ay kaya nilang magkaanak. Gusto ko ngang ganon ako!” He let out a playful sigh, but then he stopped.

He looked at me, then at the bathroom door, then back at my face. “Teka… bat mo ba biglang natanong? Gaga ang random mo naman para kang tang—”

The realization hit him like a freight train. He looked like a statue for a split second.

“T-t*ngina, buntis ka ba?!” ang hindi niya makapaniwalang sambit sabay hawak sa kanyang bibig. His eyes were so wide I thought they were going to pop out of his head.

Hindi na ako nagsalita. Inabot ko sa kanya ang mga PT. He stared at them like they were alien artifacts. While his eyes are bulging out like an owl.

“Baks, ’wag namang OA. Malalamon mo na ako sa laki nang bibig mo,” hirit ko sa kanya. I had to joke, or else I would start crying again. Para siyang nastroke na kwago sa sobrang pagkawindang.

“G*ga kang bruhilda ka! Bakit hindi mo sa akin sinabi kaagad?! Edi sana hindi na ako bumibili ng mga pagkain na maselan sa’yo! I could’ve pampered you!” His shock turned into a frantic kind of energy. Pero agad siyang napatigil.

“Teka? ’Wag mong sabihing anak ’yan ni Kieth.”

Umiling ako nang mabilis. Just the thought of having Kieth’s child made me want to throw up again.

Para naman siyang binunutan ng tinik sa lalamunan nang marinig niya ang sagot ko. But then, his brows furrowed.

“Wait so nangaliwa ka din? Paanong hindi si Kieth ang ama nang bata?”

“Ewan ko, napakabilis kasi ng mga pangyayari,” ang naguguluhan kong tugon.

“Bruha ka! Ano ’yon napasukan ka ng burat tapos 10 seconds lang ay pinutok sa matres mo at ngayon magiging puffball ka na sa loob ng 9 months? Ganon?” ang pang-ookray nito, throwing his hands up in the air.

“G*ga ka! Basta lasing ako non! ’Yon din ’yung araw na nalaman ko ’yung relasyon nina Clark at Kieth kaya naman nagpakalasing ako nang sobra-sobra. Sa sobrang pagkabangenge ko ay bumukaka na lang ako sa kung sino-sino!” I said, my voice cracking. I tried to sound funny, but the sadness was leaking through.

I wanted a heart-to-heart talk—yung puro iyakan habang may sad songs sa background para aesthetic. Pero sa sobrang baklang-kanal ni Aiden, ang hirap humugot ng drama.

“Gaga nagpakant*t ka lang sa kung kani-kanino? Paproteksyon-proteksyon ka pang nalalaman nung kayo pa ni Kieth tapos magpapabuntis ka lang pala sa gilid-gilid boys! Hindi mo naman ako inorient na mga tambay na nagtsotsongke pala ang mga tipo mo!” ang balahurang sagot nito. I actually let out a small laugh through my tears.

“G*ga syempre naman hindi lang basta kung kani-kanino! Kilala ko pero hindi lubusan. Iyong araw ko lang siya nakita at nakilala, hindi rin siya pamilyar sa akin pero alam ko ang mukha at pangalan niya,” ang pag-amin ko.

“Magpatulong ka sa kanya, after all kayo ang may gawa nang batang ’yan. ’Yan lang ay kung gusto mong ipagpatuloy ’yan. Sususuportahan kita sa ano mang desisyon mo,” ang nakangiti nitong sambit, his tone finally turning serious and supportive.

“Gustuhin ko mang humingi ng tulong sa kanya ngunit ayoko nang eskandalo,” ang nahihiya kong pag-amin. I looked down at the floor, feeling the weight of the secret.

“May girlfriend siya ngayon.”

“T*ngina ang dami mong pasabog te! Daig mo pa ang Goodbye Philippines at Sinturon ni Hudas sa sobrang pasabog nang mga sinasabi mo!” ang nalolokang sambit ni Aiden, pacing around the small living room.

I sat there, staring at my hands. My life had become a chaotic soap opera, and I was the main character who didn’t know the script. How was I supposed to tell a powerful man with a girlfriend that I was carrying his baby?

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 6

/6/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

Bagama’t nanginginig ang buong kalamnan sa halo-halong kaba at pananabik, dahan-dahan kong itinulak ang dambuhalang bakal na gate ng aming mansyon.

Habang binabagtas ko ang pamilyar na daan papaloob, hindi ko maiwasang makaramdam ng pait sa aking lalamunan.

Every corner of this estate screamed of a life I once thought was mine, a life that was ripped away by betrayal.

I missed this place, but I also hated how much power it still had over me.

Matagal-tagal na rin kasi ang huling beses ko itong nabisita.

Simula nang palayasin ako ng sarili kong ama dahil sa pagpili ko sa maling tao, sumumpa akong hindi na muling tutapak dito.

But the life growing inside me changed everything. I needed my father. I needed to know if there was still a place for me in his heart or if I was truly just a ghost in his halls.

Marami ang nag-iba sa mansyon.

Mas lalo itong gumanda; the modern design was now more pronounced, minimalist yet screaming of wealth and prestige.

Plakadong-plakado ang bawat detalye, fitting the “Old Money” aesthetic na laging ipinagmamalaki ni Papa.

It felt like a fortress, cold and unyielding, just like the man who owned it.

Pagkadating na pagkadating ko sa hardin, malapit sa mga paboritong orchids ni Mama, ay gano’n na lang ang aking pagkagulat nang makasalubong ko ang isang taong naging saksi sa paglaki ko.

“Ate Juliet! Kumusta ka na? Matagal-tagal na rin simula nang huli tayong magkita,” ang masayang-masaya kong ani, trying to mask the desperation in my eyes.

I wanted to hug her, but the look on her face stopped me mid-stride.

Imbes na yakap ay isang mapait na ngiti at bakas ng matinding takot ang sumalubong sa akin.

“Nasaan pala ang Papa? I need to speak with him, Manang. It’s urgent,” ang nahihiya kong dagdag.

“Ay, Señorito Jion! Anong ginagawa niyo dito?! Dios mio, umalis na kayo bago pa kayo makita ng Señor!” ang kinakabahang ani ni Manang Juliet, halos mabitawan ang hose na hawak niya.

Ang

kanyang

mga mata ay

pabalik-balik

sa pinto ng

mansyon

, na tila ba may paparating na halimaw.

“Bakit, Manang? Is he still that angry with me? Gano’n na ba kalaki ang galit niya na kahit anino ko ay bawal na sa paningin niya?”

Ang sakit.

Gusto ko lang namang ipaalam ang kalagayan ko.

He is still my father, and no matter how much he disowns me, the blood of his grandchild will carry his legacy.

He deserves to know.

“Akala ho kasi namin nasa Japan ka na… iyon ho kasi ang sabi ni Señorito Clark nang bumalik siya dito kahapon,” ang pagpapaliwanag niya na ikinataas ng kilay ko.

“Anong Japan? I never left the country! At anong sabi mo? Nandito na sa mansyon si Clark?!” My blood started to simmer.

That snake had already slithered back into the nest while I was out there struggling to survive.

“Nako, Señorito, totoo ho ang sinasabi ko. Pagkadating na pagkadating ni Señorito Clark ay agad itong lumuhod sa Señor at nagmamakaawang ipahanap ka… dahil sumama ka raw sa sampung mga lalake na gumagamit at nagsasalit-salitan sa katawan mo!”

Nanigas ako sa kinatatayuan ko. The audacity of that bitch!

“Ang sabi pa ni Señorito Clark, ay kusa kang sumama para maging artista ng mga malalaswang palabas sa Japan para sa pera. Galit na galit ang Señor. Sinabihan ka niyang gahaman sa laman at walang pinagka-iba sa hayop.

Inatake pa nga ang iyong Papa sa puso dahil sa ulat ng kapatid mo! Halos mamatay ang ama niyo sa sama ng loob!“

“Walanghiyang bastardong iyon! He really went that far para lang sirain ang reputasyon ko?! He’s making up stories to justify his own filth!” My fists clenched so hard that my knuckles turned white.

Hindi lang pala siya

magnanakaw

at

mangaagaw

, sapagkat

dinaig

niya pa ang mga soap opera writer sa galing niyang

gumawa

ng kwento.

“Kahit nga ako ay hindi naniniwala, pero Señorito… may mga ebidensya siyang dala. May mga malalaswang video siyang ipinakita sa Señor.

Kitang-kita sa video na masayang-masaya ka habang pinagpapasapasahan ka ng mga dayuhan.

Totoong totoong pangyayari sa video na kahit Señor ay hindi maipagkailan na ikaw yon. 

Iyon ang dahilan kung bakit ka niya sinumpa sa sobrang galit niya. Bawal ka na raw tumapak dito habambuhay dahil ikaw ang pinakamalaking kahihiyan ng pamilya.

Itinakwil ka na niya sa harap naming lahat.“

Naramdaman ko naman ang pagguho ng mundo ko ng marinig ko ang salitang binitiwan ni Manang Juliet. Clark must have used a

deepfake

or found someone who looked exactly like me to frame me.

Hindi ko

akalaing

na ang sarili ko

pangkapatid

ang

gagawa

ng kwento para lang

sirain

ako. He successfully brainwashed my father’s mind so thoroughly that there was no room for my truth.

Every bridge I hoped to cross was already burnt to ashes, the moment that they believe all the lies from that bitch.

“Kahit kailan talaga… he never bothered to ask for my side of the story,” ang malungkot kong ani.

Ang plano kong humingi ng tulong para sa pagbubuntis ko ay naging abo na. I came here looking for a sanctuary, but all I found was a grave.

“Pasensya ka na, Manang Juliet. Pero sana, ’wag kayong maniwala sa kanya. Balang araw, muli akong makakatapak sa lugar na ito nang hindi nagtatago. And I will make sure that they are the ones looking up at me.”

Tumalikod ako at mabilis na nilisan ang mansyon. Habang naglalakad ako palabas, ang bawat hakbang ko ay puno ng determinasyon. The sadness was being replaced by a cold, calculating rage.

“Babawiin ko sa’yo lahat, Clark. Every single thing you stole, you will pay for with interest. Sisiguraduhin kong magiging kapantay mo ang isang naghihingalong daga sa kanal. Just you wait… I will make sure you rot in the filth where you truly belong.”

❦

⋆˚✿˖ °

𐙚

⊹ ࣪ ˖

ᡣ𐭩

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

Sa paglipas ng mga buwan, unti-unting naging matatag ang loob ko. If before I would cry over small inconveniences, now I was more tough. I had to be. I was alone in this world, save for Aiden’s presence. Every morning I would look at my reflection and remind myself why I was doing this.

Habang lumalaki ang tiyan ko, mas naging mahirap ang lahat. I was eating for two, and every centavo earned from my freelance work went to vitamins and check-ups. Naging mahirap ang first trimester dahil sa matinding morning sickness, but Aiden was my rock. My absolute lifeline.

“Baks, ano kaya kung ngayon pa lang magsanay ka nang umire? Para naman performance level ka sa labor day mo! ’Yung may facial expression na pang-Best Actress! Practice makes perfect, honey!” suhestiyon ni Aiden habang nag-a-apply ng face mask.

“Ano na namang kalokohan ’yan, Aiden? Stop being weird, it’s not like I’m auditioning for a role,” ang sagot ko habang hinahaplos ang malaki ko nang tiyan.

“Hindi! I’m serious! Feel ko kasi mahihirapan ka sa pag-ire eh. ’Yung mga balakang mo kasi, parang pang-fashion model lang, hindi pang-deliver ng bata! Wait, search ko nga sa YouTube ’yung ‘How to Push Without Losing Your Dignity’,” ang seryoso niyang sambit na ikinahilot ko na lang sa ulo.

Aiden was my self-appointed bodyguard, midwife, and stylist. He was so paranoid that even if I groaned while adjusting my position on the bed, he would wake up screaming, thinking the baby was coming out.

But amidst the chaos, I felt loved. For the first time, I felt like I was part of a family that didn’t require me to be perfect.

Hanggang sa dumating ang gabing kinatatakutan at hinihintay ko. Isang matinding hilab sa aking tiyan ang gumising sa akin. It felt like my insides were being twisted by a giant hand. The pain was sharp, rhythmic, and terrifying.

“Bakla… manganganak na yata ako!” ang nahihirapan kong saad. It was 2 AM. Aiden was snoring beside my bed, exhausted from monitoring me all evening.

“Go lang… sige lang… push mo ’yan, sis. Award-winning ka diyan…” ang inaantok niyang sagot, nananaginip pa yata ng beauty pageant.

“G*GA ANONG GO LANG?! WAKE UP!” sigaw ko sabay yugyog sa kanya nang malakas. “LALABAS NA ANG BATA! ACTUALLY LALABAS NA SIYA NGAYON DIN!”

“TULONGGGGG! TULOOONGGG! MANGANGANAK NA ANG REYNA! NASAAN ANG TUWALYA?! NASAAN ANG MAINIT NA TUBIG?!” bigla siyang nag-panic, tumatakbo paikot sa kwarto na parang manok na nawalan ng ulo. He was literally vibrating with fear. Mukhang hihimatayin pa siya kaysa sa akin.

“Hoy bruha! Carry me! ’Wag mong pairalin ang pagiging OA mo ngayon! Get the bag and let’s go!” sermon ko sa kanya habang namimilipit sa sakit.

“Kumalma ka lang! Baka ikaw pa ang ma-confine nang wala sa oras sa sobrang nerbyos mo!”

Sa awa ng Diyos, nakarating kami sa ospital kahit na siyam-siyam ang biyahe dahil nanginginig ang mga kamay ni Aiden sa manibela. Muntik pa kaming mabangga sa basurahan. “Hoy, focus on the road! Daig mo pa ang manganganak sa nerbyos!” bulyaw ko sa kanya bago ako isinakay ng mga nurse sa wheelchair.

Pagkadating sa delivery room, everything became a blur of bright lights and white coats. I was terrified, but every time I looked back, I saw Aiden behind the glass window, giving me a thumbs-up while crying and wiping his snot with a branded handkerchief.

The operation was successful. I chose to be sedated because the pain was too much for my carrier body to handle. I didn’t see him come out, but the moment I woke up and they placed him in my arms, the world felt different. Every sacrifice, every insult from my family, it was all worth it for this tiny human.

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

PRESENT DAY (3 YEARS LATER)

“Jusko itong anak mo! Pinagkukumpol-kumpol na naman ’yung mga wig ko! Nako talaga naman oh, Lucas! ’Yung mahal kong blonde wig na pang-Rapunzel, ginawa mong unan ng aso!” ang naiinis na sambit ni Aiden habang karga-karga ang isang napaka-gwapo at malusog na batang lalake.

He looked exactly like him. The same piercing eyes, and that aura of someone who was born to rule. It was a constant reminder of that one night.

“Dadaa!” ang masayang-masaya na sigaw ng anak ko nang makita akong pumasok sa pinto pagkatapos ng trabaho.

Dali-dali akong lumapit at binuhat ang aking munting anak.

Pinugpog ko siya ng halik sa kanyang matambok na pisngi, smelling the scent of baby powder and pure, unconditional love.

“Dada!” ang pag-uulit nito habang tumatawa, unaware of the storm that was about to hit our lives.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

BABY

WOOJOO

AS

LUCAS

(CHIBI)

FROM THE SERIES “OUR UNIVERSE”

CHAPTER 7

/7/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

“Jusko itong anak mo! Pinagkukumpol-kumpol na naman ’yung mga wig ko! Nako talaga naman oh, Lucas! ’Yung mahal kong blonde wig na pang-Rapunzel, ginawa mong unan ng aso!” ang naiinis na sambit ni Aiden habang karga-karga ang isang napaka-gwapo at malusog na batang lalake.

His face was a mask of dramatic agony, looking at the synthetic blonde strands tangled in my child small, chubby fingers.

“Dadaa!” ang masayang-masaya nitong sambit nang makita ako.

The moment our eyes met, his face lit up like a thousand-watt bulb, and he reached out his tiny arms toward me.

Dali-dali akong lumapit sa napaka-gwapo kong anak at pinugpog siya ng mga halik sa matambok niyang pisngi. He smelled like baby powder and milk combined.

“Dada,” ang pag-uulit nito na ikinatawa ko naman. I felt all the stress from my long day of cooking melt away instantly.

“Good job ka anak. Dati ay mga makeup lang ng Tito Aiden mo ang sinisira mo. Ngayon, nagle-level up ka na; wigs naman ang tinitira mo,” ang nakangiti kong asar kay Aiden habang karga-karga ang anak ko na ngayon ay nakalabas lang ang dila.

He looked so innocent while playing with the strands of the blonde wig he managed to snatch.

Marahil ay nagtataka kayo kung bakit punong-puno ng mga peluka at kolorete ang bahay namin.

You see, Aiden found his true calling as a drag performer sa isang sikat na nightclub. Nang mag-resign ako sa dati naming trabaho dahil sa pagbubuntis ko noon, sumunod din siya.

He said there was no point staying in a toxic environment without his partner in crime . Now, he’s a rising star in the drag scene, while I’m building my own small carenderia from the kitchen.

Nahihirapan kasi akong alagaan si Chibi lalo na’t nasanay siyang lagi akong nandiyan sa tabi niya.

He’s a clingy little munchkin .

Kaya naman kahit mahirap, nag-resign na ako sa trabaho para mag-full time sa aking food business.

Masakitin kasi siyang bata kaya naman kailangan niya ng extra care at alaga. Ngunit sa edad niyang tatlo (3), hinahayaan ko na siyang mag-gala at magdiskubre sa buong bahay.

Minsan ay pinalalakad ko rin siya sa labas. Kasi, I believe that if I’m too strict or overprotective about dirt, mas lalong hihina ang resistensya niya.

Ayon nga sa mga sabi-sabi ng mga matatanda, hayaan natin ang mga anak nating mag-explore.

If a child is kept in a sterile bubble, they become more prone to sickness in the long run.

Pero siyempre, hindi ibig sabihin na kailangang araw-araw siyang madumi. I just want him to be exposed to the world.

’

Wag mo naman ilublob sa kanal ’yung anak o pamangkin mo dahil lang gusto mong lumakas ang resistensya niya—magkaiba ’yon, ’no! That’s just being a bad parent

.

“Parehas talaga kayo nang anak mo, ang sasama ng ugali niyo!” ang naiinis na sambit ni Aiden, crossing his arms over his chest. Even without his full drag makeup, he was still the most dramatic person I knew.

“Asus, ’wag kang mag-alala at babayaran ko ’yan,” ang pag-aalo ko sa kanya, which earned me a small, reluctant smile. “ I’ll get you a better one once my catering orders for the week are settled.“

“Dapat lang! That wig cost me a fortune no!” bulyaw niya, pero alam ko namang hindi siya galit talaga.

“Maaga ka bang uuwi mamaya?” segunda ko sabay lapag kay Chibi sa carpet habang hawak-hawak niya ang Spider-Man niyang laruan.

“Nako, uumagahin yata ako. There’s this famous drag queen coming all the way from America to perform at the club tonight kasi eh. I need to be there to show them how we do it here,” ang sambit niya habang nagsisimulang mag-ayos ng kanyang vanity mirror.

“Gano’n ba? Oh sige, ilolock ko na lang yung pinto. You have your keys, right?” ang sambit ko na ikinataas ng kilay niya.

Aiden is the only family I have left. In those dark years when I had nothing—

no home, no money, and a growing life inside me

—siya ang naglahad ng kamay. He was ready to sacrifice everything for us. Handang ipagliban ang lahat para lang siguraduhin na maayos kami ni Chibi.

If Aiden were even remotely interested in effeminate men like me,

I’d probably marry him in a heartbeat. He’s the perfect husband material. But the reality is, we’re both bottom.

Parehas kaming effem at hindi tugma ang gusto naming “putahe.” It’s impossible; baka magsukahan lang kaming dalawa kung may mangyari sa amin! Hindi ko rin maisip, nasusuka nga ako.

No offense .

Kaya naman napakaswerte ng kung sino man ang makakatuluyan niya. He pours his heart and soul into the people he loves. If he treats us this well, what more for his future partner diba?

“Baks, sure ka ba sa negosyong napili mo? I’m just concerned, okay? I see you working late every night, preparing all those meals and catering orders. You’re barely getting enough sleep,” ang concern niyang sambit, looking at me through the mirror while he started sketching his eyebrows.

“I’m okay, baks. Kaya ko naman. Besides, happy naman ako na ginagawa ko to. It’s been a long time na rin since I used my culinary skills. Sayang naman ang pinag-aralan ko kung hindi ko magagamit, ’di ba?” ang pagpapaliwanag ko.

“Ikaw ang bahala, pero napapansin ko kasing pumapayat ka na,” sambit nito na ikinataas ng kilay ko.

“Talaga ba?” I walked toward the full-length mirror, inspecting my reflection.

And Aiden was right. Bahagya ngang lumiit ang katawan ko. My face was more angular, and my waist had slimmed down significantly.

Stress and hard work were taking their toll, but surprisingly, I didn’t look haggard. I looked… sharper. More mature.

“Kulang ka lang yata sa s*x,” ang nakangiti niyang sambit, making me scowl immediately.

“Ano namang kinalaman niyan dito? At saka kung makapagsalita ka naman, akala mo naman may s*x life ka!” ang bwelta ko.

Aiden just raised an eyebrow, giving me a look that said, “Of course I do, sweetie .”

Hindi man niya sabihin, pero alam ko na ang mga galawan niya. He’s a star at the club; suitors are always lined up after his set.

“Ano pa bang aasahan ko sa’yo, eh pinanganak ka namang malandi,” asar ko na ikinatawa niya nang malakas.

“Kapag kasi inggit, pumikit na lang, baks. ’Wag nang magsalita kung wala namang ibubuga!” litanya nito, checking his nails.

“Ewan ko sa’yo! ’Wag kang magsalita pa diyan, mag-makeup ka na lang!” ang naiinis kong litanya.

But deep down, I knew he was right. I’ve been so focused on chibi and sa business ko. That I’ve forgotten what it feels like to be desired.

“Grabe ka naman kasi, three years ka nang tuyo. You’re practically a desert down there,” pangbubuska niya habang nagpapahid ng foundation.

“Hays, kawawa ka naman. Habang ako ay nakakahawak ng kung ano-anong masasarap, ikaw, puro mga gulay lang na mataba at mahaba ang nahahawakan mo sa kusina. Samantalang ako… puro mga et*ts!” ang pagmamalaki nito habang tumatawa.

“Et*ts!”

The room went dead silent. My eyes nearly popped out of my head nang biglang gayahin ni Chibi ang kabastusang sinambit ni Aiden.

My three-year-old son was sitting on the carpet, smiling brightly, clutching his Spider-Man while repeating the word with perfect clarity.

“Ayyyy!” ang panabay na gulat namin ni Aiden. Mabilis kaming lumapit sa bata na walang kaalam-alam sa gulo na sinimulan niya.

“Aiden, look what you did! I told you to watch your mouth around him!” I hissed, though part of me wanted to laugh at the sheer absurdity of it.

“Sorry na! I didn’t know he was eavesdropping naman no!” Aiden pleaded, looking absolutely horrified.

“Baby Lucas, no! That’s a bad word! Don’t say that! Say… ‘Eggplant’! nalang”

I looked at my son, his innocent eyes staring back at me. This is my life now—a beautiful, messy, complicated world built from the ashes of my past.

But as I watched Lucas laugh, I couldn’t help but think about how much he looked like the man I was trying to forget.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 8

/8/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

Alas-singko pa lang ng umaga ay prinepara ko na ang maliit kong stall sa tabi ng kalsada. Habang ang lungsod ay dahan-dahang gumigising sa ilalim ng malamig na simoy ng madaling-araw, abala na ako sa pag-aayos ng aking mga kagamitan.

Bagama’t mahirap sa una, lalong lalo na ang

pagod

na

dulot

ng

pagtulak

ng mobile cart at ang puyat sa

pagluluto

—ay kahit

papaano

ay

kinakaya

ko naman.

Napagtanto ko kasing nasayang lang ang pinag-aralan at natapos kong kurso kung ipagpapatuloy ko pa ang pagtatrabaho sa loob ng apat na sulok ng opisina.

Culinary arts ang kinuha ko, ang tanging bagay na nagbibigay sa akin ng ligaya, ngunit sa kasamaang palad ay hindi ko ito nagamit noon.

Pagkagraduate na pagkagraduate ko pa lang ay nalaman na ni Papa ang tungkol sa amin ni Kieth.

Dati ay nagtataka pa ako kung paano niya nalaman ang lihim na iyon. We were so careful. Tago kami kung magkita, sa mga madidilim na eskinita at sa mga lugar na hindi kami kilala. Wala akong

pinagsasabihan

… maliban kay Clark.

Nagtataka rin ako noon kung bakit bigla na lang akong kinompronta ni Papa tungkol sa amin ni Kieth, samantalang wala naman siyang oras para alamin ang takbo ng buhay ko.

Ngunit sa lahat ng nangyaring hidwaan sa pagitan namin ni Clark, doon ko napagtanto ang lahat. Siya lang ang may alam ng bawat galaw ko. Siya lang ang pinagkakatiwalaan ko ng aking mga sikreto.

Malas ko lang at hindi ko kaagad nabistong siya pala ang surot at anay na tumutupok sa pundasyon ng buhay ko. My own brother was the one burning my world down while smiling at my face . Sa sobrang pagmamahal at pagtitiwala ko sa kanya, hindi ko man lang naisip na siya pala ang punot-dulo kung bakit ako nagdurusa ngayon.

“Dadaaa! Tubig!” ang malakas na sigaw ni Chibi, cutting through my bitter memories.

Nagtatalon-talon siya sa kanyang maliit na upuan, ang kanyang mga mata ay nagniningning habang inaabot sa akin ang basong hawak-hawak niya.

Kukunin ko na sana ang baso nang biglang nabalot ng ingay ang kalsada.

Isang mamahaling kotse ang nagpagiwang-giwang, ang mga gulong ay naglalabas ng nakakangilong tunog habang pilit na kumakapit sa aspalto. I froze for a split second, seeing the metal beast swerving toward our direction. Aararuhin

kami nito.

Dahil sa sobrang pangamba, wala pang isang segundo ay dali-dali kong binuhat ang anak ko at tumakbo papalayo sa stall namin. My heart was in my throat, praying to every saint that we wouldn’t be crushed.

Buong akala naming lahat ay magiging abo ang aming mga kabuhayan, ngunit sa huling sandali ay nakahinto ang sasakyan.

The driver managed to brake just in time, leaving a trail of burnt rubber and smoke. Nanlalamig ang buong katawan ko habang yakap-yakap si Chibi.

“Mister! Kung sa susunod na magmamaneho kayo ay siguraduhin niyong matiwasay ang pag-iisip niyo at hindi kayo nakakagawa ng kaguluhan! What if we didn’t move in time?! Ano na lang ang mangyayari sa amin kung hindi ka nakapreno?!” ang nagagalit kong turan habang kinakatok ang bintana.

“Pasensya na kayo, nahulog kasi ang yosi ko at napaso ako kaya hindi ako nakapag-focus kaagad. Pasensya na, may nasugatan ba?” ang nagpapanic na turan ng driver habang lumalabas ng kotse. Pagtingala niya ay tumama ang kanyang tingin sa aking mga mata.

I felt like my world stopped spinning. Ang mga

alaala

ng

aming

pagsasama

—ang mga

pangako

, ang mga

halik

, at ang

malagim

na

panlolokong

ginawa niya sa akin—ay dali-daling

nagsibalikan

.

“J-jion…” ang natulala niyang sambit.

Maging ako ay nagulat, but I immediately pulled myself together.

“Kumusta ka na? Anong nangyari sa’yo? Bakit bigla ka na lang nawala?” sunod-sunod niyang tanong habang pilit na hinahawakan ang aking mga kamay. His touch felt like acid on my skin.

“I’m sorry, hindi ko po kayo kilala. Baka nagkakamali lang po kayo,” ang maang-maangan ko pa, while trying to pull away.

“Hindi mo man lang kami binisita, matagal ka na naming hinahanap! Jion, nandito ka lang pala sa Manila” ang nakangiti niyang sambit, at mabilis na binuka ang kanyang kamay na animo’y yayakapin ako ng mabilis ko itong iniwasan.

he actually had the audacity to try and embrace me

? May mas ikakapal pa pala ang pagmumukha niya.

So I immediately stepped back, while I felt my skin crawled in disgust.

“Pasensya na ho, Mister, ayaw ko hong maging bastos sa inyo ngunit hindi ko talaga kayo kilala,” ang deretsahan kong sambit.

Tatalikod na sana ako nang bigla niyang kabigin ang braso ko nang napakalakas.

Sa sobrang bigla ng paghatak niya, nawalan ako ng balanse. Chibi

almost slipped from my arms

na

ikinataranta

ng marami, lalong lalo na ako.

“

ANO BA!

Huwag

niyo hong

idamay

ang anak ko dito! Hindi

porket

mayaman

kayo ay

mang-aalipusta

na kayo ng

simpleng

mamamayan

!“

ang malakas kong sigaw, making sure that

my voice echoes through the whole market . People started to look, whispering and gathering.

Chibi started crying, hugging me tightly like he knew that the man in front of us was a threat to our peace.

“Sumama ka sa akin, Jion! We need to talk!” pamimilit niya, habang mas humihigpit ang kanyang pagkakahawak sakin.

“MISTER! Hindi niyo ho ako mabibili sa kahit na singkong duling para sumama sa inyo! I have my dignity, and I am not crazy enough to go with someone like you! Mahintakutan naman kayo sa balak niyo, may anak ho ako!” sigaw ko sa kanya, making sure the crowd heard every word.

“Lumayas ka dito! Imoral ka! Hindi ka na naawa sa mag-ama, pagkatapos mong sagasaan ang tindahan nila ay babastusin mo pa?!” sigaw ng isang lalake na lumapit upang ipagtanggol kami.

“Mga huwad talaga ang katauhan niyong mayayaman! Mga mapangmata!” dagdag ng isang ale, sabay bato ng bulok na kamatis kay Kieth na sumapol mismo sa kanyang mukha.

Nagsimulang

magkagulo

ang lahat .

Nagsipagkuha ng mga basura, pagkain, at gulay ang mga tao at walang habas na pinagbabato si Kieth. He looked pathetic—covered in stains, humiliated in front of everyone. It was a fitting sight for a man who had trampled on my heart.

Kinuha ko na ang pagkakataong iyon upang makatakas. Habang papalayo ako, ang puso ko ay nagpupuyos sa galit. Gusto ko siyang sumbatan, gusto ko siyang saktan, but I looked down at Chibi and I held it in.

He is my priority now.

“Tubig…” ang nauuhaw na sambit ni Chibi. I let out a shaky breath and managed a small smile. At least his thirst was the only thing I needed to worry about now.

LUCA

“Anong nangyari? Bakit andaming nagkukumpulang tao?” ang takang tanong ko habang binababa ang windshield ng aking SUV.

Tinapon ko ang upos na sigarilyo, while my irritation is growing because of the traffic.

“May nangsagasa daw, Boss. Mukhang pinagkukumpulan ng mga tao dahil nambastos pa daw ’yung driver,” ulat ng tauhan ko.

I let out a dry smirk. “ Typical rich brat drama. Take another route, hindi yata

matatapos

ang

gulo

na ’yan agad.“

Akmang aandar na sana ang kotse nang may mahagip ang mga mata ko sa gilid ng kalsada. Isang pigura. Isang bulto ng katawan na matagal ko nang hinahanap.

“Stop” I muttered making sure that I saw the right person

My heart hammered against my chest. No… it couldn’t be.

“

PUT*

NGINA

,

SABING

HINTO

!“

sigaw ko sa driver. The tires screeched as we came to a sudden halt.

Hindi ko na hinintay na magsalita ang driver ko. Mabilis akong bumaba at kumaripas ng takbo. In the three years of my searching— after countless private investigators and endless nights of regret— this was the closest I had ever felt to him. I ran through the crowd, my eyes fixed on that familiar back.

“Put*ngina, wala ka nang kawala ngayon,” nanggigigil kong sambit. Maabutan na kita.

Dali-dali ko siyang linapitan at tinapik ang kanyang braso. I was ready to pull him into my arms, to never let go. Pero nang humarap siya, ang mundong itinatayo ko sa isip ko ay biglang gumuho.

The face was different. The eyes were wrong. This wasn’t

Jion

.

“Bakit po, Sir?” ang tanong ng estrangherong lalake na pinagkamalan ko.

“Ah… wala. Wala. Pasensya ka na,” seryoso kong sambit, as my disappointment, crushing the air out of my lungs.

Habang binabagtas ko ang daan pabalik sa sasakyan, my mind was a mess.

Why did he have to be so hard to find?

I was about to board my car when I noticed a small child sitting on a plastic chair nearby. The boy was cute, clutching a small glass, looking at me with wide, curious eyes.

I looked at the boy for a second longer than I should have. There was something… a strange pull in my chest. But my frustration was too great to entertain a random thought about a child.

So I got inside the car and slammed the door.

“Let’s go. We’re wasting time,” I growled, looking out the window.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 9

/ 9 /

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

“Oh, ba’t parang pinagsakluban ng langit at lupa ang iyong fes?! What happened? Bakit ganyan ang aura mo?!” Ang pang-iintrigang sambit ni Aiden pagkauwi na pagkauwi namin sa apartment. He was currently in the middle of removing his thick lash glue and heavy contour sa harap ng salamin, slowly transitioning from his drag persona back to his tired self.

Hindi ko mapigilang mapabuntong-hininga nang malalim. My hands were still slightly trembling as I approached the refrigerator.

Kinuha ko ang pitsel and poured myself a cold glass of water.

Dahan-dahan ko itong nilagok, trying to wash away the massive anxiety and the bitter memory of that encounter earlier. I looked at Aiden na ngayon ay nakataas ang kilay habang nakapamewang, just waiting for me to spill the tea.

“Nagkarambulan sa market kanina tapos…I ran into Kieth,” ang pag-amin ko, which caused his eyes to widen in shock.

“Ano???! You met that small dicked man again?! Anong sabi mo?!” Ang intrigadang sambit nito, na halos lumuwa ang mga mata sa sobrang pagkauhaw sa detalye.

“Wag mong sabihin na you’re thinking of getting back together?! Nako bakla! Umayos ayos ka, I will literally beat you talaga! Ipasok ko tong kamao ko sayo, Jusko ka!

Hindi ka ba nagsasawa sa 4 inches? You endured that for years! Tapos hindi mo pa hihiwalayan kung hindi mo pa naaktuhang may ginagawang kagag*han! Jusko, if I were you, I would’ve left him on the first night pa lang upon seeing that 4-inch dicc!“ Ang napaka OA nitong sambit na animo’y diring diri siya sa sinasabi niya.

“B*kla ka, walang getting back together na nangyari at walang balikang mangyayari. And you really had to mention the size, ’no? I was looking at the love kasi back then, hindi ’yung laki ng salwal!” Ang tugon ko, which earned  another eye-roll from him.

“Malamang okay na sa’yo ’yung pure love lang, because let’s be real, maluwang ka na kasi!” Ang mataray nitong sambit, habang kumukurap kurap pa ang mata sa sobrang pananaray na animo’y sinasapian.

“Hoy! If meron mang mas maluwang sating dalawa, it’s you! Paano ba naman, you’re always into those Black Americans! Gusto mo kasing durog na durog ang large intestine mo” Ang bwelta ko, and he just laughed out loud because he knew I was right.

“Excuse me, honey. No matter how huge the guest is, this remains fresh and tight! High maintenance ’to no!” Ang sambit nito sabay pose-pose pa na parang model sa harapan ng kanyang vanity mirror.

“So, makikinig ka ba sa kwento ko or gusto mong maging FHM model nalang?” ang naiinis kong putol sa kanya, because he never takes things seriously.

“Fine, fine! Eto na nga, I’m listening!” ang nagmamadali niyang sambit.

Kaya naman inilahad ko sa kanya ang bawat detalye—how the car almost hit our stall, the words exchanged, how I publicly lied and acted that I don’t know his ass, and the glorious moment when the vendors showered him with the rotten vegetables.

Aiden was practically wheezing from laughing too hard! He hated Kieth from the start, kaya naman hearing about his suffering was like music to his ears. Sabi pa niya, if he were there, he would’ve gathered some dog sh*t and thrown it straight at Kieth’s face.

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

LUCA

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

“Boss, I just want to remind you that you have a brunch meeting with the Chua’s heir later,” ang sambit ni Ethan, my secretary, while looking at me with concern.

“For what? Bakit ngayon ko lang ’to nalaman?” Ang aburido kong sambit while glaring at him. I felt incredibly restless, my blood still simmering from the chaos earlier.

“I’ve repeated it several times, Sir, but you seemed completely out of it ever since you suddenly ran out of the car kanina,” ang deretsahan nitong tugon, which made me look at him even sharper.

Mas lalo lang naging aburido ang ulo ko as I remembered the thing that happened earlier. The failure to confirm the face of the man I’ve been searching for.

“Get out!” Ang galit kong bulyaw sa kanya, and he followed without hesitation.

I massaged my temples while slowly recalling the events. My gut feeling was telling me it was him. I couldn’t be wrong.

“ Nasaan ka na ba?!“ I hissed

to myself

.

For the past three years, it’s been nothing but dead ends.

I haven’t gotten a single piece of decent information about him. Aside from that fake, edited video circulating online, I knew nothing. I spent millions hiring the best investigators, but every month was a disappointment. Para siyang bula na bigla nalang naglaho.

“Brad.”

I snapped out of it when I heard the voice of my friend, Blake, who looked like he just came from the office.

“Tanginang mukha ’yan, you look like you haven’t had sx in three years. Oh wait… you actually haven’t had s*x in three years, “ ang pang-aasar nito, which I just ignored with a scowl.

“T*nginamo, you’re just here to annoy me,” I said, while he sat on the reclining chair near my desk.

“I just can’t believe that until now, he’s still your only problem. T*ngina, you love more intensely than Romeo or Florante!” He laughed, but I remained silent.

“Maawa ka naman sa mga photos niya… they’re probably drowned in the evidence of your lust by now,” ang sambit niya sabay pakita ng a photo on his phone. It was a picture of Jion’s face covered in a thick, white liquid.

“Pot*nginamo, where did you get that?!” Ang nanggagalaiti kong sambit while trying to grab the phone, but he kept it out of reach.

“Brad, relax! I took this yesterday in your private office! Caught you in the act, ’di ba?” Blake laughed hysterically.

The truth was, that photo was Blake’s “souvenir” of my obsession. Yesterday kasi, I finally got access to something I’ve been eyeing for months. I hired professional hackers to bypass the security of Jion’s old, private Twitter account. It was locked for a reason— it contained his most private, sexy photos. Photos he took for himself, showing off his flawless skin and the curve of his waist.

Ever since the hackers handed me the access, I couldn’t stop. Every time I had a free moment, I’d lock my office door, pull up those images, and spend hours j*cking my meat while lusting over him. Blake had walked in on me during one of those sessions, witnessing how I was absolutely losing it over Jion’s photos.

“T*nginamo, don’t you dare spread that!” I growled, but he just kept laughing.

“You’re disgusting, Bro. Hanggang pantasya ka na lang ba sa pictures? That sh*t that your feeling is terminal. Is Jion Chua really that worth it? You used to be a player, pero ngayon salsalero ka nalang because you’re hoping he’ll come back? You’re obsessed! Boang na boang ka na. There are plenty of fish in the sea!”

“The first time I saw him, I knew he was the one. Call me crazy, but you won’t understand because you don’t know him,” I explained coldly.

Blake was about to fire back another joke when my phone pinged. My heart hammered against my ribs as I read the message from my P.I.

“Confirmed. He frequently stays at this night market. He owns a small food stall there.”

Attached were high-res photos of Jion wearing a white apron, looking busy and focused on his small business.

“Kaya pala ulol na ulol ka, even in these candid photos, his body and silhouette are incredible,” sambit ni Blake, who was now peeking over my shoulder.

“T*nginamo! Don’t you dare disrespect him in front of me or I’ll break your jaw!”

“Chill out! Pero… who is that kid inside the stall?” Blake asked, zooming in on a small figure.

I froze. My breath hitched as I stared at the boy with the small glass. “That’s the kid I saw earlier…” Realization hit me like a lightning bolt.

I immediately stood up and grabbed my car keys. My heart was pounding with pure joy and adrenaline. “Finally, nahanap din kita,” I whispered as I ran towards my car and sped off into the night.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 10

/

10/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

Prineprepara ko na ngayon ang patulog ni Chibi, but it seems like he has no plans of closing those big eyes yet. Anong oras na kasi at hindi pa rin ito natutulog. Even though I tried my best to convince him, he’s completely glued to the screen watching Oggy and the Cockroaches.

“Anak, it’s late na. Sleep na tayo,” ang sambit ko sa kanya, but his eyes didn’t even flicker away from the television. Para siyang na-hypnotize ng mga pusa at ipis sa screen.

Instead of forcing him, I just let him be. Mukhang ayaw niya talagang matulog pa and I don’t want to start a tantrum tonight. I decided not to disturb him and mabilis na gumayak sa kusina para iprepara ang mga lulutuin ko para bukas. While I was washing the vegetables, the rhythmic sound of the water was suddenly interrupted by a loud, aggressive knock from the labas.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

“Sandaleeee!” I shouted, but the person didn’t stop. Patuloy pa rin ito sa kakakatok as if the house was on fire.

“Sandali nga! Can’t you wait?!” Ang naiinis kong sambit. I quickly wiped my wet hands on my apron and walked towards the door with heavy steps.

“Hindi makapag-hintay ha,” I whispered under my breath while turning the lock. But the moment I opened the door, my heart skipped a beat. My irritation turned into pure shock when I saw Kieth standing there, his body drenched in sweat and his eyes looking wild.

“Ikaw?! How did you find out where I live? My neighbors—” I didn’t even get to finish my sentence because he suddenly covered my mouth with his hand to keep me from screaming.

“Wag ka na ngang mag-eskandalo! I didn’t come here to start a fight. I just want to talk to you,” he whispered urgently. “I’ll remove my hand, but promise me you won’t scream.”

Dahan-dahan niyang kinuha ang kamay niya. I took a step back, my skin crawling with disgust at the smell of his sweat and desperation.

“Mister, I don’t know you. Wala akong atrasong nagawa sa inyo. So why are you insisting that you know me?!” I said in a low, sharp tone, trying to maintain my facade.

But instead of talking, he aggressively grabbed my wrist.

“Then explain this! Why is my name tattooed on your skin?!” His voice was serious and full of suppressed anger as he pointed at the name ‘Kieth’ etched on my pulse.

I squeezed my eyes shut. Dammit. Because I was busy washing vegetables earlier, the concealer I used to hide that cursed tattoo must have washed off. Lantad na lantad na sa kanya na I’ve been lying this whole time.

“So what?! And don’t act like you’re innocent! After you made my life a living hell, you’ll just show up like you did nothing wrong? Ang k*pal mo din!” I hissed at him, which made him look down.

“That’s why I’m here. I want to ask for your forgiveness. Hindi mo lang alam how hard I looked for you nung nawawala ka,” he said, and I just rolled my eyes.

“Malamang hahanapin mo ako because I was missing. Now you don’t have to look because I’m right here. Happy now?” I said sarcastically, looking at him with zero emotion.

“What happened to you anyway? You’re wearing expensive clothes but you look like a walking corpse. Para kang tuyot na hindi malaman.”

“Patawarin mo na ako, Jion. I’ll admit it, until now, mahal na mahal pa rin kita. I can’t get you out of my head. You’re still the only one my heart beats for,” he said dramatically. I almost wanted to laugh. He looked like a pathetic dog begging for his master to let him in.

“Kayo pa rin pala ni Clark? After everything, andito ka para magmakaawang tanggapin ulit kita?” I said with pure disgust. The thought of him and my stepbrother together made my stomach turn.

“Yes, but I can leave your brother for you! I can provide for you, I’ll be a better husband this time!” He was pleading like a desperate child, ready to betray Clark just as easily as he betrayed me.

“I also found out… that you can actually get pregnant. If only you told me sooner, hindi sana ako mangangaliwa noon at pumatol kay Clark. But don’t worry, I’ll make sure to put a baby inside you again para wala ka nang kawala sa akin,” he added, and the sheer malice in his words made my blood run cold.

“That kid you were holding earlier? Is that our son? Where is he? I want to see him!” He smiled, looking ready to barge inside, but I didn’t hesitate. I swung my hand and landed a sharp slap across his face.

PAAAK!

“You have no right to see him because you are NOT the father! Pwede ba? Just leave?!” I screamed, trying to slam the door, but he was too fast. He blocked it with his foot.

“Dada?”

My heart sank. Chibi was standing there, his eyes wide with fear.

“Don’t you dare close this door on me until I’m finished talking to you!” Kieth growled, his expression turning dark.

“Ano ba! Umalis ka na!” I pleaded, my eyes full of hate.

“I said NO!” He roared. Before I could react, he grabbed my arm and dragged me outside the house into the driveway.

“Dadaaa!” Chibi’s scream echoed from inside as Kieth pulled me forcefully.

“Let go of me! Bitiwan mo ako!” I struggled with all my might, but he pinned my arms behind my back, trapping me in a painful grip.

“You’re not getting away this time. Did you really think I’d let you go after I almost went insane looking for you?” He whispered with intense anger and disparation near my ear.

“Please… don’t hurt me,” I whispered, my heart thumping so hard. I was terrified—not for myself, but for my son.

“Dada…” I heard Chibi crying behind the door, and it broke me.

“Shhhhh… the kid won’t get hurt if you just follow what I want. In fact, you might even enjoy this. We’re going to give your son a sibling tonight. I’m going to fill your womb with my child,” he said with a lecherous smirk, habang dahan-dahang sinisinghot ang leeg ko like a freaking addict.

“Hmmm… your scent never changed. Just the smell of you is making me hard. Miss mo ba ’to?” He grabbed my hand and forced me to feel the bulge in his pants. I felt like vomiting from the sheer repulsion.

“How can I miss that? Mas malaki pa nga ’yung akin kaysa sa maliit mong tite!” I spat at him, my anger overriding my fear.

That was the breaking point.

“T*nginamo ha!” He snarled. He swung his fist and punched me hard in the stomach.

“Ugh!” I collapsed to the ground, clutching my stomach as a sharp, agonizing pain radiated through my body. I couldn’t breathe.

He was about to kick me while I was down nang biglang may kung anong ilaw ang sumulpot galing sa isang kotse. The screeching of tires echoed in the quiet street. A massive, tall man stepped out of the luxury vehicle.

“T*nginamo ka!” the stranger roared.

Before Kieth could even react, the man charged like a predator. He delivered a thunderous punch straight to Kieth’s face, sending him flying across the pavement.

I tried to keep my eyes open, trying to see the face of the man who saved me. But the pain in my stomach and the shock were too much. My vision started to blur, and the last thing I heard was the sound of heavy footsteps approaching me.

And then, everything went black.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 11

/11/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

Agad naman akong napahilot sa aking ulo habang pilit na tumatayo mula sa malamig na semento. My head was spinning like a carousel, and every breath I took felt heavy.

“Argghhh,” ang ungol ko nang maramdaman ko ang pananakit ng aking tiyan. The pain was sharp and throbbing, a cruel reminder of Kieth’s heavy-handed blow. I felt a wave of nausea, but I forced myself to stay upright.

Ngunit ganon na lang ang aking pagkabigla nang biglang bumulaga sa akin ang pamilyar na mukha na hindi ko na nakita sa tatlong taong lumipas. The same sharp features, the same cold, predatory eyes that used to haunt my restless nights.

It was Luca.

He was standing there like a dark god, smelling of expensive cologne and power.

“Papaanong…?” Ang gulat kong sambit habang nakatingin sa kanya na wari’y gulat na gulat. My voice was trembling, barely audible over the loud thumping of my heart. I felt like a deer caught in the headlights.

“Gising ka na pala,” ang baritono niyang sambit sabay dahan-dahang hinawakan ang kamay ko. The moment his skin touched mine, a jolt of electricity surged through my arm, but fear was faster than desire. Agad ko itong binawi as if his touch was made of fire.

“Anong ginagawa mo dito?! Paano mo ako nahanap?” Ang takang tanong ko. My mind was racing, trying to connect the dots. But he just looked at me with that stoic, unbothered expression, wari’y walang paki sa panic na nararamdaman ko.

“Hindi ka man lang magpapasalamat? Sinagip kita sa gag*ng ’yon,” ang seryoso niyang sambit. He reached out as if to brush a stray hair from my forehead, but I quickly swatted his hand away. Instead of getting angry, a slow, dangerous smirk played on his lips—a look that told me he wasn’t going anywhere.

“Pwede ba, ’wag mo akong hawakan. Anong ginagawa mo dito?” Ang natatakot kong sambit. Suddenly, reality hit me like a cold bucket of water. I frantically scanned the area, as my paternal instincts screaming.

“Huwag kang mag-alala, nasa kulungan na ang lalakeng ’yon,” ang sambit niya nang makita niya akong aligaga at tila nawawala sa sarili.

“Hindi ’yon, ’yung—” Agad naman akong natahimik nang bigla kong maunawaan ang lahat.

Bagama’t sobrang bilis at nakakapagtaka na nandito ngayon ang lalakeng ito, I felt a heavy weight of dread in my chest. In my mind, a thousand questions were screaming for answers. Why now? Bakit sa dinami-rami ng panahon, ngayon pa siya sumulpot sa harap ng bahay ko? Is this a coincidence, or has he been watching me?

“Kukunin niya ba ang anak ko?” Ang kinakabahan kong sambit sa aking isipan. The mere thought made me want to grab Chibi and run as far as my legs could take me.

Kaya naman kahit masakit ang sikmura ko, dali-dali akong tumayo at mabilis na nilibot ang buong bahay. I needed to see him. I needed to know he was safe.

“Yung bata ba ang hinahanap mo? Nasa taas na at natutulog kasama ’yung kaibigan mo,” ang sambit ni Luca. Upon hearing that, I felt a massive wave of relief, but the suspicion remained.

Base na rin sa mga salita at reaksyon niya, it seemed like he still had no idea. He didn’t know that the little boy upstairs carried his blood.

This was a fragile advantage, and I intended to keep it that way.

In the past three years, I proved that I could raise my son alone. I didn’t need his money, and I certainly didn’t need his drama.

“I-Iiwan muna kita, pupuntahan ko lang anak nat—” I bit my lip so hard I almost drew blood. I felt my heart skip a beat at my own stupidity. Agad ko itong inayos upang hindi siya makahalata. “Anak ko.”

I turned my back on him and hurried upstairs. I could feel his eyes burning holes in my back, a heavy, silent gaze that made the hair on my neck stand up. He was always so hard to read, and that made him more dangerous than any Kieth could ever be.

“Pot*ngina ka te, sino ’yung Papa sa baba? Naloka ang werut ko nang pag-open ko ng pinto, akala ko nasa heaven na ako kanina at sinusundo na ako ni Eros,” ang sambit ni Aiden. He was practically vibrating with excitement, his hands flailing around as he whispered loudly. Despite his theatrics, he was mindful of Chibi, who was deep in slumber, looking like an angel amidst the chaos.

“Siya ’yung kinukwento kong lalake. Yung Luca, tatay ni Chibi,” ang pagtatapat ko sa kanya na sobrang ikinalaki ng kanyang mga mata.

“Hyop kang bakla ka, akala ko pa naman kulelat ka sa mga boys. Pero talbog na talbog kami sa fes mong maganda! Shut* ka te! Bakit naman ang swerte mo? Parang ikaw na ang pinagpala sa lahat ng gay community. Te! Tignan mo ang face card, parang mamatay ako sa kagwapuhan. Jusko bad boy na bad boy ang lewk niya na parang kak*ntutin ka magdamag!

Pero!

Nakasirado na ang kiffy ko para sa kanya dahil pagmamay ari mo na naman pala,“ ang mahabang litanya nito.

I groaned, leaning against the wall.

“ Kahit naman gwapo ’yan, saksakan naman ng yabang, “ ang tugon ko, trying to suppress the memory of that arrogant smirk.

“Che! Gga ka ’wag kang magpakavirgn virg*n diyan at baka kunyatan kita, beh ’wag ka nang maghanap nang rason. Jusko kung ako lang ’yan ay baka sa edad kong 20 ay lima na agad ang anak namin, habang buntis pa ako sa triplets na anak niya rin. Jusko ’wag ka nang madaming eme. Atsaka ano naman kung mayabang? Ipagpapalit mo ba sa gwapo niyang mukha na paniguradong masarap tignan habang binoblow mo siya o paiiralin mo ’yang kaartehan mo,” ang mahaba nitong sambit. I could only roll my eyes. Aiden’s filter was non-existent.

“Go na, pumunta ka na sa baba at magparami kayo. Kahit hanga ako sa katalinuhan mo, minsan talaga may pagkat*nga ka te. Go na, 3 years nang naghihintay ang bahay bata mo, ready na ulit malagyan,” ang mahina nitong pambubugaw sa akin habang tinutulak ako pabalik sa hagdan.

“Tanungin mo siya kung may kapatid pa ba siyang lalake o kaibigan, sabihin mo available ako. Free shipping at nakabukaka na.”

“Mal*ndi ka talaga,” I hissed, but I found myself moving back down the stairs, my knees feeling like jelly.

When I entered the kitchen, the atmosphere was thick with an unspoken tension. Luca was standing near the sink, his large frame making my small kitchen feel even smaller.

“Ah sorry, uminom na ako ng tubig. Pasensya na kung nakialam ako sa gamit niyo,” ang baritono niyang pagkakasambit sabay lapag ng baso sa lababo. Every word he spoke seemed to vibrate through the floor.

“Ah may kailangan ka pa ba? Madaling araw na kasi at baka hinahanap ka na sa inyo?” Ang awkward kong sambit. I stood by the doorway, giving him a forced, brittle smile. I just wanted him out of my house so I could breathe.

“Ahh sayang gusto ko kasi sanang dito na magpagabi, wala na kasi akong masasakyan,” ang sambit niya.

I blinked, stunned by his audacity. “Eh kaninong kotse ’yung nasa labas? Diba sa’yo?”

“Ah oo, kaso mukhang nagka-abirya kaya hindi gumagana,” tugon niya. He said it with such a straight face that for a second, I almost believed him. But I knew better—luxury cars like his don’t just “break down” conveniently in front of an ex’s house.

“Pwede bang dito na lang ako matulog sa ngayon?”

“Hin—” I was ready to shut him down, but the universe had other plans. Aiden came sashaying down the stairs, a wide, mischievous grin on his face.

“Oh oh yes, welcome na welcome ka sa bahay na ito. Anytime, anywhere basta magsabi ka lang at ihahanda ko kaagad ang higaan. Pero ang problema lang ay sakto lang ang kwarto namin sa aming tatlo, kaya naman magshe-share na lang kayo ng frenny ko ng room,” ang nakangiti niyang sambit.

I felt like my head was going to explode. I glared at Aiden, signaling him to shut up, but he just winked at me.

“Anyways, baka naman may kakilala ka or kapatid na lalake. You know, ipakilala mo naman sa akin,” hirit pa nito.

“Ay sige na Luca, pumunta ka na sa kwarto para makapagpahinga ka na,” ang napilitan ko na lang na sambit. I practically dragged the conversation to an end before Aiden could sell my soul for a date.

“Ah saan pala ’yung rest room niyo dito?” Luca asked. I pointed towards the small door near the hallway. He nodded and walked inside, closing the door behind him.

The second the latch clicked, I pounced on Aiden. He immediately jumped back, striking a ridiculous martial arts pose.

“Subukan mong lumapit at saktan ako, malalaman mo ang bagsik ng isang Avatar,” ang parang t*nga nitong sambit habang ginagaya si Aang.

“Binubugaw mo ako! Wala ka talagang malasakit para sa akin!” Ang naiinis kong sambit in a harsh whisper.

“Friend kita kaya alam kong mas tuyot ka pa sa salitang drought, ngayon ka nga lang mababasa at magpakasaya kaya lubos-lubusin mo na. Alalahanin mong para sa’yo ay ginagawa ko ’to,” he said with a dramatic hand over his heart.

I was about to retort when the bathroom door opened. Luca stepped out, looking refreshed, but my breath caught in my throat. I looked down and my eyes landed straight on his waist—his zipper was wide open, revealing the stark white of his underwear.

My face felt like it was on fire. I quickly snapped my gaze away, staring intensely at a random spot on the wall. “Ahh sundan mo ako,” ang nahihiya kong sambit, my voice cracking slightly.

As we walked towards the bedroom, Aiden’s voice boomed behind us, loud enough to wake the dead: “Besh galingan mo ha, kailangan performance level ka. May binilin akong pwede niyong magamit, glow in the dark ’yon. Sparkle sparkle!”

I squeezed my eyes shut, wishing for a sudden earthquake to swallow me whole.

 (_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 12

/12/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

“Ba’t may box ng c*ndoms dito?” Ang takang tanong ni Luca nang makapasok kami sa kwarto ko.

His voice was filled with a mix of curiosity and a hint of an accusation that made my blood run cold.

Ganon na lang ang gulat ko nang makita ko kung ano ang tinutukoy niya. My eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets when I saw three boxes of c*ndoms neatly lined up on my pillows like some sort of welcoming committee.

Humanda ka talaga sa akin, Aiden! I thought, my face heating up as I scrambled to grab them.

“Ah pasensya ka na, sa kaibigan ko kasi ’to,” ang nahihiya kong sambit. I felt like a criminal caught red-handed as I shoved the boxes into the deepest corner of my cabinet. “Sa kwarto ng anak ko na lang ako matutulog, dito ka na lang,” I added quickly, avoiding his gaze while I fixed the sheets with trembling hands.

“Edi do’n na rin ako,” ang sambit niya. He didn’t even hesitate as he stood up and followed me, his presence dominating the small space of my room.

“Ahhh Luca, tatapatin na kita. Ayoko namang magmukhang masama ngunit sa totoo lang ay hindi ako komportable na nandito ka. Kaya kung maaari lang ay huwag kang umaktong parang okay tayong dalawa,” ang mapakla kong sambit. I wanted to set boundaries. I needed him to know that saving me from Kieth didn’t erase the trauma he left with me.

“O-okay,” ang sambit niya na lang. He looked momentarily stunned, his broad shoulders tensing up before he slowly sat back down on the bed.

I didn’t wait for another word. I turned on my heel and walked out, my heart hammering against my ribs. A few seconds later, I reached the room I shared with Chibi. To my relief, that mischievous witch of a friend was nowhere to be found. Good, because I knew he would tease me to death if he found out I left Luca alone in my room.

Dahan-dahan akong sumampa sa kama and carefully tucked myself beside my son. The warmth of his small body and the sheer exhaustion of the night finally caught up to me. Before I knew it, the darkness of sleep completely claimed me.

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

“

Daddy!“

Agad akong napabalikwas when I heard Chibi’s high-pitched voice.

I forced my eyes open, squinting against the morning light filtering through the curtains.

Ganon na lang ang panlalaki ng mata ko when I saw Chibi sitting right on top of Luca’s chest! And to make matters worse, the man was nearly naked, wearing nothing but his tight white boxers.

“Daddyyy!” ang sigaw pa ni Chibi, before landing a loud, solid slap on Luca’s face to wake him up.

“Chibi! No!” mabilis kong kinuha ang bata mula sa katawan niya. My heart was racing—not just because of the surprise, but because of the view.

“Uhmmmm,” ang naalimpungatan sambit ni Luca while stretching his massive arms.

I couldn’t help but stare. His physique had changed—he was more shredded, more muscular, and definitely more “solid” than the last time I had the chance to… well, taste him.

“Ayyy,” ang nasambit ko na lang. Focus, Jion! Bakit kung ano-ano ang iniisip mo sa umagang-umaga?!

“Papaanong nandito ka na sa kwarto namin? Diba ang sabi ko sa kabilang kwarto ka matutulog? At ano ’yang suot mo? Kung umasta ka ay parang bahay mo ’to. Magdamit ka nga!” Ang naiinis kong bulyaw sa kanya while holding a giggling Chibi.

“Hindi kasi ako sanay na mag-isa sa kwarto, natatakot ako,” ang pagdadahilan nito na ikinakunot ng noo ko.

“Ikaw matatakutin? Sinong niloloko mo?” Ang tugon ko, my brows furrowed in disbelief. The CEO of a multi-billion company, afraid of the dark? Give me a break.

He just smirked and slowly stood up, reaching for his pants and shirt. “Pasensya ka na kung nakahubad ako kung matulog, hindi kasi ako komportable kung marami akong saplot pag natutulog. Di bale sa susunod ay magshoshorts na lang ako,” ang sambit nito.

“Hoy?! Anong susunod? Wala nang susunod pa dito! Umaga na kaya wala ka nang dahilan para maglagi dito ng mas matagal,” ang sermon ko, but he just smiled as if my anger was entertaining him.

“Oo na,” he chuckled softly and walked out of the room.

When we reached the dining area, the smell of fried rice and garlic greeted us.

“Ready na ang breakfast para sa mga mag-asawa! Hindi na sana ako magluluto kasi alam kong binusog mo ang frenny ko kagabi, kaso naisipan kong pagod kayong dalawa. Kaya bilang mabuting kaibigan ni Jion ay gumawa na ako ng umagahan. Charannnnn!” Ang walang kahiya-hiyang sambit ni Aiden. He presented a platter of eggs, hotdogs, and sausages with a theatrical flare.

“Oh frenny, go na kain na. Okay ka lang ba? Wala bang masakit sa’yo? Hindi ba napunit?” ang mahina niyang hirit habang tinitignan ako mula ulo hanggang paa.

“Anong pinagsasabi mo? Nakakahiya ka, ang bastos ng mga lumalabas sa bibig mo!” I hissed, my face turning a deep shade of crimson.

“Hindi ko na tatanggihan ’to,” Luca interjected, sitting down as if he were a regular guest. I closed my eyes, feeling a massive headache forming.

“Oh frenny, dalawang itlog at isang hotdog para sa’yo,” ang sambit ni Aiden. He placed the plate in front of me, but I almost choked when I saw how he arranged the food—the two eggs at the bottom and the hotdog standing tall in the middle. It was a blatant, scandalous display.

Luca suddenly coughed, nearly choking on his own food as he saw the plate’s “arrangement.”

“Nako, paboritong paborito ’yan ng Frenny ko. Kaso may katagalan na rin kasi nung huli niyang kain niyan kaya naman mas gutom siya at cravings niya talaga ’yan. Kung hindi ako nagkakamali siguro 3 years ago na niyang hindi nakakain ’yan, at mukhang ngayon lang siya ulit makakakain,” ang sambit ng bruhang kaibigan ko.

“Tubig!” ang gulat kong sambit, my voice cracking. Luca quickly filled my glass and handed it to me, his eyes flickering with an unreadable amusement.

“Dahan-dahan lang kasi, ikaw naman atat na atat ka masyado,” pang-aasar pa ni Aiden. I glared at him, wishing I could vanish.

“Hinay ka lang sa pagsubo, nagmamadali ka eh,” dagdag pa ni Luca, his voice low and teasing. I felt my entire face heat up, feeling like a total mess in front of him.

Meanwhile, Chibi was oblivious to the adult tension, happily munching on his hotdog while his eyes were glued to his favorite cartoons on the tablet.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 13

/13/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

“Siguro naman pwede ka nang lumayas? You’ve overstayed your welcome,” ang nagmamadali kong sambit gamit ang mahinang tono habang nakatingin nang deretso sa kanyang gwapong mukha. My voice was trembling with a mix of irritation and suppressed anxiety, hoping that by sounding firm, he’d actually leave the house.

“Bakit ba atat na atat kang mawala ako sa paningin mo? Am I making you that nervous?” Ang nakangisi niyang sambit habang dahan-dahang lumalapit sa pwesto ko.

Every step he took toward me made the air feel heavy. His presence was suffocating yet strangely magnetic, and I hated how my heart reacted to it.

“U-umalis ka na,” ang kinakabahan kong ani lalo na’t mas lumalapit pa siya sa akin. He didn’t stop until there was barely an inch between us. I could smell the faint scent of his expensive cologne mixed with a hint of musk, a dangerous combination that made my knees feel like jelly.

“Alam mo, napapansin ko lang na sa simula nang magpakita ako sa’yo, you’ve been acting so restless. It’s like you’re desperate to kick me out. May tinatago ka ba sa ’kin?” Ang makahulugang sambit niya. His piercing eyes scanned my face, searching for a crack in my composure, and for a second, I felt like he was looking straight into my deepest secrets.

“Dada!”

Agad kaming napatigil nang biglang magsalita si Chibi habang hawak-hawak pa rin ang hotdog na kanina niya pa pinapapak. The innocent voice of my son snapped me back to reality. Mabilis akong kumilos and pushed his massive body away.

I needed to create distance before Chibi started saying things I couldn’t explain.

Mabilis akong lumapit sa anak ko at kinarga siya, giving Luca a sharp, warning glare. He remained standing there, watching us with an intensity that made my skin crawl.

“Oh sige na, say bye to your Tito Luca. He’s leaving now,” ang napipilitan kong sambit as I walked toward the front door, practically ushering him out with my body language.

Instead of being annoyed, Luca just smirked. He raised both eyebrows in a playful manner, seemingly amused by how I was using my son as a human shield just to get rid of him. “You’re really something, Jion,” he whispered.

“Oh sige, anong gusto mong pasalubong?” Ang sambit nito.

I bristled at his words. “Excuse me, I don’t need anything from you. Hindi mo ako mabibili sa mga ganyan-ganyan mo!” I snapped. The nerve of this man, thinking he could just bribe his way back into my life.

“I wasn’t asking you. I was talking to the kid,” ang sambit nito, which immediately made me flush with embarrassment. I felt like a total fool for assuming he was addressing me.

“Anong gusto mong pasalubong ni Tito?” He asked Chibi, his voice softening just a fraction.

“Donuts!” ang sambit naman ng anak ko, his eyes lighting up at the thought of his favorite treat.

“Okay. Donuts it is,” ang simpleng sambit lang nito. His gaze lingered on Chibi for a moment longer than necessary before shifting back to me.

“Hindi mo papasalubungan ang anak ko dahil hindi ka na makakatapak sa bahay na ’to. Go home already! I’m sure your girlfriend is looking for you!” Ang may halong inis kong sambit and I quickly slammed the door shut.

I leaned against the wooden door, waiting for the sound of his engine. To my relief, he didn’t knock or cause a scene. After a few moments, the silence returned, and I let out a long, shaky breath. This day was beyond weird—so many people from my past were resurfacing, and it was draining my sanity.

“Oh besh, wala na ba ang jusawa mo? Did he actually leave?” Ang panambit ni Aiden when he saw me standing by the door.

“Pinaalis ko na. He’s such a headache,” ang sambit ko, rolling my eyes.

“Ay ewan ko sa’yo. If I were you, I’d be locking him inside the bedroom, not kicking him out!” ang sambit na lang nito, looking at me like I had just made the biggest mistake of the century.

I ignored his drama and focused on my chores. It was Sunday, my only rest day. After cleaning the house and preparing the ingredients for tomorrow’s business, I finally managed to put Chibi down for his afternoon nap. The little guy had fallen asleep right on the sofa, exhausted from his morning energy.

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

NARRATOR’S

“Jusko, ’wag na naman ’yang mga wig ko! Those are expensive, Chibi!” Ang natataranta at mahinang sambit ni Aiden nang makita niyang pinagbubuhol-buhol na naman ni Chibi ang mga mamahaling buhok na binili niya.

Instead of stopping, the toddler just gave him a mischievous grin and pulled the synthetic strands even tighter. Aiden looked like he was about to have a heart attack seeing his “investments” being ruined by a three-year-old.

His frustration was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. Assuming it was Jion returning from a quick grocery run to buy spices for their business, Aiden hurried to the door. He didn’t even bother checking the peephole.

Dali-dali niyang binuhat ang bata at mabilis na binuksan ang pintuan.

“Oh ito na ang anak mo! Jusko maloloka ang kip*y ko talaga sa kanya, he’s such a handful today!” Ang sunod-sunod na sambit ni Aiden the moment the door swung open.

“Uh??”

Aiden froze. That deep, masculine baritone was definitely NOT Jion. He blinked and adjusted his vision, only to find the towering, handsome figure of Luca standing on the porch.

“Ah… wala pa dito ’yung beshie ko. Why are you here? Did you forget something?” Aiden asked nervously. He realized he had just referred to Chibi as “his child” in front of Luca. It was a dangerous slip-up, even if he meant it as a joke between friends.

“Ahh I can wait. Besides, can I hold the kid? I brought what I promised,” Luca said, extending his arms while holding six large boxes of donuts. Aiden’s jaw nearly hit the floor. This man was literally a walking sugar factory.

Chibi’s eyes sparkled like diamonds. The sight of the colorful boxes was enough to make him forget about the wigs.

“Baba ako, Tito! Let me go!” ang malditong sambit ni Chibi kay Aiden while struggling to get down. He even gave Aiden’s arm a little swat to hurry him up.

“Ohhh, fine! Sayo na siya!” Aiden replied with a fake cheer, practically handing the child over to the man he secretly thought was the ultimate “Daddy” goal. He figured it was better for Luca to deal with the kid’s energy.

Aiden reached out to take the mountain of donut boxes so Luca’s hands would be free to carry the boy.

“Ako na ang bahala dito, you look like you have your hands full anyway,” ang sambit ni Aiden sabay kuha ng mga box.

Little did Luca and Chibi know, as Aiden walked back toward the kitchen, he was already opening one box and stuffing a strawberry-glazed donut into his mouth. “Jion, pasensya na. Donut kasi to eh,” he whispered to himself while heading to the sink.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 14

/14/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

Bagama’t pagod na pagod ako sa pamimili ng mga supplies for the business, I forced myself to carry my heavy bags and my exhausted body back home. All I wanted was to lie down even for just a few minutes, away from the heat and the crowd of the market.

But the moment I opened the door, my exhaustion was replaced by pure shock. I stood frozen at the entrance as I found Luca and my son playing together in the middle of the living room. Seeing the most dangerous man I’ve ever known sitting on my cheap floor, playing with plastic cars, was a sight I never expected to witness.

Dahil sa sobrang gulat ko kung bakit nandito na naman ang damuhong ito, I remained silent. I didn’t want to disturb them, but deep inside, I was fuming. I hurriedly walked toward the kitchen to find the culprit—the traitorous friend who surely let him in.

Ganon na lang ang aking gulat when I saw Aiden looking like a guilty toddler. He was relentlessly stuffing his face with a donut from one of the six boxes on the counter.

“Pasensya na baks, donuts kasi ’to eh. You know my weakness,” ang katraydoran nitong sambit while his mouth was still full of powdered sugar.

“Nako talaga naman oh!” Ang inis kong sambit. I stared at him in disbelief. Para siyang hindi nakakain ng donut sa loob ng labing-isang taon sa sobrang bilis niyang lumamon.

“Anong ginagawa mo dito?!” Ang may kalakasan kong sambit, which effectively stopped the two in the living room from playing.

Luca let go of the toys and stood up slowly. He tucked his hands into his pockets, looking at me with that calm yet piercing gaze.

“Binibisita ko lang kayo. Is there something wrong with that?” Ang sambit nito, which made me raise an eyebrow in annoyance.

“Sino bang binibisita mo dito? As far as I know, you don’t have any business here, kaya makakaalis ka na. Don’t you even wonder if I have a wife? What if my partner suddenly comes home and catches you here? Paano na lang kung magkadapuan kayo ng misis ko?” Ang pagsisinungaling ko sa kanya. I was desperate to say anything just to make him leave us alone.

Sino bang matutuwa that he just keeps popping up for no clear reason and acting like he belongs in our small, quiet life?

“And do you really think I’d believe those lies, Jion? Kahit anong storya pa ang i-imbento mo, I won’t fall for it. I’ve waited and searched for you for three years. Do you really think I’d let you go that easily now that I’ve finally found you?” Ang seryoso niyang sambit, which made me go silent for a moment. The intensity in his voice was terrifying.

“What exactly do you want? I don’t need you in my life, so please, just leave,” ang tugon ko, which only made him smirk.

“I just want to be with you. Is that so hard to understand? I don’t care if you have a husband or a partner! I’m not above taking what I want. Hindi naman mahirap mang-agaw sa panahon ngayon,” ang banayad niyang sambit while staring into my eyes as if I were his personal property.

I couldn’t help but feel a chill down my spine. His words were predatory, yet I couldn’t deny that my heart was racing—not just from fear, but from a strange, lingering tension I didn’t want to acknowledge.

“Ahccckkk… so sweet!”

The heavy tension was suddenly broken when Aiden walked out of the kitchen. His mouth was literally covered in white powder because of the Bavarian donut he was eating.

“Ubusin mo muna ’yung isang box doon, nahiya ka pa!” Ang sambit ko. Aiden just nodded vigorously and even gestured that he left one piece for me.

Luca turned back to me, his expression turning serious again.

“I have the resources to give you and the kid a better life. If you choose to be with me, I’ll make sure your future is secure—especially the boy’s.”

“I have never been blinded by money, Luca. You don’t know me at all, so don’t act like your wealth is the solution to everything,” I spat back.

“But what about the child? He has no father figure? Hahayaan mo na lang ba siyang lumaki sa isang pamilyang hindi buo? I know you provide him with love and everything he needs, but you can’t stop him from questioning his identity one day. What will he think if the only people he sees are you and your loud friend?” Ang deretsahan niyang sambit.

I went cold. I didn’t know what to answer. I was searching for the right words to counter him, but I found none. Tama siya, and that was the most painful part.

“I have no bad intentions, Jion. I’m not here to hurt you like you think. I’m just here because I want to be happy. You might not understand me now, but the day will come when you’ll realize everything. Just let me do this. If you ever feel like I’m putting you or the child in danger, I will walk away myself,” his sincere tone actually softened my resolve for a moment.

Instead of answering, I just turned my back on him. I let him stay and continue playing with Chibi. I needed to clear my head.

“Bigyan mo lang naman ng chance, baks. Maybe he just wants to get to know you again. You’re overthinking the destiny part,” Aiden whispered as he approached me in the kitchen.

“Hayaan mo lang siya sa mga gusto niyang gawin as long as he’s not harming anyone. Just because your past was messy doesn’t mean you should block everything out. Have you ever asked yourself if you played a part in why things ended that way too?”

His words made me stop.

“I’m just protecting Chibi, Aiden.”

“Hayaan mo lang ang tadhana ang mismong magpasya. This is also the time for you to focus on yourself, Jion.

Your whole life has revolved around that child. There’s nothing wrong with that, but don’t neglect yourself. Even you need some ‘TLC’—t*te, love, and care. We can’t survive without a little bit of the white syrup from the tite!“

I glared at him. “You’re disgusting.”

“Ang ibig ko lang naman sabihin is be happy! It’s okay to take care of the kid, but value yourself too. Don’t be afraid of the negative ‘what ifs.’ After all, he is the father of Chibi, right? Isn’t this a sign for a grand happy family?”

Aiden patted my shoulder.

“Atsaka nhanandito lhang ako besh, whag khang mag-alalah…”

I was about to feel touched by his advice, but I noticed his voice sounded muffled. I turned to look at him and my eyes widened in annoyance.

Ganon na lang ang inis ko when I saw him stuffing his face with yet another donut. He was giving me “deep” life advice just to distract me from the fact that he was finishing the entire second box by himself!

“You’re unbelievable! You’re only helping him so you can get free donuts! Ang siba mo talaga!” I hissed, but he just gave me a thumbs up while chewing happily na parang batang walang pakialam.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 15

/15/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

I stood there by the small wooden table, watching him. Luca, the man who used to command boardrooms and underworld meetings, was now sitting on a plastic stool in my cramped kitchen. There was a strange tightness in my chest—a mixture of lingering resentment and a terrifying, magnetic pull that I couldn’t seem to shake off.

“Kumain ka na, baka sabihin pa ng iba na ginugutom kita,” I said, my voice as cold as I could make it. I set the plate of steaming rice and adobo down in front of him.

“Sabayan niyo na ako, saktong-sakto at gutom na ako,” he said, looking up at me. His eyes weren’t cold today; they were warm, almost playful. He looked at the humble meal like it was a five-star feast.

“Hindi kami ang sasabay, Ikaw ang sasabay sa aming kumain. Baka nakakalimutan mong bahay ko ’tong kinatatayuan mo,” I snapped, trying to maintain some semblance of control. I needed him to know that his money didn’t buy authority here.

“Mmm…” he let out a low, appreciative moan the moment the food touched his tongue. He closed his eyes, savoring the flavors. “Ansarap naman nito. This is incredible, Jion. It tastes even better than the specialty dishes in those Michelin restaurants I frequently visit to eat. Where did you learn to cook like this?”

I crossed my arms, trying to ignore the heat rising in my cheeks. “Ano bang pake mo? I’ve been cooking since I was a kid. Hindi man ako kagalingan, but I know my way around a kitchen. I just refined my skills when I inherited my mother’s old recipe book. It’s the only thing left of our family’s legacy.”

A shadow of a smile danced on his lips. “I see. Talent runs in your blood, then. Maybe we should make a—”

He was cut off by the sharp, intrusive ring of his phone. The vibration on the table felt like a crack in the peaceful atmosphere we were momentarily sharing.

“Ah, excuse me for a second,” he said, his tone shifting back to the professional, cold CEO I remembered. He stepped away, but in this tiny house, privacy was a myth.

“Hindi ba pwedeng sa isang linggo na lang? I have more important matters to attend to,” I heard him whisper harshly. “Fine. If they’re that persistent, tell them tomorrow. Eight in the morning.”

He hung up and walked back, his face a mask of calculated indifference. I looked at Chibi, who was busy licking the frosting off a donut, pretending I hadn’t been hanging onto every word Luca said.

“Ah… sino ’yon? Is it someone important?” The question slipped out before I could stop it. I bit my tongue, cursing my own curiosity.

Luca leaned against the doorframe, a triumphant smirk spreading across his face. “If you’re thinking it’s another woman, you’re wrong, Jion. It was a business call. Wala kang dapat pagselosan. And besides, it’s a man from the Chua family in Binondo. I’m meeting their only son tomorrow.”

My heart stopped. The air in the room suddenly felt thin. “Maraming Chua sa Binondo, Luca. Who exactly are you talking about?”

“Sigmund Chua,” he replied.

The name hit me like a physical blow.

“And who… who is the son you’re meeting?”

“Clark? I think his name is Clark. The only son of Sigmund. He’s been hounding my office for a partnership. I don’t usually deal with their kind of industry, but they’ve been very… persistent.”

I felt a cold sweat break out on the back of my neck. Clark. My halfbrother. The one who lived in the mansion that was supposed to be mine, eating the food that was supposed to be on my table, and now, he was trying to shake hands with the father of my son. The irony was suffocating.

“Why the sudden change in your face, Jion? Do you know them?” Luca asked, his eyes narrowing as he stepped closer, sensing my internal panic.

“Hindi naman. Medyo pamilyar lang ’yung pangalan,” I lied, my voice shaking slightly.

I turned back to the sink, scrubbing a plate so hard I thought it might snap. My mind was a whirlwind. If Luca was meeting Clark, this could be the opening I needed. For three years, I had hidden in the shadows, but maybe… maybe I could use Luca to get back what the Chuas stole from me. It felt wrong to use him, but then again, what had the world ever given me for free?

“Salamat pala sa pagkain. I didn’t realize your hands were so… versatile,” Luca whispered, standing right behind me. I could feel the heat radiating from his body.

“Lumayo-layo ka at naghuhugas ako ng pinggan! Baka biglang madulas ako sa pagkakahawak ng baso at maipukpok ko sa ulo mo!” I hissed, though my heart was drumming a frantic rhythm against my ribs.

“Oh, I like it when you’re violent,” he chuckled softly.

“Don’t think this is free, Luca! You’re staying in my house, eating my food, and making me look at your arrogant face. You owe me! Magbayad ka!”

“Can I just… eat this instead?” He wasn’t looking at the table. He was looking at my lips.

“Ano bang pinagsasabi mo? Ubos na ang ulam! If you’re still hungry, go to my stall tomorrow. ’Wag kang umasa na magluluto pa ako ng bago para sa’yo tonight!” I snapped, completely missing his double meaning.

He just shook his head, a playful glint in his eyes. “That’s not what I meant, but okay. Where’s the boy? I want to say goodbye.”

“Doon,” I pointed with my lips toward Chibi’s small room, my hands still covered in soap.

“Where? I can’t see it,” he teased, leaning in closer until I could feel his breath on my cheek.

“Doon nga! Ang kuli—”

Before I could finish my sentence, Luca leaned in and pressed his lips against mine. It wasn’t a long kiss, but it was firm, warm, and possessive. He took advantage of my pointed lips to claim a moment I wasn’t ready to give.

“Sweet,” he whispered in that deep, vibrating baritone. Before I could even scream or slap him, he grabbed his coat and disappeared into Chibi’s room.

I stood there, paralyzed. My heart was thumping so loud I was sure the neighbors could hear it. I touched my lips, feeling the lingering heat.

That arrogant, beautiful son of a—

“G*ga! Anong nangyari sa’yo? Bakit para kang estatwa diyan? Na-engkanto ka ba?” Aiden’s voice cut through the air like a knife.

“Hoy baks! Na-e-erna ka ba? ’Wag dito! Babaho ang floor!” He shouted, waving a hand in front of my face.

I snapped out of it and, despite the soap on my hands, I delivered a sharp but subtle hit to his head.

“Aray ko naman! Bakit ka nananakit?!”

“Ang ingay mo! And stop saying disgusting things!” I yelled, my face turning a shade of red that had nothing to do with anger.

“Kasi naman, ’yung mukha mo… you look like a blushing tomato, Jion! Akala ko nga magtatransform ka na bilang si Majin Buu. Ano bang ginawa sa’yo nung lalakeng ’yun sa kusina? Did he serve you some ‘special’ dessert?”

I stayed silent, my heart still racing. If I told Aiden about the kiss, he would never let me hear the end of it. He would probably sell my soul to Luca for a lifetime supply of donuts.

“Dada! Dada! Look! Bigay ni Tito Luca!” Chibi’s voice chirped as he ran into the kitchen, holding a piece of paper like it was a treasure map.

“Ano ’yan?” Aiden asked, snatching the paper before I could. His eyes nearly popped out of his head. “T*ngina baks! Cheke ’to ah! OMG! 200,000 pesos?!”

I grabbed the check, my hands trembling. 200,000? For one night of “staying over”?

“Jusko dai, ’wag ka nang pakipot! I will personally massage you with a truck if you return that! ’Wag ka nang mag-ala Maria Clara kung todo halinghing ka naman nung ginagawa niyo si Chibi three years ago! Andiyan na ang grasya, Jion! If you let this man go, I will disown you as a friend!”

Aiden leaned in, his voice becoming unusually serious for a second.

“Pinabayaan ko na siya sa’yo kahit alam kong mas virgin ako sa’yo, tapos mag-iinarte ka pa? Jion, look at your son. Look at yourself. Maybe it’s time to stop hiding and start living. Hindi masamang tumanggap ng tulong mula sa ama ng anak mo.”

I looked at the check, then at Chibi who was smiling, and finally at the door where Luca had just exited. The world was starting to feel very small, and the walls I had built around my heart were starting to crumble, one 200,000-peso brick at a time.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 16

/16/

NARRATOR

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

Alas sais pa lang ng umaga ay abalang abala na si Clark Chua sa pagpapaganda.

He spent hours in front of the mirror, meticulously picking out an outfit that screamed “luxury” but whispered “temptation.” This meeting wasn’t just about business; it was a hunting trip. He was preparing to meet Luca, one of the most powerful and elusive businessmen in the country.

Kahit na may naririnig siyang mga hindi magagandang bagay at mga tsismis tungkol sa mga ilegal na gawain ni Luca, Clark didn’t care. To him, danger was just another layer of attraction. From the moment he saw Luca’s face on the cover of a business magazine, he had decided:

Luca would be his.

He was brimming with confidence.

Clark believed that no man could resist his “expert” moves. He had spent his life getting exactly what he wanted—whether it was his father’s sole attention or the inheritance that should have been shared.

“I can tame him,” Clark whispered to his reflection, applying a touch of expensive cologne. “People say he’s ruthless and stone-hearted, but they just don’t know how to handle a man like that. I’ll make him crawl.”

Kailan paman ay hindi pa siya nakatagpo ng lalakeng makakasatispado sa kanya. To Clark, men were just disposable tools, used for pleasure or social climbing.

But Luca was different. Luca was a prize.

He had tried inviting Luca multiple times before, but the man was always “too busy.” So, Clark resorted to a desperate lie—a fake business proposal involving the Chua family’s massive assets. He cleaned his body with the utmost care, his mind drifting into scandalous territories. While he prepped, he couldn’t help but shiver in anticipation, imagining Luca’s massive frame looming over him, finally surrendering to his charms.

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

LUCA

Exactly 8:00 AM. I stepped into the high-end restaurant Clark had recommended. I was already annoyed. If it weren’t for the persistent calls from the Chua family, I wouldn’t even be here.

To be honest, I had zero interest in this guy. I only agreed to call him “Clark” instead of “Mr. Chua” because he begged for familiarity. I didn’t want to be unnecessarily rude, but his persistence was bordering on harassment.

The moment I walked in, Clark practically lunged at me. He greeted me with a tight hug that lasted a few seconds too long. I felt a surge of discomfort and immediately pulled back, offering a stiff, awkward smile.

“Mabuti na lang at dumating ka. I really thought you’d stand me up again like the first time I invited you,” he said in a soft, airy voice. He looked at me with eyes that were trying so hard to be seductive, it was almost painful to watch.

I’m not being conceited, but I know when someone has an ulterior motive. The way he looked at me—it wasn’t about business. It was an invitation for something else, a silent message he was trying to send through his lashes. Instead of being enticed, I felt a wave of disgust. He reminded me of a cheap hustler trying to scam a foreigner, using outdated and tacky tactics.

“Upo ka muna,” he smiled, guiding me to the chair. As I sat down, he let his hand linger on my arm, giving it a small squeeze. I looked at his hand, then at him, wondering if he realized how weird he was being.

If Jion did this to me, I wouldn’t just let him squeeze my arm, I thought. A sudden, wicked image of Jion flashed in my mind, and I couldn’t help but smirk.

Clark must have misinterpreted my smile because his face lit up instantly. He looked emboldened.

“Ahhh… I have to confess something. I’m sorry for being so pushy. The truth is, I don’t really have a business proposal for you. I just made that up so you’d finally show up,” he admitted, looking at me with expectant eyes.

I stared at him, my patience thinning. I fought the urge to roll my eyes and walk out right then and there.

“The truth is, I’ve liked you for a long time, Luca. I finally gathered the courage to tell you how I feel,” he continued, waiting for a romantic reaction.

I leaned back, my expression turning cold and professional. “You know, Mr. Chua, if I knew I was coming here for a meaningless confession instead of a business deal, I wouldn’t have wasted my gas. I don’t want to be rude, but your feelings are irrelevant to me. You just wasted my time.”

I stood up, adjusting my watch. “And also, don’t ever call me again. I don’t want my spouse seeing your name on my phone and thinking I’m dealing with some random trash.”

Clark’s face paled. “But—”

“Hi baby! Gosh, super stressful ng traffic! Akalain mong 8:00 AM pa lang pero buhol-buhol na?”

A familiar, melodic voice cut through the tension. My heart skipped a beat as Jion suddenly appeared beside our table. But this wasn’t the humble, quiet Jion I had been staying with. He was wearing an aura of pure power and sophistication—the same Jion I saw in that bar years ago.

“Sorry if I’m late, baby. I hope I didn’t interrupt your… ‘meeting’?” Jion said, his voice dripping with mock sweetness.

I was stunned, but I recovered quickly. I realized he was playing a game, and I was more than happy to be his teammate.

I stood up and wrapped my arm around his waist, pulling him close.

“It’s okay. You know I’d wait forever for you,” I said with a smile. Before he could say another word, I leaned down and claimed his lips in a firm, possessive kiss.

I felt Jion stiffen in surprise. He didn’t expect me to go that far. I pulled back just an inch, smirking as I whispered against his lips, “You surprised me with your arrival, so I’m surprising you with a kiss.”

I turned my gaze to Clark, who looked like he had seen a ghost. His jaw was literally hanging open.

“K-Kuya Jion?!” Clark stammered, his voice trembling with pure shock.

The confidence Clark had earlier was gone, replaced by a pale, trembling fear. He looked back and forth between us, unable to process the sight.

“This can’t be… how…?” Clark whispered, completely broken.

I didn’t say a word. I just tightened my grip on Jion’s waist, leaning into his ear while keeping my eyes fixed on Clark. I was ready for whatever move Jion was about to make next.

The game was just beginning.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 17

/ 17/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

“K-kuya? Papaanong buhay ka? Antagal mong nawala. Akala ko p*tay ka na. Sayang naman,” Clark stammered.

The moment those words left his mouth, I felt a surge of cold fury. This was the person who helped destroy my life, yet here he was, looking at me as if I were a ghost that ruined his perfect morning. I couldn’t help but let out a dry, mocking laugh that echoed through the upscale restaurant.

“Ohh, ikaw pala yan Clark. It’s been quite a while, hasn’t it? But OMG! Did you really think I was the one who died?” I tilted my head, looking him up and down with pure disdain. “If I’m the one who’s dead, bakit parang mas mukhang nabubulok ka pa kesa sa akin? Your bitterness is showing, dear. It’s ruining your expensive foundation.”

“H*yop ka!” Clark shrieked. The mask of a sophisticated businessman slipped, revealing the ugly, entitled child underneath. He raised his hand to slap me, but I was faster. I caught his wrist in mid-air, gripping it with a strength born from three years of hard labor and survival.

“Grabe ka naman, mahiya ka naman sa mga tao dito. This is a public place, but here you are, acting like a common street brawler,” I whispered, my voice low and dangerous.

I leaned closer so only he could hear. “But then again, what should I expect from the son of a mistress? Like mother, like son

no class .“

“Walanghiya ka!” He screamed, losing all composure.

He tried to swing his other hand, but before he could even come close, a massive force intervened.

Luca didn’t just step in; he threw Clark back with such power that my half brother went sprawling onto the floor, sliding across the polished tiles.

“What the hell! Luca! Bakit mo ako tinulak?!” Clark wailed from the floor, his eyes wide with betrayal. “I’m the one you should be protecting! Bakit mo kinakampihan ang pokpok na ’yan?!”

I saw Luca’s jaw tighten, his eyes turning into shards of ice. The protective aura radiating from him was so thick it was almost suffocating. He looked at Clark as if he were a piece of filth stuck to his designer shoes.

“May saltik ka ba sa utak and you can’t process what’s happening in front of you?” I stepped forward, standing right beside Luca. I felt a strange sense of belonging in his shadow.

“You were literally hitting on my husband. Did you think I wouldn’t notice your pathetic touches and those thirsty looks you were giving him? Manang-mana ka talaga sa nanay mong kabit! Always trying to steal what isn’t yours!”

The silence in the restaurant was deafening. Every eye was on Clark, who was now trembling, half-scrambling to get up while his face turned a deep, humiliated purple.

“I am an educated person, Clark. I try my best to avoid violence because I actually have a reputation to protect. I let your disrespect toward my husband slide for a moment, but the second you try to lay a hand on me? You better know who you’re messing with, because I will ruin you more than you ever ruined me,” I said, my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through my veins.

I turned my back on him, leaving him there to rot in his own shame. Luca stayed behind for a moment to talk to the manager. He was calm, handling the situation with the cold efficiency of a man used to cleaning up messes. He handed over a stack of bills—compensation for the disturbance—and within minutes, we were walking out, leaving Clark to gather his shattered ego in the middle of a crowd of gossiping socialites.

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

IN THE CAR

The silence inside the car was thick, but it wasn’t uncomfortable.

Luca’s hand was still firmly planted on my waist even as we reached the parking lot. The heat of his palm felt like a brand, a reminder of how he stood up for me.

“Pwede mo nang tanggalin ’yang kamay mo, Clark is already miles away,” I said, trying to regain my composure.

“What if I don’t want to?” He replied, his voice a low, teasing rumble. He looked at me with a smirk that made my heart skip a beat.

He opened the door for me, and the moment we were both inside the car, he let out a short, triumphant laugh. It was the first time I had seen him look genuinely happy since we reunited.

“Wag ka ngang ngumiti diyan, para kang sira,” I teased, though I was struggling to hide my own smile.

“I can’t help it, Jion. I just can’t. Hearing you call me ’

husband

’ in front of everyone… that was the best thing I’ve heard in years,“ he confessed, his eyes searching mine.

I turned away, staring out the window to hide the blush creeping up my neck. “Sira ka na talaga. Just drive already.”

“Okay, but you owe me the truth. Tell me everything. What happened between you and those people? I was completely blindsided back there.”

As the city blurred past us, I finally opened up.

I told him about the betrayal, how Clark and Kieth colluded to throw me out of my own home, the lies they told my father, and the cold nights I spent wondering how I would survive.

Luca listened intently, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the steering wheel. I could feel the temperature in the car drop as I mentioned Kieth’s recent harassment.

“So, that man who harassed you the other day… that was Kieth?” He asked, his voice dangerously calm. I simply nodded. I didn’t see the look in his eyes, but I felt the dark, predatory energy radiating from him.

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

B

y noon, I was back at home, trying to feed Chibi. My mind was still reeling from the morning’s events when my phone suddenly blared.

It was Clark.

“Walanghiya ka! After you had my boyfriend arrested and beaten up, you’re doing it again?! You have no heart! Kieth is literally a vegetable right now because of your husband’s men! I will sue you! Ipapademanda kita!” Clark’s voice was hysterical, screaming through the speaker.

I moved to the kitchen, away from Chibi, my face hardening.

So, Luca’s “business trip” after dropping me off was a visit to Kieth. A dark sense of satisfaction washed over me.

“First of all, I can sue you for defamation, so watch your mouth,” I said, my voice dripping with venom.

“And second, do you even know why your trashy boyfriend ended up in that state? Let me tell you the parts he probably skipped.”

I heard him gasp on the other end, but I didn’t stop.

“He came to me, Clark. Crying, begging, and literally groveling at my feet. He told me he made a mistake and that he wanted to leave you because he never stopped loving me. He said you were just a distraction, a mistake.”

“H-hindi totoo ’yan!” Clark sobbed.

“Oh, it’s very true. And because he was so ‘in love,’ he tried to force himself on me. Luckily, my husband was there to put him in his place. So, whoever beat him up today? They were just doing the world a favor. Sa pangit ba naman ng ugali niyan, he was bound to get what he deserved.”

I took a deep breath, ready for the killing blow. “And before I forget, you’re viral, Clark. Someone filmed the whole thing at the restaurant. Our faces are blurred, thank god, but yours? It’s crystal clear. Everyone is watching you get shoved to the floor like the desperate mistress’s son that you are. Enjoy your 15 minutes of fame.”

I hung up before he could respond. I leaned against the counter, a slow, genuine smirk forming on my lips. For the first time in three years, the weight on my chest felt a little lighter.

“Anong nginingiti-ngiti mo diyan? Akala ko naman ay nanalo ka sa Lotto sa lawak ng ngiti mo. Ano bang nangyari?” Aiden asked, appearing with a donut in his hand.

“Better than the lotto, Aiden,” I whispered.

“I just realized that revenge is a dish best served with a side of donuts.”

(_/) ( •-•) ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 18

/18/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

Ala una ng hapon nang makabalik si Luca. I was already waiting for him by the door, my arms crossed over my chest and my face contorted in a scowl. My mind had been racing for the past hour, thinking about what Clark said over the phone.

“Mabuti naman at buhay ka pang nakabalik? So, tell me, was your little ‘mission’ successful?” Ang patutsada ko. I looked him up and down, trying to see if there was any blood on his expensive shirt.

“Wala bang kiss at hug for your hardworking husband?” Hirit nito, a playful smirk dancing on his lips that only made my blood boil more.

“Don’t start with me, Luca! Clark called me, at nagwawala ang hayop na yon. Sinabi niya sa akin na bugbog-sarado daw si Kieth and he’s currently in the hospital. Do you have anything to do with that?” Ang mataray kong sambit. I wanted him to deny it, but deep down, I already knew the answer.

“So what if I do? He deserved every bit of it,” ang seryoso at walang pakialam nitong sambit. He didn’t even blink. It was like he was talking about taking out the trash rather than nearly killing a person.

“So ikaw nga?!

Bakit mo naman ginawa ’yon? Are you insane? Alam mo bang pwede kang makulong sa ginawa mo? You can’t just go around beating people up!“ Ang may kalakasan kong bulyaw.

He stepped closer, his shadow looming over me.

“I know the law, Jion. And frankly, I don’t give a damn if I end up in a cell. What he did to you… what he tried to do… it’s unforgivable. He should be thankful I didn’t have him killed. My rage was far from satisfied.” Ang may diin niyang pagkakasabi.

I shook my head in disbelief.

Luca was the type of person who was incredibly hard-headed. Once he believes he’s doing the right thing, especially when it comes to “protecting” what’s his, nothing can change his mind.

“Atsaka ’wag kang mag-alala. Even if they try to put me behind bars, they won’t succeed. I have people for that,” ang proud pa nitong pagkakasabi.

“You’re unbelievable!” I huffed, turning around and walking back into the house, leaving him standing there.

“Uyyy!” He followed me inside, his footsteps heavy behind me. He caught my arm and turned me around. “I only did it because I can’t stand seeing anyone hurt you, Jion.”

I froze. The intensity in his eyes was overwhelming.

“You are too precious to me. I’ve been trying so hard to protect you, and then I find out some worthless piece of trash is disrespecting you and trying to lay his hands on you? What do you want me to do? Just stand by and watch? I can’t even stand the thought of you getting a tiny scratch or a mosquito bite, let alone what that bastard did.” Ang maangas nitong pagpapaliwanag.

My throat felt dry. “Sinabi ko bang gawin mo ’yon? Did I ever ask for your protection?!” Ang mataray kong tugon, though my voice wavered.

“Because I want you! I like you! Don’t you get it?! I won’t let anyone treat you like that. If you’re okay with it, fine, but I’m not!” Ang may kalakasan nitong sambit.

I was stunned into silence. The raw honesty in his voice left me breathless. I searched for a comeback, a witty remark to shut him down, but my brain was completely fried.

“Ayyyy panalo ang ate ko!! Gandits talaga! Perfuk ang fes! Pak pak! Plakadong-plakado ang kagandahan. Nasayo na ang korona at ikaw na ang itinanghal na big winner!” Ang malakas na sambit ni Aiden bigla, while carrying Chibi.

He had been eavesdropping again.

“Ano? Bat hindi ka makapagsalita?” Luca asked, his eyes never leaving mine.

“Ate ko, sabihin mo na kasi na gusto mo rin siya. Diba nga patay na patay ka sa kanya noon? Nagpapakipot ka lang kasi para kunyari hard to get ka, pero deep inside, halata namang gwapong gwapo ka sakanya!” Ang pambubuskang sambit ni Aiden.

I shot Aiden a murderous look. If he weren’t holding my son, I would have tackled him right then and there.

“Wag kang maniwala sa pinagsasasabi ng b*klang ’yan! That’s not true! Gawa-gawa niya lang ’yan to make me look obsessed with you!” I defended myself, but the smirk on Luca’s face told me he wasn’t buying it.

“Bakit, hindi ba?” He countered, raising an eyebrow.

“Hindi malamang!”

“Ay wititit! Umamin ka nalang baks, buking ka na! I’m just being honest because I’m a child of God and I fear the sin of lying. It’s okay to tell him, baks. Besides, it’s high time you experience the ‘fountain’ again!” Ang mahabang litanya ni Aiden.

Lord, kaibigan ko siya. Kaibigan ko siya, Lord.

I repeated in my head like a mantra, trying to calm my nerves before I actually committed a crime.

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

L

ater that evening…

“Kakatawa talaga ’yang bruhang ’yan,” Aiden chuckled while scrolling through his phone, watching the viral video of Clark at the restaurant.

“Ay, bakit blurred ang fes niyo dito baks? Para kayong lead stars ng p*rn sa Japan,” he joked, starting to sing and dance to UNIS’s “Superwoman,” but mixing up the vibes completely.

“G*ga! Korean ’yang kinakanta mo! Japan is different from Korea!” I snapped, trying to focus on the stove.

“Okay na ’yon, nilagyan ko rin naman ng ‘Konnichiwa’ sa dulo para Japanese,” he replied with a shrug.

Suddenly, I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around my waist. “Hmmm… bango naman,” Luca whispered, his chin resting on my shoulder.

My heart hammered against my ribs. Aiden was in the living room and Chibi was sound asleep in the bedroom. We were effectively alone in the kitchen.

“Tanggalin mo ’yang kamay mo bago ko putulin ’yan. That’s your problem talaga Luca, you believe everything of that gossip-monger says. Uto uto ka kasi eh” I said, struggling to pry his hands off me.

“But it’s true, isn’t it? You’re just playing hard to get. But if it were up to me, there would be no more games between us. Hindi ko na kailangang magpabebe pa, lalo na may alam akong shortcut para mas maobssess ka sakin” he whispered, before planting a soft kiss on my cheek.

“Che! Stop kissing me!” I snapped, rubbing my cheek where his lips had just been.

“If you truly hated my kisses, you’d find a way to push me away— for real . But you just wiped it off and pretended to be annoyed just to save face. Inside, I know you liked my kisses,” he said softly.

I stopped stirring the pot.

He was right. Dammit, he was right.

“Che! I don’t like it!” I muttered, but I didn’t pull away. I continued stirring the food while his arms remained locked around my waist, his presence warm and dangerously comforting against my back.

(_/) ( •-•) ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 19

/19/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

“Dito ka na lang kaya tumira? Tutal, you’re basically a permanent fixture here every single day anyway,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm as I aggressively wiped the wooden table.

Hindi ko siya tinitignan. I focused on a small stain on the wood just to avoid those piercing eyes of his that always seemed to read my thoughts.

“Actually, I was thinking the same thing. But not in this cramped space, Jion,” Luca replied. He was leaning back, looking entirely too comfortable on my cheap plastic chair.

“I already had a place built. For us. Including Chibi. It’s almost finished.”

I stopped wiping and finally looked at him, deadpan.

“Anong pinagawa? Luca, stop with the fantasies. Seriously. Hindi siya nakakatawa, baka masapak lang kita sa sobrang delusional mo.”

“I’m not joking, Jion. Look at this.” He didn’t just say it; he slid his phone across the table.

It wasn’t a Pinterest board or a random photo from the internet. It was a digital copy of a deed of sale and a high-resolution photo of a modern, high-security villa in a secluded estate.

My name was right there on the document as the primary owner.

“Are you insane?!” I hissed, slamming his phone face down on the table. My heart started thumping against my ribs—not from excitement, but from sheer panic. “Sino’ng nagsabing gusto ko niyan? Bakit ba palagi ka na lang nagdedesisyon nang mag-isa? I never asked you to buy me a house, and I certainly didn’t ask you to put my name on it!”

“It’s not charity, Jion. It’s security,” he said, his voice dropping into that calm, stubborn tone that usually meant he wasn’t going to budge.

“This place… it’s a target. Lalo na ngayong alam na ni Clark na buhay ka. I want you somewhere I know the walls are reinforced and the gates are guarded. Somewhere you don’t have to worry about who’s knocking at 2 AM.”

“Safe? I’ve been safe for three years without your guards and your reinforced walls!” I shot back. But deep down, the weight of the gesture felt like a literal anchor on my chest. “Ipangalan mo ’yan sa sarili mo. I don’t need your mansion to feel valid. Hindi tayo mag-asawa, Luca. Huwag mo akong tratuhin na parang kailangan mong bilhin ang katahimikan ko.”

“We’re playing the part, aren’t we? Sabi mo kanina sa restaurant, asawa kita,” he countered, his eyes tracing the contours of my face with an intensity that made my skin itch.

“Sa harap lang ’yon ni Clark! It was a performance. Isang palabas para lang mapahiya siya. Huwag mong totoohin, Luca. Please, wag mong lagyan ng malisya ang isang kwentong gawa gawa lang,” I snapped, turning my back on him to hide the fact that my hands were shaking.

“Bahala nga kayo riyan,” singit ni Aiden na kanina pa pala nakikinig sa pinto habang kumakain ng tira-tirang donut.

“Ang hirap maging third wheel sa sariling bahay, punyeta. Nakaka-dry ng skin ang tensyon niyong dalawa, parang nasa loob ako ng microwave. Matutulog na ako, baka bukas paggising ko ay mag-asawa na talaga kayo or baka may second baby na. B*set!”

He walked out, but not before giving me a look that said, ’ Wag ka nang lumaban, Jion. Talo ka na sa titig pa lang.’

I ignored him and focused on the sink, scrubbing the dishes like they owed me money. “Ubusin mo na ’yang kape mo at umuwi ka na. It’s late, and I have a long day tomorrow.”

“I’m staying,”

Luca said. No hesitation. Just a plain, simple statement that made the air in the kitchen feel ten degrees hotter.

“And who gave you the permission?”

I turned around, my hands covered in soap suds, trying to look imposing despite being 10 inches shorter than him.

“I don’t think I need one. Unless you’re afraid of being near me?”

He stood up slowly, closing the gap between us until he was towering over me. The kitchen suddenly felt like a closet.

“Masarap akong kayakap, Jion. Especially when the nights are this cold. You know that better than anyone.”

“

I have a thick blanket for that. I don’t need a human heater with an ego as big as yours,“

I retorted, but my heart was already starting to hammer a frantic rhythm against my ribs.

“Blankets don’t breathe. They don’t feel like this,”

he whispered, his voice vibrating right against the shell of my ear. He didn’t grab me; he just stood close enough for me to feel the heat radiating from his chest through my thin shirt.

“Luca, stop. Hindi na nakakatawa

,“ I said, but I didn’t move an inch. I was rooted to the spot, paralyzed by the familiar scent of his cologne and the sheer gravity of his presence.

His hand found the small of my back, sliding under the hem of my shirt. It wasn’t a sudden, aggressive grab; it was slow, deliberate, and painfully intimate. His palm felt like a brand on my skin. “

You keep saying stop, but you’re not moving, Jion. Your body is a lot more honest than your mouth. Why are you still fighting this?“

He leaned in, his lips grazing the sensitive skin of my neck. I closed my eyes, a low, frustrated groan escaping my throat. I hated how easily he could undo three years of loathing—building with just a touch.

When he finally turned me around and kissed me, it wasn’t like a movie. It was desperate, messy, and filled with a hunger that scared me.

I found myself pulling him closer, my soapy hands tangling in his hair, while he easily hoisted me up onto the marble counter. The cold stone against my thighs was a sharp contrast to his burning touch. It was chaos—pure, unadulterated chaos—and for a moment, I let myself drown in it.

“

Dada

?“

The tiny, sleepy voice from the kitchen doorway felt like a bucket of ice water. We broke apart so fast I almost fell off the counter. Luca grabbed my waist to steady me, breathing hard, his eyes wide and dark as he looked everywhere but the door.

Chibi was standing there, rubbing his eyes and holding his tattered stuffed toy. He looked genuinely confused. “Dada… why is Tito Luca kissing you? Masakit po ba? Is he biting you?”

I felt the heat rush to my face, turning me a shade of red.

“Ah… no, baby! Hindi! Tito Luca was just… he was helping Dada check if there’s a toothache! Yes! Toothache. Masyadong masakit ’yung ngipin ni Dada kaya chineck niya. Let’s go back to bed, okay?”

I practically scrambled off the counter, avoiding Luca’s gaze like it was a deadly laser. I scooped Chibi up, my heart still racing at a hundred miles per hour.

“I’ll… I’ll just use the bathroom,” Luca muttered, his voice strained and several octaves deeper than usual. He headed in the opposite direction, his gait slightly awkward as he tried to hide his own reaction.

I leaned against the wall of the hallway, clutching Chibi to my chest and trying to catch my breath. I had spent the whole night acting like I hated him, like I wanted him gone, but the moment the lights went dim, I was the one who couldn’t let go.

“Dada, don’t let Tito Luca eat your teeth again. Bad ’yon,” Chibi whispered before falling back asleep on my shoulder.

“I know, baby. I know,” I whispered back, knowing fully well that I was a complete liar.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 20

/20/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

“Mas mabuti sana kung lumipat na kayo sa ibang bahay, pihadong mas malaki at mas maganda sa tinitirahan niyo ngayon,” Luca said, leaning against the doorframe as if he already owned the place.

I narrowed my eyes at him, as my grip tightened on the kitchen towel.

“Che! Ang ganda-ganda nga ng bahay na ’to! At pwede ba? Huwag ka nang gumawa ng mga walang kwentang dahilan para lang umalis kami dito at lumipat sa pinagawa mong palasyo!”

He closed his eyes for a second, looking incredibly frustrated.

“Jion, it’s not about the aesthetics. It’s about your comfort. This place… it’s too small for you and the kid.”

“Wala akong dahilan para sumama sa’yo. And first of all, wala kang responsibilidad sa amin ng anak ko, so don’t expect that we’re going to live under one roof just because you feel like playing house,” I snapped.

Instead of getting angry, he just started mimicking my words silently with his lips, looking like an oversized toddler mocking my sermon.

“Ayaw mo ’on? Mas malaya tayong gawin ang lahat lalo na’t maraming kwarto akong pinagawa. You can scream all you want there, Jion, especially since our room is completely soundproof,” he countered, his voice dropping into that suggestive low rumble.

I raised an eyebrow, my face heating up instantly. “Hoy Luca, kung inaakala mong madadala mo ako sa mga ganyan-ganyan mo, ibahin mo ako. And based on your tone, parang balak mo pa akong gawing parausan! Ayyy sinasabi ko sa’yo, ’wag ako! You won’t get what you want that easily. Hindi ako gaya ng mga babae mo na hindi pa umaabot ng isang buwan ay nakikipaglampungan na sa’yo.”

He didn’t look offended. Instead, he let out a short, bark-like laugh. “Eh anong ibig sabihin ng kagabi? Halos lamutakin mo na nga ang bibig ko sa sobrang pagkasabik mo. If Chibi hadn’t caught us, baka may kapatid na siya sa tiyan mo ngayon.”

My jaw dropped. The sheer audacity of this man! Because I had no comeback-since every word he said was the damn truth-I lunged at him and started hitting his arm repeatedly.

“Kapal ng mukha mo! Ganyan! Ganyan kayong mga lalake! ’Yan lang ang alam niyo. Palibhasa puro kayo pasarap!”

“Anong pasarap?” He laughed, catching my wrists and pulling me closer until I was flushed against his chest. “What I want is for your life to be comfortable. Everything is provided- money, security, things you didn’t even know you needed. “

I snorted, looking away. “And what’s the catch? My body?!”

He smirked, looking me up and down slowly. “Ay wow naman. Ganyan na ba kataas ang tingin mo sa sarili mo for you to think that I’m that desperate for you?”

I scoffed, staring him down. “Bakit, totoo naman. Halata naman sa’yo na patay na patay ka sa akin.”

“Is that so?” He chuckled softly.

Instead of firing back another insult, I found myself momentarily paralyzed. I hate to admit it, but looking at him up close was like staring at a masterpiece I wasn’t allowed to touch. His face was rugged yet refined, and the tattoos crawling up his neck and wrapping around his arms added this dangerous, dark appeal that I couldn’t ignore.

I’ve never been a fan of excessive tattoos. Some people look like a coloring book gone wrong. But with Luca, it was different. His right side was a canvas of ink-from his thigh all the way up to his neck-while his left side was clean, save for his arm. It shouldn’t have been attractive, but on his muscular, well-built frame, it looked… powerful.

It was a dirty thought, but looking at him made me imagine things I shouldn’t. He looked like the type of man who would toss you onto a bed and treat you like a rag until you’re crying from sheer bliss, feeling like you’ve touched the heavens and come back down.

And let’s not even talk about his… ‘dicc.’

Lord, help me.

“I know I’m handsome, Jion, but try not to make it so obvious that you’re daydreaming about me,” Luca’s voice broke through my thoughts.

“Che! Huwag ka ngang feeling diyan!” I snapped, trying to regain my dignity.

“Ang init pala dito,” he complained. Without a second thought, he grabbed the hem of his sando and pulled it over his head.

The view was… overwhelming.

His abs were perfectly defined, and the ink on his skin seemed to dance under the kitchen lights.

I was staring. I was definitely staring.

“PAPA!!”

Chibi’s loud scream made me jump nearly a foot into the air.

“AY SARAP!” I yelled out of pure shock, my brain misfiring as I looked at Luca’s bare chest.

“Baks naman, ’wag naman sa harap ng bata,” singit ni Aiden na dahan-dahang lumalapit habang karga ang bata.

“Bumubuka ang floweret mo te, and halatang laway na laway ka sa abs ni Papa Luca.”

I turned bright red.

“Shut up, Aiden!”

“Papa, sorry if I shouted,” Chibi said as I took him from Aiden.

“Sabi kasi ni Tito Aiden I should shout para magising ka na daw sa fantasy mo.” I glared at Aiden, who just gave me a cheeky peace sign.

“Huwag mo ngang turuan ng kung ano-ano ang bata! Baka magmana sa’yo ’yan at kung ano-ano na lang ang lumabas sa bibig.”

“Masarap pala, ha?” Luca whispered beside me, leaning in close. His bare skin was inches away from mine, and the scent of his skin was intoxicating.

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. I just narrowed my eyes, trying my hardest not to smile or look down at his chest again.

What was I supposed to say? That he wasn’t attractive? That would be the biggest lie of the century .

I looked at him, then at Aiden, and finally back to Luca. A plan started forming in my head.

“Pumunta ka sa kwarto ko later,” I whispered to him, my voice low so Chibi wouldn’t hear. “May sorpresa ako sa’yo.”

Luca’s eyes widened for a split second before a slow, dark smirk spread across his face. I knew exactly what he was thinking, and for the first time, I decided to let him think it.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 21

/21/

JION 𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

Hindi pa umabot ang isang oras pagkatapos ng asaran namin sa kusina ay agad na kumaripas ng takbo si Luca papunta sa kwarto ko. He looked like a man on a mission, his eyes dark with an anticipation that I probably should have found suspicious.

I took my time, grabbing a ballpen and a small scrap of paper from the drawer.

Since he’s been spending so much on us lately— buying things we didn’t even ask for —I felt this nagging need to give something back. Even if it was just a simple gesture.

Ayoko kasing masanay na laging tumatanggap nang walang kapalit.

Dahan-dahan kong pinunit ang papel sa dalawa. On the first piece, I wrote: “Kakain sa bahay at si Jion ang magluluto.” On the second one, I wrote in big, bold letters: “BJ”.

I knew about this game from a trending video online where couples let fate decide their date night. I thought it was cute, and since may bagong bukas na sikat na kainan malapit sa amin, it was the perfect “surprise.”

“Nandiyan ka na ba sa loob?” I asked softly, pushing the door open.

“Oo! Halika na! Kanina pa ako naghihintay sa’yo, Jion. What took you so long?” His voice was raspy, full of an excitement that made my stomach flip.

Ganon na lang ang gulat ko when I stepped inside. He was stripped down to his boxers, lounging on my bed like some high-end underwear model waiting for a photoshoot.

The way the dim light hit his tattoos and the definition of his muscles… it was a lot to take in.

“Bakit ka nakaganyan? Matutulog ka na ba? Hindi pa nga tayo kumakain,” I asked, trying to keep my eyes on his face and not on the massive amount of skin he was flaunting.

“Ah, wala lang. Mainit kasi, eh,” he lied, his smirk telling a completely different story. “So, what’s this surprise you promised? I’m all ears… and whatever else you want me to be.”

I ignored the double meaning and showed him the two folded slips of paper. “Pumili ka ng isa. Whatever you pick, that’s what we’re doing tonight.”

His eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store. “Choices? I love choices. This is getting better and better.”

He reached out, his fingers brushing against mine as he took one of the papers. He was looking at me with such intensity, it felt like he was trying to devour me right then and there.

Dahan-dahan niyang

binuksan

ang papel. The moment he saw the letters, he let out a loud, triumphant laugh that echoed through the small room.

“Yohoooooo! BJ!” He practically cheered, falling back onto the pillows with a wide, predatory grin.

“Oh, magbihis ka na. We have to leave now para makarami tayo,” I said with a smile, thinking about the variety of dishes they served at that place.

“Kakawawain ko ’yan,” he muttered under his breath, laughing to himself as he jumped out of bed to find his pants. I didn’t quite get what he meant by “kawawain,” but I figured he was just really hungry.

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

In the Car

Habang nasa byahe, Luca was surprisingly energetic. He was humming to the radio, his fingers tapping a rhythmic beat on the steering wheel. Hinding-hindi mawala ang malawak niyang ngiti.

“You seem… very inspired today,” I commented, leaning back against the leather seat.

“Naman! Three years, Jion. Three years akong nagtiis,” he said, glancing at me with a look that was pure heat.

“And I promised myself that I wouldn’t do this with anyone else but you. To finally have you agree to this… it’s a dream come true.”

I smiled back, though I was a bit confused.

“Halika na, bilisan mo. It looks like you’re starving.”

“Halata ba? Pasensya ka na, na-eexcite lang talaga ako. I’ve been thinking about this since the moment I saw you again.”

“Kumalma ka lang, ilang minuto na lang at makakarating na tayo,” I teased, giving him a playful nudge.

The drive was smooth, but the silence inside the car was charged with Luca’s low, occasional chuckles. He looked like he had just won the lottery. When we finally pulled into the parking lot of the commercial strip, I unbuckled my seatbelt with a grin.

“Nandito na tayo!” I announced, pointing at the brightly lit establishment.

Luca’s smile froze. He looked out the window, then back at me, then back at the neon sign in front of us.

“Nasaan tayo? Teka… why are we in a parking lot full of families? Is there a motel hidden somewhere here? Why am I seeing only restaurants?”

“Eto na nga! This is the surprise!” I laughed, pointing at the huge sign that read: BJ’s RESTO: BEST BEEF & JUICE.

That’s the BJ, beef & juice.

The change in his expression was cinematic. Ang kaninang masigla at “excited” niyang mukha was slowly replaced by a look of pure disappointment. It was as if I had just told him the world was ending.

“Dahil hindi mo nabunot ’yung home-cooked meal, we’re eating out! At BJ’s Resto! They have the best short ribs in town,” I said, trying to contain my laughter.

“A-akala ko kasi…” he stammered, his voice laced with a mixture of annoyance and disbelief. He stared at the ‘BJ’ sign as if it were his worst enemy.

“Akala mo kasi ano? OMG!” I gasped, finally connecting the dots. The boxers, the “three years of waiting,” the “kakawawain” comment… everything clicked.

“You thought I was talking about… the other BJ?”

I burst into fits of laughter, clutching my stomach. Luca looked like a dejected puppy who had been promised a steak but got a head pat instead.

He looked absolutely miserable.

“Hoy! Don’t look at me like that!” I managed to say between laughs. “Hindi ko alam na ganyan kadumi ang utak mo!”

“You wrote ‘BJ’ on a piece of paper, Jion! What was I supposed to think?! That we were going for Beef and Juice?!” He hissed, though he couldn’t hide the embarrassment creeping up his neck.

I looked at him, his face still scrunched in frustration, and I felt a pang of something in my chest. He was being so dramatic, but he was also being… him.

“O sige na, stop pouting,” I said, leaning closer to him. I felt a surge of boldness—the kind that only comes when you know you have the upper hand. “Kumain muna tayo. And then… after we eat, maybe we can do that surprise too.”

Luca froze . His head snapped toward me, his eyes searching for mine to see if I was joking.

Alam kong karupukan ang ipinapakita ko. I’ve spent weeks pushing him away, but tonight, seeing him so vulnerable and honestly funny, I realized I didn’t want to fight the current anymore. There’s no harm in trying again, right?

“Are you serious?” he whispered, his voice suddenly thick.

“Eat your beef first, Luca. Then we’ll see,” I teased, winking at him before opening the car door.

For the first time in three years, I wasn’t just hiding. I was finally starting to play.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 22

/22/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

“Ahhh, buti naman at umuwi na kayo!” ang unang pagbungad sa amin ni Aiden nang makapasok kami ng bahay. He was leaning heavily against the wall, looking completely drained, as if he’d just finished a marathon with a toddler on his back.

“Hawakan mo nga muna ’to, kanina ka pa hinahanap. My patience has reached its limit,” ang sambit nito sabay bitaw kay Chibi. My son was practically vibrating with joy the moment our eyes met, jumping up and down with his tiny arms stretched out.

“Jusko, Jion! Parang mag-eevolve sa pagiging monster ’yang anak mo kapag hindi ka nakikita. He’s been so clingy and restless all day!” Stress na sambit ni Aiden habang hinihimas ang sentido niya.

I just smiled, pulling Chibi close into a tight hug, inhaling his baby scent to calm my own racing heart.

“Pasensya ka na, and salamat talaga for looking after him,” I said sincerely.

“Ay! Matatanggap ko lang ’yang ‘salamat’ mo kung malalaman kong laspag ka na ulit. So, kamusta? Kamusta ang bahay-bata mo? Did he finally reclaim his territory?” He whispered into my ear, a mischievous glint in his eyes that made me let out a soft, flustered laugh.

“Gaga, kumain lang talaga kami. Inayos lang namin yung gulo kanina,” I told him the truth, trying to play it cool, but it earned me a look of pure, unadulterated disgust.

“Kahit kailan talaga! Ay nako! Hindi mo man lang blin*wjob?! All that tension, all that build-up, and you ended up just eating short ribs at some resto?!” Hirit nito. My hand flew out instinctively to slap his arm.

“Yang bibig mo talaga, Aiden! Manahimik ka nga, alam mo namang karga-karga ko ang bata!” I hissed, my face heating up.

“Ikaw ha, ’wag ka ngang pakipot. A man like Luca is a rare gem in a sea of pebbles, tapos ikaw pa ’tong umaayaw na animo’y isa kang prinsesa na may gintong kiffy? Ate qouh! Magpabuntis ka na ulit if that’s what it takes para matali mo na siya sa leeg and ensure he won’t have any escape!” He said, his voice dropping into a serious, almost desperate tone.

“Ayoko munang madaliin ang lahat, Aiden. After everything that happened three years ago, I want to get to know him properly this time. Ayokong basta-basta na lang magpadala sa bugso ng damdamin,” I replied firmly, but he just rolled his eyes so hard I thought they’d get stuck in the back of his head.

“Nakakainis ka talaga! Feeling presyosa na naman ’yang kip*y mo. Ate ko, maganda ka, but remember-

men like him don’t just fall from trees everyday.

‘Wag ka nang mag-inarte with your ’ ayokong madaliin’ keme. Nagpalaspag ka na sa kanya three years ago at nagkaroon na kayo ng bunga, so what’s the difference now?“

“Eh ayoko namang magmukhang desperado, no? I don’t want him to think that with just a few sweet words and his dark, brooding presence, I’m already head over heels again,” I defended, though my heart was already starting to betray me.

“Eh totoo naman, and there’s nothing wrong with admitting it! Just let yourself fall, Jion. Let go of the fear. Sigurado naman akong aalagaan kayo niyan nang higit pa sa inaakala mo,” he said softly before finally heading to his room, leaving me alone with Chibi and a whirlwind of thoughts.

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

“Sa iisang kwarto na lang tayong dalawa tonight,” Luca suddenly appeared from the hallway, fresh from the bathroom. His hair was damp, sticking to his forehead in the most attractive way, and the fresh scent of soap clinging to his skin was making it incredibly hard for me to focus.

“Ahhh… papatulugin ko muna ang bata. Mauna ka na sa kwarto,” I said, avoiding his gaze. He simply nodded, walking away with a strange, contemplative look on his face that I couldn’t quite decipher.

After about twenty minutes, Chibi was finally fast asleep, looking like a little angel. I decided to head to my room, but as I approached the door, I heard voices. A muffled, shrill, and crying voice was coming from Luca’s phone. It was loud enough for me to hear clearly from the hallway.

“Luca, please… parang awa mo na. I’ll do anything just to be with you again. I can’t stop thinking about you…” the voice sobbed.

I knew that voice. It was Clark.

“Nababaliw ka na ba? How many times do I have to tell you that I have a husband?! Stop calling this number!” Luca’s voice was a low, dangerous growl that made the hair on my arms stand up.

I didn’t hesitate. My blood was boiling with a sudden, sharp protectiveness. I pushed the door open, catching Luca off guard. He looked startled to see me standing there with such fire in my eyes.

“Please Luca, meet me. ’Wag mo nang ipaalam sa bruha kong kapatid. I can give you everything Jion can’t. A man like you must be hungry for real pleasure, and I’m more than willing to give you my body every single day just to keep you satisfied…”

The disgust I felt was instantaneous and visceral. I walked straight up to Luca, who was frozen in surprise, and snatched the phone from his hand.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Nakakaawa kang hitad ka. You’re so desperate for MY HUSBAND that you’re practically selling your soul to the devil just for a crumb of his attention,” I said, my voice cold, firm, and dripping with venom.

“Jion? Is that you? Oh, good. I’m glad you’re listening. Don’t act like you’re the perfect partner.

Remember, I’ve already tasted all your men,“ Clark bragged on the other end, as his voice dripping with malice.

I just let out a sharp, mocking laugh.

“And you’re actually proud of that? Na puro tira-tira ko lang ang inuubos mo? I’m not surprised, Clark. It’s in your blood to be a scavenger—always ready to pick up the scraps I’ve already spit out. You’re like a stray dog waiting for my leftovers,” I smirked, feeling a surge of power.

“Don’t be so confident, Jion! Luca is a man of needs. One day, he’ll get bored of your boring, provincial attitude, just like Kieth did!”

“I don’t care if he gets bored. At least I know your current boyfriend is still obsessed with me. He literally begged me to take him back, Clark. He told me he’d leave you in a heartbeat if I ever gave him the time of day,” I taunted, enjoying the heavy silence on the other end.

“Hay*p ka! Malandi! You’re just insecure of what we have!” Clark screamed, his voice cracking.

“Pftttt! Why would I be insecure when I have a husband who is ten times the man your boyfriend will ever be ? He’s

bigger

,

more

handsome

, and god…

he’s

absolutely amazing in bed.

Actually, alam mo bang katatapos lang namin? I can barely walk because of him. He’s been my breakfast, lunch, and dinner today. And believe me, I’ll never get tired of it.“

“Hay*p ka talaga! I’ll make you pay for this!”

“Ooppss, sorry if I’m oversharing. I just get like this when I’m thoroughly satisfied. And I’m truly sorry you’ll never experience a real man like Luca. Jutay ba naman ’yang boyfriend mo, eh . Anyway, I have to go. My ass is still aching from all the attention Luca gave them tonight. Kinawawa kasi ako, eh. You know how it is when a man is that obsessed. Oh sorry you don’t know the feeling pala” I said, feigning a tired, annoyed tone before hanging up with a satisfying click.

“HAHAHAHAHA!” I burst into a fit of laughter, doubling over as the adrenaline slowly ebbed away.

I looked up and saw Luca staring at me. He was leaning against the dresser, his jaw practically on the floor.

His eyes were wide, dark, and filled with a mix of shock, amusement, and… something much more intense. He looked extremely turned on.

“So…” Luca began, his voice dropping into a dangerously low, gravelly register. “Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, huh? And you can barely walk?”

My laughter died down instantly as I realized what I had just admitted in front of him.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 23

/23/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

Alas-singko pa lang ng umaga ay gising na gising na ang diwa ko. The room was bathed in the soft, gray light of dawn, and the only sound was the rhythmic breathing of the man beside me. Gusto ko sanang bumangon para simulan ang araw, but I found myself trapped. Luca’s muscular arms were wrapped tightly around my waist, his legs tangled with mine like a vine clinging to a tree. Para siyang tarsier kung maka-akap—

possessive even in his sleep.

I tried to wiggle out, but his grip only tightened. Instead of complaining, I found myself holding my breath. Ramdam na ramdam ko ang init ng katawan niya, at ang mas lalong nagpatirik ng mga mata ko ay ang mainit at mahabang pagkakamali niya na direktang bumubundol sa aking tagiliran.

Marahil ay sa sobrang lamig ng madaling-araw kaya lumagpas na ito nang tuluyan sa kanyang boxers. Half of his lower body was exposed, and I could feel the raw, pulsing energy of his arousal pressing against my skin.

Ayokong maging mahalay, but I’m only human.

In the past few days we’ve spent together, the tension between us has become a living, breathing thing. It was thick, suffocating, and incredibly intoxicating. I knew that if I made one move— one intentional brush of my hand-everything would explode . If you know what i mean.

But I held back. Masyado pang maaga para bumigay ako nang tuluyan. I didn’t want to be just another “release” for him, even if my own body was screaming in temptation.

“Ahh… Luca,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “Yung… ano mo.”

He stirred, a low groan escaping his throat as he slowly opened his eyes. The moment he realized where he was and what was pressing against me, his eyes widened in shock.

“Yung ano mo… nakalabas na,” I said, my face heating up to a shade of red I didn’t know existed.

“Oh, sh*t! Sorry!” he blurted out, quickly rolling away and turning his back to me.

“I’m so sorry, Jion. It was just… it was cold. And this happens often… it doesn’t exactly fit in my boxers when it’s fully erect,” he explained, his voice deep and raspy from sleep.

He sounded genuinely embarrassed, which was a rare sight for a man like him.

“Ay, okay lang. I understand. Lalake din naman ako,” I replied, trying to sound casual even though my heart was hammering against my ribs. I stood up, smoothing out my shirt.

“Sorry talaga, ha,” he repeated, looking back at me with a sheepish grin.

I couldn’t help but feel curious. “Ah… pasensya ka na kung itatanong ko ’to, but why is it that big? Para kasing… well, no offense, pero pang-kabayo na ’yan.”

Luca let out a dark, velvety chuckle that vibrated through the air. He leaned back against the headboard, a smug smirk playing on his lips. “I don’t know… genes, maybe?”

I just nodded, not knowing how to respond to that.

“I’m so happy right now, Jion,” he said suddenly, his tone turning soft and sincere. He stood up too, mirroring my movements. “Kasi hindi mo na ako sinusungitan. You’re letting me close. We can finally talk without fighting like cats and dogs.”

I looked at him, a playful smile dancing on my lips. “Alam mo naman ang ibig sabihin niyan, ’di ba?”

He tilted his head, looking genuinely puzzled. “Nah… all I know is that you’ve finally become kind to me.”

“Ay, bahala ka nga!” I snapped playfully, turning my back on him. But before I could take a step, he caught my arm and pulled me back.

“I know, Jion,” he whispered, his eyes searching mine. “But I want to hear it from you. I want to hear exactly what this change of heart means.”

“Oo na!” I laughed, finally giving in.

“What’s ‘oo na’? What does that mean?” he asked, his forehead creasing in confusion.

“Oo na… I’m letting you in. I’m giving you the chance you’ve been begging for. You said you wanted to know me? Fine. I’m letting you,” I said, trying to act like I was being forced, but the sparkle in my eyes gave me away.

Ganoon na lang ang galak niya. Luca, the feared by all, started jumping around the room like a little boy who just got the toy he’d been dreaming of.

“You said it! No take-backs!” he cheered, his face glowing with a happiness I hadn’t seen before. He suddenly stopped and cupped my face with his large hands, forcing me to look directly into his soul. “You have no idea how much this means to me. How happy you’ve made me just now.”

“Can I kiss you?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper. I was taken aback by the politeness, but I found myself nodding almost instantly.

Wala pang isang segundo, his lips were on mine. It wasn’t just a kiss; it was a reclamation.

I felt the hunger, the longing, and the sheer desperation in the way he moved his mouth against mine. And to my surprise, I fought back. I met his tongue with my own, our breaths mingling in a frantic, messy dance of desire.

It was getting heated-

too heated

. I could feel him getting harder, his hands starting to wander toward the hem of my shirt. Before we reached the point of no return, I pulled away, gasping for air.

“F*ck… I need the bathroom,” Luca cursed, his voice thick with lust as he practically sprinted toward the door.

“Pumunta ka na lang sa baba after! I’ll cook breakfast!” I called out, laughing to myself. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my shaking hands before heading to my son’s room.

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

Chibi was still fast asleep, looking like a little angel. I quietly made my way downstairs to start preparing a meal for the four of us.

“Oh, besh! Gising na ang reyna,” Aiden greeted me the moment I stepped into the kitchen. He was already nursing a cup of coffee. “Marami nang naghahanap sa’yo na mga suki mo. So, ano? Itutuloy mo pa ba ang business mo?”

I paused, looking out the window at the rising sun. “Itutuloy ko pa rin… but I don’t know when. Everything feels different now, Aiden.”

“Wow, deep! Anong nangyari sa ’ ayokong madaliin ’ keme mo?” he teased.

“Talagang minsan, Aiden, you think you have your whole life planned out. You think you know the path you’re taking. But then someone comes along and shatters your perspective in an instant. Life is so complicated… you never know what’s coming next,” I said, my voice filled with a newfound clarity.

“Ay, good choice ’yan! Magpabundat ka na lang ulit para may pagkaabalahan ka!” ang taklesang hirit nito.

“Gaga! Akala mo naman masarap ang mabuntis. Ikaw kaya ang magdala ng bata sa loob ng siyam na buwan!” I shot back, waving a spatula at him.

“Sinong buntis?”

I nearly jumped out of my skin as Luca suddenly appeared behind me. He looked refreshed, his hair still slightly damp from a quick rinse.

“Ah… yung kapitbahay naming senior citizen! Nabuntis daw ng Amerikano! Grabe ’no?” Aiden lied through his teeth, making me cringe at how bad his excuse was.

“Ah, ganoon ba? Good for them,” Luca said, clearly not caring. He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, resting his chin on my shoulder.

“Ay, jusko! Masyado pang maaga para makakita ako ng live show. I’m out! My single heart can’t take this anymore! Punyetang buhay to” Aiden groaned, dramatically exiting the kitchen and leaving us alone.

Luca tightened his hold, his breath warm against my neck.

“Kapag sinagot mo na ako nang tuluyan… I’m going to make sure you’re pregnant again. That way, you’ll never leave me. You’ll be mine for the rest of our lives.”

I let out a soft laugh, leaning back into his embrace.

“At talaga namang bilib ka sa sarili mo? Who told you sasagutin kita?”

He smirked, his eyes glinting with that familiar arrogance. “Of course you will. I’m Luca. Everything I want, I get. And I want you more than anything.”

“Hambog,” I whispered, but I couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across my face.

​“Siguro,” he murmured, turning me around so I had to face him. He looked at me with an intensity that made my knees weak.

“But I’m a man who knows what he wants. And right now? All I want is to make sure you never regret saying ‘yes’ to me this morning.”

​I looked into his eyes and, for the first time in a long time, the fear of the past didn’t feel as heavy. Maybe it was the morning light, or maybe it was just him, but I actually believed him.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 24

/24/

N

ARRATOR

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

“Hayop ka, Jion! Hayoppppppp!!!!” Halos magiba ang pader sa lakas ng bulyaw ni Clark habang walang pakundangang pinagbababasag ang mga mamahaling display sa penthouse niya.

Basta makakita siya ng pwedeng ibato— plato, kristal, o kahit anong dekorasyon —ay hinahagis niya sa pader hanggang sa madurog ito. The sound of shattering glass was the only thing that could drown out the noise in his head.

Simula noong pinanganak sila, laging si Jion ang bida. Kahit na anong paninira ang gawin niya, parang laging may paraan ang kapatid niya para makaangat muli.

And now, even Luca? Ang lalakeng matagal na niyang pinapangarap ay asawa na pala ng kapatid niya? The thought alone was enough to drive him insane.

“Lagi mo na lang akong pinagkakaitan! You’re so selfish! Lahat na lang sa’yo!” Clark shrieked, his chest heaving with pure hatred.

“Anong nangyayari dito?!” Nagulat si Kieth nang makita ang hitsura ng nobyo na halos parang baliw na kung magwala. The living room was a complete disaster zone.

“Lahat na lang kinuha niya sa akin, Kieth! Papatayin ko siya! Papatyin ko talaga ang bruhang ’yon!” Clark sobbed, collapsing into Kieth’s arms.

Hindi na sumagot si Kieth. He just sighed and pulled Clark close, guiding his hand down to his pants—the only way he knew how to calm him down.

“Shhhhh. Stop crying. I’m here, right?” He leaned in, and they shared a desperate, bitter kiss, feeding off each other’s resentment.

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

CLARK

Nakatayo ako sa veranda matapos makatulog ni Kieth. I was completely naked, letting the cold night air hit my skin, pero hindi nito mapatay ang apoy sa dibdib ko.

“Sawang-sawa na akong maging second choice. I’m tired of being the loser while he’s celebrating,” bulong ko sa dilim.

Gusto ko si Luca. And if I can’t have him, sisiguraduhin kong wala ring mapapala si Jion. Kung nagawa ko siyang sirain noon, mas lalo ko siyang sisirain ngayon.

Kinuha ko ang cellphone ko at mabilis na tinawagan ang taong binabayaran ko para magmanman.

“Hello? Nasaan na ang kapatid ko?” I asked coldly.

“Nasa labas po, Sir. He’s at the commercial area near the highway with a friend and the kid,” sagot ng lalake sa kabilang linya.

“Alam mo na ang dapat mong gawin. Make it look like a hit-and-run. Make sure it’s messy,” sabi ko, habang nakakaramdam ng kakaibang galak.

“

Goodbye, Kuya. See you in hell.“

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

JION

“Baks, kunin mo nga muna ’tong mga pinamili ko. My arms are literally vibrating sa sobrang ngalay, kanina ko pa karga ’tong bulinggit na ’to,” reklamo ko kay Aiden.

Hawak ko si Chibi sa isang braso habang pilit kong inuubos ang mango shake ko sa kabila.

Wala si Luca ngayon dahil pinilit ko siyang pumasok sa office. Marami raw kasing trabaho na napapabayaan niya dahil sa amin.

“I’ll miss you,” he told me earlier, which was totally cringe pero aminin ko, kinilig ako nang konti.

Sino ba namang hindi makakamiss sa ganda ko, ’di ba?

“Baks, wait lang ha. I really need to go to the CR. Kinakain na ng kiffy ko ’yung brief ko sa sobrang lagkit na,” hirit ni Aiden na ikinalaki ng mata ko.

“G*ga ka, bakit kailangang i-announce?! Sige na, lumayas ka na doon bago pa ako masuka,” I laughed, giving him a small shove toward the mall entrance.

Habang hinihintay ko siyang lumabas, napansin ko ang isang trash bin sa kabilang side ng highway. Paubos na rin ang shake ko, at ayaw ko namang magbitbit ng basurang walang laman. Saglit akong tumingin sa kalsada; it looked clear. Bitbit si Chibi, mabilis akong naglakad papunta sa kabilang dako para itapon ang baso.

I threw the cup and turned around to cross back. Normal naman ang lahat hanggang sa bigla kong narinig ang malakas na ugong ng makina.

I saw a black sports car parked by the curb. For a second, I thought aalis lang ito. But then, it accelerated—

sobrang bilis. It wasn’t just driving; it was aiming for us.

“Sh*t!” I whispered, my heart dropping to my stomach. Mabilis akong tumakbo pabalik sa sidewalk, pero sumunod ang sasakyan. Iniba ng driver ang direksyon, literally following my every move. He wasn’t trying to avoid us; he wanted to hit us.

In those split seconds, parang tumigil ang mundo. I looked at Chibi. He was looking at me, his small hands clutching my shirt. Gusto ko sana siyang ihagis sa damuhan para maligtas siya sa impact, pero ayaw niyang bumitaw. He was too scared to let go.

The impact was loud—isang nakakangilong tunog ng bakal na tumama sa buto at laman.

Naramdaman ko na lang na tumilapon ang katawan ko. The world started spinning until everything became a blur of gray asphalt and the screeching of tires. Nang tumama ako sa semento, hindi ko agad naramdaman ang sakit. It was just a cold, numbing shock.

“Chibi…” I wheezed. My head felt incredibly heavy, and I could feel something warm and thick running down my face.

Dugo

.

My son was lying just a few inches away from me. Napakaliit niya, napakatahimik. His face was covered in scratches and his own tears, and he wasn’t moving. Ang makita siyang ganoon ang mas nagpasakit sa akin kaysa sa mismong aksidente.

“Jusko… ’wag ang anak ko. Please, not him,” I whispered, pero halos walang lumalabas na boses sa lalamunan ko.

I tried to reach for his hand, to tell him Dada was here, but my body wouldn’t listen anymore. Unti-unting lumabo ang paningin ko, at nagsimula nang dumilim ang paligid. The last thing I heard was the sound of the car speeding away, leaving us alone in the middle of the road.

Then, everything went black.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 25

/25/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

Nakatitig lang ako sa mga papeles sa harap ko, pero kahit anong basa ko sa mga figures, wala akong maintindihan. My mind was stuck on Jion .

Simula nang umalis ako ng bahay kanina, may kung anong bigat na akong nararamdaman sa dibdib ko—yung tipong hindi ka mapakali na parang may kulang.

Clink

!

“Sh*t.” Nabitawan ko ’yung baso ng rum. It shattered against the floor into a thousand tiny pieces.

For some reason, the sound of breaking glass made my heart race. I’m not the type to believe in superstitions, but the sudden chill in the room was undeniable. Kinakabahan ako na hindi ko maipaliwanag. I was about to call Julius to clean it up when my phone vibrated violently on the mahogany desk.

It was Aiden. The moment I picked up, I didn’t hear a “hello.” I heard him gasping for air, sobbing so hard he could barely form a sentence.

“L-luca… ’pumunta ka dito sa hospital… please, bilisan mo! Nabangga sila Jion! ’Pati si Chibi!”

Para akong binuhusan ng tubig na may yelo. My entire body went numb for a split second before the adrenaline kicked in.

“Anong ospital?! Aiden, nasaan kayo?! Speak to me!” I barked, my voice cracking in a way that surprised even me.

I didn’t wait for his full explanation. I ran out of the office, nearly tripping over my own feet, and ignored the confused stares of my security detail.

I drove like a f*cking madman, weaving through the afternoon traffic, my knuckles white as I gripped the steering wheel. All I could think about was Jion’s sleepy smile this morning. God, please. Not them.

I found Aiden near the Emergency Room. He was a mess—his shirt was covered in smears of blood, and he was shaking so hard he had to lean against the cold hospital wall just to stand.

“Ano bang nangyari?! I left them with you, Aiden! Sabi mo safe sila!” I grabbed his shoulders, maybe a bit too hard, but the raw panic in my chest was looking for an outlet.

“Hindi ko alam… nag-CR lang ako, Luca. Saglit lang ’yun, promise,” Aiden sobbed, his eyes swollen and red. “Paglabas ko, sabi ng mga tao may itim na sasakyan na biglang humarurot. Sinadya sila, Luca. Kitang-kita ng mga witness—the driver didn’t even try to brake. Hinabol sila hanggang sa tumama.”

My blood ran cold. Sinadya. This wasn’t a freak accident. This was a hit.

I pulled out my phone and dialed Julius. “I don’t care who you have to pay or whose arm you have to twist. I want the CCTV footage of the mall highway from twenty minutes ago. Now! I want a plate number, a face—everything!” I commanded, my voice dropping into that low, lethal tone my men feared.

Maya-maya, lumabas ’yung nurse mula sa ER, looking pale and frantic. “We have a critical situation. The child lost too much blood during the impact. He’s A-negative, and our blood bank is currently out of stock for that specific rare type. If we don’t get a donor in the next few minutes, his heart might give out.”

“I’m A-negative. Kunin niyo na ’yung dugo ko,” I said, already rolling up my sleeve before she could even finish.

The nurse hesitated, her eyes flickering to the dark, intricate tattoos covering my forearms.

“Wait, Sir. We have to follow protocol. When was your last tattoo? We usually require a one-year window to ensure there’s no risk of blood-borne infections like Hepatitis.”

I stared her down, my patience wearing thin. “It’s been so many years. I’m clean. I have private medical check-ups every month—I can show you the records if you want to waste more time while that boy dies in there.”

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my voice. “Scientifically, as long as the equipment used was sterile and the site is fully healed, the risk is zero. I’m the only match he’s got right now. Do your job and save him.”

The doctor stepped out and gave a quick nod. “We’ll do an emergency rapid screen. Set him up.”

I sat in that chair, watching the plastic bag slowly fill with my blood. It was a surreal feeling—the silence of the room, the steady rhythm of the pump, and the realization that my own life force was being prepped to enter that tiny, fragile body.

After the procedure, I was sitting in the hallway, feeling a bit lightheaded and drained. After what felt like an eternity, the doctor finally came out, wiping his brow.

“He’s stable. The transfusion worked perfectly, and his vitals are starting to climb back up,” the doctor said, sounding genuinely relieved.

“

You did a good thing for your son, Sir. He’s a fighter, just like you.“

I looked up, my brow furrowed. “Hindi ko siya anak. He’s… a friend’s kid. I just happened to be a match.”

The doctor paused, looking at his clipboard with a confused expression. “Really? That’s… quite a coincidence. A-negative is only found in about 6% of people. To have a perfect, seamless match like this without being related is statistically near impossible. The antigens, the rare markers… it’s like his body was already waiting for your specific blood. Anyway, he’s out of the woods for now.”

The doctor walked away, leaving me in a deafening silence. I slowly turned my head to look at Aiden. He was sitting on the floor, his head between his knees, trembling.

“Aiden. Look at me,” I said, my voice dangerously quiet, vibrating with a suspicion I was too afraid to name. “Rare blood doesn’t just ‘happen’ like that. Bakit match kami ni Chibi?”

Aiden looked up, his face a mask of guilt and terror. He looked like he wanted to run, but he knew he couldn’t. He burst into fresh tears, covering his face with his blood-stained hands.

“Luca, sorry! Pinangako ko kay Jion na hinding-hindi ko sasabihin… pero hindi ko na kaya! Ika-mamatay ko ’tong sikretong ’to!” he wailed, his voice echoing in the empty hallway. “Si Jion… he’s a carrier, Luca. He’s the one who gave birth to Chibi! He got pregnant after that night sa bar three years ago. He ran away because he thought you didn’t want him… he saw a text from a girl on your phone and he got scared!”

Aiden gasped for air, his eyes wide. “ Anak mo si Chibi, Luca! He’s yours! Dugo mo ’yung nananalaytay sa kanya!“

I couldn’t move. I couldn’t even blink.

Three years. For three years, I had a son and I didn’t even know he existed. I had been holding him, playing with him, and looking into his eyes without realizing I was looking at my own reflection.

I looked at the small bandage on my arm where the needle had been. Then, the realization of what happened on that highway hit me with a new, terrifying weight.

Someone didn’t just try to hit a stranger. Someone tried to kill my son and Jion.

The panic was gone now, replaced by a cold, surgical fury that felt like ice in my veins. I stood up, my eyes dark.

Whoever was behind that wheel… they didn’t just make a mistake. They signed their own death warrant.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 26

/26/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

Pagkagising na pagkagising ko palang ay kakaibang sakit agad ang namutawi sa bandang ulo ko. My head felt like it was being split open by a dull axe. Pinilit kong idilat ang mga mata ko, and the first thing I saw was the sterile white ceiling of the hospital. But instead of focusing on the pain, my gaze immediately drifted to the man sleeping beside my bed.

Luca was slumped in an uncomfortable-looking chair, his head resting near my hand. Even in his sleep, he looked exhausted—halatang halata ang bags niya sa ilalim ng mga mata niya na hindi ko napansin noon. For some reason, napangiti na lang ako habang tinitignan ang napakagwapong mukha niya.

He looked so vulnerable, so human.

Dahan-dahan kong hinaplos ang pisngi niya gamit ang aking palad. My touch was light, but it was enough to wake him. He stirred, his eyes snapping open with an intensity that startled me.

“Sorry… nagising ba kita?” mahina kong sambit.

“Hindi na importante ’yon,” Luca replied, his voice raspy and deep. He immediately sat up and grabbed my hand, squeezing it tight. “Ang importante ngayon ay gising ka na. How are you feeling? May masakit ba sa’yo? Sabihin mo lang sa akin and I’ll call the nurse right away.”

He looked so frantic, so restless. Nakakatawang isipin na ang isang lalakeng kinatatakutan ng marami ay nag-papanic dahil lang sa akin.

“Nawala lang ako nang saglit, nahawa ka na kay Aiden sa pagiging OA,” biro ko sa kanya, trying to lighten the heavy mood in the room.

“You have no idea how much you scared me, Jion. Akala ko talaga… akala ko kukunin ka na sa akin,” he whispered, his eyes searching mine for any sign of lingering trauma.

The moment he said those words, a cold shiver ran down my spine. The memories of the highway came rushing back—the roar of the engine, the screeching tires, and the terrifying impact. My heart started to race.

“Nasaan ang anak ko? Luca, nasaan si Chibi?!” I asked, my voice rising in panic as I tried to sit up. “Bakit wala siya dito? Tell me he’s okay. Please!”

“Easy, Jion. Stop moving,” Luca said, gently pushing me back down to the pillows. “Okay lang ang bata. He’s in the pediatric ward, just a few doors away. He had a procedure, but he’s stable now. Alam mo namang hindi ko hahayaan na may mangyari sa kanya.”

I breathed a sigh of relief, my eyes tearing up. “Dapat lang… dahil ililibing talaga kita nang buhay kung may nangyari sa anak ko.”

I saw a strange flash in Luca’s eyes when I said “anak ko.” It was quick, like a flicker of fire, but he immediately masked it with a smile. “I know you would.”

Natahimik ako bigla. Looking at him now, my heart felt heavy with guilt. After what happened, realizing how close we came to losing everything, the weight of my secret felt unbearable. How long can I keep this up? He still has no idea that Chibi isn’t just my son—he’s our son.

“Oh, natulala ka na naman,” Luca suddenly teased, leaning in to steal a quick kiss on my lips.

“Aba, aba! Namimihasa ka na, ha? Porket hinahayaan lang kita, akala mo pwede mo nang gawin lahat basta-basta?” I grumbled, though my heart wasn’t really in it.

“Why? Hindi mo ba gusto?” He smirked, his dark eyes challenging me.

“Gusto…” I whispered back, finally giving in to the pull he had on me.

He leaned in again, his lips claiming mine in a way that felt like he was staking his claim. It was intense, desperate, and filled with a hunger that made my toes curl. But then I remembered where we were.

“Ano ba! Luca, nasa ospital tayo!” I hissed, pushing against his broad chest. “Next time na lang pag nakauwi na tayo.”

“Wala nang next time next time, because I have much bigger plans for ‘next time.’ Right now, ito muna,” he murmured, claiming my mouth once more.

“AYYYYYYY!”

Agad kaming nataranta nang marinig namin ang isang matinis na tili mula sa pinto. A young nurse was standing there, her face as red as a tomato, clutching a tray of meds.

“T-tapos niyo na po muna ’yan! Sorry po!” she squealed before turning around and sprinting back into the hallway.

I buried my face in my hands, absolutely mortified. “Kasalanan mo ’to! Nakakahiya!”

Luca just laughed—a deep, genuine sound that I realized I wanted to hear every day for the rest of my life. “Tama nga ang sabi ng kaibigan mo. You were just playing hard to get at first. Nagpabebe ka lang pala.”

I rolled my eyes. “Whatever, hambog.”

A few minutes later, the door opened again. My heart leapt when I saw Aiden walking in, carrying a very sleepy but smiling Chibi. The poor kid had a bandage wrapped around his head, but his eyes lit up the moment he saw me.

“Papa!” he chirped. Aiden carefully placed him on the bed beside me, and I immediately pulled him into a tight, protective hug.

“Kamusta ang baby ko? Does anything hurt?” I asked, checking his tiny face.

“None po. Masakit lang yung tummy ko… I want to eat na po,” Chibi pouted, rubbing his belly.

I laughed, kissing his forehead. “Ikaw talagang bata ka. Even after a crash, pagkain pa rin ang nasa isip mo.”

I was about to settle in with my son when Luca’s phone rang. The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. His expression went from warm and relaxed to cold and business-like in a split second.

“Sagutin mo na, baka importante,” I said. He nodded and stepped away to the corner of the room.

I tried to focus on Chibi, but I couldn’t help but watch Luca. His back was to me, his shoulders tense. He was listening more than he was talking, but I heard him growl a low “Copy that” before hanging up.

“Papa, eat ako siopao ha?” Chibi requested, tugging at my sleeve.

“Oo, baby. We’ll get you siopao,” I answered, but my eyes were still on Luca as he walked back to the bed.

“Jion, I have to go. May importanteng kailangang asikasuhin sa office,” he said. His voice was calm, but there was a certain edge to his gaze that made me think he was hiding something big.

“O sige… mag-ingat ka,” I said, leaning up to kiss his cheek.

“Bye, baby,” Luca said, leaning over to kiss Chibi’s head.

“Bye, Daddy! Bili ka siopao ha!” Chibi waved happily.

I froze. My heart skipped a beat as I stared at my son. “Anong… Daddy? Chibi, bakit mo tinawag na ‘Daddy’ si Tito Luca?”

Chibi looked at me with innocent eyes. “Sabi kasi ni Tito… Daddy na daw itawag ko sa kanya eh.”

Luca didn’t say anything. He just gave me a small, unreadable smirk, nodded at Aiden, and walked out of the room with a sense of urgency that felt like a storm brewing.

Mabilis akong napalingon kay Aiden. My best friend was suddenly very interested in the view outside the window, pretending like he couldn’t hear me.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 27

/27/

LUCA

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

“How are you holding up?”

Mapanuya kong litanya sa lalakeng nakagapos sa isang silya na gawa sa metal. This piece of shit was barely recognizable—his face and lips were swollen from the relentless beating we gave him. The warehouse was silent, save for the heavy, metallic scent of blood and old grease.

“Kahit anong gawin niyo! Wala kayong makukuha sa akin!” matigas pa ring sambit ng hayop.

I didn’t even blink. Without a word, I lunged forward and slammed my fist into his mangled face with everything I had. The force of the impact made the chair skit across the concrete floor.

“Tell me! How much did your fucking boss pay you that you’re still refusing to talk? Kahit ilublob ka pa namin sa muriatic, hindi ka pa rin ba kakanta?” gigil na sambit ni Blake as he grabbed the guy’s hair and forced him to look at me.

“Sir, here’s the phone,” ang sambit ng isa kong tauhan sabay abot sa akin ng cellphone that belonged to this bastard.

The moment the phone touched my hand, my fingers trembled with a cold, lethal anticipation. I went straight to the messages, looking for the link to the mastermind.

“Putangina mo! Don’t you dare touch my phone!” He started thrashing around like a fucking lunatic, his veins nearly popping out of his neck in rage.

I looked at him and smirked. It’s pathetic. A second ago, he was acting like a tough guy, thinking he’d never break. But now, he’s acting like a child losing his favorite toy just because of a damn phone.

“What’s inside this thing? Why are you freaking out so much?” mapanuya kong sambit. “Let’s see what we have here.”

I opened the messaging app. My blood turned into ice when I saw only one name registered in his recent chats. A name I’ve heard far too many times in the circles I despise.

“Clark Chua?” Naguguluhan kong sambit as I opened their conversation thread.

(ANDREI TIZON’S CONVERSATION WITH HIS BOSS)

Clark: “Is the job done? Siguraduhin mong malubha ang lagay.”

Andrei: “Of course, baby. Ako pa ba? Just make sure you fulfill your promise. Akin ka buong araw, okay?”

Clark: “Fine. Basta siguraduhin mong magtatanda ang hayop na ’yon.”

Andrei: “Paanong hindi magtatanda? He was covered in blood, even that kid he was holding. I expect extra time with you for this.”

Clark: “Deal.”

The moment I read that line—“ even that kid he was holding ”—something in my brain just snapped. I didn’t just get angry; I became a goddamn monster.

Without a word, I dropped the phone and lunged at him like a fucking animal. I grabbed his throat with my left hand and started slamming my right fist into his face over and over again. Every time I remembered Jion’s face covered in blood on that asphalt, I hit him harder.

“Putanginamoooo!” I hissed, my voice cracking with pure, unadulterated rage.

I grabbed his head and slammed it against the metal backrest of the chair.

CRACK.

I didn’t care about the information anymore; I just wanted to feel his bones break under my hands. I was breathing like a lunatic, my knuckles slick with his warm blood. Every punch was for Jion. Every hit was for my son.

“Luca, stop! You’ll kill him before he can talk!” Blake shouted, pulling me back with everything he had.

I shoved Blake off and picked up the phone again, my chest heaving.

“Putangina! So you’re actually sleeping with your boss Clark Chua?”

“Putangina mo! Ibalik mo sa akin ’yan!” Andrei screamed, his voice high-pitched and desperate.

“Tangina? Is this legit, pre?” Blake asked, leaning in to check the screen. Ganon na lang ang panlalaki ng kanyang mata nang makita niya ang palitan ng mensahe nito na karamihan ay malalaswa and his disgusting fantasies about Clark.

But it didn’t end there. My jaw dropped when I saw over a hundred sex videos of the two of them. It was hardcore, messy, and absolutely nauseating.

“Kaya ka pala pinatulan ni Clark, because you’re a goddamn animal in bed. Laki pa ng burat mo, brad,” pang-aasar ni Blake, which made me let out a dark, hollow laugh.

“You’re just one of many, Andrei. Hindi ka ba nandiri? Knowing that every time you eat his ass, some other random guy was just in there an hour before you?” I spat on his face.

“Huwag niyo siyang sisiraan! Clark loves me!” Andrei screamed, making me howl with laughter.

“Oh, how sweet. A literal knight in shining armor for a total bitch,” Blake mocked.

“Ganyan na ganyan ang gusto ng mga babae, right? But it doesn’t change the fact that your ‘baby’ is a world-class whore.”

Before I could lose my breath from laughing, my own phone vibrated. It was my wife. I immediately signaled Blake to shut Andrei up.

“Hey, baby,” I answered, my voice dropping into that sweet, husband-mode while my knuckles were still dripping with blood.

“Ah, I’ll be home a bit late, pero hindi na ako magtatagal,” I said when Jion asked if I was coming back soon. “Just wait for me there. I know you miss me, so try to behave.”

“Miss your face? Chibi is looking for his siopao. He’s starving, Luca,” Jion replied, his voice a warm contrast to the violence in this room.

Then, I heard my son’s voice. “Daddy! Asan na siopao ko? Bili mo ako siopao haaaaa!”

A genuine but pained smile hit my face. “Yes, sir. Just wait for Daddy. I’ll buy you all the siopao you want.”

“Don’t stay out too long. Come back soon,” Jion said before hanging up.

I tucked the phone away and turned back to Andrei, the warmth leaving my face instantly.

“Tangina, nakakapanibago ka. You’re like a different person when he’s on the line,” Blake chuckled. “I’m expecting Jion to be pregnant again by the time he leaves the hospital. There’s no way you’re letting him go without a second kid.”

I stayed silent for a second. Blake is one of the few people I trust with the secret about Chibi being my biological son.

“Kinokondisyon ko pa, pre. Just some kisses for now para hindi siya mabigla,” I said with a smirk.

“Ulul. Knowing how thirsty you are for him, baka paliguan mo ng tamod ’yan sa sobrang tagal mong nag-tiis,” Blake joked. I just flipped him the middle finger and walked toward the door.

“Finish him, Blake. I want Clark’s location in thirty minutes. I’m going to buy siopao for my son, and after that, I’m going to kill that bitch.”

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 28

/ 28/

LUCA

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

It was already five in the afternoon when I finally made it back to the hospital. Heavy traffic and Blake’s endless teasing about Clark’s “lover boy” delayed me. Every time I closed my eyes, I could still feel the vibration of Andrei’s bones breaking under my knuckles. It was a dark satisfaction, but it wasn’t enough.

Right now, my men are tailing Jion’s pathetic excuse for a sibling. According to the intel reports, Clark is busy “spending time” with that prick Kieth. I wanted to storm their place right then and there—I wanted to tear that house down with my bare hands. But then I think of Jion.

Ang isiping kayang gawan ng masama ni Clark ang sarili niyang kapatid at pamangkin makes my blood boil. I have to control myself. I can’t let Jion see the monster I become when I’m pushed. Kahit sagad sa buto ang kasamaan ng kapatid niya, he’s still family to Jion. I don’t want to be the one to break that bond unless I absolutely have to. I have to be smart about this.

“Daddyyyyy!” My son’s cheerful voice pulled me out of my dark thoughts the moment I stepped into the room.

The sight of him standing there, bandage and all, made the anger dissipate instantly. Agad ko siyang binuhat and pulled him into a tight embrace.

“Aba, it looks like you missed me already. I wasn’t gone that long, was I?” I said, smiling as I felt his small arms wrap around my neck.

“The siopao!” hirit nito, making me pull back with a mock frown.

“So, it’s just the siopao? Not Daddy?” I pretended to be hurt, pouting at him. Not even a second later, he cupped my face with his tiny hands and kissed my cheek.

“Of course I missed you, Daddy! And also the siopao that you bought!” he giggled, and I couldn’t help but join him.

“Baby, stop calling your Tito Luca ‘Daddy,’” Jion interrupted from the bed, his voice firm but tired.

“Let him be, Jion. If that’s what he wants, I don’t mind,” I replied, acting like I still didn’t know the truth. I watched Jion’s expression carefully—the way he looked away, the guilt swimming in his eyes.

“I just don’t want him getting used to it. Baka kasi bigla kang mawala na parang bula, tapos nasanay na ang bata. What will I do then?” Jion explained, his voice trembling slightly.

I knew it was just an excuse to keep the secret buried. Even though I know everything now—that he’s mine, that Jion carried him for nine months alone—I chose to stay quiet. I’m waiting for him to trust me enough to say it himself. I respect him too much to force the truth out of him. I’ll be here, and I’m never leaving again.

“Hayaan mo na siya. Besides, it fits perfectly. You can be the Mommy, and I’ll be the Daddy,” I teased with a wink. Jion rolled his eyes, but I saw the faint blush creeping up his neck.

“Corny talaga, super waley,” he muttered, though he was clearly struggling to hide a smile.

“Eat your siopao now, baby, so you can sleep early. Para si Daddy naman ang makakain pag tulog ka na,” I said, giving Jion a suggestive look that made him cough.

“Eh, join us na lang, Daddy!” the kid offered.

“Later na kami ng Papa Jion mo. Kami ang magkakainan. It’s better if you finish early so I can have my… two siopaos,” I smirked. Jion choked on his own breath, turning bright red as he threw a crumpled tissue at me.

“Ayan na siopao mo! Bwisit ka!” he yelled through his coughing fit.

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

JION

It was already 7 PM, and Chibi was finally out cold. He was so hyper earlier that he eventually ran out of energy, falling asleep right next to me on the hospital bed.

“You’re staying at my house after you’re discharged. Please, don’t even try to argue with me on this,” Luca said, his tone leaving no room for debate.

Akmang magsasalita pa sana ako when he pressed a finger against my lips, silencing me instantly.

“I know you want to protest, but you have no choice. The situation is dangerous for both of you. Don’t be stubborn, Jion. This wasn’t an accident,” he said, his eyes turning cold and serious.

Natahimik ako. He was right.

Ang nangyari sa amin ngayon ay planado at sinadya. That car aimed for us even when we were already off the road. It was an assassination attempt, plain and simple.

“Anything else to say?” he asked. I just shook my head and adjusted my pillows.

“How about you? Do you have anything else to say?” I challenged back, looking up at his handsome face.

“I do,” he smirked, leaning closer.

“What is it?”

“Ang ganda-ganda mo,” he whispered. I rolled my eyes, feeling my heart do a frantic dance in my chest.

“Can you please stop with the pick-up lines? Super corny talaga,” I laughed, trying to fight the butterflies in my stomach.

“So what? I’m just telling the truth. Besides, with a face as handsome as mine, it’s only natural that I’d marry someone beautiful. When I say you’re gorgeous, it’s a fact,” he bragged, his usual arrogance on full display.

“Kahit kailan talaga, you’re so full of yourself,” I teased, reaching out to lightly slap his cheek since he was leaning so close to me on the bed.

“It’s never going away. Just like what I feel for you,” he whispered. The atmosphere shifted instantly. The teasing was gone, replaced by a raw, heavy tension.

“Dami mong alam. Puro pambobola. I bet that’s how you trick all your girls,” I whispered back, my voice losing its edge.

“I don’t have ‘girls.’ I only do this with you. But aside from talking, my mouth has other… talents,” he smirked, his eyes dropping to my lips.

“Like what?” I challenged, breathless.

Instead of answering, Luca grabbed the back of my neck and claimed my lips.

“Hmmm,” we both moaned as the kiss deepened instantly.

Luca held my head firmly, supporting the weight of his desperate, searching kisses. I tried to keep up, but he was always the expert, the one who knew exactly how to make my mind go blank. It felt like I was getting drunk on the way our tongues moved together—smooth, hungry, and filled with three years’ worth of longing.

“Mukbangan na naman.”

We both jumped at the sudden voice from the doorway. I pushed Luca away frantically, but before he let go, he bit my tongue playfully, making me gasp.

I glared at him, my face burning with embarrassment. Luca looked absolutely pissed, his expression twisted in frustration because of the interruption.

“Ohhh, looks like I’m in the wrong place at the wrong time, bro. Parang puputok na ’yan,” the stranger whispered. It was one of Luca’s friends, and he was looking down at Luca’s lap.

I followed his gaze, and my eyes nearly popped out of my head. There was a massive, unmistakable bulge in Luca’s trousers that looked like it was about to rip through the fabric.

“Ay jusko!” I squeaked, diving under the white hospital blankets to hide my face in pure shame.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 29

/ 29/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

Isang linggo din akong namalagi sa ospital, until we finally decided that it was time for me to recover at home. Maayos na kasi ang lahat nang sugat ng bata and his recovery was surprisingly fast. As for me, kitang-kita pa rin ang mga maraming galos sa iba’t ibang parte ng katawan ko, though they were finally starting to scab over.

Kahit na super boring ang manatili sa ospital, naging masaya naman ang bawat minuto namin doon, especially since Aiden was there with his non-stop nonsense. Lalo pa itong naging maloko when Luca’s friend, Blake, started visiting us every single day.

I still remember the exact look on his face when he first saw him.

“Ate, namamasa ang kiffy ko grabe. Is that Daddy Luca’s friend? My god, he looks like a total heartbreaker, sa itsura pa lang oh,” Aiden whispered maliciously, his eyes scanning Blake’s frame. “ Ganyan na ganyan pa naman ang bet ko, yung parang mga sadista ang lewk.“

Dahil sa presence ni Blake, laging ganado ang bakla.

Every single second, produktibong-produktibo ito. In fact, every time Luca would ask for someone to buy something outside, agad namang nagpepresenta si Aiden na sumama, making up excuses just to be near him.

I know exactly how his mind works; Aiden is a persistent flirt. He knows how to keep up with the vibe of the guys he likes and he’s determined to get what he wants.

And honestly? Maganda talaga ang frenny ko. It’s evident in the way he moves—very demure and feminine. He’s that sexy, skinny femboy who looks wealthy because of his porcelain skin, just like me.

Eme

.

There was even a time when a photo of us went viral on social media. Hindi naman sa pagmamayabang, but we really take care of our bodies. We even have two refrigerators at home—ang isa para sa skincare at ang isa para sa mga pagkain. Ganon kami kaselan pagdating sa katawan.

As a result, our skincare routine really paid off. A photo Aiden posted earned so much praise for our “

Face Card

.“ It was on another level; kahit sino ay matatalbog sa sobrang lakas ng visuals namin! Ganong level!

Kidding aside, it’s the truth. When that photo blew up, we were showered with compliments because the shot was very bongga and Instagrammable. Pihadong papasa iyon sa Pinterest because of the aesthetic vibe.

But aside from the praise, syempre hindi mawawala ang mga loko-loko. Most of the comments were like “fem bottom,” “two bottoms in a room they might kiss,” or “sigurado akong masarap amuyin ang utot nila dahil amoy cherry.”

I couldn’t handle the way people’s minds worked, so I made Aiden delete the picture. Ayaw ko kasing kumalat pa ito at baka makita ng mga taong ayaw kong makaharap. But it was proof enough na hindi easy-easy ang face card naming magkaibigan. Kaya don’t us!

FLASHBACK

(

っ´ཀ’)っ Ɑ͞ ͞ ͞ ͞ ͞ﻝﮞ

AIDEN

“How old are you?” Blake asked curiously the moment I stepped inside his car.

“18,” I said in a pabebe voice while looking at him, but instead of questioning it, he just nodded.

“Keme lang, 24 talaga,” I admitted a second later because I didn’t want to start with a lie.

“Really? I honestly thought you were only 18. You have a total baby face,” he said, making me giggle softly. Ahckkkkkk.

“Ano ba! Parang baliw ’to,” I whispered while channeling my inner Maria Clara 2.0—slightly demure but with a hint of flirtation. I playfully tapped his bulging muscles.

I almost let out an “ohh” when I felt how hard they were. It was obvious that he could easily toss me around and make me his slave in bed.

“So, you must have a girlfriend. Sa gwapo mong ’yan, it’s impossible if you don’t have one,” I said, doing a subtle background check.

God, even his laugh was attractive.

“Sadly, that’s not my priority. I’m the type of guy who doesn’t stay long in a relationship. I don’t know, siguro mabilis lang ako mawalan ng amor sa isang tao,” he explained.

I felt a bit disappointed by his answer. “Maybe it’s because once you get what you want, you lose interest because the challenge is gone. Yung kakaibang feeling before the chase, ’yun ’yon! And once you have it, the feeling disappears until you lose your affection for that person.”

“You’re exactly like my ex,” I said, turning my gaze toward the road.

I’ll admit, his “pogi points” dropped a bit, but dedma na. He’s gorgeous; why would I even complain? Even with all his red flags, I’m willing to stay as long as the view is good while giving him a blowjob.

“How about you? It’s impossible that you don’t have a boyfriend. I’m sure many guys are after you,” he countered.

“Meron naman, quite a few. But most of them are either too young or way too old with money. And they aren’t my type. I like guys with a car, a massive build, manly and super hot… also someone whose favorite color is blue and most importantly, someone with a big—”

I smirked at him because everything I described was sitting right in front of me. I saw a dark grin spread across his lips as he waited for my next words.

“Heart. A big heart. You know, a kind and caring guy,” I finished, even though we both knew that wasn’t what I meant.

“I don’t want to be assuming, but it sounds like you’re talking about me?” he asked with a smirk.

“Is it obvious?” I confessed, because I don’t have time to play hard to get when the guy is this rare.

“Be careful, you might not be able to handle it,” he whispered, and I just smirked back.

“Ako pa ba? I can handle everything, even if he’s massive as Goliath,” I challenged.

“Okay,” was his simple reply as he floored the accelerator.

(30 MINUTES LATER)

( ˃ᯅ˂ )

|     |/

<（‿ˠ‿）>

ूाीू

“Hmpppp,” I gasped, tears pricking my eyes while Blake relentlessly claimed me.

Earlier in the car, I sounded so tough, but right now, I was like a helpless lamb trapped in his arms. It had been nearly thirty minutes, and he refused to finish. He said he was holding back just to make it last longer for both of us.

“F*ck,” he cursed, sweating as he moved with a ruthless intensity.

We were in missionary, but my legs were pushed back past my shoulders as he drove into me with his massive frame. I looked at his handsome face while taking every hit like a good boy. I couldn’t help but moan as he completely wrecked my senses.

“Shhhhhhh,” Blake whispered, gently stroking my face as if trying to calm me down from the sheer madness of the sensation.

“Shhhhhhh,” he said with that sadistic edge, pushing deeper and faster, making me cry out in a mix of pain and pure pleasure that I had been savoring for a while now.

“Hmmmmpp f*ck,” I moaned in delirium, unable to find a place for my head because of the overwhelming pleasure.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 30

/ 30/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

Ngayong araw na ito ang matagal nang hinihintay ni Luca sa tanang buhay niya. Simula nang paglabas namin ng ospital, hindi na ito tumigil sa kaka-remind na dapat na kaming bumukod kasama siya sa iisang bahay. He wants us under his roof, safe and finally together as a real family.

Bagama’t nagdadalawang-isip pa rin ako dahil sa bilis ng mga pangyayari, hinayaan ko na lang na umagos ang lahat. I realized that our old house isn’t safe anymore. Pagkatapos ng nangyaring “aksidente” sa kalsada, mananatili pa ba kami doon? It’s like waiting for another disaster to strike.

Syempre, isasama ko pa rin ang best friend ko. I would never leave Aiden behind; simula’t sapul, magkasangga na kami sa lahat ng hirap. Hindi yata ako mabubuhay kung hindi ko siya nakikita araw-araw, lalo na’t ang prisensya niya lang ang nagpaparamdam sa akin na welcome ako kahit saan.

Ngunit nitong mga nagdaang araw, malimit itong nawawala sa bahay. Araw-araw kung umalis at laging nakaporma na animo’y may dadaluhang ball o kaya ay makikipag-date sa isang milyonaryo.

Gustuhin ko mang tanungin ang bakla, pero sa tuwing bumabalik ito sa bahay, puro tulog na lang ang gaga. He looks totally drained, na animo’y sumabak sa gyera sa sobrang pagod. Tumigil na rin siya sa pag-da drag queen pero ang ipinagtataka ko, puro branded na damit at mamahaling gamit ang inuuwi niya.

Kadalasan, siya na rin ang nagogrocery at nagre-restock sa ref. Bultuhan kung mamili ang bakla, na animo’y anak ng isang tycoon sa sobrang galante.

“Baks, seryoso. Saan galing itong perang pinambibili mo ng groceries natin?” takang tanong ko sa kanya habang bitbit niya ang anim na malalaking box ng mga imported goods.

“Ah… galing lang ito sa Sugar Daddy ko,” nakangiti nitong sambit na ikinataas ng kilay ko.

“Hayop ka. Kaya ka pala laging paika-ika at lamog na lamog lately dahil nagpapakasta ka na kapalit ng pera?” natatawa kong biro, though deep down, I was actually curious.

“Gaga, hindi ito bayad! Galante lang talaga si Blake kaya kahit hindi ko hinihingi, binibigay niya sa akin. Ganto talaga kapag pinalaking maganda, kinababaliwan ng mga lalake,” humahalakhak niyang pag-amin.

Halos malaglag ang panga ko sa narinig ko.

“Si Blake ang Sugar Daddy mo?!” gulat kong sambit. Tumango lang ang gaga na animo’y natural lang ang lahat.

“Hoy gagi, totoo ba? Kailan pa nagsimula ’yan?” pang-iintriga ko. Hindi ko talaga inaasahan ang rebelasyong ito.

“Medyo matagal na, nagsimula nung nasa ospital pa tayo. Naalala mo nung sobrang tagal naming nawala? May nangyari sa amin doon, and since then, naging obsessive na siya sa kiffay ko. Araw-araw ba namang minumukbang at kinakalikot sa tuwing nagkikita kami,” proud na proud niyang kwento na ikinatili ko sa sobrang shock.

“Gaga ka! Bakit hindi mo agad sinabi? Kaya pala lagi kayong missing-in-action, nagkakantutan na pala kayo!” sambit ko sabay tawa nang malakas.

“Pero ’yun lang, masyado siyang obsessive at possessive. I can feel that he cares, pero kahit pagtingin lang ng ibang lalake sa akin, aangasan niya agad. May isang beses pa nga na kinausap lang ako ng waiter sa restaurant, maya-maya lang, pinatanggal niya na sa trabaho. Kinausap niya ang manager at sinabing nilalandi daw ako, kahit nagtatanong lang naman ng order!” kwento niya na ikinangiwi ko.

“Grabe ka, te. Ano ba ’yang kiffay mo? May gayuma ba ’yan at sa tuwing sinusupsop niya, nababaliw siya sa’yo?” worried pero natatawa kong hirit.

“Speaking of supsop! Ate, sinasabi ko sa’yo, binabaliw niya ako sa tuwing may nangyayari sa amin. Kakaiba siya kung bumayo, yung sagad at sobrang bilis. Ganong levels! Tapos ramdam na ramdam mo yung gigil niya at pagkagutom. My god! Hindi siya maarte kasi pagkatapos niyang kastahin ang kiffay ko, mumukbangin niya na parang gutom na hindi nakakain ng isang buwan! Kaya wala na akong pakialam sa red flags, kung ganon naman niya kainin ang pearl of the orient sea!”

“Oh, tama na ang tungkol sa akin. How about you? Wag mong sabihing hindi ka pa nagpapabuntis?” hirit niya na ikinakunot ng mukha ko.

“Gaga, alam mo namang hindi ko priority ’yan. Atsaka childbirth is no joke, no! Pero kung tatanungin mo kami, okay naman. Pero hanggang torrid kiss lang ang pinakamalala naming nagagawa lalo na’t hindi pa ako ready,” pag-amin ko na ikinalukot ng mukha niya.

“Ay ewan ko sa’yo, ate ko! Bahala ka na kung magpaka-virgin-virginan ka pa diyan. Feel ko magsasara na ’yang factory mo sa sobrang pag-iinarte mo,” pang-aasar niya sa akin.

“Sa totoo lang… may parte ring gusto ko,” bulong ko na ikinangiti niya nang malapad.

“Ay, hindi talaga kataka-takang mag-bestie tayo! Pareho tayong marupok. It really runs in our blood,” hirit niya.

“Kasi ang totoo niyan, natatakot ako. Pano ba naman, ang laki-laki! Ate ko, 12 inches ’yon at sobrang taba. If I’m not mistaken, kasing-taba ng Angel Evaporada, yung kulay yellow. Ganon te kalaki! Kaya kahit gusto kong i-level up yung halikan namin, natatakot ako. Feeling ko mawawalan ako ng malay. It doesn’t look human, parang kamao ng wrestler!” pag-amin ko na ikinatili ng gaga.

“Go na, te! Sinasabi ko sa’yo, kahit masakit, kayanin mo! Tutal nagawa mo naman nung una, magagawa mo rin ’to ngayon. Nasa dugo natin ang pagiging matiisin sa kahit anong hirap at pasakit, ngayon ka pa ba susuko? And always remember, professional tayo pagdating sa ganyan. For sure, kapag natikman ni Luca ang specialty mo, hahanap-hanapin niya ’yan na parang adik. Masasanay din ang kiffay mo dahil araw-araw ka nang lalaspagin!”

Akmang may sasabihin pa sana si Aiden nang biglang bumukas ang pinto. Inuluwa doon si Luca habang karga-karga ang bata.

“Papa! Bumili si Daddy ng donuts!” masiglang bati ng anak ko sabay takbo papunta sa akin.

“Kamusta? Mukhang nag-enjoy kayo?” nakangiti kong salubong kay Luca.

Ngunit imbes na sumagot, mabilis niya lang nilapag ang apat na box ng donuts at bigla akong hinila papunta sa kanya. Without any warning, he stole a deep, hungry kiss right in front of them.

“Ano ba… nandiyan si Aiden at ang bata,” nahihiya kong bulong habang namumula ang mukha.

“So? Let them look,” tanging sagot niya sabay higpit ng hawak sa bewang ko.

Agad akong napatingin kay Aiden na nakangising nakatingin sa amin. Halos mabilaukan ako sa tawa nang sumenyas siya na animo’y may sinusubong ano, habang sinasabi ang katagang “Blowjb mo na as a reward”* sa mahinang boses.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 31

/31/

RATED 18

Warning

: This chapter is rated 18+. It contains explicit sexual content intended for mature readers only. Reader discretion is advised.

JION

(˃ᯅ˂ )

|     |/ <（‿ˠ‿）> ूाीू

“Mukhang pagod na pagod ka ha,” mahinang sambit ko. My voice was barely a whisper as I stepped into his personal space, feeling the radiating heat from his body.

Dahan-dahan kong inalalayan siyang hubarin ang kanyang coat, as my fingers lingering on the expensive fabric, sensing the tension held in his broad shoulders.

He had just come home after a long day, followed by a trip to treat Chibi. He was doing everything to be a father, but I could see the exhaustion etched in the lines of his face. Ayoko nang sumama kanina because my body felt heavy, and honestly, I wanted to create this quiet moment for us.

“Hindi naman, lalo na’t hindi naman pasaway si Chibi,” he replied. His smile was weary but genuine. It tugged at my heartstrings to see this dangerous man so softened by a child.

“Hindi na rin ako nagtataka kung bakit ganon ang asal ng bata. Ikaw ba naman ang nagpalaki,” I teased, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

“Good girl,” he murmured. That baritone voice of his felt like a physical touch, vibrating deep in my chest. I felt a familiar spark of mischief and desire ignite within me.

“Alam mo bang bukod sa pag aalaga ng bata, I’m actually good at other things too?” I whispered. I stood on my tiptoes, reaching for the heat of his neck. I wrapped my arms around him, looking up with wide, pleading eyes na animo’y parang kawawang pusa na naghahanap ng kalinga.

“Ano?” he smirked. I could see the gears turning in his head, his dark eyes searching mine for the hidden meaning behind my words.

“Napapansin ko kasi, every time you come home, you’re carrying the weight of the world. Noong nasa ospital tayo, you sacrificed your sleep just to keep us safe. I thought… maybe you need a massage,” I suggested, my fingers grazing the nape of his neck.

“Aray!” bigla niyang sambit, holding his back with a dramatic wince. “Mabuti na lang at sinabi mo ’yan. My body feels like it’s about to break. Parang malulusaw na ang mga buto ko sa pagod.”

Napangiti ako. I knew he was playing along, acting like a wounded soldier just to get my hands on him. “Ah, talaga ba? Kawawa ka naman,” I said, leaning into the game.

“Where does it hurt?” I asked softly.

“Dito sa ulo ko… then my thighs, my back, and my shoulders. Pero mas masakit talaga sa bandang hita ko,” he groaned, pointing to his muscular legs while wearing a pained expression that didn’t match the devious glint in his eyes.

“Nako, kailangan hubo’t hubad ka niyan, especially since your thighs are ‘so’ sore,” I countered, my heart racing at the bold suggestion.

“Parang ganon na nga,” he whispered. He rested his head on my shoulder, acting like a tired child, but I could feel the raw, masculine energy radiating from him.

“Oh sige, humiga ka na so you can relax. Let’s start,” I commanded. Within seconds, his “fatigue” vanished. He moved with the predatory grace of a man who had suddenly found a new source of life.

Before I could even blink, he stripped down until he was only in his black boxers. “Oh, tapos na,” he said breathlessly, standing before me like a masterpiece of bronze and ink.

“Akala ko ba madaming masakit sa katawan mo? Why are you so energetic all of a sudden?” I laughed, shaking my head at his transparent tactics.

“Binilisan ko lang so I can feel better immediately,” he reasoned, but we both knew better.

“Sige na, lie on your stomach,” I instructed. As he complied, I grabbed the sunflower oil. I climbed onto the bed, straddling his lower back. I could feel the solid muscle of his glutes beneath me, the sheer scale of his body making me feel small and cherished.

I drizzled the oil over his back and began to massage him. Every groan that escaped his lips was a victory for me.

“Ughhhhh,” he cursed softly as my thumbs dug into the knots in his shoulders. “Diyan… right there… f*ck.”

After a few minutes, he shifted restlessly. “Ahhh… sa bandang hita ko naman. It’s really killing me,” he complained. I stood up so he could turn over.

As he flipped onto his back, I froze. The sight was overwhelming. His body was a map of power and masculinity—perfectly sculpted muscles with tattoos that told stories of how dangerous his life is.

But my eyes were drawn to the center of his being.

His member was straining against the fabric of his boxers, pulsing with a life of its own. It was a terrifyingly beautiful sight—the sheer size and thickness making my breath hitch in my throat.

“Sh*t, sorry,” Luca muttered, noticing my stare. He tried to hide the protrusion, but it was like trying to contain a volcano.

“Hayaan mo na. Your boxers are clearly too small for this dick’,” I said with a teasing smile. I climbed back onto the bed and, with trembling hands, I pulled the fabric down.

“Wag mo na kasing itago kung gusto niya namang magpakita.”

His member sprang free, standing like a soldier at full salute, weeping a few beads of pre-cum. I looked into Luca’s eyes and saw a forest fire of lust and vulnerability. He was shaking, his veins popping as he fought for control.

“Do you trust me?” he asked, his voice cracking with emotion.

I didn’t say a word. I simply stood up and shed my own clothes, letting them fall to the floor. I sat on his stomach, facing him, feeling his length pressing against my back—long enough that I could feel the tip pulsing near my ribs.

“With all my heart,” I whispered. Luca broke into a smile—a real, soul-baring smile that reached his eyes. For the first time, the Mafia boss was gone. There was only the man who loved me.

Tears filled his eyes as he pulled me down for a kiss. “Mahal na mahal kita,” he breathed into my mouth. It wasn’t just a kiss; it was a promise, a surrender, and a homecoming.

“Mahal din kita,” I replied against his lips, drowning in the scent of oil, skin, and the terrifyingly beautiful future we were building together.

(っ´ཀ’)っ Ɑ͞ ͞ ͞ ͞ ͞ﻝﮞ ciao.

CHAPTER 31.2

/31.2/

RATED 18

Warning

: This chapter is rated 18+. It contains explicit sexual content intended for mature readers only. Reader discretion is advised.

JION

( ˃ᯅ˂ ) |     |/ <（‿ˠ‿）> ूाीू

Halos hindi ako magkamayaw sa kakasigaw dahil sa ginagawa sa akin ngayon ni Luca. My voice was a wreck, raw and uncontrolled, kaya naman upang hindi na makagawa pa ng malalaswang mga ungol ay mabilis kong tinakpan ang aking bibig. I was trembling, my body arching in a desperate attempt to both escape and lean into the sensation as he greedily, hungrily devoured my entrance.

Ayoko sana siyang payagan lalo na’t feeling ko ay masyadong malaswa at hindi kaaya-aya, ngunit nagpumilit siya. He was so persistent, his eyes dark and pleading, saying that this has been his longest fantasy—ang tuluyan akong maangkin at pagsilbihan sa paraang alam niyang ikabaliw ko.

Kaya naman kahit nag-iinarte ako, I eventually surrendered control to him. Bagama’t marami akong idinadahilan na kesyo ayaw ko, magkaganon paman ay kusang bumubukaka ang mga hita ko. There was a traitorous part of me that wanted to be ruined by him, to feel the raw, unadulterated hunger of a man who looked at me like I was his world.

Buong akala ko ay magiging weird sa pakiramdam, ngunit sa katunayan ay para na akong baliw. Luca was like a man possessed, acting like a starved animal while he worked with a terrifying intensity. His tongue was relentless, circling and invading my space with a rhythmic suction that made my toes curl.

Maliban sa malagkit niyang laway, punong-puno rin ng mga kagat ang pwetan ko. I could feel the sting of his teeth and the heavy weight of his palms as he slapped my skin, leaving it flushed and burning.

“Arghhhhh!” Luca let out a deep, gutteral roar, his hands gripping my hips so hard his knuckles were white. He was lost in his own world of lust, and I was right there with him, drowning.

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

LUCA

( ˃ᯅ˂ )

¡¡

(

ꪊꪻ

⊂)

“Shittt,” I cursed under my breath, my voice a ragged growl as I continued to worship Jion’s tight and pristine hole. Hindi ko naman mapigilang hindi maulol sa kakaibang sarap na dulot nito.

It might be a scandalous thing to admit, but this is my absolute fetish. I couldn’t help but be aggressive with Jion’s hole. It was so f*cking perfect—clean, soft, and turning a deep, vivid red from my attention. Every part of him felt like it was made specifically to be claimed by me.

I’m a meticulous man; my friends know how picky I am with everything. Kung sa hitsura pa lang ay hindi na pasado, I wouldn’t even touch them. But Jion… Jion was the exception to every rule.

Nung may nangyari sa amin 3 taon na ang nakakalipas, it was permanently etched in my soul. I could never forget his pale, flawless body— smooth like silk and without a single blemish. Every part of him looked like a fresh, ripening fruit, glowing with a natural, intoxicating flush .

But more than anything, I haunted myself with the image of his angelic face—the way his eyes rolled back and his lips parted as I ruthlessly claimed his body.

Physical attraction lang ang akala ko nung una, but as the days turned into years, I realized it was a sickness. I was obsessed. I did everything to find him again, and now that he’s here, my heart is aching with a need that goes beyond simple lust.

“Ughhh,” we both groaned at the same time when I stiffened my tongue and pushed deep inside him, swirling it around with a sickeningly wet sound. Jion let out a high-pitched shriek, so I quickly covered his mouth with my hand, pinning him down.

The scream was so loud it sounded like he was losing his mind. Parehas kaming natawa nang mahina, gasping for air, our faces flushed with the shared adrenaline of the moment.

“Galing ko ba?” I bragged, my voice dripping with arrogance and pride. Jion didn’t even argue; he just nodded like a submissive, dazed child, his eyes glazed with pleasure.

I was about to go back and devour him again when he suddenly reached down and wrapped his small, warm hand around my throbbing member. I groaned, the heat of his palm feeling like a brand against my skin.

“I want to suck it,” he whispered, his eyes looking up at me with such raw, unbridled invitation.

And this sht is exactly what I’m talking about! That face! It’s like he’s begging me to fck him mercilessly!

That innocent, angelic face of his is just a mask. When the darkness of lust takes over, he turns into a demon, inviting me to wreck him.

“Ohhh f*ck,” I surrendered, my heart hammering against my ribs as he pushed me back onto the pillows.

I was stunned when he took me into his mouth without a second thought. I couldn’t stop the moans from escaping me. From the first moment, it was obvious how hungry he was; he was trying his absolute best to take every single inch of me into his throat.

But even with just the head and half the length in his mouth, he was already gagging. I knew he would have a hard time.

I’m not one for humble-bragging, but I know what I’m carrying. It’s—not human-sized, but a stallion’s, as they say.

“F*ck,” I hissed, my hands finding his hair as he toyed with the head of my member inside his hot, wet mouth. The friction and the slickness of his tongue were enough to make me lose my mind.

“Shhhh,” I whispered, pulling his hair back gently so I could see his beautiful, strained face. I wanted to watch him struggle with my massive c*ck I was forcing down his throat.

“Sarap ba?” I asked, my voice a low, dangerous rumble.

“Oumm,” he muffled, looking up at me through his lashes.

I suddenly pulled it out of his mouth and lightly slapped his face with my length. He looked like a crazed animal, chasing after it with his tongue out— a sight that sent my libido into another dimension.

“Magpakasa ka diyan!” I growled, grabbing his head and shoving my entire length into his throat, delivering fast, rhythmic thrusts.

The room was filled with the lewd, wet sounds of a ruthless mouth-f*ck. I felt like my blood was boiling. Call me a sadist, but I know we were both just as starved for this as I was.

’

Ulkkkk…

ulkk

…

ulk

…..

ulk

…

ulk

“

He eventually tapped my thigh, signaling for me to stop, and I pulled back just in time for him to gasp for air. He spat out the massive length that had been choking him, his eyes watering.

I thought he was done, but I was shocked when he gripped me again and pushed it back in—all the way to the hilt, burying me in his throat for a full minute that made me crazy.

Wtf?!!!

How can Jion take that?!

My whole cck just freaking disappear, as he take it inside his throat from the fucking tip up to the base of my horse like dck.

I felt like I was floating. The world vanished, and all I could feel was the hot, tight, and slick pressure of Jion’s throat.

“Ahhhh,” Jion wheezed as he finally released me, gasping for breath.

I looked at him with nothing but pure pride and amazed. No one has ever been able to do that to me. He is, without a doubt, the only one who can handle me.

(っ´ཀ’)っ Ɑ͞ ͞ ͞ ͞ ͞ﻝﮞ ciao.

CHAPTER 31.3

/31.3/

RATED 18

Warning : This chapter is rated 18+. It contains explicit sexual content intended for mature readers only. Reader discretion is advised.

JION

( ˃ᯅ˂ ) |     |/ <（‿ˠ‿）> ूाीू

Nanginginig ang mga kamay ko habang hawak-hawak ang dambuhalang pagkakalalaki ni Luca. He was lying there, his chest heaving, with his hands supporting my back to keep me steady. Punong-puno na ng madulas na pampadulas ang kanyang kargada, at maging ang aking lagusan ay basang-basa na rin, waiting for the inevitable penetration.

Kahit na halos lumabas ang puso ko sa dibdib dahil sa kaba, dahan-dahan kong itinutok ang dulo ng kanyang ari sa aking butas.

I knew I could take him in my mouth, but my body was a different story. My mind was screaming that this was too much, but it was too late to back out now. Pinairal ko ang pagiging malandi at maharot ko; I’d rather endure the soul-crushing pain than lose this moment with him.

“F*ck,” I cursed through gritted teeth as I slowly, painfully sat down on him. Because of the excessive lubricant, I could feel him inching deeper, stretching my walls to the absolute limit.

Napangiwi ako at nanginginig ang buong katawan habang dahan-dahang inuupuan ang malatroso sa laking pagkalalaki ni Luca. It felt like I was being split open from the inside.

“Shhhh… kaya mo ba? Let’s stop this, baby. Wag na natin ituloy,” Luca suggested, his voice thick with concern.

That actually pissed me off. I didn’t come this far just to quit.

Agad kong iminulat ang aking mga mata. I could see the conflict in his face—he was drowning in pleasure, but he was terrified of hurting me. But I wanted this. I needed to be filled by him.

“F*ckkkkkkkk!” I roared as I suddenly dropped my weight, taking the massive head in one swift, agonizing move to bypass the initial resistance.

Napapikit si Luca, his head tilting back as he groaned toward the ceiling. His jaw was so tight I could see the muscles leaping.

“Shhhh,” he tried to soothe me, his large hands stroking my thighs as I fought to swallow the rest of his length.

“T*nginaa!” Luca cursed when, after the head was fully in, I slammed my hips down without any warning. I took all of him in one go, a move that made us both scream in a mix of pure agony and blinding ecstasy.

“F*ck, nasaktan ka ba?” he asked, his eyes searching mine with intense worry. I just nodded, tears pricking my eyes, but I didn’t move. I stayed there, pinned by his size, letting my body accept the reality that he was now a part of me.

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

LUCA

It felt like my member was being strangled inside him. The suction was unreal—so tight it felt like he was squeezing the life out of me. It was a visceral reminder that it had been years since he was last touched like this.

I wanted to thrust, to lose myself in him, but he pinned my chest and adjusted his seating, looking down at me with a look of absolute dominance.

“Ako na ang bahala,” he whispered, and even in my dazed state, I couldn’t help but smirk.

“You are not allowed to touch me. Not even a strand of my hair,” he commanded. “Keep your hands flat on the bed. The moment you try to take control, I’m leaving—even if I know you’re about to blow.”

“Fine,” I surrendered, my voice a ragged whisper. I had no choice but to obey my baby.

I flattened my palms against the sheets, my body vibrating with the effort to stay still. My member was buried deep inside him, pulsing with every heartbeat. I made a small, involuntary thrust, and I immediately got a sharp slap on my chest.

“Isa pang galaw mo at aalis talaga ako dito,” he threatened. I had to force myself to go numb just to keep from ruining everything.

After five agonizing seconds, he slowly smiled. He leaned down, his lips brushing mine in a tender, agonizingly slow kiss.

When our lips finally locked, I let out a sharp gasp. Jion suddenly began to move—a fast, rhythmic twerking motion that ground his seat against my pelvis. It was so fast, so slick, and so hot that I didn’t know where to turn. His internal muscles were milking me, driving me to the brink of insanity.

“Hmppp,” I groaned into his mouth. He was practically stroking my length with his entire body.

“F*cckkkk!” I cursed, my mind unraveling.

“F*ck, stop! Lalabasan na ako!” I wheezed. I couldn’t help it; the pleasure was too much. Even though I knew he’d be furious, I quickly grabbed his waist and pulled him off my member. I couldn’t let it end in five minutes.

I felt the pressure building, ready to erupt like a volcano, so I gripped the base of my member to keep the surge at bay.

“Baby, I said stop,” I gasped, staring up at him while my body felt like it was on fire.

“Heh! Whatever!” he snapped with an air of authority. He reached down, grabbed my throbbing length, and sat back down on it as if it were nothing.

It seemed his body had fully adjusted now. The pain was gone, replaced by a raw, unbridled lust that matched my own.

“Baby, I want this to last longer,” I whispered. “I have so many things I want to do to you.” Right now, I felt like a caged beast because he was the one in charge.

“Oh, really? Then hold it. Is it my fault you’re this weak?” he teased, and that was the final straw.

“I am not weak. You’re just that good, and you know exactly what you’re doing to me,” I confessed, which only made him smirk more.

“Don’t bother explaining. Sa isip ko, puro ka lang salita. Aside from your big dick, you don’t really have anything else to offer,” he added, his words cutting through my pride.

“What did you just say?” I growled, my eyes flashing with a dangerous light.

Instead of answering, he just smirked. That was the spark that lit the fuse. I reached up and gripped his waist with a bruising force, flipping him over in one swift, violent motion. With his small frame, he didn’t stand a chance.

“Ahhh!” he let out a startled laugh as I pinned him against the pillows.

I didn’t waste another second on words. I drove into him with a ruthless, bone-jarring pace, my hands gripping his hair to keep his head back.

“Ito ba ang gusto mo, ha?!” I snarled, the sadist in me finally coming out to play. I hammered into his g-spot with a speed that made the bed creak.

I knew he was just testing me, but those words stepped on my manhood. I had to prove to him that he hadn’t even scratched the surface of what I could do. He didn’t know that I had been holding back my inner demon just to be gentle with him.

“Luccaaaaa!” Jion screamed, his voice echoing in the room as I relentlessly barurot his poor entrance.

“T*ngina,” I cursed. I pulled out for a split second, my eyes widening at the sight of his entrance—flushed, swollen, and shaped like a perfect “O” from the way I had been wrecking him.

That sight—

my ultimate fetish

—sent me over the edge. I lifted his hips and buried my face there, devouring him like a man who hadn’t eaten in years.

Jion was screaming so loud I was worried the guards would come running. Before he could make another sound, I flipped him onto his stomach and pulled him into a kneeling position.

I spread him wide and ate him out again before driving my length back inside. I thrust with a brutal, rhythmic speed, holding both his hands behind his back as I claimed him from behind.

“Ano? Tignan mo ngayon kung sino ang baliw sa ating dalawa,” I whispered darkly, my pace never wavering as I drove him toward the edge.

(っ´ཀ’)っ Ɑ͞ ͞ ͞ ͞ ͞ﻝﮞ ciao.

CHAPTER 31.4

/31.4/

RATED 18

Warning : This chapter is rated 18+. It contains explicit sexual content intended for mature readers only. Reader discretion is advised.

LUCA

( ˃ᯅ˂ ) ¡¡ ( ꪊꪻ⊂)

“Fuckkking shiittt!” Jion screamed in total delirium as I relentlessly hammered the spot I knew would drive him insane. I was hitting his G-spot with a brutal, rhythmic force, bawat baon ay ramdam ko ang pag-alon ng katawan niya.

“Ito ba ang gusto mo, ha?!” I growled, letting out all my pent-up hunger in every deep, punishing thrust.

“F*ckkkkkk!” was all he could manage, his voice breaking as he spiraled into pure madness.

I was surprised when I felt him tighten around me even more. It was like he was trying to crush me from the inside. I looked down at him and saw that he had reached his peak without even touching himself—his body was shivering in a powerful, hands-free orgasm, flooded with pleasure that he couldn’t contain.

I slowly pulled out and gathered his sweaty, trembling body into my arms. He looked like a wilted flower, completely exhausted from the intensity of the pleasure.

“See? Kita mo na, ikaw pala itong mahina sa ating dalawa,” I teased, laying him down gently while catching my breath.

“Baka ikaw,” he shot back, catching me off guard.

I was about to get up when he suddenly grabbed both my wrists like I was a prisoner, pinning me down before climbing back on top of me with a sudden surge of energy.

“Sh*tttt,” I cursed as he sat back down on my member. I lost my mind for a second as I felt that familiar, searing heat enveloping me once again. It was tighter and hotter than before.

“I know you love this,” Jion whispered, his eyes glazed with lust as he slowly moved his hips in a tight, vertical motion.

“Ohhhh,” I groaned. His internal muscles were squeezing me so hard it felt like I was being branded. He moved his waist and glutes with a seductive rhythm that I couldn’t resist

“Ano? Ano?!” he laughed breathlessly, biting his lip as we both drowned in the sensation. He was enjoying the power he had over me as much as the physical pleasure.

“Wag ka nang umasang papakawalan pa kita. Akin ka na,” I growled, my voice weak from the pleasure he was providing. He just laughed, continuing his work on my starved body.

“F*ck, lalabas na!” I roared in my deep baritone, gripping his waist to support the coming explosion.

“T*nginaaaaa!” I cursed as I thrust upward with violent, desperate lunges. My release hit him like an open faucet, pulsing deep inside him. I was like a madman, meeting every one of his movements with a raw, primal energy until I was completely drained.

It took a full minute for the waves to subside. When I was sure there was nothing left, I pulled him into a bone-crushing hug. We were both drenched in sweat and gasping for air, our bodies entwined as the silence of the room returned.

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

JION’S

( ˃ᯅ˂ )

|     |/

<（‿ˠ‿）>

ूाीू

The silence in the master suite was thick, almost heavy enough to touch. Ang tanging maririnig mo lang ay ang mabilis at malalim na paghinga naming dalawa, echoing against the minimalist walls of this sanctuary. I stood there, watching him, my heart hammering a frantic rhythm against my ribs. There was something different about him tonight. The “Daddy” persona he wore for Chibi had been stripped away, leaving behind the raw, jagged edges of the man I had first met three years ago.

“Stop for a minute,” bulong ko. My voice was raspy, stripped of its usual softness by the sheer intensity of the moment.

Luca paused. His massive chest, adorned with the ink of his history, rose and fell with a suppressed violence. His eyes—dark, hungry—never left mine. He looked at me as if I were the only thing in the world that mattered, and yet, as if he wanted to tear me apart just to see what I was made of.

“Why? Are you breaking on me already, Jion?” he teased. That dark, gravelly rumble of his voice felt like a physical vibration crawling up my spine.

“No,” I countered, a slow, predatory smirk spreading across my lips. This was my game now. I wanted him to feel the same desperation that had been clawing at me for years.

“I’m thirsty, Luca. I want to drink your milk. I want to taste the very thing that makes you the monster everyone is so afraid of.”

The challenge in my eyes was the final spark. Luca’s jaw tightened, his veins popping along his neck as he fought for control.

“Then drink up, baby,” he growled. “But remember, you asked for this.”

Dahan-dahan akong lumuhod sa paanan niya, my knees sinking into the plush mattress. I looked up, and the view was overwhelming. His member was already standing at full salute—dark, thick, and pulsing with a life of its own. It looked like it was carved from solid muscle, weeping a few beads of clear anticipation.

I didn’t rush. I wanted to see him suffer.

I reached out, my fingers barely grazing the sensitive skin of his inner thighs. I felt him shiver, a micro-tremor that told me exactly how much power I held. I moved my hands upward, wrapping my fingers around the base of his ginormous c*ck. My hands couldn’t even meet; he was that thick. I started to stroke him, my thumb circling the ridge of the head, watching as the tip turned a deep, bruised purple.

“F*ck, Jion… don’t play with me,” he hissed, his fingers diving into my hair, gripping the strands just tight enough to let me know who was really in charge.

Instead of answering, I leaned in and blew a warm breath against the tip. Luca’s hips buckled. I could hear his teeth grinding together. Then, I used my tongue—not to take him in, but to trace the long, thick vein that ran along the underside. I licked him slowly, from the base to the tip, savoring the salty, musky scent of him.

I took the head into my mouth, just the tip, and began to swirl my tongue around the opening. I used a light, fluttering suction that made Luca let out a strangled groan.

“Ughh… more… take it all,” he commanded.

But I retreated. I pulled back, looking him in the eyes with a mischievous glint. I began to lick my own lips, tasting him, showing him exactly how much I was enjoying his torture.

“Not yet,” I whispered. “I want to hear you beg for it.”

“You little sh*t,” Luca growled, his eyes flashing with a mix of fury and adoration.

He didn’t wait for my permission. He gripped my head with both hands, his fingers anchoring themselves in my hair, and he guided me back. This time, there was no teasing. He pushed his hips forward, and I felt the massive head of his d*ck slide past my lips, filling my mouth until I felt my jaw stretching to its limit.

The dynamic shifted instantly. I was no longer the one in control; I was the vessel for his hunger. Luca began to pace himself, his thrusts slow and agonizingly deep. Every time he pushed forward, I felt the girth of him stretching my cheeks, my saliva coating the length of him in a slick, lewd sheen.

“Suck it, Jion. Show me how much you want this,” he hissed.

I switched into my hungry mode. I used my hands to pull him deeper, my mouth working with a desperate, frantic energy. I was swallowing him, taking him as deep as my throat would allow, my eyes watering from the sheer size of him. I was bobbing my head with a rhythm that was purely primal, the wet, squelching sounds of the act filling the quiet room.

Squelch. Squelch. Squelch.

Luca was losing it. I could feel his pulse thumping against my palate, a rhythmic hammer that told me he was nearing the edge. His breathing was ragged, his eyes rolling back as he focused purely on the sensation.

“Fck… Jion… I’m close… I’m so fcking close…”

As I felt his body begin to tense, as the first signs of his release began to throb against my tongue—I stopped.

I pulled back abruptly, letting him slide out of my mouth with a wet pop. I looked at him, breathless and flushed, a single string of saliva connecting us.

“Wait,” I gasped, my chest heaving. “I want you to look at me when you do it.”

Luca was in a state of delirium. He looked down at me, his face contorted in a mask of pure lust. He was shaking, his hands reaching out to pull me back, but I held my ground. I wanted to see the moment he surrendered his power to me.

“Please,” he rasped. It was the first time I had ever heard that word from his lips. The man who is feared by everyone, the man who killed without remorse, was begging me. “Jion, please… I can’t… give it to me. Let me cum baby”

I smiled, a victory for my inner bitch self.

I moved back in, but this time, I didn’t just take him in my mouth. I used my hands to guide him, my eyes locked onto his.

I took him back into my throat, going as deep as I possibly could. Luca didn’t hold back anymore. He grabbed my hair with a sudden, violent grip and began to mouthf*ck me with a speed that left me dizzy. He was merciless with my throbbing throat, his thrusts echoing in my ears as he hit the very back of my throat over and over again.

“I’m going! I’m going, baby here’s your f*cking milk! Drink it all you fucking bitch!”

He delivered five, six, seven lightning-fast thrusts, burying himself to the hilt on the final one. I felt his body go rigid. A low, primal roar ripped from his chest, sounding like a wounded beast in the wild.

And then, the floodgates opened.

I felt the first jet of his milk hit the back of my throat—thick, scaldingly hot, and incredibly plentiful. It came in waves, pulsing with a force that made me gag, but I refused to let go. I swallowed every drop, my throat working rhythmically to keep up with the torrent. It felt like he was emptying his entire soul into me.

The taste was intense—musky, salty, and distinctly Luca. I closed my eyes, focusing purely on the feeling of him filling me up from the inside out.

When the final pulse subsided, Luca stayed there for a long moment, his member still buried in my mouth, his forehead resting against my hair. He was gasping for air, his body trembling from the sheer force of his orgasm.

Dahan-dahan kong iniluwa ang kanyang pagkalalaki. My lips were coated in a white, pearlescent sheen, and a few drops of his release spilled onto my chin. I looked up at him, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, a look of pure satisfaction on my face.

“Delicious,” I whispered.

Luca looked down at me, his eyes softening as the lust-induced madness slowly faded. He reached down, his thumb brushing away a stray drop of his milk from my lip.

“You’re a demon, Jion,” he murmured, his voice full of terrifyingly beautiful love.

“A beautiful, hungry demon. And you’re mine.”

He pulled me up from my knees, wrapping his massive arms around my naked body. I could feel the heat radiating from his skin, the scent of our shared intimacy clinging to us like a second skin.

“Don’t think you’re done,” he whispered into my ear, his breath hot and sending shivers down my spine. “That was just the appetizer. Now, I’m going to show you exactly what happens when you make a man like me, beg.”

I leaned into him, my body already humming in anticipation of what was coming next. The night was far from over. In fact, it had only just begun.

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

LUCA

( ˃ᯅ˂ )

|     |/

<（‿ˠ‿）>

ूाीू

After the first explosion of lust on the bed, the air in the suite felt thick, almost like it had turned into a liquid that we were both drowning in. My lungs were burning, but the hunger in my gut—

that primal, gnawing need

—wasn’t even close to being satisfied. One taste of Jion wasn’t enough; I wanted to consume him.

“Stay still,” I growled, my voice a dark, jagged rasp that didn’t even sound like my own.

I crawled over him, my tatted arms framing his head. He looked like a masterpiece— pale, flushed, and completely wrecked . But I knew he had more to give. I wanted to see his soul break under the weight of my obsession.

I didn’t rush the entry. I wanted to prolong the agony of anticipation. I guided the head of my member to his hole, which was already weeping and pulsing, begging for the invasion.

“Tignan mo ako, Jion,” I hissed, forcing his eyes to lock onto mine. “I want you to feel every single millimeter.”

I pushed in with a slow, agonizing pressure.

Squelch .

I heard his breath hitch, a sharp, ragged sound as I breached the first layer of resistance. I stopped right there, letting him adjust to the sheer, uncompromising girth of me. Jion’s fingers dug into my biceps, his nails scratching at my tattoos as his back arched off the mattress in a silent, desperate plea.

“F*ck, Luca… it’s… it’s too much,” he whimpered, his chest heaving.

“Breathe for me, baby. This is only the beginning,” I whispered. I began to move—not with speed, but with a heavy, grinding rhythm na animo’y pilit kong binubuksan ang bawat himaymay ng pagkatao niya.

Every thrust was deliberate. I was hitting his depth with the weight of a man who had waited three years for this moment. I watched his face—the way his lips trembled, the way his eyes rolled back as the pain shifted into a blinding, white-hot ecstasy. I picked up the pace, my movements becoming a relentless assault.

Slap. Slap. Slap.

The sound of our bodies colliding was the only music the night needed.

“Luca! Ahhh! Diyan… right there!” he screamed when I finally found his G-spot again. I hammered into that spot over and over, my hands pinning his wrists above his head, claiming him like a man possessed by a demon.

I wanted a different view. I wanted to see the way his body reacted from behind. I pulled out abruptly, hearing the wet pop of our separation, and flipped him over before he could even catch his breath.

“Hands and knees, Jion. Now,” I commanded.

He complied, his body trembling with aftershocks. I stood behind him, spreading his cheeks wide with my large, calloused hands. His entrance was flushed—a deep, vivid red, pulsing for the return of my weight. I didn’t give him a second to recover; I slammed back inside him from behind.

“AHHHH!” Jion’s head hit the pillow, his voice echoing in the large room. This position allowed for the deepest entry possible. I was hitting his very core, my pelvis slamming against his glutes with a violent, possessive force.

I grabbed his hair, pulling his head back so his body formed a perfect, trembling arch. I began to f*k him with a speed that was purely animalistic. I was a sadistic animal inside him.

​“Who owns you, Jion? Tell me! Whose hole is this!? Who is the only one who’s going to f*ck you like this?!”

“Ikaw… Luca… f*ck… sa’yo lang ako!” he cried out, his voice hoarse from screaming my name. I could feel him tightening around me, his internal walls milking me with a desperation that pushed me to the absolute edge.

I wanted him to witness his own undoing. I pulled him up from the bed, his legs barely able to support his weight. I half-dragged, half-carried him toward the master bathroom, where the massive floor-to-ceiling mirror was waiting to reflect our sin.

I pushed him against the cold marble counter, forcing him to face the glass. I stood behind him, my chest pressing against his back, our eyes meeting in the silver reflection.

“Look at us, Jion,” I whispered, my hands roaming over his chest. “Tignan mo kung gaano ka kaganda habang dinudungisan kita.”

I reached down and lifted his right leg, hooking it over my hip so his entrance was fully exposed to the mirror. I watched in the glass as I guided my throbbing member back to his opening. The visual was overwhelming—the dark, veiny wood of my member against his pale, sensitive skin.

“Don’t close your eyes, baby. Watch this,” I commanded, my voice dripping with authority.

I pushed in, and we both watched in the mirror as I disappeared inside him. The sight was enough to make my blood boil. I began to thrust, watching the way his body shook with every blow. I could see the sweat on his brow, the flush on his neck, and the way his lips were parted in a silent, desperate plea.

“I-I’m watching… god, Luca… look at you… you’re so big inside me,” Jion gasped, his eyes locked on the reflection of our joining. He was mesmerized by the sight of his own body taking me, the raw reality of the violation and the love intertwined.

I moved with a savage, rhythmic speed. I wanted him to see the way I was reclaiming him.

Slap. Slap. Slap.

The sound echoed against the marble walls—a song of flesh and glass. I watched his face in the mirror—the raw, unbridled lust, the tears of pleasure, and the total surrender.

I leaned forward, my face next to his in the mirror, watching as we both reached the breaking point. I reached around, my hand finding his length, stroking him in sync with my relentless, punishing thrust.

“Sabay tayo, Jion! Look at the mirror! See me fill you up!”

Jion let out a soul-stripping wail as he released onto the marble counter, his body jerking in the reflection. At the same moment, I let out a guttural roar, releasing a massive torrent of my milk deep inside him. I watched in the mirror as my release pulsed into him, our bodies shaking in unison, until we both collapsed against the cold, hard surface of the counter.

The mirror didn’t lie. We were a wreckage of love and lust, forever bound by the madness of this night.

The moment his back hit the silk sheets, Jion looked up at me with eyes that were almost feline—dark, dilated, and dripping with a hunger that matched my own. My member was already stone-hard again, throbbing with a secondary surge of adrenaline.

“I thought… I thought you were done,” Jion rasped, his voice a ghost of its former self.

“I’m never done with you,” I growled, crawling between his legs and pinning him down. “I’m going to fill you until you can’t remember your own name.”

I didn’t give him a second to breathe. I grabbed his ankles and shoved his legs upward, pinning his knees beside his ears. It was a vulgar, open position that left nothing to the imagination. I entered him with one swift, brutal thrust that made the headboard slam against the wall.

“F*CK! Luca!” Jion screamed, his hands grasping at the sheets, his knuckles turning white.

In this position, I was hitting his very core. Every thrust was a heavy, rhythmic pound that echoed through the room. I was f*cking his inside mercilessly, my eyes locked on the way his body stretched and yielded to my size. It was raw, it was unsanitary, and it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

“You like this, don’t you? Being opened up like this?” I hissed, my pace becoming a blur of motion.

“Yes… fck, yes! Break me, Luca! Putukan mo ako ulit!” he cried out, his voice cracking. The sweetness was gone; there was only the raw, unadulterated need to be ruined by the man he loved.

I let his legs down but stayed buried deep inside him. I lowered my chest onto his, our sweat mixing into a slick lubricant. I grabbed his hands, interlacing our fingers and pinning them above his head. I wanted him to feel the full weight of my body, the full force of my dominance.

I began to move with a savage, desperate speed. This wasn’t a slow burn anymore; it was a wildfire. Every time I slammed into him, our lips met in a bruising, possessive kiss. We were tasting each other’s sweat, each other’s breath, and the metallic tang of raw passion.

“You’re mine, Jion. Forever. Sabihin mo!” I commanded, my thrusts becoming shorter, faster, more frantic as the pressure built in my gut.

“I’m yours… ughhh… forever yours, Luca! Please…destroy me right now!”

I could feel his internal muscles convulsing around me, a series of tight, rhythmic squeezes that told me he was on the brink. I didn’t hold back. I increased the speed until the bed was creaking under the violence of our joining.

The heat was becoming unbearable. My vision was blurring, the world narrowing down to the sensation of being inside him. I pulled his legs up one last time, wrapping them tightly around my waist, pulling him so close there wasn’t a single millimeter of air between us.

“Look at me, Jion! Watch me lose it!” I roared.

We both reached the edge at the exact same second. Jion’s body went rigid, his head thrashing against the pillows as a high-pitched, soul-stripping wail ripped from his throat. He released in thick, messy spurts across our tangled chests.

I followed him into the abyss. I let out a guttural, primal roar as I delivered three final, bone-shattering thrusts. I felt my release erupt deep inside him—a massive, scalding torrent of my milk that felt like it would never end. I emptied every last drop of my longing, my obsession, and my love into his womb.

We collapsed into each other, hearts hammering in a frantic, overlapping rhythm. The room was silent, save for the sound of our gasps and the cooling of the air.

I didn’t pull out. I stayed there, pinned to him, feeling the rhythmic aftershocks of our climax. I buried my face in his neck, breathing in the scent of him—sweat, sex, and the faint, sweet smell of sunflower oil.

“I love you,” I whispered, the words sounding heavy and sacred in the quiet of the room.

Jion reached up, his hand trembling as he stroked my hair. “I love you too.”

I finally pulled back, the wet, lewd sound of our separation echoing in the silence. I looked down at him—his body was covered in the evidence of our night, a messy, beautiful wreckage of the man I had claimed. I pulled the duvet over us, cocooning us in the warmth of our shared ecstasy.

“Go to sleep, baby,” I murmured, pulling him against my chest. “When you wake up, the world will be different. But I’ll still be right here.”

As Jion drifted off into a deep, exhausted sleep, I held him tight and kissed him in the lips before closing my own eyes and let my body drift into the dark of happiness.

 ❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

KINABUKASAN

JION

Alas-5 pa lang ng umaga ay agad akong napatayo dahil sa sobrang sakit ng katawan ko. Every muscle felt like it had been stretched and bruised.

Dahan-dahan kong sinubukang hawakan ang likuran ko to check the area Luca had dominated last night. But I immediately winced. Namamaga ito at sobrang sensitive—it was clear that we went way too far.

Lalo na nung kinutya ko siyang walang maibubuga pagdating sa kama. It seems he took that challenge to heart, and he made sure I’d remember that night for the rest of my life. Heto ako ngayon, nagsisisi kung bakit ko pa siya hinamon kahit alam ko namang nagpipigil lang siya.

Pero don’t get me wrong, hindi ako nagsisisi. I wanted that. I craved that version of him.

Hello? Wag na tayong magpakavirgin-virginan dito. If a man with that face and that body wants to claim you, bubukaka ka talaga.

But I noticed he has a sadistic side. Even when he was trying to be gentle, ramdam ko ang gigil at pagkahayok niya. It’s probably inborn, given his background and his reckless personality.

And honestly, I loved it. It made me feel like his ultimate fantasy. Nakakataas ng moral kapag sinasabihan ka ng “Ang sarap mo” o “Galing mo” habang ginagawa niyo ’yun. My inner malandi self took over, and I transformed from shy to a beast real quick.

I know that by giving in, I gave him more reasons to claim me. Luca is a man who is greedy for love, and I have to be patient with him. We both have rights over each other now.

Pero si Luca yung tipong laging nasusunod ang layaw. Even so, I don’t want to be completely submissive. I need to keep him in check so he doesn’t think he can walk all over me.

“Good morning,” Luca whispered as he stirred from his sleep.

He immediately pulled me into his arms, resting his head on my chest. We were both still naked, and he started playfully rubbing my stomach.

“Imposible namang hindi ka pa buntis. Inipon ko ’yun kaya madaming-madami,” he joked, and my heart sank a little.

I wasn’t afraid of being pregnant again, but I was terrified of the secrets I was still keeping. Secrets about who I really am and the truth about Chibi’s identity.

I wanted to laugh with him, but I felt a wave of sadness. Until now, he doesn’t know the whole truth.

“Paano naman kung totoo ngang buntis ako? Matatanggap mo ba?” I asked, trying to sound casual, masking my fear with a light laugh.

“Oo naman, wala namang pinagkaiba iyon. I’m not close-minded. Whatever happens, anak ko pa rin ’yon—anak natin. If ever you’re a carrier,” he said seriously, making my heart swell.

“Bakit mo natanong? Carrier ka ba?” he suddenly asked, sitting up and facing me with a blank, intense expression.

I felt like I couldn’t breathe. His gaze was so sharp, it felt like he was looking straight into my soul.

“Nagtanong lang ako… carrier agad?” I laughed nervously, but my heart was racing.

“I didn’t want to say anything because I was waiting for you to tell me yourself. But I think it’s time for you to confess everything,” he said, his voice cold and steady.

“Anong pinagsasabi mo?” I stammered, trying to get up, but he pinned me back down.

“Hindi ako galit, Jion. But I’ve known for a long time that Chibi is my son. Unang-una, he’s named after me (Lucas). I confirmed it when the two of you had that accident. The boy needed blood, and we have the same blood type. I grew suspicious, so I took a sample for a DNA test. And I found out Chibi is ours.”

He spoke calmly, and I couldn’t help but burst into tears.

“Shhh, I told you I’m not mad. I just want to know why you hid it. It’s okay, I understand you,” he soothed, pulling me close while I felt the crushing weight of my guilt.

“N-natatakot ako na baka iwan mo kami… o kaya kunin mo sa akin si Chibi kapag nalaman mong anak mo siya,” I sobbed into his chest. He just chuckled softly.

“Shhhh, I would never leave you. And I would never take the child away from you. Ikaw ang nagpalaki sa kanya; you have more rights than I do,” he said, stroking my hair like a crying child.

“Sorry,” I whispered, hugging him tightly.

“Wag kang mag-alala, hindi ako galit,” he teased. “Now, to make it up to me, what do you want for breakfast?”

I wiped my tears and looked at him. “Milk?”

He was about to stand up, but I quickly grabbed his arm to stop him.

“Mas gusto ko yung fresh milk mo,” I smirked, and a dark grin spread across his face.

He slowly pulled the blanket back, revealing his massive member already stirring back to life.

“Inumin mo lahat, ha,” he laughed.

I moved down between his legs as he spread them wide, ready to enjoy the “breakfast” I asked for.

(っ´ཀ’)っ Ɑ͞ ͞ ͞ ͞ ͞ﻝﮞ ciao.

CHAPTER 32

/ 32/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

“Inumin mo muna ’to, para magtuloy-tuloy na ang paggaling mo,” Luca muttered as he handed me a glass of water and a pill of a painkiller.

I took the tablet with a sigh.

Ang totoo niyan kasi, parang nabigla ang buong katawan ko sa ginawa namin kagabi.

Until now, my lower half feels like it was beaten up.

Masakit pa rin ang bandang pang-upo ko, and every movement feels like a reminder of how Luca reclaimed his territory.

Luca insisted on bringing me to the hospital, pero nagpumilit akong dito na lang sa bahay.

I mean, can you imagine the scandal?

Ayokong makita ako ng mga kapitbahay o ng kahit sino na na-ospital ako dahil lang sa k*ntot.

That’s a level of embarrassment I’m not ready for.

But because he’s so persistent, he called his friend’s private doctor to come over.

Kahit hiyang-hiya ako, hinayaan ko na lang. It was for my own good, after all.

Pero hanggang ngayon, hindi ko pa rin mawaglit sa isip ko kung paano kinuwento ni Luca ang kondisyon ko sa doctor.

It was a nightmare.

---

“Malaki kasi ’to, doc eh. 3 years na rin noong last s*x namin at ngayon lang naulit, kaya parang nabigla ko yata ’yung butas niya,” he reported without a single blink.

I immediately covered my face with the blanket in pure shame.

Akala niyo ba hanggang doon lang ang

kahihiyan

?

Nagkakamali

kayo.

“I need to personally see the inflamed part to check what the problem is,” the doctor said.

He looked about Luca’s age, professional, and honestly quite handsome with his American features.

“Ano?! Kailangan mo pa bang makita nang harapan?” Luca’s voice dropped into a dangerous, territorial growl. While locking his eyes on me like he couldn’t believe what the doctor was saying.

“Doctor siya, Luca. He knows what he’s doing,” I hissed from under the sheets. It was a medical assessment, pure and simple.

“Nababaliw ka ba? Gusto mong makita ang but*s ng asawa ko? Manyak ka yata!” Luca shouted, his eyes flashing with a violent protectiveness.

I just massaged my temples as he spoke.

This man is a headache.

“Trabaho niya ’yan, Luca! Natural titignan niya ’yan so he can help me get better!” I tried to explain, but it only made him more livid.

“Heh, ’wag nga ako! Hoy ikaw, iisahan mo pa ako! Sabihin mo na lang sa akin kung anong dapat kong gawin, hindi ’yung may ganito-gantong check-up ka pang nalalaman!” he barked at the doctor.

I just closed my eyes. Lalo na’t hiyang-hiya na ako para sa doctor.

“Nako doc, pasensya ka na. Hayaan mo na lang ’yang lalakeng ’yan, wala na ’yan sa katinuan,” I apologized.

The doctor just nodded, looking quite uncomfortable.

“Ohhh, ano ’yang gagawin mo?” Luca barked again, watching the doctor’s every move like a hawk.

“Don’t worry, Mister. I’ll just apply this soothing gel para mabawasan ang pagmamaga,” the doctor calmly explained.

“Iyan ang ’wag mong gagawin!” Luca roared, snatching the gel out of the doctor’s hand. “Akin na! Ako ang asawa kaya ako lang ang may karapatan na humawak niyan!”

He literally climbed onto the bed to shield me.

“Is that all? Kung ’yun lang, you can leave now. Mag-ingat ka sa pagda-drive, baka may mangyari sa’yong masama.”

The doctor fled, and I just shook my head. Luca is officially the most obsessed person I know.

---

“Ate ko?! Anong nangyari sa’yo? Para kang nahulog sa Mount Everest at naka-wheelchair ka pa!” Aiden exclaimed, jogging toward me with a bewildered look.

“Si Luca ang sisihin mo. He actually bought this wheelchair para daw makapag-libot ako nang hindi kailangang maglakad,” I complained, feeling ridiculous.

“Bakit ka naman naka-wheelchair, te? Kung hindi ko lang nakita ang face mo, akalain kong ikaw si Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo! Neck brace na lang ang kulang at press conference para sabihin ang salitang ‘I AM SORRY’!” Aiden joked, making me burst out laughing.

“G*ga. Binigay ko na kay Luca ang matagal na niyang cravings,” I admitted, which made his jaw drop.

“OMG! Totoo ba? Ganoon ba talaga kalaki at para kang naparalyze? Ano ’yun, mula sa pwet mo tapos abot hanggang lalamunan? Ganyan na ba katalented at kahaba ’yung kargada niya na kaya ka niyang kantutin mula sa kiffy papunta sa bunganga mo?”

“Gaga. Kung hindi malaki, edi sana hindi ako naka-wheelchair ngayon,” I replied, owning the moment.

“Ayyyy pasabog ka talaga, ate ko! Parehas na parehas tayo ngayon. Kung dati tagtuyot tayo at malungkot ang kiffy natin, ngayon? Laging napupunlaan ng pataba at daily pa kung madiligan!” Aiden laughed loudly.

But our laughter was cut short when a shrill, unwelcome voice called out from the gate.

I looked at Aiden, and he pushed my chair toward the entrance. My amusement vanished the moment I saw Clark’s smug face.

“Ano namang drama ’to? Is this the part where the lead character is dying and in a wheelchair because the body is deteriorating from a terminal illness? Or is this just one of your cheap and cheap tastes in fashion? If it’s the latter, I hate to break it to you, pero mukha kang napag-iwanang b*klang kanal,” Clark sneered.

I let out a dry, mocking laugh.

“Ang dami mong sinasabi, Clark. Ikaw nga itong mukhang mas matanda at nagdedeteriorate ang katawan—laspag na laspag na ’yan because of all the random men using you for a quick fix. And if you’re asking why I’m in a wheelchair? Pwes, sasabihin ko sa’yo.”

I leaned back, a cold smirk on my lips.

“Yes, tama ka. Nagkaroon kami ng rough and hard s*x ng asawa kong si Luca. Kaya ako naka-wheelchair ngayon? It’s because I let his massive manhood enter me. Something you will never experience in your life.”

Clark’s face turned a violent shade of red.

He looked like he was about to transform into a monster from sheer rage.

“Hindi na kataka-taka, since trash belongs with trash. I still can’t understand why Luca even bothered with you. Di hamak namang I’m better in every aspect!”

“The answer is simple, Clark. He chose me because he loves me. And just like him, I love him too. It’s a feeling we share every single night. Isang pakiramdam na tanging ako lang ang nakakaranas, while your beloved Luca loves someone else. And that’s no one else but me.”

I leaned forward and said..

“Alam mo Clark, I still don’t get your obsession with my husband. O sa akin ka ba obsessed? Because I noticed from the start—everything I want, you are trying your best to just snatch them from my hands.

It’s sad, really.

Everything you want was mine first, and it will never, ever be yours.“

I signaled Aiden to turn the chair around.

“So, pasensya na if I can’t give you the dramatic slapping and hair-pulling you want. Maybe next time, kapag nasa kondisyon na ang katawan ko. Mukhang nag-enjoy kasi si Luca sa kakak*ntot sa akin at hindi ako tinigilan hanggang sa hindi siya matuyuan kagabi. Oops… pasensya ka na if I’m oversharing, but hey, at least you can die of envy now.”

As we rolled back inside, Clark started screaming like a lunatic at the gate.

“Pasabog,” Aiden whispered with a giggle. I just smiled.

The soreness was totally worth it.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 33

/ 33/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

“Nabalitaan kong pumunta raw dito ’yung kapatid mo?” Luca suddenly entered the room, cutting through the heavy air between me and Aiden.

He tossed his keys onto the sofa, looking like he was ready to burn the whole world down.

I turned my wheelchair to face him, and he was at my side in a heartbeat.

He looked at me with frantic eyes, scanning my face, my neck, and my hands as if looking for bruises.

“Ano? Sinaktan ka ba niya?” he asked, his voice thick with a dark, lethal worry as he gripped my hands tight.

“Ano ka ba? Even though I’m stuck in this wheelchair, I wouldn’t let that bitch lay a finger on me,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady despite the lingering soreness between my legs.

“Iyan na nga ba ang sinasabi ko eh. You’re not safe here, lalo na’t alam niya kung saan kayo mahahanap. He already tried to have you and the kid run over once. It’s not impossible that he’ll try something even more twisted,” Luca said, his eyes turning cold and deadly.

My ears literally started ringing when those words hit me. I gripped his hand so hard my knuckles turned white. My heart dropped into my stomach.

“Siya… siya ang nag-utos na gawin ’yon sa amin?!” I whispered, the shock hitting me like a physical blow. The betrayal was like acid in my veins.

“He’s my brother… he’s a f*cking animal! How could he stomach involving a child?!”

“He’s a goddamn scumbag! Paano niya nasikmura na idamay pati ang bata?!” Aiden added, his face contorting in the same fury.

Aiden looked like he was ready to commit a crime himself.

“Dalhin mo ako sa kanya, Luca! Right now! That bitch… akala niya siguro hindi ko kayang makipagpat*yan sa kanya! I’ve been holding back because he’s family, but this is too much! How could he target my son?!” I started to struggle, trying to lift myself out of the chair even though my lower half felt like it was being torn apart.

“Dalhin mo na ako ngayon, Luca! I’m going to kill him! I’ll scalp that scumbag myself!” I begged, as my vision blurred with tears of pure rage.

Kung ako lang, I could endure his insults. I could ignore his obsession with Luca.

But the moment he touched my son— the child who almost died on that pavement— the brotherly bond died right then and there.

Even in this state, I will rip every single strand of hair off that bitch’s head.

I have been denying this, I have an inkling that he is the man behind all these. Ngunit pilit kung linalayo ang katotohahanan sa sarili ko lalo na’t kahit papaano ay may pinagsamahan kami, at kahit na gaano siya kademonyong tao ay may parte saking sarili na pinapaniwalaang hindi niya kayang gawin iyon.

Ngunit hearing the confirmation of Luca, mas lalo lang akong nangangalit lalo na’t masyado akong nagpabulag sa pagkakakilala ko sakanya.

Magkasing demonyo pala talaga sila ni Satanas, lalo na’t nakaya niyang idamay ang isang paslit na walang ginawang masama sakanya.

“Shhhh… kumalma ka muna. ’Wag kang magpadalos-dalos,” Luca said, kneeling in front of me and holding my face with both hands to steady me.

“He’s my son, too. And trust me, I’m just as angry. I want to kill that bastard with my own hands, but I know that’s not the right move yet.”

“We need to use our brains to get back at that animal. Don’t let your emotions drown you, especially since we’re still in the mud.

Save that anger.

Ipunin mo ’yan and pour it out at the right time,“ he whispered, staring deep into my eyes until the ringing in my ears stopped.

“It’s not the right time, Jion. Magiging malaking gusot lang ito if you act now. Lalo na ngayon na hindi ka pa nga magaling at hindi ka pa nakakalakad nang maayos,” he added, his voice softening into a tease. I let out a small, bitter laugh.

This is it. This is exactly what I’ve been looking for—that partner who balances my fire with cold, calculating logic.

I’m not perfect; I know I’m impulsive and I let my emotions run the show. But the fact that he can calm me down when my heart is about to explode?

My god, I’m really sold on this man.

“Kahit na gusto ko nang kalbuhin ’yang bruhang kapatid mo for what he did to you and my nephew, Luca is right. That scumbag doesn’t deserve a simple hair-pulling. That’s too light for a punishment,” Aiden chimed in, crossing his arms.

“But I promise you this, ate ko! The moment that bastard is behind bars, I’ll ask my asukarera de papa for help just so we can slap and scalp him while he rots in jail. Farewell message and closure!” Aiden said, and I just nodded.

I was finally starting to breathe properly again, all thanks to Luca.

“So, anong plano?” I asked, leaning back.

“Bago ’yan, mag-empake na kayo. We’re moving to a safe house. Now! Wala nang kokontra! Move! Ngayon mismo!” Luca’s voice was suddenly full of authority.

In less than five seconds, Aiden was already sprinting upstairs to pack his things.

“Ang mga gamit? Iiwan lang ba natin?” I asked, looking around the small home I’d worked so hard for.

“Hayaan mo na ’yan. The new place is fully equipped. Don’t worry, I’ll have my men watch over this place. Kung paano natin ito iniwan, ganoon din ang hitsura nito when we come back,” he said with a small smile. He grabbed my arms and effortlessly lifted me, sitting me on the wooden dining table.

“It’s just sad… I’ve lived here so long, hindi ko naisip na aalis din pala ako rito,” I said softly, feeling a bit sentimental.

“Don’t think about that too much, lalo ka lang malulungkot. This house isn’t gone; it’s still yours. We can visit anytime, as long as the situation is stable. That’s the only way I can have peace of mind,” he explained, rubbing my thighs gently.

“Anyway… hindi pa rin ba nawawala ’yung sakit? Maybe we should do it every day next time para masanay ka na,” he teased, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

“I will never get used to that! Dambuhala ba naman ’yan! Jusko! Nakakatakot kang asawa, baka malumpo ako sa’yo!” I laughed, and he let out a dark, satisfied grin.

“It’s your fault. Pinapasabik mo ako masyado,” he murmured.

“I know you’re obsessed. That’s why I let you have your way… lalo na’t alam kong patay na patay ka sa akin,” I teased back.

“I won’t argue with that. It’s the truth,” he whispered before leaning in to claim my lips.

I closed my eyes, melting into the sweetness of his kiss. His lips were soft but possessive, sending chills to the very core of my body.

“Ay! ’Wag muna kayong maglampungan sa harap ko! And for god’s sake, Luca, let my friend’s kipay rest! Tignan mo ’yan, he’s literally cosplaying Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in that chair!” Aiden shouted, stomping down the stairs with a suitcase.

“Iyan ang mahirap sa’yo eh. Kung naiinggit ka, humanap ka ng sarili mong lalaki,” Luca laughed, winking at Aiden.

“Nako, watch out, baka magulat ka sa bagong lalaki ng kaibigan ko,” I teased, making Aiden smirk and raise an eyebrow at Luca.

“Bakit, sino ba?” Luca asked, genuinely curious.

“Sino pa ba? Edi ang kaibigan mong si Blake?” I said directly, giving Luca a playful look.

“Fcking hell?! Seryoso ba?

That bastard is a pussy lover! Papaanong nangyari yon?!

Gago! Talaga ba?

Tanginang yan. Pareho pala kaming mahilig sa papaitan“ Luca burst out laughing, and I immediately frowned, slapping his arm hard.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 34

/34/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

Nasa loob na kaming lahat ng sasakyan—Luca, Aiden, ako, at si Chibi.

Following right behind us was another car, loaded with the essentials na pinili naming isalba.

Honestly, I wanted to pack more, but we were out of space. Masyado na kaming maraming bitbit and I knew it wouldn’t fit in Luca’s car kung pati yung mga kapritsuhan ko ay pagbibigyan ko pa.

“Matulog muna kayo, it’s going to be a long drive,” seryosong sabi ni Luca while his eyes were fixed on the dark road ahead.

I was in the front seat right next to him while he took the wheel. Sa backseat naman, nandoon si Aiden, na guardiyang-guardiya sa tulog na tulog na bulingggit.

I didn’t bother waking Chibi up; I knew he’d just be fussy on the road, so I just let him rest comfortably habang mabilis kaming lumalayo sa lugar na ’to.

“Ayoko munang matulog, I’ll stay up with you,” sagot ko. Ayoko namang iwanan si Luca na mag isang nagtatrabaho, so even though my eyes were getting heavy, pinipigilan ko talaga.

“Ay ako te, I’m going to sleep. Aside from the fact that your sweetness makes the ants bit me, my body is also exhausted from— You both know why, right? Hehe, sige na ,” hirit ni Aiden before putting on his sleeping mask.

He quickly adjusted himself para makatulog nang mahimbing.

“G*ga ka, nabebend ’yan. Don’t sleep sitting up like that, sasakit yung leeg mo, te,” natatawa kong sabi sa bruha kong kaibigan. Mabilis naman niyang binaba yung backrest of her seat para maging komportable ang higa niya.

“Puta ka te! Dito ka binabarurot ni Luca, ’no? This seat is perfect for a missionary position, oh!” hirit pa nung gago. Agad kong binato sa kanya yung neck pillow ko, which only made the idiot laugh before she finally settled under her mask.

I was about to say something when I felt Luca’s warm hand on my thigh, habang dahan-dahang hinahaplos ang balat ko.

“Let’s do that next time. It sounds fun,” bulong niya sa akin while smirking.

I just rolled my eyes kahit ramdam ko yung init sa mukha ko.

“Che! Don’t listen to Aiden’s nonsense, alam mo namang madalas ay puro kabastusan ang lumalabas sa bunganga niyan” natatawa kong sagot.

“Why not? We haven’t actually done it in a car yet. Paniguradong exciting ’yon especially with the limited space,” natatawa niyang hirit.

“Just drive Luca, you’re thinking too much!” sabi ko sabay tulak sa mukha niya.

He looked like he wanted another kiss, eh kanina ko pa siya pinu-purga ng halik.

Throughout the drive, his hand stayed on my thigh. It wasn’t vulgar, but you could feel the possessiveness, so I just let it be.

And my promise to stay awake? I failed.

Dahan-dahan akong nakaramdam ng antok until I was finally consumed by darkness.

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

“Andito na tayo.”

I woke up to Luca’s low voice and the gentle shaking of my shoulder.

“Are we here?” wasted kong sagot because I was in such a deep sleep.

“Yeah, we’re here,” nakangiti niyang sabi as he unbuckled my seatbelt.

Lalabas na sana ako ng kotse nang mapansin ko yung bahay.

I froze

.

It was massive, na parang gawa ng pinakamagaling na engineer and architect sa sobra nitong ganda at laki. You’d think it was owned by a millionaire in the States, lalo na’t modernong-moderno ang disenyo.

It was a literal mansion.

“L-Luca…” I couldn’t believe it while staring at the most beautiful house I had ever seen in my life.

“What? Is it ugly?” tanong ni Luca.

“Are you kidding me?! Anong panget dito?! It’s gorgeous! Is this yours?” gulat na gulat kong tanong.

“I’m glad you like it. I was actually planning to tear it down if you didn’t like the vibe,” mayabang niyang hirit while standing there with his hands on his hips.

I was just staring, manghang-mangha ako sa sobrang ganda nito.

The air was so fresh lalo na’t malapit kami sa dagat, and I almost lost my mind when I saw the massive infinity pool.

“Dito talaga tayo titira?” I asked with a smile. I felt a mix of different emotions in my heart.

“Yes, we are,” natatawa niyang sagot.

I was about to wake the other two up when Aiden suddenly stepped out, carrying the sleeping Chibi.

“O.M.G.” nakatulalang sabi ni Aiden.

He was walking toward us na parang namaligno sa sobrang amazement.

“I can’t even count how many photos I’m going to post on Instagram while living here. For sure, pag-aagawan ako ng mga lalaki because I look so rich!”

“Hayofff ka, Fafa Luca! What exactly is your job at tinalbugan mo pa ang Malacañang sa sobrang ganda ng bahay mo?!” sabi ni Aiden, still in awe of the mansion.

“Baks, we’re gonna do a swimsuit photoshoot here! This is gonna be big! For sure, viral na naman ang kagandahan natin!”

“Leave my baby out of your nonsense, Aiden. If you want to have a photoshoot, go ahead. Basta ’wag mo lang idadamay ang asawa ko because I don’t want other men drooling over him,” nakangising sabi ni Luca as he pulled me by the waist.

“Pota kayong dalawa! I’m calling Blake right now para hindi lang kayo ang masaya tonight!” mataray na sabi ni Aiden before pulling out his phone to call Blake.

“Why didn’t you answer Aiden’s question earlier? Ano nga bang trabaho mo?” tanong ko dahil I was getting really curious.

“You already know, right? I own one of the most famous vehicle companies in the country,” hambog niyang sagot.

I just nodded, pero hindi ako satisfied with his answer. I know his company, but I know there’s more to it. Before I even met him, I already heard rumors about his illegal ties. I just hope he’s changed lalo na’t he has a family now.

“Good evening, sir. Gaston will take care of your luggage, please proceed inside,” biglang sumulpot ang isang babae na bahagyang ikinagulat ko.

“Take my son, Manang, and please put him to bed. Tapos samahan mo na lang itong Sir Aiden mo to his room. Thanks,” utos ni Luca.

“Ay, I’ll stay here outside for a bit, magse-selfie-selfie muna ako!” hirit ni Aiden. “Ate, take a picture of me here. The lighting is perfect!” sabi ni Aiden to the babaeng katabi ng matandang babae.

“Where, sir? Here?” sagot nung babae, while Aiden went full Asia’s Next Top Model mode.

“I’m sorry for my friend, Manang. He was born with that disorder,” ang natatawa kong sabi.

“It’s okay, sir. Let’s go inside baka mahamugan pa yung bata,” sabi nung matanda before heading inside.

“Where are we going?” tanong ko when I saw Luca take out his car keys again.

“I’m going to buy some food. I didn’t get to tell Manang Cynthia to cook kase, dahil biglaan ang pagdating natin, diba” he smiled.

“Let’s go,” sabi ko as I headed inside to face our new life.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 35

/35/

RATED 18

Warning : This chapter is rated 18+. It contains explicit sexual content intended for mature readers only. Reader discretion is advised.

JION

( ˃ᯅ˂ )

|     |/

<（‿ˠ‿）>

ूाीू

“Kanina pa tayo palibut-libot, baka gising na yung bata,” I said, getting suspicious.

Halos malibot na namin ang buong fast food chain pero hindi pa rin siya humihinto. We’ve been circling the parking lot like we’re on a stakeout.

“Ano bang gusto mong kainin? It’s been forever and you still can’t decide,” I grumbled.

If we stay here any longer, aabutan na tayo ng siyam-siyam and we still won’t have a meal.

“Iba ang gusto kong kainin, eh… yung Peach Mango Pie mo,” he said, laughing.

I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt. “Puro ka ganyan. That’s your problem, you actually listen to Aiden’s nonsense,” I snapped, trying to pull his hand off my thigh.

“For the experience lang, baby. Paniguradong hindi natin ’to magagawa some other time because we’ll be too focused on the kid and work. Besides, your body needs to get used to me. Practice makes perfect, right?” he teased, and I just scoffed.

“Che! You can’t tempt me with that, Luca. Kahit gaano pa kalaki at kasarap ’yan, hindi mo ako madadala sa mga hirit mo. You might pull that on your other girls, but my principles are solid. Don’t think you can just sway me just because you’re good at what you do! Ibahin mo ako!” I told him firmly, looking him straight in the eye with both eyebrows raised.

( 10 MINUTES LATER)

“F*ckkkkkk…” I groaned, practically delirious as I rode him like my life depended on it.

Both of our bodies were drenched in sweat despite the blasting AC of his car. For some reason, even though my entrance was a bit sore earlier, I took every inch of Luca’s speed and power with zero struggle. I guess my body really did adjust after that first time.

I honestly thought I’d be in pain, but it was the exact opposite. Upuan ko ba naman? It was so much easier to take control this way, unlike the first time where I felt like my body was being split in half.

“F*ck, baby…” Luca gasped, his face turning a deep shade of red as the veins on his neck and forehead started to pop. I gripped both of his hands tight; I knew if I let him take control of the rhythm, he’d absolutely wreck me.

“F*ckkkkkkkk!” he sounded like he was losing his mind. I accelerated, moving my hips and waist in a frantic rhythm, servicing his massive length like a professional.

“Uhmmmm,” I let out a scandalous moan when he suddenly lunged forward, attacking my n*pples like they were toys. He was biting them like a hungry animal, desperate for milk that wasn’t there.

“F*cccking shiiiittt!” he hissed, his eyes rolling back as I gave him a series of rapid, punishing thrusts.

And then, I felt it—the sudden, intense heat of his cream flooding deep inside me.

As I felt his hot load pulsing against my walls, I didn’t stop. I kept moving my hips up and down, grinding against him to make sure I milked him dry until every drop was spent.

Luca just collapsed against my chest, panting heavily, his skin slick with sweat.

“You really know how to make my Jojan happy,” he said with a satisfied grin. I couldn’t help but laugh—I didn’t know he actually gave his dick a name.

“Bolero!” I teased, slowly pulling myself off of him.

Both of us gasped as we were finally disconnected. The sensation of him leaving was just as intense as him going in.

“F*ck… I think we should expect baby number 2,” Luca whispered, looking down at the creamy mess dripping from my hole.

“Andami! HAHAHA,” I laughed, seeing the sheer volume of his deposit leaking out of me without stopping.

“Don’t push it out, just let it drip. You’re definitely getting pregnant with the amount I just deposited inside,” he joked, grabbing some tissues to clean both of us up.

“Bili na tayo ng pagkain. Apparently, s*x makes me starving even if you already ‘fed’ me,” he chuckled, putting the car back in gear and driving back toward the fast food chain.

I stayed in the car while he ordered because I was still a bit shaky. He already knows exactly what I want anyway. After a few minutes, he came out holding a massive brown paper bag with that famous bee logo.

I stepped out to help him with the bags. We hopped back into the car and I immediately grabbed the bucket of fried chicken.

Habang nagmamaneho siya, I started devouring a drumstick. I was literally famished after that workout.

“Say aahh,” I said, even though my mouth was half-full.

“I know you’re tired, you’re such a beast,” I laughed, tearing off a piece of chicken and feeding it to him.

“You should be the one eating that. You put on a performance level show earlier,” he replied, chewing on the chicken I was holding.

“Dapat lang. This is the only way you can pay me back for almost paralyzing me,” I countered, making him smirk.

“Stop it… tinitigasan na naman ako, putek! We might not even make it back to the house at this rate.”

I glanced down at his pants. Sure enough, there was a second round brewing.

“Just drive, I’ll take care of this,” I said with a mischievous grin. I put the bucket in the backseat and quickly leaned over to unbuckle his belt.

I gasped when his member snapped out like a spring. It was already rock-hard again, like a rod of steel, despite him finishing just minutes ago.

“Sorry! HAHAHA,” Luca apologized, laughing because it actually slapped against my cheek. I was genuinely shocked.

“Magmaneho ka na lang diyan and I’ll handle this. Just make sure we don’t crash, okay?” I smirked, leaning down to press a soft, lingering kiss on the head of his pride.

I didn’t wait for an answer.

Dahan-dahan akong lumusong sa pagitan ng mga hita niya, my heart thumping with the thrill of the chase.

I didn’t go for it immediately. I just hovered my lips inches away, letting my warm breath hit the sensitive, throbbing head. I looked up at him, seeing his knuckles turn white as he gripped the steering wheel, his jaw tensing so hard the muscles looked like they were made of stone.

“You’re testing me, Jion,” Luca rasped, his voice a dark, dangerous growl.

“You have no idea how close you are to getting your throat wrecked. Stop playing and do your job.”

“Bakit? Natatakot ka bang bumigay sa bibig ko, Luca?” I teased, my eyes mocking him. I flicked my tongue out, catching the heavy bead of pre-c*m glistening at the tip.

Suddenly, his hand shot out from the steering wheel, grabbing me by the hair with a firm, dominant grip that forced my head up. He didn’t even look at me; his eyes were fixed on the road, but his presence was overwhelming.

“Open that pretty mouth and take it, you little brat,” he commanded, his voice dripping with sadistic authority.

“And I want it sloppy. I want to hear every disgusting sound you make. Show me how much of a h*re you can be for your husband.”

I smirked, fueled by his dominance, and sank my teeth—just a little—into the base before taking him in. Hard .

It was a total, filthy mess. I let my saliva coat him entirely, making sure every inch was slick and glistening. I made the loudest, most suggestive squelching sounds, my tongue swirling around the ridge while my hand worked the base in a crushing, rhythmic grip. I wanted him to feel the suction, the wetness, the absolute lack of shame in what I was doing.

“Ugh… f*ck… that’s it,” Luca hissed, his head snapping back for a second.

“Choke on it. Take it all the way down until you can’t breathe. I want to feel your throat struggling to swallow me.”

I pushed deeper, my throat constricting around his massive girth, taking him until I was gagging, my eyes watering from the sheer depth. I didn’t care. I wanted to hear him break.

“You’re a filthy little thing, aren’t you?” he growled, his hand tightening in my hair, guiding the rhythm with a sadistic pace. “Taking me like this in the front seat of a car. You love being my toy, don’t you? You love the taste of me.”

I picked up the pace, my head moving in a frantic, blurred motion. The car swerved slightly as Luca’s leg twitched, his foot heavy on the gas.

The engine roared, a deep, masculine vibration that matched the wet, desperate sounds of my mouth. I was being a total tease, pulling back to lick him from base to tip before plunging back down, making him groan in pure, unadulterated torture.

“F*ck! Jion! Enough!” Luca roared, his hand forcing my head down and holding it there. “Don’t you dare stop! Swallow it! I want you to feel every drop of my load hitting your throat!”

I could feel it—the frantic, heavy pulse. He was at the absolute limit. His body went rigid, his muscles locking up like steel.

“I’m cumming baby.. putangina, I’m—! Take it all! Don’t you dare waste a drop, you little hore! Drink it!”

He didn’t even pull over. He let out a long, guttural roar that filled the car as he finally snapped. I felt the first thick, scorching jet of his release hit the back of my throat, followed by a relentless, heavy flood. I didn’t pull away; I took every bit of it, my cheeks bulging as I forced myself to swallow his hot, masculine cream in rhythmic, desperate gulps.

Even after he finished, he didn’t let go of my hair. He kept me pinned there, forced to clean every last drop while he caught his breath.

“Lidlarin mo ’yan,” he panted, his voice dark and commanding. “Clean it until it’s spotless. You’re mine, Jion. Every inch of you is my property.”

I sat back up slowly, a thick string of saliva and cream connecting my lips to him. I wiped my mouth with a smug, half-lidded gaze, looking at him with a silent challenge.

Luca looked at me, his eyes dark with a lingering, sadistic hunger that made my blood run hot. “You think you’re finished? You just woke up the beast, Jion. And now… I’m going to show you exactly what happens to brats who play with fire.”

He suddenly veered the car into a dark, secluded shoulder under the trees, slamming the brakes so hard the tires screamed.

“Backseat. Now. I’m going to wreck you so hard you’ll forget how to walk.”

 Mabilis pa sa alas-kwatro na lumipat ako sa backseat, my heart hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird. Hindi pa man din ako nakakaayos ng upo ay sumunod na siya—his presence alone making the small space feel like a pressure cooker. Luca looked like a total predator, his eyes dark and blown out with a mix of leftover lust and cold, dominant intent.

“S-luca, wait—”

“I told you to shut up, didn’t I?” He growled, his voice a low, masculine vibration that made my skin prickle.

He didn’t waste a second. Without any preamble, he grabbed my waist and flipped me over, pinning my chest against the cold leather of the seat. I felt the air leave my lungs as he pressed his heavy body against my back, marking his territory. He reached down and ripped my underwear to the side, the sound of tearing fabric echoing in the quiet car.

“You wanted to play, Jion. Now you’re going to pay the price,” he whispered into my ear, his breath hot and smelling of the s*x we just had.

He didn’t use any lube—just his own spit and the mess I left on him earlier. He entered me in one, brutal, soul-shattering thrust that made me scream into the headrest.

“AHHH! P-p*tangina, Luca!” I cried out, my fingers digging into the leather until I felt my nails might snap. It was deep—too deep—and the raw, sadistic power of his movement had my head spinning.

“That’s it… scream for me,” he hissed, his hand reaching around to grab my jaw, forcing me to look at him through the rearview mirror. I could see his reflection—he looked unhinged, his face contorted in a mix of pain and pure, masculine energy.

He started hammering into me with a relentless, punishing rhythm. Every strike was a statement of ownership.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The car was rocking on its suspension, the windows rapidly fogging up as our body heat turned the interior into a literal sauna.

“Sino ang nagmamay-ari sa’yo, Jion? Answer me!” He demanded, his voice thick with exertion as he increased the speed, his thrusts becoming more violent, more desperate.

“You… ahhh! Ikaw, Luca! F*ck, please… harder!” I begged, my dignity long gone, replaced by the primitive need to be filled by him.

“Good boy,” he rasped, his teeth nipping at the sensitive skin of my nape, hard enough to leave a mark that would surely turn purple by morning.

“I’m going to mark you so deep you’ll feel me every time you take a step.”

The s*x was raw, loud, and unapologetically filthy. The squelching sounds of our bodies joining, the frantic gasps, and the occasional slap of his hand against my behind filled the cabin. He was relentless, pushing me further and further until I felt like I was hovering on the edge of a cliff.

He reached around, his large, calloused hand gripping my own member, jerking it with a rough, dominant rhythm that matched his thrusts perfectly. I was seeing stars. My vision was blurring, and the only thing I could feel was the white-hot friction of him inside me.

“Luca… I’m—I’m gonna—!”

“Not yet! I didn’t give you permission to cum yet!” He growled, slowing down just for a second to prolong the torture, making me whine in frustration. He leaned down, whispering in my ear with a voice that sent shivers down my spine.

“You cum when I tell you to. Stay with me, Jion.”

He suddenly picked up the pace again, his movements becoming a blurred frenzy of muscle and heat. I couldn’t hold it back anymore. I let out a broken, high-pitched moan as I finally snapped, my release splattering against the back of the front seat.

Seeing me finish only pushed him over the edge. He let out a guttural, animalistic roar as he gave three final, bone-deep thrusts. I felt the scorching heat of his load—his third one tonight—flooding my core, pulsing deep inside me until I felt like I was overflowing with him.

We collapsed against each other, the only sound the ticking of the engine and our ragged, desperate breathing.

“F*ck…” Luca panted, his forehead resting against my shoulder.

“You really… you really are the death of me, Jion.”

I couldn’t even reply. My legs were shaking so hard I wasn’t sure I could even stand. I just lay there, a messy, wrecked heap of a man, filled with the cream and the essence of a man who now owned every single part of me.

“Now,” Luca said after a few minutes, his voice returning to that calm, dominant tone. He sat up, adjusting his clothes as if we hadn’t just committed a sin in the back of a SUV.

“Let’s eat that chicken. You look like you need the protein.”

I just groaned, hiding my face in the seat. “Hayop ka talaga… hindi na ako makakalakad nito.”

“Don’t worry,” he smirked, leaning over to give me one last, possessive kiss on the forehead. “Kargahin na lang kita”

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

LUCALUCA

( ˃ᯅ˂ )

¡¡

(

ꪊꪻ

⊂)

The drive home was supposed to be a quick trip for food, but Jion was making it impossible. Every time I hit a bump or shifted gears, I could hear him squirming, his thighs rubbing together with a wet, friction-filled sound that was echoing in the cabin.

“F*ck… Luca, stop the car,” he rasped, his voice sounding like he’d been swallowing gravel.

I glanced at him. His face was flushed, his pupils so blown out they swallowed the iris. He was gripping the armrest so hard I thought he’d rip the leather.

“What? Is the baby waking up? Or are you just hungry for the chicken?” I teased, but my own blood was already beginning to simmer.

“It’s itching, Luca… goddammit, it’s so f*cking itchy inside!” he finally snapped, his voice breaking into a desperate whine.

“Parang may kiliting hindi ko maabot. Please… it’s driving me crazy.”

I didn’t say a word. I just veered the SUV into a pitch-black alleyway behind a row of abandoned warehouses.

The moment the engine died, the silence in the car was heavy with the scent of s*x and fried chicken. I didn’t reach for the food. I reached for him.

“Itchy, ha?” I growled, my voice a low, masculine rumble. I hauled him over the console, forcing him to kneel on the passenger seat with his back to me, his behind arched high and desperate.

“Let’s see where this itch is, you needy little brat.”

I didn’t go for the kill immediately. I wanted to see him suffer. I slid my middle and index fingers into my mouth, coating them in my own saliva before reaching down. The moment I pressed against his entrance, he let out a shattered moan. He was already dripping, the cream from our earlier session making everything slick and messy.

I shoved two fingers inside him in one swift motion.

“AHHH! F*ck, Luca! Yes! Right there!” Jion screamed, his forehead hitting the window.

I didn’t just pump my fingers; I curled them, searching for that sweet spot, hooking into his walls with a sadistic precision. I watched his reflection in the glass—his eyes rolling back, his mouth hanging open like a broken doll. I added a third finger, stretching him wide, feeling his muscles convulse and grip me like they were trying to swallow my hand.

I pulled my fingers out, dripping with a mix of my seed and his own fluids. I brought them to my face, looking him in the eye through the rearview mirror as I slowly, deliberately licked them clean.

“You taste like me, Jion. Every bit of you is saturated in my essence,” I whispered, my voice dripping with dominant satisfaction.

But I wasn’t done playing. I leaned down, pulling his cheeks apart to expose that pulsing, desperate heat. I buried my face in him, my tongue darting out to lick the very spot that was “itching.”

“Luca! Ugh… put*ngina, ang sarap!” Jion sobbed, his body shaking with a primal, demonic hunger.

I ate him out like a man possessed, my tongue lapping at him, swirling around the rim and pushing deep inside. I wanted to taste the ruin I’d made of him. Jion was thrashing now, his hands frantically searching for anything to hold onto. He looked like a beast, a demonic creature driven purely by lust.

“More! Luca, sipsipin mo pa! Sobrang kati, please! I’m gonna lose my mind!” he screamed, his voice raw.

I looked up, my chin glistening with his mess, my eyes dark with a predator’s intent. “You’re so f*cking greedy. Kating-kati ka talaga sa akin, ’no?”

I didn’t wait for an answer. I unzipped my fly, my member snapping out, rock-hard and ready to reclaim its throne once again. I grabbed his hips, my fingers bruising his skin as I lined myself up.

“Since you’re so ‘hungry,’ Jion… why don’t you eat all of this?”

I entered him with a single, brutal, soul-shattering thrust.

“AHHHHHHH! LUCA!”

The car rocked violently as I began to hammer into him. Each strike was a statement of ownership. I wasn’t just f*cking him; I was destroying that itch, burying myself so deep I could feel his heartbeat against my tip.

“Is this scratching it?! Ha?! Sabihin mo sa akin, Jion!” I roared, my masculine energy overflowing in the cramped space. I was relentless, my thrusts becoming a blurred frenzy of muscle and heat.

“Yes! Yes! Scratch it more! I-it’s so deep… ugh! Hit it harder, Luca! Sagarin mo!” He was screaming now, his filter completely gone, his demonic hunger finally being fed by the only man who could handle him.

I grabbed his hair, pulling his head back so he had to look at me while I ruined him. “You’re mine. Every time you itch, it’s because you’re craving your master. Say it!”

“I’m yours! Ahhh! Fck, Luca! I’m your hore! Scratch me… ruin me!”

I let out a guttural moan as I reached my limit.

I slammed into him one last time, burying myself to the hilt as my fifth load of the night flooded his core—hot, thick, and scorching. Jion’s body went rigid, his eyes rolling back as he finally succumbed to the overload.

We stayed there, panting, the windows so fogged we could have been in another world.

“Now,” I panted, kissing the back of his sweat-soaked neck. “Let’s go home, i’m sure all of them are waiting for the chicken”

“F*ck the chicken…” Jion whispered, his voice almost a ghost.

“Just… don’t pull out yet.”

(っ´ཀ’)っ Ɑ͞ ͞ ͞ ͞ ͞ﻝﮞ ciao.

CHAPTER 36

/ 36/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

“Antagal niyo te!”

The moment my feet hit the pavement outside the car, Aiden was already there at the entrance, his silhouette framed by the grand lights of the mansion.

He was standing with his hands on his hips, the ultimate gatekeeper

.

My heart was thumping against my ribs-not from the walk, but from the lingering adrenaline of what just happened in that SUV.

“Hindi kasi makapili si Luca ng lugar kung saan kami bibili,” I stammered, clutching the grease-stained paper bags like they were my only lifeline.

My knees felt like jelly, and I was hyper-aware of the sticky, heavy sensation between my thighs.

Aiden marched toward us, his heels clicking sharply on the driveway.

He snatched the bags from my hands, but instead of heading inside, he froze.

He leaned in, his eyes narrowing as he scanned my face with the precision of a jeweler looking for flaws.

“G*ga ka, I know I look fresh but you don’t have to stare at me like that, wierd mo” I said, trying to force a laugh, but it came out breathless.

“Andami niyo pang keme na kesyo natagalan sa pagpili, but it’s so damn obvious na nagk*ntutan kayo!” He hissed, a wicked smirk spreading across his face.

“Tignan mo nga yang buhok mo, it’s clumping together! Modtakels ba yan ni Luca or am I just seeing things? Jussskerlssss kayong dalawa! Parehas kayong masisiba! You didn’t even wait to get to a bedroom!”

My blood ran cold.

I quickly reached up, my fingers brushing against a stray strand near my temple. My stomach dropped when I felt it-a tacky wetness. Shit.

Tooo ngang tumalsik ito sa buhok ko.

“Wag ka na mag-drinks, te! You look like you’ve been drowning in milk for the last hour,” Aiden teased, giving me that detective eyes before turning his back on us.

“Nandiyan na sa loob si Blake, so don’t think you’re the only ones putting on a show tonight.”

I turned to Luca, my eyes wide with panic.

“Luccaaaaa, tignan mo nga. Check my face, my hair… everything. Nakakahiya sa kaibigan mo kung makita niya akong ganito kulasisi.”

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

LUCA

I watched Jion panic, and I couldn’t help the dark thrill that shot through me.

I reached out, my fingers grazing his jaw as I forced him to look at me. I took my time, my eyes scanning every inch of his flushed, wrecked face.

“Wala na, baby. You got it all,” I whispered, my voice a low rumble.

I felt like a predator looking at my favorite kill.

“But honestly? You look better when you’re wearing my mess. It suits you.”

“Sure ka? Baka pinagtitripan mo lang ako,” he countered, his voice trembling slightly.

“I’m sure. Now, fix your shirt and let’s go. I’m not letting my food get cold because you’re worried about a little spilled cum,” I said, nodding to one of my guards to take the SUV.

The moment we stepped into the foyer, the air changed.

It wasn’t just the smell of the new mansion; it was the heavy, suffocating scent of another man’s tension.

I saw Blake sitting on the sofa, and he wasn’t alone. Aiden was draped over him like a prize, his fingers tracing the collar of Blake’s shirt.

“Kumusta, pre?! You didn’t even tell me you were hunting in my own backyard,” I said, my voice projecting that effortless authority as I sat on the opposite sofa.

Blake looked up, his grip on Aiden’s waist tightening-a move I recognized all too well. It was the “he’s mine” grip.

“I was just waiting for the right timing, Luca. I didn’t want to make a move and then find out Aiden was just playing games. I had to be sure this was real before I brought it to you.”

I leaned back, crossing my legs, my eyes never leaving my best friend.

“Wow. And here I thought you were the one guy who didn’t get whipped. Iba ka talaga, sis! You actually managed to break the coldest guy I know,” Jion added, laughing as he sat beside me.

“We’re more alike than you think, Blake,” I said, my hand instinctively finding Jion’s knee and squeezing.

“That’s why I’m keeping this one under lock and key. He’s the only one who can handle my sh*t and still come back for more. He’s performance level in every sense of the word.”

“If we’re talking about ‘performance,’ don’t underestimate Aiden,” Blake fired back, his eyes darkening with a sadistic sort of pride.

“Araw-araw ko siyang hinahanap because he’s the only thing that keeps me sane. He’s perfect in ways I didn’t even know I needed.”

“Jusko, stop the ego-tripping!” Aiden interrupted, waving a hand dismissively.

“Both Jion and I are top-tier. Tabla lang kami. Now, can we please eat before I start biting people?”

I smirked. Typical Aiden.

But I knew Blake-he was falling hard, and it was a goddamn masterpiece to witness.

“Oh, kain muna kayo. Baka kanina pa kayo gutom sa kahihintay samin,” Jion said, his voice softening as he began to lay out the feast. The table was soon covered in family-size spaghetti and four buckets of chicken.

Manang Cynthia moved around us like a ghost, helping Jion set the plates. I watched Jion— his movements were a bit stiff, his face still holding that post-orgasm glow. Every time he leaned over, I felt that possessive itch in my chest again.

“Kailan pala ’to nagsimula, pre?” I asked Blake as we started eating.

“The hospital,” Blake said, his gaze lingering on Aiden.

“When I went to check on you after the incident. That’s where the spark hit. I’ve been chasing him ever since.”

“Patago ka pala kung gumalaw, ha? I didn’t even notice you were sniffing around,” I laughed, but my eyes were sharp.

“What did he do to you that turned you into such a mess?”

“Wag niyo nang alamin while we’re eating,” Blake said with a smirk that told me everything I needed to know.

“And don’t act like you aren’t obsessed with Jion. I saw the way you were driving that SUV into the dark shoulder of the road earlier.”

My grip on my fork tightened.

“Marami akong alas laban sa’yo, Luca. Don’t test me.”

“Anong alas? Sabihin mo!” Jion’s curiosity was piqued, his eyes darting between us.

“Subukan mo lang, Blake. Bugb*g ka sakin,” I warned, but there was a smirk on my face.

“I’ll tell you later, Jion,” Blake teased, leaning in.

“Baka maluwa mo yang nasa bibig mo pag nalaman mo—the lengths this guy went to just to keep tabs on you before you even knew his name.”

I felt the heat rise in my neck. Blake knew too much, and Jion was way too interested.

This night was just getting started.

(_/) ( •-•) ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 37

/ 37/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

“Mauuna na ’ko sa kwarto, baks. Hindi ko na kaya, eh,” Aiden groaned, swaying slightly.

He had only finished a few glasses, and he was already acting like the world was spinning.

I looked at him, my eyebrows shooting up. I didn’t buy it for a second. I know this gimmick— professional walwalera to eh.

This guy can drink a whole bottle of gin and still manage to do a catwalk.

He’s the type to outlast the alcohol itself.

“Oh, it’s still early,” Luca noted, looking up as Aiden stood to say his goodbyes.

“Next time na lang siguro, I’m really hitting my limit,” Aiden pouted, clutching his head with a dramatic flare.

Ganto talaga ang galawan ng mga taong naglalasing-lasingan para mabarurot.

“I’ll just walk Aiden to his room, stay here for a bit,” I volunteered. I stood up and followed him, watching him stumble purposefully until we were well out of sight of the two men in the living room.

The moment we hit the hallway, Aiden’s posture snapped straight. He walked as perfectly as if he’d been drinking nothing but water.

“Oh, I thought you were wasted? Why are you walking like you’re on a runway?” I asked, amused.

“Keme-keme lang ’yon, ano ka ba! It’s just an alibi,” he squealed, his eyes glittering.

“I need to prepare. I have a feeling Blake is going to try and get me pregnant tonight, so I need to be ready. Especially since he’s drunk—paniguradong hahalukayin niya ang loob ko tonight because he’s all loose on the liquor.”

“What if he just falls asleep? All that preparation for nothing,” I laughed.

“Ayyy, you’re wrong there. He’s obsessed with me. He asks for it all the time! Sadyang ako lang ang humihindi because I don’t want to get worn out if we do it three times a day. So as a good boyfriend, I limit us to twice a day. Even then, I can’t say no to him,” he giggled.

“P*torjak ka talaga, te,” I muttered, shaking my head.

“Naman! If a guy that big and handsome wants to ride me anywhere and everywhere, I’m game. It’s a blessing, sis! I feel like we’re the stars of Christmas tonight,” he joked, winking at me.

“

G*ga, maglinis ka rin. For sure babarurutin ka ni Luca.“

He disappeared into his room before I could even counter. I started walking back to the living room, thinking about what he said. Possibleng may mangyari sa amin ulit ni Luca.

Especially with the way he gets when he’s drunk. But I didn’t want to overdo it; we just had a wild session in the car. If I give in every single time he wants it, he’ll get used to it every day, and I didn’t want our relationship to just be about that.

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

LUCA

“Nako, tamang-tama. Nandito ka na,” Blake said, laughing the moment Jion walked back into the room.

“Why? Ano bang pinag-uusapan niyo?” Jion asked, noticing how I was glaring at Blake. I wanted to reach over and strangle him before he opened his big mouth.

“You have no idea, Jion,” Blake started, ignoring my death stare.

“After that night at the bar, this guy went absolutely insane for you. He had people looking for you every single day, spending millions just to track your location.”

I felt the heat rising in my neck. “Blake, shut the f*ck up.”

“But that’s not even the best part!” Blake continued, laughing as I looked away, genuinely embarrassed.

“Almost every picture of you he could find on the internet? Halos lahat lubog sa tam*d niyan! This guy is a total deviant! He was obsessed with you way before he even caught you.”

Jion froze, his eyes darting to mine. I couldn’t look him in the eye, so I just gave him a shy, sheepish grin—the kind I only reserve for him. I felt like a teenager caught with a hidden magazine.

“Totoo ba?” Jion asked, his voice soft, a playful smile on his lips.

I covered my face with my hands, feeling the alcohol making my skin burn even hotter. “T*ngina mo, Blake,” I muttered.

“Siga-siga ka sa labas, but the moment you’re home, you act like a kid hitting puberty,” Blake teased, tossing a roll of tissue at me. He stood up, stretching his arms.

“Whatever. I’m going upstairs to get babied too. Enjoy the night, you two.”

He left us alone in the silence of the living room. For a few seconds, neither of us spoke. Then Jion moved closer.

“Ano?” Jion asked, leaning into my space.

“I love you,” I said, my voice dropping into that deep, masculine baritone. The alcohol made me honest, made me raw. I looked at him, feeling that familiar, possessive ache in my chest.

“I love you too,” Jion replied, leaning in to press a quick, tender kiss on the tip of my nose.

I didn’t want a tender kiss. I wanted to devour him. I pulled him into my lap, burying my face in the crook of his neck, breathing him in.

“I’m not kidding, Jion. I was losing my mind without you. Every night… all I could think about was having you under me again.”

“I know,” Jion whispered, his fingers running through my hair.

“But you’re a monster for those pictures, you know that?”

“I’m your monster,” I growled, my hand sliding under his shirt, finding the warm skin of his waist.

“And right now, I don’t want to think about anything else but how much I want to mark you again.”

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 38

/ 38/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

The hum of the alarm clock sliced through the heavy silence of the room.

I groaned, stretching my limbs until I felt my joints pop, before reaching over to kill the sound. I sat up, the cool morning air hitting my bare skin, and that’s when I saw him.

Luca was sprawled out beside me, completely naked and deep in the kind of sleep that only comes after a night of total exhaustion. Pero kahit tulog na tulog ang bakulaw, buhay na buhay at galit na galit naman ang pagkalalaki niya. Probably because of the freezing AC.

I felt a flush creep up my neck. I quickly grabbed the duvet and covered his lower half, hiding that relentless part of him before I lost my train of thought. Kahit kailan talaga, napaka-bastos nito matulog.

I needed to check on my son.

I padded softly into the next room, but Chibi was still out cold. Mag-aalas singko pa lang kasi ng umaga, kaya halos lahat ng tao sa bahay ay tulog pa. Except for the staff downstairs, whose muffled voices I could already hear from the kitchen.

I headed down, desperate for something to do. For someone like me who spent years scrubbing floors and managing a chaotic household, this “luxury” felt like a cage.

Sobrang nakakapanibago na wala man lang akong mabuhat na walis o sandok.

I went to the kitchen, hoping to find a task.

“Ate, ano pong niluluto niyo?” I asked. I knew it was tocino— the sweet, garlic scent was already filling the room— but I needed an excuse to talk.

“Tocino po, Sir Jion,” the cook replied. “Bilin ni Sir Luca, paborito daw po ng anak niyo.”

“Ate, may lulutuin pa ba kayo? Pwede bang tumulong? Hindi kasi ako sanay na nakatambay lang dito sa kusina tuwing umaga,” I pleaded.

Her smile faltered. “Hindi po pwede, sir, eh. Kabilin-bilinan ni Sir Luca na huwag kayong magkikilos-kilos. Baka daw po mapano kayo.”

My forehead creased. “Ganon ba? Hindi ba talaga pwede?”

“Pasensya na po, sir. Ako ang malilintikan kay Sir Luca kapag hinayaan ko kayo,” she said, shaking her head.

That was the last straw. I marched back upstairs, my footsteps echoing on the grand staircase. I barged into our room, ready to wake up the man who thought he could turn me into a useless trophy.

“Hoy, lalake! Gumising ka!” I hissed, slapping his thigh. He didn’t even flinch, just kept snoring.

In a fit of pique, I ripped the blanket off him. Seeing him still unbothered, I leaned down and gave his member a sharp, localized pinch.

“Arayyy!” Luca bolted upright, his hand immediately flying down to protect himself.

“F*ck! Bat mo kinurot?! Akala ko kinagat na ako ng malaking langgam, ikaw lang pala!”

“Anong kabulastugan ang pinagsasabi mo sa mga tao sa baba?!” I snapped, standing over him with my hands on my hips. “You told them I’m not allowed to help with anything? Balak mo ba akong gawing presong walang ginagawa dito sa bahay mo?!”

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

LUCA

I looked up at him, and despite the sting in my crotch, a smirk crawled onto my face. Galit na galit na naman siya, and God, it made him look so f*cking good.

“Alam ko kasing maglilikot-likot ka na naman, kaya sinabihan ko na sila Manang Cynthia,” I rasped, my voice thick with sleep.

“We moved here so your only job is to be mine. Kaya nga kita dinala dito para ang trabaho mo lang ay mahalin ako. Let the staff handle the chores.”

I saw his eyes soften, kahit na pilit siyang nag-susungit.

“Ay, ewan ko sa’yo,” he muttered, turning to leave, but I was faster. I lunged forward, grabbing his wrist and hauling him back onto the bed.

He landed right on top of me, his weight pressing down on my aching heat.

“Ano ba! Yang tit* mo, nadadaganan ko!” he yelped.

I didn’t let him up. I wrapped my arms around his waist, pulling him flush against my chest. “Ang bango-bango mo nitong nakaraang araw, baby. Para kang naglublob sa mga bulaklak,” I whispered, burying my face in the crook of his neck.

The scent was different today—thicker, sweeter, more intoxicating. I couldn’t stop myself from nipping at his collarbone.

“I’m trying to stay calm… but your scent is making me feel things I can’t control.”

“Magbihis ka na nga… look, basa na yung tiyan ko dahil sa’yo,” he panted. And he was right. My pre-c*m was already soaking through his shirt where we were pressed together.

I pulled back just enough to look him in the eye, my expression turning dead serious.

“Don’t go near any of the men today, Jion. I mean it. Huwag kang maglalapit sa mga guards, lalong-lalo na ngayon. Sobrang tapang ng amoy mo, baby. Nakakalasing.”

I sat up, grunting as I tried to force my member into my boxers. “T*ngina talaga oh,” I hissed. Hindi talaga nagkakasya sa loob ng short ko ang pagkalalaki ko sa sobrang tigas.

“Ako na ang bahala d’yan… basta’t handjob lang, ha?” Jion offered softly.

“Nako, Jion… kung lagi kang nasa tabi ko, baka pagkatapos kong labasan ay matigas pa rin ’to,” I groaned, leaning my forehead against his.

“Hindi ’yan. Pagkatapos nito, hindi na ’yan titigas ulit. Pigilan mo lang kasi yang lib*g mo.”

I gripped his hand, my eyes dark with a protective, sadistic edge.

“I swear, I’m trying. Pero kung lagi naman kitang naaamoy, walang kwenta ang pagpipigil ko. Hindi dahil sa malibog ako—sadyang may hatid na kakaiba yang samyo mo ngayon. Stay away from other men. Kung ganito ang epekto nito sa akin, hindi imposibleng ganon din sa kanila. And I will f*cking kill anyone who looks at you the way I am right now.”

“Dahan-dahan lang, Luca. You’re too tense,” Jion whispered.

I felt his fingers wrap around me, his palm warm and slick as he guided my length out of my boxers. The moment his skin touched mine, parang may kuryenteng gumuhit sa buong katawan ko. My heart was thumping against my ribs like a goddamn sledgehammer.

“How can I stay calm when you’re right here, Jion?” I rasped, my voice sounding like I’d been swallowing broken glass.

I leaned in, burying my face back into the crook of his neck. I took a deep, shaky breath, and the scent hit me again— thick, sweet, and primal.

Put*ngina talaga. It was like a physical weight in my lungs.

“Bakit ganito ang amoy mo? It’s like a f*cking drug,” I groaned, my grip on his waist tightening until my knuckles turned white.

“It’s so heavy, Jion… it’s making my head spin. I feel like I’m losing my goddamn mind.”

“Amoy sabon lang naman ako, Luca. Stop overreacting,” he teased, his hand starting a slow, rhythmic stroke.

“No… hindi ’to sabon,” I hissed, nipping at the sensitive skin of his throat. I could taste the salt on his skin, and it only made the hunger worse.

“It’s coming from your skin. Every time you move, tumatama sa ilong ko. It’s so intoxicating, Jion. It makes me want to rip your clothes off and lock you in this room forever so no one else can smell you.”

He picked up the pace, his grip tightening as I jumped under his touch. The wet, squelching sound of his hand against my cock was the only thing I could hear over the blood rushing in my ears.

“Mag-focus ka na lang dito sa ginagawa ko, huwag sa amoy ko,” he whispered.

“I can’t!” I roared softly, snapping my eyes open to glare at him. I was gigil—I wanted to devour him right there.

“Every time I breathe, I taste you. Put*ngina, Jion… kung alam mo lang kung gaano kahirap pigilan ang sarili ko na huwag kang sakalin sa sarap ngayon. You smell like you’re asking for it. You smell like you want me to ruin you.”

I felt him shiver, his breath hitching as he saw the look in my eyes. I was a maniac, and he knew it. I moved my hips into his hand, seeking that friction, that release that was the only thing keeping me from snapping.

“F*ck… yeah, right there…” I hissed, my head snapping back as the pleasure started to peak.

“Don’t stop, baby. Scratch that itch. But I’m telling you… huwag na huwag kang lalapit sa mga guards mamaya. I’m serious. If they smell even a hint of this… I’ll have to gouge their eyes out just for looking at you.”

“Ang OA mo” he teased, but his voice was shaky. He could feel the heat radiating off me, the way I was vibrating with the effort to stay still.

“Dahil akin ka lang. Everything about you— lalo na ’tong amoy mo —belongs to me,” I growled. I reached down, covering his hand with mine, forcing him into a frantic, punishing speed.

“Sige na, Jion… lalabasan nako. Bago ko pa makalimutan na handjob lang ang usapan natin at mabarurot kita dito sa kama.”

I squeezed my eyes shut, my whole body tensing as I reached the point of no return. I let out a guttural, animalistic groan as I finally snapped. I felt the hot, thick jets of my release splatter against his hand and stomach, the scent of my seed mixing with that sweet, intoxicating smell of his skin.

I collapsed against him, my forehead resting on his shoulder, my breathing ragged and broken. I was spent, but the hunger was still there, lurking in the shadows.

“There… tapos na,” he whispered, panting slightly. “Mabubuhay ka na ba?”

Ngunit buong akala ko ay tapos na siya, ganon nalang ang gulat ko nang bigla niyang dinilaan ang kamay niyang puno ng katas ko sabay muling sinupsop ang burat ko para tuluyang linisin ang kalat na ginawa ko.

“Fuck baby” I groaned in frustration.

“Okay, all done” ang sambit pa nito habang nakangiti na parang aso.

I didn’t pull away. I just took another deep, lung-filling breath of his scent, my lips grazing the pulse point on his neck.

“For now,” I muttered, my voice dark and possessive.

“Pero tandaan mo ang sinabi ko, Jion. Stay away from the men downstairs. This scent… it’s dangerous. And I’m the only one who gets to be addicted to it.”

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 39

/ 39/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

Marahas kong kinukuskos ang balat ko ng sabon, nagbabakasakaling mawawala ang samyong sinasambit ni Luca sakin.

I was scrubbing so hard my skin felt raw, trying to wash away a chemical I couldn’t even see.

​In my entire life, ngayon ko lang nakita ang seryosong mukha ni Luca na animo’y hinding-hindi nagbibiro. His eyes weren’t just full of lust; they were filled with a terrifying, primal alarm.

Kahit gusto kong isipin na praning lang siya, I couldn’t ignore the weight of his words. I knew he was telling the truth.

​Dati pa man, lagi na itong komplemento sakin ng mga lalakeng kaibigan ko, but they just said it was a “ pleasant “ scent. Even Kieth, my ex, used to tell me that my smell was different—na parang pinapa-init nito ang katawan niya and it spiked his libido instantly.

But it was only ever men who noticed. Women couldn’t smell a thing.

​I thought this “ scent “ disappeared after I had Chibi. Pero sa sinasabi ngayon ni Luca, I realized it was back.

And this time, it was aggressive.

​“Tapos ka na ba?” Luca’s deep voice boomed from outside the bathroom door.

​“Oo, lalabas na,” I shouted back, rinsing off quickly.

​I got dressed and headed downstairs, finding Luca feeding Chibi.

But my heart stopped when I looked toward the windows.

Almost all the male workers, the gardeners, and the bodyguards were gathered far out in the yard. Not a single man was left inside the house except for Luca.

​“Ano ’yon? Bakit nasa labas silang lahat?” I asked, feeling a chill.

​“Mahirap na at baka ano pang magawa nila sa’yo,” Luca said, his eyes dark and protective.

“I know how men think, Jion. I won’t let anyone disrespect you in my own house. Ganon talaga kagrabe ang amoy mo ngayon.”

​“Is it really that bad?”

​“It’s worse. We’re going to the doctor after Chibi eats. Magpahinga ka muna at kumain.”

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

LUCA

(9:00 AM )

We arrived at the clinic, and I didn’t waste a second. I needed to know why Jion was suddenly smelling like a walking invitation to every man in the city.

“Long time no see, Mr. Chua,” Dr. Reyes greeted us. After I explained the aggressive scent and how it was affecting the men at the mansion, the doctor didn’t look worried.

He just leaned back, looking at Jion’s charts.

“Luca, Jion… let’s be frank here. This isn’t a medical emergency. This is Pheromonal Saturation,” Dr. Reyes said, his voice dropping into a professional tone.

“Doc, paki-paliwanag naman ng diretso. What does that mean exactly?” I asked, my voice tight.

“It means Jion is enjoying the sex. A lot. And his body is reacting to the frequency of it,” the doctor said, looking Jion dead in the eye.

Jion’s face turned a deep, burning red.

He looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him whole. I felt a smirk tugging at my lips, but I kept my gaze on the doctor.

“In carriers, the endocrine system is tied directly to physical satisfaction,” Dr. Reyes continued.

“Kapag ang katawan mo ay nakatagpo ng ‘perfect match’— someone you are highly compatible with —and the intimacy is this frequent and this intense, the body goes into a state of Hyper-Arousal. Every time you climax, Jion, your body releases a chemical signal through your skin.”

“So… amoy libog lang siya? Is that it?” I asked, my voice dropping into a dark, satisfied rumble.

“Biologically speaking, yes,” the doctor confirmed.

“It’s a Biological Feedback Loop. Because the encounters have been so high-intensity and frequent, Jion’s system is essentially ‘leaking’ his arousal levels into the air.

His body is broadcasting that he is currently being well-serviced and that his system is at its physical peak. It’s about love; and it’s also about the sheer physical impact of what you’re doing to him.“

Jion hid his face in his hands, groaning in pure embarrassment.

“So… I’m not sick? I’m just… reacting to him?”

“Your body is basically bragging, Jion,” the doctor said frankly.

“The more you enjoy the friction and the more frequent the sessions, the stronger that scent becomes. It triggers a reaction in other men because it’s a signal of a carrier who is physically ‘available’ and satisfied.

I leaned over and squeezed Jion’s hand, my thumb grazing his knuckles. I felt a surge of raw pride. It was all because of me. I was hitting him so hard and so often that his own skin was advertising his pleasure to the world.

“The solution is simple, Jion,” Dr. Reyes added, closing the folder.

“Either you two slow down— which I doubt you’ll do —or Luca needs to keep you isolated until your levels stabilize. His own pheromones are the only thing that can mask yours right now.”

“I think we’ll go with the isolation, Doc,” I growled, standing up and pulling Jion with me. “I’ll make sure he stays very, very close to me.”

“Wait,” Dr. Reyes interjected, his voice regaining its professional weight.

“There is one more thing we need to consider. While your current state is definitely a result of hyper-arousal and frequent sexual activity, the sheer volume of these pheromones points to something else. Based on my data with carriers, a spike this aggressive is usually a biological precursor— a warning sign —of multiple pregnancies.”

Jion’s head snapped up, his face pale as he looked at the doctor, clearly dazed. “Wait, Doc… twins or triplets? How is that even possible?”

He looked at me, then back to Dr. Reyes, his voice trailing off in confusion. “Yung unang nangyari sa amin… it was one and a half weeks ago. I thought it was still way too early to tell. Diba even biological girls need almost a month or a missed period before a test is even reliable? How can my body be ‘warning’ us about anything yet?”

Dr. Reyes shook his head, a small, professional smile on his face as he observed Jion’s confusion. “Jion, you’re comparing your biology to a biological woman. That’s why you’re confused. As a carrier, your system operates on a completely different, much more aggressive timeline.”

“Anong ibig niyo sabihin, Doc? Why is it different for me?” Jion asked, his voice soft, trying to process the information.

“In a biological female, the embryo takes about a week just to travel to the uterus, and then another few days for nidation—the implantation process. It’s a slow, cautious climb. Detection usually takes fourteen days or more,” Dr. Reyes explained frankly. “But for a carrier, your anatomy is built for hyper-accelerated implantation.”

He tapped Jion’s medical file to emphasize the point. “The moment the sperm fertilizes the egg, your uterus initiates a near-instantaneous bond. Unlike biological girls who have a ‘silent window’ where they don’t even know if it stuck, a carrier’s body locks it in within hours. By ten days—a week and a half—your hormones aren’t just rising; they are peaking.”

“So… you’re saying it’s already decided?” Jion’s hand flew to his flat stomach.

“I’m saying that while we are still a few days away from a definitive visual scan, your body is already behaving like it’s occupied,” the doctor continued.

“For carriers, there is no waiting period. If it happened a week and a half ago, your body already knows. It has already shifted its entire metabolic and endocrine output to support that potential life. The reason your scent is so aggressive right now? It’s a pre-confirmation spike. Multiple embryos demand more from the carrier immediately, causing this massive surge in hormones before we even do the ultrasound. Your body made the decision the second Luca touched you.”

I felt a surge of raw, terrifying adrenaline. Putangina.* I looked at Jion, whose breath was coming in short, uneven hitches. It wasn’t a “confirmed” scan yet, but in our world, a warning sign this strong from a carrier’s body was as good as a contract.

“So it’s not 100% confirmed on paper, but the body is already ‘shouting’ that it’s happening,” I muttered, my voice thick with pride and lethal protectiveness.

“Exactly. Biologically, the ‘warning’ is loud and clear,” Dr. Reyes confirmed. “The pheromones aren’t just bragging about the sex anymore, Jion. They are a warning. Your body is shouting at every male in the vicinity to back off because you are already occupied. It’s just that, for now, the signal is so strong it’s triggering a primal reaction in others. We’ll do a formal scan in a couple of days to confirm the count.”

“But don’t get too ahead of yourselves just yet,” Dr. Reyes added, raising a hand to temper the intensity in the room.

“Everything I’m telling you right now is still purely hypothetical. There is absolutely no clinical confirmation yet because, even for a carrier, it’s still too early to give a definitive ‘yes.’ For all we know, this pheromonal spike could just be exactly what we first discussed—that your body is simply reacting to the high frequency of the intimacy and the fact that you’re just enjoying the sex. There’s a very real possibility that you aren’t actually pregnant at all, and your system is just on a temporary high.”

I stood up, pulling Jion with me. He didn’t resist; he just followed, still looking like he was trying to wake up from a dream. My mind was already calculating security protocols.

“We’re done here, Doc. If the biology is that fast, then I need to move even faster,” I growled. “I’m treating this as a ‘yes’ starting now.”

I looked at Jion, who was still blinking in confusion. “Tara na. We’re going home. I need to make sure no one else gets even a sniff of you while your body is this ‘noisy’.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 40

/ 40/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

“Congratulations, Mr. Chua. You are exactly three and a half weeks pregnant.”

The doctor’s voice was calm, almost too professional for the weight of the news he was delivering.

Dr. Reyes handed over the laboratory results with a small, triumphant smile. Looking at the papers, my heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird.

I was officially carrying another life. Or lives.

Hindi ko mapagsidlan ang saya sa puso ko habang nakatitig sa resultang hawak ko. Chibi was going to have  siblings.

But that joy was instantly followed by a cold shiver of anxiety.

The doctor’s earlier explanation kept echoing in my head— the aggressive pheromones and implantation. Everything pointed toward a high probability of a multiple pregnancy. Twins. Or even triplets.

Kung hirap na hirap na nga ako sa pagprotekta sa isa, paano ko itataguyod ang tatlo o dalawa pa sa loob ng tiyan ko?

I slowly turned my head to look at Luca. I expected him to look overwhelmed, but what I saw made my breath hitch.

His eyes were glistening, shining with a raw, unfiltered joy I had never seen before.

A single tear escaped his eye, and he quickly wiped it away with a self-deprecating laugh, as his shoulders shaking slightly.

Alam ko kung bakit siya ganito kasaya. He missed out on everything with Chibi—the cravings, the first kick, the birth. Pinagkaitan ko siya noon, and seeing him like this, so vulnerable yet so happy, made the fear and the weight in my chest feel a little lighter.

“Kanina ka pa nakangiti ah,” I teased softly as we walked toward the parking lot. Ever since we stepped out of that hospital room, Luca looked like he was walking on air. The dark, brooding aura was momentarily replaced by a man who seemed to have found his soul again.

“Bawal ba?” He chuckled, gripping the steering wheel as we settled into the car. “I’m just… I’m excited, Jion. For the first time, I get to do this right. Maaalagaan na kita, mababantayan, at masisiguro kong ligtas kayo ng mga anak natin.”

“Talagang nakakagulat, ’no?” I whispered, leaning my head against the window. “But I’m still processing what Doc said. Triplets or twins… it’s a lot, Luca.”

Luca reached over, lacing his fingers with mine, his grip firm and possessive. “Wag kang matakot, Jion. Nandito lang ako sa tabi mo at hindi ko hahayaang tiisin mo ang lahat ng hirap. Hayaan mong bumawi ako sa lahat ng taon na wala ako nung pinilit mong itaguyod ang anak natin ng mag-isa. I won’t let you suffer alone again.”

His sincerity hit me like a physical force. My eyes started to sting, but I blinked the tears away, laughing softly to break the tension. “O siya, baka magkaiyakan pa tayo dito. Drive already.”

Luca leaned in, giving me a quick, lingering kiss that tasted of a promise. “I love you, Jion.”

The drive back was peaceful, almost eerily so. We talked about nursery designs and names, briefly forgetting the dangerous world we lived in. But as we pulled into the long driveway of the mansion, the atmosphere shifted instantly.

The massive front doors were wide open, swaying slightly in the wind.

I felt the blood drain from my face.

“Luca… why is the door open?”

“Stay behind me,” Luca ordered, his voice suddenly dropping into that deadly, cold register. He pulled his gun from the holster as we stepped out of the car.

Instead of the usual hustle and bustle of the staff or the sound of Chibi’s laughter, the house was drowning in a deafening, eerie silence.

“Aiden?!! Aiden!!!” I screamed, running into the foyer. No answer. Only the echo of my own voice.

“Manang?! Bodyguards! Where the hell is everyone?!” Luca’s voice boomed through the hallways, his eyes darting around at the lack of security.

I sprinted toward the playroom, my legs shaking so hard I could barely stand. Empty. The toys were scattered on the floor, and Chibi’s favorite dinosaur was lying face down near the door.

“Luca, si Chibi… wala sila dito!” My voice cracked as I ran back down the stairs.

A faint muffled sound came from the kitchen. We shared a look and rushed toward the back of the house. As we burst through the kitchen doors, the sight before us was a nightmare.

The young maids were huddled on the floor, bound tightly with heavy ropes, their mouths taped shut. Their eyes were wide with terror, streaming with tears.

“P*tangina!” Luca roared, rushing to them. I quickly grabbed a kitchen knife and helped him cut the tapes and the ropes.

“Anong nangyari?! Nasaan ang anak ko?!” Luca grabbed one of the maids by the shoulders, his rage boiling over. The poor girl was hyperventilating, unable to speak. “Answer me! Sinong kumuha sa kanila?!”

“Luca, stop! Huminahon ka!” I pulled his hand away, seeing how terrified the girl was. “You’re scaring them! Go call the security team and the police. Ako na ang kakausap sa kanila. Move!”

Luca looked like he was about to explode, his veins popping in his neck, but he nodded and stepped back, pacing the kitchen like a caged predator as he dialed his phone.

“Pasensya ka na sa Sir mo, natatakot lang siya,” I whispered, holding the maid’s hands to stop them from shaking. “Sabihin niyo sa akin ang totoo. Ano bang nangyari dito? Bakit wala si Aiden at ang bata?”

The maid sobbed, her voice trembling. “N-nandito lang po kaming lahat sa baba. Naglalaro pa nga si Sir Aiden pati si Chibi nang may biglang pumasok na mga armadong lalake. Pinaggagapos nila kami agad.”

She took a shaky breath. “Rinig na rinig ko pa ang sigaw ni Sir Aiden habang pilit na pinapatakas ang bata. He tried to fight back, pilit niyang itinago si Chibi… pero marami sila. Kahit anong gawin ni Sir Aiden, nahuli pa rin nila ang bata. Dahil ayaw bumitaw ni Sir Aiden, sinama na rin nila siya.”

My world tilted. Aiden and Chibi. They took both of them.

“Pero ang nakakapagtaka po…” the maid continued, her eyes flickering with confusion. “Hindi nila ginalaw si Manang Cynthia. Nakita ko siyang kausap ang isang armadong lalaki. Hindi siya mukhang takot. Siya pa nga ang nagbibigay at nag uutos.

Sumama siya sa kanila na parang siya ang may-ari ng mga tauhang iyon.“

The air in the room felt like it had been sucked out. Manang Cynthia? The woman who looked after Chibi like her own grandson?

I stood up slowly, my knees almost buckling. I walked over to Luca, who had just finished his call, his face a mask of cold, murderous intent.

“Luca…” I whispered, my voice sounding like it was coming from far away.

“The gate security was neutralized from the inside,” Luca growled.

“What did they tell you?”

“Si Manang Cynthia…” I choked out, the tears finally falling.

“Siya ang may pakana ng lahat ng ito. She’s the one who took our son and Aiden.”

Luca froze. The betrayal was evident in the way his eyes widened for a split second before hardening into ice. He stepped forward and pulled me into his chest, his arms like iron bands around me.

“Shhhh… Jion, listen to me,” he growled, his voice vibrating against my ear. “Sisiguraduhin kong walang mangyayari sa bata pati na kay Aiden. I will find them.”

“W-wag mong hayaang saktan nila ang bata, Luca… please…” I sobbed into his shirt, the weight of the day finally crushing me. Two lives in my womb, one life stolen from my home.

“I won’t. I promise you,” Luca whispered, his hand firmly stroking my hair.

“Wag ka nang umiyak, makakasama ’yan sa iyo at sa baby natin. Just stay strong. I’m going to bring them home, and then I’m going to make that woman regret the day she was born.”

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 41

/41/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

Hindi ko naman maiwasang mangamba para sa kaligtasan ng anak ko pati narin ni Aiden. But more than that, I was terrified for Jion. He’s three weeks pregnant—buntis siya at sa ganitong estado, hindi maganda na nakakaranas siya ng ganito katinding trauma. Any high level of stress could harm him and the babies.

If I could have kept the kidnapping a secret just to spare him this pain, I would have. Pero huli na ang lahat. He’s already broken, and it’s killing me that I can’t fix it instantly.

“Shhh, wag ka nang umiyak. Makakasama ’yan sa iyo at sa baby natin. Wag kang mag-alala, iiuwi ko sila nang ligtas. I promise you, Jion,” I whispered, my voice thick with a forced steadiness. I needed to be his rock, even if my own heart was hammering against my ribs.

Dali-dali niyang pinunasan ang kanyang mga luha. I helped him, my thumbs brushing away the salt and the sorrow from his pale face. I wanted to break down too, but I couldn’t. Jion needed a solid foundation to lean on, so I had to be the immovable force for my family.

But the fragile silence was shattered when Jion’s phone suddenly shrieked. He answered it in less than a second.

“Sir Jion, tulungan niyo kamiiii! Dinukot kami ng mga armadong lalake!” It was Manang Cynthia. Her voice was hysterical on the other end, but something felt… off.

“Wag kayong kikilos ng masama, kung ayaw niyong pumutok ang dalawang ulo niyo,” a cold, mocking voice interrupted from behind us.

It was Cherry, one of the maids we had just “freed” from their ties.

Agad kaming napalingon at doon ko naramdaman ang lamig ng katotohanan. We were surrounded. At least a dozen armed men had emerged from the shadows of my own home, their tactical lasers dancing across our chests. My own security was nowhere to be found. Dead or bribed—it didn’t matter now.

The pieces of the puzzle began to click into place in my mind. The “bound” maids, the open door, the hysterical phone call. It was all a goddamn performance.

“Pasensya ka na, Sir Luca. Trabaho lang,” Cherry said with a smirk, her .45 caliber pistol aimed directly at my forehead. The other “victim” maids were now standing behind her, holding weapons with professional ease.

“Saludo naman ako sa inyong lahat,” I said, my voice dripping with lethal sarcasm. “Hindi ko inakala na ang lahat ng pinapatira ko pala sa mansyong ito ay mga anay. I fed you, paid you, and protected you—only for you to turn this house into a snake pit.”

Cherry chuckled. “Pinapaligiran na kayo ng mga baril ngunit nakukuha mo pa ring humirit? Iba rin talaga ang tapang mo, Luca. Hindi na kataka-taka kung bakit gustong-gusto kita.”

“Yes, yes, yes! Oh diba, bongga? All-star cast ang datingan, ’no? Nagulat ba kayo sa plot twist?”

A figure emerged from the far wing of the house. It was Clark, Jion’s wretched excuse for a brother. He was dressed like he was attending a celebration, a sickening grin plastered on his face.

“Hayop ka! Ikaw pala ang may pakana nito!” Jion screamed, his voice raw with betrayal. “Talaga namang kumuha ka pa ng kasabwat para lang maisagawa ang kadmonyohan mo!”

Clark laughed, a high-pitched, manic sound. “Pakana ko lahat ng ito, Jion. And I couldn’t have pulled it off without my gorgeous and brilliant mother—the one and only, Manang Cynthia.”

My blood turned to ice. Mother?

Manang Cynthia stepped out from behind Clark, shedding her “distressed” persona like an old skin. She looked at me not with the warmth of the woman who raised me, but with the cold calculation of a master spy.

The betrayal cut deeper than any blade. She had been with me since I was a child. She was the one who tucked me in when my own parents were too busy with the Mafia business. To know that the woman I called ‘Nanay’ had been playing me for decades… it was a pain I couldn’t describe.

“Kunin niyo ’yang b*klang ’yan!” Clark ordered, pointing at Jion.

I moved to shield him, but a dozen gun hammers clicked simultaneously. “Move an inch, Lover Boy, and we’ll see what Jion’s brains look like on the floor,” Clark warned.

I forced myself to stay still. My heart was screaming to tear them apart, but being impulsive now would get Jion killed. I watched in silent agony as they dragged Jion away from me.

“Anong gagawin niyo sa asawa ko?! Bitawan niyo siya!!” I roared.

They ignored me, pressing a cloth soaked in chloroform over Jion’s nose. He struggled for a few seconds, his eyes locked onto mine in terror, before his body went limp in their arms.

“Wag kang mag-alala, Luca. Walang mangyayaring masama sa kanya… for now,” Clark said, stepping closer to me.

He reached out, his fingers tracing the line of my jaw in a way that made my skin crawl.

“Wag mong idampi ang madumi mong kamay sa akin,” I hissed, my eyes burning with pure hatred.

“Ikaw naman, masyado kang hard,” Clark cooed, his hand sliding down my chest until it reached the front of my pants, gripping me firmly.

“Dapat nga magpasalamat ka, dahil ito lang ang ginagawa ko sa iyo. Pero alam mo, I can do so much more.”

I didn’t flinch. I looked him dead in the eye, my voice a low, dangerous rumble.

“Kahit kailan ay hindi titig*s ang burat ko sa isang basurang gaya mo. You think you’re on Jion’s level? You’re not even the dirt under his fingernails. Pandidiri lang ang nararamdaman ko sa hitsura mo.”

Clark’s face contorted, a flash of genuine hurt crossing his eyes before it was replaced by spite. “G-ganon ba?”

“Oo,” I spat. “Kinuha mo ang mga tao ko, pati ang ‘Nanay’ ko. You’re more of a demon than Satan himself.”

“I did it for you, Luca!” Clark screamed suddenly, his composure breaking. “Si Mama Cynthia… she’s been my eyes and ears here since the day you were born. She had plastic surgery years ago to hide her identity after the scandal with the Chuas, just so she could be near you. She sent me pictures of you every day. She told me stories about you. I grew up loving you from afar because of her!”

He stepped closer, his breath smelling of obsession. “I fixed myself for you. I made myself beautiful because I knew that was the only way you’d look at me. I studied how to please a man just so I could be perfect for you! But then… out of all the people in the world, you chose my brother? The one who always takes everything away from me?!”

I let out a harsh, mocking laugh. “Look at yourself, Clark. You look like you’ve been used by a hundred men. You’re hollow.”

“And what? Ano bang pinagkaiba ko sa b*klang ’yan?! I am better than Jion!”

“Wag na wag mong ikukumpara ang asawa ko sa ‘overused’ mong katawan,” I growled. “Jion has more class and soul in his pinky finger than you have in your entire existence.”

Clark’s face went red, and he swung his hand, his palm cracking against my cheek. I didn’t even turn my head. I just looked back at him, grinning like a shark.

“Kahit anong gawin mo, hinding-hindi kita mamahalin. Jion owns my heart, my body, and my soul. And all you can do is stand in the corner and die of envy.”

Clark raised his hand to strike me again, but before he could, something heavy collided with the back of my head. The world tilted, the lights of the mansion spinning into a dark, suffocating abyss as I slumped to the floor, the last thing I saw being Jion’s unconscious form being carried away into the night.

(_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 42

/42/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

The cold was the first thing that registered—the unforgiving chill of a concrete floor against my bare skin. My head throbbed, a rhythmic pulsing that made the dimly lit room spin. When my vision finally cleared, the reality was a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from.

I was completely naked, my wrists and ankles locked in heavy steel shackles. I was inside a rusted industrial cage. Just outside the bars, five men sat in a semi-circle. Their eyes were bloodshot and glazed, the unmistakable look of people deep into a drug-induced high. They didn’t speak. They just stared at me, their gazes crawling ove my skin like insects.

“Put*ngina mo, Clark! Ilabas mo siya diyan!”

Luca’s roar shattered the silence.

I turned my head, wincing at the movement. He was strapped to a heavy wooden chair a few meters away, his face a mess of blood and swelling. Two men in tactical gear stood behind him, their rifles aimed directly at his head.

“Luca…” I tried to scream, but only a broken sob came out. One of the high addicts reached through the bars, his rough, dirty hand grazing my thigh. I jerked back, the chains rattling violently, my heart hammering against my ribs.

I felt so small. So filthy.

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

LUCA

I watched as that man’s hand touched Jion’s skin.

I thrashed against my restraints, the ropes burning into my skin, but the cold metal of a rifle barrel pressed harder against my temple.

“Move again, and I’ll paint the wall with your brains,” the soldier growled.

Clark stepped into my line of sight. He looked calm, which was worse than him being angry. He held a small remote in his hand, his eyes flicking between me and the cage where Jion was trembling.

“He looks terrified, doesn’t he?” Clark whispered, standing right in front of me.

“He’s thinking about those babies. He’s thinking about how he’s going to lose them.”

“Ano bang gusto mo?” I hissed, my voice vibrating with a lethal promise. “Just name the price and let him go.”

Clark smirked, his hand reaching out to unbutton his own shirt.

“I don’t want your money, Luca. I want what he has. I want you to look at me the way you look at him. And since you won’t do it willingly, we’re going to do it my way.”

He leaned in, his voice dropping to a sickeningly soft tone. “If you want me to unlock that cage and stop those men from touching him, you’re going to give me what I’ve wanted for years. Right here. In front of him.”

My stomach turned. “You’re sick.”

“I’m desperate,” Clark countered. He looked at the soldiers. “Ready the guns.”

The soldier behind me shoved the muzzle of the gun into my ear. Simultaneously, the other soldier walked over to the cage, pointing his rifle through the bars, the laser sight centering directly on Jion’s chest.

At the same time, the five addicts began to close in on Jion, their hands reaching through the gaps of the cage, caressing his legs and arms. Jion’s screams filled the warehouse, a raw, primal sound of terror that broke something inside me.

“LUCA! PLEASE!” Jion sobbed, his eyes wide and pleading.

“Stop it!” I yelled, my eyes stinging. “Clark, p*tangina, stop it!”

“Then make your choice, Luca,” Clark said, dropping his shirt to the floor and stepping between my legs.

“Either you have sex with me right now, or I let these men have their way with your husband before I have my men pull the trigger. Choice is yours. One minute.”

I looked at Jion. His skin was pale, his body shaking as those men continued to touch him, their hands roaming over him with zero restraint.

He looked at me, his face covered in tears, shaking his head ‘no,’ but the soldier shoved the gun closer to his head.

My dignity meant nothing compared to Jion’s life. My pride was a small price to pay for the lives of my children.

“Fine,” I whispered, the word feeling like ash in my mouth. “Fine. Just… make them stop touching him. Please.”

Clark smiled, a look of pure, twisted triumph. “See? I knew you’d make the right choice.”

He gestured to the addicts, and they reluctantly backed away from the cage. The guns remained leveled at our heads. I closed my eyes, a single tear falling down my bruised cheek as Clark began to unbelt my pants.

I was the Boss of the most feared Mafia in the country, but in this moment, I was nothing but a man willing to sell his soul to save the person he loved.

“Huwag mong tignan, Jion,” I choked out, my voice breaking. “Pikit ka lang, baby. Please, don’t look.”

The air was thick with the scent of oil, old concrete, and the suffocating desperation of Clark’s obsession. As Clark leaned in, his fingers fumbling with my belt, his shadow cast a long, distorted shape over me. He was so blinded by his perceived victory—so drunk on the idea of finally “owning” me—that he made the one mistake a predator should never make.

He assumed I was broken. Inakala niya na dahil sa takot at dahil nakagapos ako, na sumuko na ang diwa ko.

“Finally,” Clark whispered, his breath hot against my neck, sending a wave of revulsion through my skin.

“Sa wakas, Luca. Pagmamay-ari na kita. No more running.”

Behind him, the soldier’s gun was still pressed to my temple, and the other rifle was trained on Jion’s chest. Jion was sobbing, his eyes squeezed shut just as I had asked. Hindi niya nakikita ang dahan-dahang paggalaw ng mga kamay ko sa likod ng sandalan ng upuan.

I hadn’t been thrashing earlier just out of rage. Every violent movement against the ropes was a calculated effort to find a weakness in the chair’s structure. This warehouse was old, at ang upuang pinagtalian nila sa akin ay antique—solid oak, pero ang mga joints nito ay bulok na sa katandaan. I could feel the wood yielding, crying out with every micro-adjustment of my weight.

Nang ilapit ni Clark ang kanyang mukha sa akin, hindi ako umiwas. I didn’t let him kiss me; instead, I used the proximity to mask the sound of the final, agonizing snap of the wood behind my back.

The moment Clark’s guard was at its lowest, kumilos na ako.

Hindi ako nagpilit na tumayo. Sa halip, ibinuhos ko ang buong bigat ng katawan ko pasulong, snapping the rotted backrest of the chair completely. Ang biglang pagbalanse ng bigat ko ang nagpabagsak sa akin kasama ang buong upuan diretso sa paanan ni Clark, taking him down with me.

BANG !

The soldier behind me fired instinctively, pero dahil bumagsak ako pasulong, ang bala ay dumaan lang sa ibabaw ng ulo ko at tumama sa sundalong nasa kabilang dako—ang nagbabantay sa hawla ni Jion.

“AGH!” The guard fell, his rifle clattering to the floor.

“Now!” I roared.

Mula sa dilim ng mga rafters, isang flash-bang grenade ang bumagsak. BOOM. Isang nakabubulag na puting liwanag at isang matinis na tunog ang pumutok sa loob ng bodega. It wasn’t the police—it was my personal extraction team, the “Ghosts” na pwestado na sa perimeter hours ago. They didn’t need sound; they used the chaos.

Clark was on the floor, clutching his face, blinded by the flash. Hindi ako nag-aksaya ng kahit isang segundo. Kahit may mga lubid pa sa aking braso, nilungga ko ang rifle na nabitawan ng guard malapit sa cage.

Rat-tat-tat-tat

!

Ang mga tauhan ko ay pumasok mula sa skylights, rappelling down like shadows. Samantalang ang mga lulong na lalaki sa harap ng hawla, didn’t even have enough time to stand up before they were neutralized.

“Jion! Duck!” I screamed.

Sinakmal ko si Clark sa leeg at binuhat siya.

Hindi ko siya pinatay—hindi pa sa ngayon.

Ginawa ko siyang human shield habang paurong akong lumalapit sa cage, my eyes scanning for Manang Cynthia.

“Drop it! Ibaba niyo ang mga armas niyo!” Blake’s voice boomed as he led the second wave through the front doors. Ang mga natitirang tauhan ni Clark, nang makitang bihag na ang kanilang boss at puno na ang kwarto ng mga red laser dots, ay binitawan na ang kanilang mga baril. It was over in less than sixty seconds.

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀ JION

Ang ugong sa mga tenga ko ay nakabubulag. Isang sandali, akala ko ay katapusan na ng lahat—na papanoorin ko ang pagkasira ng asawa ko—at sa susunod na segundo, ang buong kwarto ay napuno ng usok at putukan.

Naramdaman ko ang pagbukas ng pinto ng hawla.

“Jion! Jion, hey… look at me.”

Si Luca. Balot siya ng pawis at dugo, ang kanyang mga pulso ay sugatan mula sa mga lubid, pero buhay siya. He ignored everyone else in the room, his eyes frantic as he searched mine. Agad niyang isinuot sa akin ang kanyang tactical vest, pulling me out of the cage and into his arms.

“I’ve got you. I’m sorry. Patawad, baby… it was the only way to get them to lower their guard,” he whispered into my hair, ang kanyang buong katawan ay nanginginig dahil sa adrenaline.

Hindi ako makapagsalita. I just clung to him, my fingers digging into his shoulders. Tumingin ako sa likuran niya at nakita ko si Clark na pinipigilan sa sahig ng mga tauhan ni Luca. Clark was screaming, his face a mask of disbelief.

“You planned this?! Pinaniwala mo ako—”

“I let you think you were in control, Clark,” Luca said, his voice returning to that cold, terrifying Mafia Boss tone. Hindi man lang niya ito nilingon. “Dahil doon lang lumalabas ang totoong kulay ng mga ahas na katulad mo.”

Tumakbo si Aiden papasok sa kwarto, karga ang anak naming si Chibi. Nang makita kami ni Chibi, nagpakawala siya ng isang malakas na iyak, “Mama! Papa!”

Kinuha ni Luca ang anak namin sa isang braso, keeping the other wrapped tightly around my waist. Nakatayo kami sa gitna ng pagkawasak—isang pamilyang sugatan, pero nananatiling nakatayo.

“Is it over?” I whispered, habang nakatingin sa mga posas na inilalagay kina Manang Cynthia at Clark.

Luca looked at me, his gaze softening as he placed a hand over my stomach. “Tapos na, Jion. No more games. From now on, ang mga taong pagkakatiwalaan natin ay ang mga taong handang dumanak ang dugo para sa atin.”

“Let’s go,” I said, my voice finally steady. “Ayoko na rito.”

Tumango si Luca at sumenyas sa kanyang mga tauhan na sunugin ang bodega hanggang sa maging abo. He carried us both out into the cool morning air.

 (_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao

CHAPTER 43

/ 43/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

Sa awa ng Diyos, wala namang napuruhan sa amin. Even though what happened was traumatic, we tried our best to get back on our feet and continue with our lives.

Nitong mga nagdaang araw, I’ve felt a different kind of peace. Ang tunay na kasiyahang walang bahid ng pangamba o takot sa kung anong pwedeng mangyari. That heavy feeling I carried for years seemed to vanish completely the moment Clark was put behind bars.

Alam kong hindi lang siya ang banta sa amin, but right now, I don’t care about anything else. Being with the father of my child and seeing my son happy is enough for me to keep going. All I want now is a life filled with joy.

Lately, things have been a bit… intense. Aiden is currently staying at Blake’s house for a vacation—a necessary move because even he wasn’t exempt from the overwhelming pheromones my body is producing.

To help Luca manage the “heat” whenever we’re close, I’ve been volunteering to help him out. Ako na mismo ang nagpapal*bas sa kanya gamit ang mga kamay ko. I’m still hesitant to go all the way because let’s face it—hindi normal ang laki ng ari niya. I’m terrified of complications, especially since I’m in the early stages of a sensitive pregnancy.

“Ano na naman yan?” I asked, looking at him with annoyance as he piled chocolates onto our grocery tray.

“Para lang sa bata, Jion. Relax,” he replied, but I just narrowed my eyes at him.

“Yan ang mahirap sa’yo, you’re spoiling him too much! Tignan mo nga ang ngipin ng anak mo,” I scolded him. Pudpod na ang ngipin ni Chibi dahil sa mga candies at chocolates na parating pasalubong ng damuhong ito tuwing umuuwi siya.

“Last na ’to, I promise,” he chuckled, but I dragged him away toward the fruit and vegetable section.

I started grabbing everything healthy—leafy greens, vibrant fruits, and of course, a ridiculous amount of avocados. Todo lagay din si Luca ng mga prutas, pero halos ubusin ko na ang stock ng avocado. I’ve been craving them like crazy.

Dati rati, I hated avocados. Whenever I saw Aiden mashing them with milk, sugar, and ice, I found it repulsive. Diring-diri ako sa hitsura noon. But since last week, I’ve been obsessed. It’s so yummy and creamy, especially with lots of milk! Ugh, heaven.

“Magtatayo ka yata ng avocado farm sa bahay? We still have some from yesterday, but here you are buying the whole store,” Luca teased, watching me inspect the fruits.

“Baka naman maging ‘The Grinch’ yang anak natin sa dami ng avocado na kinakain mo.”

I laughed, hitting him playfully. “But then again,” he leaned in, whispering in my ear with a smirk, “you swallow my c*m every day, so maybe my white fluid counters the green color of the avocado.”

“Bunganga mo nga! Ilugar mo,” I snapped, though I couldn’t help but giggle because he wasn’t lying.

While we were browsing the aisles, we stopped abruptly.

A stranger was standing near the end of the aisle, and the moment our eyes met, he couldn’t seem to look away. He was staring at me with an intensity that made my skin crawl—as if he knew exactly who I was.

“Pare! Long time no see!” Luca greeted the man with a surprised smile.

Magkakilala sila? I wondered. But instead of looking at Luca, the man’s eyes remained fixed on me. It was weird and extremely uncomfortable.

“Grabe, you stayed in Canada for so long. I didn’t know you were back in the Philippines,” Luca said, genuinely happy to see an old friend.

I looked away, focusing on a pile of oranges just to avoid the stranger’s gaze. I didn’t like the way he was looking at me. Not one bit.

“Naka-isang buwan na rin ako dito,” the man replied, his voice smooth but oily. “Anyway… baka naman gusto mo akong ipakilala sa kasama mo.”

“Ah, sorry. ASAWA ko pala pre,” Luca said, putting heavy emphasis on the word asawa even though we aren’t officially married yet. I guess he felt the weird vibe too.

“Ah, talaga ba? You have great taste, Luca. High quality,” the man smirked. His eyes raked over my body, and for a second, I felt like he was stripping me naked with his stare.

“Chill lang, pre. I’m just saying… masarap siguro lamutakin ang asawa mo. Based on his scent, he’s definitely a carrier. You must be having the time of your life.”

I saw Luca’s jaw tighten and his fists clench. He was about to explode and bash his friend’s face in. I immediately stepped in, grabbing Luca’s arm to hold him back.

“One more disrespectful word, Mister, and I will call the security to have you arrested,” I said, my voice low and dangerous.

I looked the man dead in the eye. “Magpasalamat ka at napigilan ko ang asawa ko. Because if I let him go, your face would be unrecognizable. If I were you, I’d walk away now before I change my mind about holding him back.”

The man saw the fire in my eyes and the murderous look on Luca’s face. He realized he was outmatched. He muttered a quick apology and hurried away.

“H*yop na yon. Nagawa ka pang bastusin sa harap ko,” Luca growled, his whole body shaking with suppressed rage.

“Hayaan mo na. He’s gone,” I said, gently stroking his arm to calm him down. I fixed his collar and looked him in the eye. “I know he was wrong, but don’t be impulsive. Mas magiging magulo lang if you always lead with your fists.”

“He insulted you, Jion,” he spat.

“I can handle myself. Just stay calm for me, okay? And please, huwag kong malalaman na may mangyayaring masama sa lalaking ’yon ha,” I warned, giving him a quick kiss on the lips to seal the deal.

He finally deflated, the tension leaving his shoulders. We continued our shopping, but I took his phone from his pocket just to be sure. I had a feeling he might try to call his men to track that guy down later.

Advanced na ako mag-isip; mahirap na.

Nang makarating kami sa counter, the staff helped us pack and carry the groceries to the car. The drive home was peaceful, and before I knew it, we were pulling into the driveway.

 (_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 44

/ 44/

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

Dahil sa mga bagong katulong at katiwala ni Luca sa bahay, everything became easier. Hindi ko na kailangang mamroblema sa mga grocery o gawaing bahay. But behind that convenience was a lingering shadow.

After what happened with Clark and Manang Cynthia, Luca became extremely strict and meticulous about the people living under our roof. He’s always on high alert because he doesn’t want a repeat of that trauma.

Honestly, kahit ako, ayaw ko nang maulit iyon kahit kailan.

“Ano na naman yan?” I asked, looking at Tikboy with a mix of amusement and concern as he tried to carry two heavy crates at once.

Si Tikboy ang pinsan ni Luca mula sa lalawigan. He’s the quickest to move around the house, always ready to follow even my simplest requests. Kaya siya na ang palagi kong nauutusan. Since we’re around the same age, hindi ako naiilang sa kanya. He’s been my helping hand, lifting heavy things whenever Luca is away at work.

“Tikboy, pakikuha nga ng box ng avocado doon,” I called out, pointing to the corner of the kitchen.

“Sir, dito lang ba?” he asked, easily lifting the box and placing it on a chair. His movements were light, almost graceful despite the weight.

“Oo, diyan na lang. Salamat,” I replied with a smile.

“May ipapagawa pa po ba kayo, Sir?” He looked at me with an eager, friendly expression. “Tawagin niyo lang po ako. I’m always free for you.”

I just nodded and started putting the avocados in the fridge. Dati rati, I hated handling so many at once—but now, I can’t get enough of their creamy texture and taste.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps at the door.

“Iyak nang iyak oh! Kanina ka pa hinahanap,” Luca’s voice echoed as he walked in carrying Chibi, whose face was soaked with tears.

“Ay, kawawa naman ang baby. Come here,” I said, abandoning the avocados to carry our son.

“Bakit ka nagka-cry ang baby na iyan?”

“Nag-bad dream po kasi ako… may malaking boy na sumusunod sa’yo lagi,” Chibi sobbed, clutching my shirt tightly.

My heart softened. “Aduy. Don’t be scared—Daddy Luca is here, he’ll fight all the bad guys for us,” I soothed him, glancing at Luca.

“Yes, baby. Daddy will protect us everywhere we go,” Luca added, wiping Chibi’s tears. It took a while, but eventually, our son calmed down.

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀ LUCA

After dinner, we settled in our room. Jion was busy with his skincare routine, but I noticed he kept glancing at his drawer with a confused look on his face.

“Luca,” he started, turning to me. “Napansin mo ba yung white boxers na lagi kong ginagamit? Pati yung black ones na binigay mo sa akin?”

I frowned, walking over to him. “Hindi ko nakita. Why? Nawawala ba?”

Jion sighed, looking genuinely worried. “The past few days, napapansin ko na nawawala sila. Every time I put them in the laundry basket, kinabukasan, wala na. Impossible namang kumuha si Chibi, at ikaw naman may sarili kang damit. There are only four males in this house—me, you, Chibi, and Tikboy.”

“Maybe it’s one of the maids?” I suggested, though I knew my security protocols were tight. “Baka napagkamalan nilang kanila?”

“G*ga ka, Luca! Baka ikaw ang pagnasaan nila,” Jion laughed, but his face quickly turned serious.

“Pero imposible rin namang si Tikboy… parang masyado siyang mabait para gumawa ng ganon.”

I felt a pang of unease.

“Diba may hidden cam tayo rito? Let’s check the footage.”

I pulled out my phone and accessed the feed—a security measure only Jion and I knew about. We started scrolling through the past few days. At first, it was just us—private, intimate moments that made us both flush and laugh.

Pero nang makarating kami sa footage right after Tikboy arrived, our smiles faded.

We watched in silence as the bedroom door creaked open. Tikboy walked in cautiously, looking around before heading straight to the laundry hamper. He rummaged through the clothes, pulling out three of Jion’s boxers. My blood turned cold when I saw him press the fabric to his face, sniffing it like an addict. Then he lay on our bed, undoing his belt.

“Ahhh!” Jion gasped, turning his head away in disgust.

I stood up, my jaw set so tight it hurt. “P*tangina,” I growled, heading for the door. Jion followed at a distance, pulling on my arm.

“Don’t do anything rash, Luca! Huwag kang magpadalos-dalos,” he whispered, but I was already moving downstairs. I found Tikboy in his room, packing a bag.

I reached Tikboy’s room and kicked the door open with such force that it slammed against the wall.

BLAG!

Tikboy jumped out of his bed, eyes wide with shock. “K-Kuya Luca? Bakit—”

I didn’t let him finish. I lunged at him, grabbing his collar and pulling my fist back. I was ready to shatter his jaw. I wanted to destroy him for disrespecting my husband and my home. But as my fist was inches away from his face, I saw a glimpse of my Tiyang Lucing, his mother, in his eyes.

My hand trembled with suppressed rage. I didn’t swing. Instead, I shoved him hard against the wall.

“Anong ginagawa mo sa kwarto namin, Tikboy?!” I roared, my voice shaking the walls.

“Akala mo ba hindi ko alam? Akala mo ba hindi kita nakikita?!”

Tikboy’s face went pale. He looked at me, then at the floor, his body starting to shake. He realized the game was up.

“K-Kuya… sorry,” he whispered, his voice cracking.

“Patawad, Kuya. Hindi ko sinasadya…

“Hindi sinasadya?! Pumasok ka sa kwarto namin, nagnakaw ka, at binastos mo ang asawa ko!” I slammed my hand against the wall next to his head.

“I trusted you! Binigyan kita ng trabaho at maayos na buhay, tapos gaganito ka?!”

Tikboy slumped to his knees, sobbing. “Sorry, Kuya… Sorry. Hindi ko lang mapigilan ang sarili ko. Every time I smell his scent, nawawala ako sa wisyo. Lalake lang ako, Kuya! Pinigilan ko naman, pero ang hirap…”

“Lalake lang?!” I spat on the floor in disgust.

“Hindi ’yan rason para maging hayop ka. You’re family, Tikboy. That’s the only reason you’re still breathing right now.”

I stepped back, looking at him with pure loathing.

“Mag-impake ka. Ngayon din. You’re going back to Mindoro. I don’t want to see your face in this house ever again.”

“Kuya, please! Parang awa mo na!” he begged, clutching my legs. “Gagawin ko ang lahat, hinding-hindi na mauulit! Huwag mo akong paalisin!”

“Bitaw!” I kicked his hand away.

“One more word and I’ll forget that we share the same blood. I’ll have my men drag you out of here.”

I watched him scramble to get his bag, his “nice guy” persona completely gone, replaced by a desperate, pathetic mess.

“Kuya… please… I can’t be away from Sir Jion. Mamatay ako kung ilalayo mo siya sa akin.”

Those words sent a chill down my spine. This wasn’t guilt—it was madness.

“You’re insane,” I spat.

“Umalis ka na bago ko pa tawagin ang mga tauhan ko para kaladkarin ka palabas. Wala akong pinsan na traydor.”

I watched him pack his things in silence, then had Ben drive him straight to the port. When I returned to our room, Jion was waiting, looking pale.

“He’s gone,” I said, pulling him into a hug. “Ben will make sure he reaches Mindoro.”

“I was so wrong about him,” Jion whispered, leaning into my chest. “It’s scary how people can hide their true colors.”

“Wag kang matakot,” I kissed his forehead. “As long as you’re carrying our children, I won’t let anyone—not even family—get close to you. I’m your shield, baby.”

Jion nodded, clinging to me as we prepared for bed. We were safe for now, but the realization that our house could still be breached kept us both awake long into the night.

 (_/) (  •-•)             ./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊° ciao.

CHAPTER 45

/45/

Warning:

Mature Content

The following scenes contain explicit material intended solely for mature readers aged 18 and above. If you are under 18, and if you are uncomfortable with adult themes, explicit language, or graphic content, you should not proceed. Readers discretion is advised .

JION

( ˃ᯅ˂ ) |     |/ <（‿ˠ‿）> ूाीू

Several weeks have passed since the disgusting behavior of Luca’s cousin was exposed. Even so, he stayed in Mindoro and hasn’t bothered us since. Life in the mansion returned to its peaceful state, and the tension finally started to fade.

Nitong mga nagdaang linggo ay mas lalong pinadama ni Luca ang pagmamahal niya sa akin. Every minute, he checks on me, ensuring that I am perfectly okay and comfortable. Because of his consistency, hindi ko na lolokohin ang aking sarili at magpapahard-to-get pa. The moment Luca offers me a ring, I won’t even wait for a second—sasagot na ako ng “Yes.”

I can clearly see the amount of love he pours into me and our son. Lubos-lubos pa nga ito at talagang spoiled na spoiled kaming dalawa. Even though the whole world turned its back on me before, siya lang ang bumalik at tinanggap ako ng buong-buo. As his partner, I will do everything to make every second of our lives together happy.

“Hayofff?! Bakit may mga face mask keneme pa? Ganyan na ba kapowerful yang paromores mo?” ang malakas na sigaw ni Aiden na kakapasok lang ng bahay.

“G*ga, baka naman jigasan ka kung maamoy mo ako,” ang natatawa kong sambit lalo na’t kahit sa kanya ay may epekto ito.

“G*ga kahit na magtiktilaok tong manok ko, si Papa Blake parin ang magpapahupa dito. Atsaka ang lakas makapandemic vibes ng mask-mask kemerut niyo,” ang sambit nito na ikinatawa ko naman.

“O sige, tanggalin mo na te. Basta’t wag kang mangati diyan ha,” ang babala ko sa kanya.

“Gaga kahit kailan hindi ako papatol sayo, ano yon lasunan?” ang sambit nito sabay kuha ng facemask. “Oh kamusta ka na baks? Mukhang blowming ka!”

“Of course, lagi ba namang may pera, kompleto ang tulog at sagana sa dilig. Sabihin mo nga, sinong hindi magiging blowwwwming don,” ang pagmamalaki ko na ikinapalakpak naman niya.

“G*ga ka talaga, eme-eme ko lang naman yung mga sulsul jokes ko at magpabundat jokes ko pero tinotoo mo talaga! Pero I’m proud of you kasi masusundan niyo na si Chibi,” ang nakangiting sambit nito kaya naman mabilis ko itong pinalo.

“Ganyan ka kasi, hindi ka naman talaga seryoso sa lahat ng bagay,” ang natatawa kong sambit.

“Uyyy seryoso ako sa kanya, pero speaking of seryoso… Tangina seryosong jinijigasan ako! Magpapa-adjust na naman ako ng ring light ko kay Blake niyan HUHUHUHU. Katatapos palang namin tapos ito na ulit!” ang sambit nito sabay takbong papalabas ng bahay.

“H*yop yang paramores mo! Ang lakas!” ang huling kataga pa nito bago nagmamadaling lumabas sa bahay.

“Pheromones yon gaga!” ang pahabol ko naman habang hindi mapigilang hindi matawa sa kagagahan ng baklang yon.

“What happened to your friend? Blake and I were still talking, then he suddenly dragged him away,” Luca asked as he entered, looking completely confused.

“Tinig*san ang bakla, kaya ayon nataranta,” I told him while trying to catch my breath from laughing.

“Tsk. Your pheromones are really too strong, baby. I’m ending up in so many fights with other men just to keep them away from you,” Luca grumbled, his brow furrowing in frustration.

“Well, if you’re complaining, maybe it’s better if we don’t stay together,” I responded sharply, which made his eyes widen in shock.

“Even if I have to fight a dozen men just to protect the one I love, I’ll do it,” he whispered, which made me give him a small, satisfied smile.

“Aysusususus, fine, whatever you say,” I said as I took another bite of my avocado.

“Beh, I want a massage. Give me a massage again,” he said, leaning into my personal space. I knew exactly what he was hinting at. I reached for his boxers and I was right—galit na galit na naman ang kanyang pagkalalaki.

“It’s a good thing the staff is out today. Tayo lang ang nandito sa bahay,” Luca whispered while softly kissing my neck.

Actually, the doctor already said that penetration is fine since I don’t have any complications. However, Luca chose to be extra careful these past few days. But honestly? I’m craving it too. It’s been a long time since we really connected deeply.

I quickly knelt down to pull off his boxers. I gasped when his length suddenly sprang free and hit my face. “Ang laki,” I whispered in awe. It looked like a solid branch—thick, heavy, and pulsing.

I pushed him down on the sofa and didn’t hesitate. “F*ckkkk,” he groaned as I moved my hand up and down his length. The precum made the movement incredibly smooth.

“Are you ready?” I asked with a playful look. Then, I took a piece of clothing and blindfolded his eyes.

“Ohhh, exciting,” Luca chuckled. “I know you missed this,” I whispered, biting his ear softly. I grabbed the lube from the room and hurried back to the living room.

I slowly climbed onto him. “Do you remember what the doctor told us?” I asked while applying the lubricant to my entrance.

“Y-yes… that it’s not bad even if you’re pregnant,” he rasped out.

Luca ripped the blindfold off when he felt me slowly seating myself on his massive length. “T*nginaa,” we both cursed at the same time.

“I-I missed this,” I whispered while slowly sliding down until his entire length was buried deep inside me.

“F*****ckkk baby, are you okay?” he asked, brushing the hair away from my face.

“Shhhh… the pain will fade,” I comforted him. But I couldn’t wait anymore. I turned around and did the reverse cowgirl position while gripping the back of the sofa for support.

I moved down to the base and pulled all the way up to the head. We were both gasping for air with every stroke.

“F*ck it! I can’t take it anymore!” Luca cursed because he couldn’t handle the pleasure. Gripping my waist, he started hammering into me with incredible speed. It felt like he was drilling through me, and the intensity made my whole body shake with pure bliss.

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

LUCA

( ˃ᯅ˂ ) ¡¡ ( ꪊꪻ⊂)

The silence of the mansion was heavy, broken only by the hum of the air conditioner and the frantic pounding of my own heart. I was flat on my back, pinned to the expensive leather of the sofa, looking up at the man who had become my beginning and my end. Jion was hovering over me, his skin glowing under the warm amber lights of the living room, looking like a masterpiece of flesh and desire.

I’ve faced down armies, survived betrayals that would have broken lesser men, but looking at Jion right now—naked, dominant, and absolutely lethal in his beauty—I felt my knees go weak even while lying down. The scent of his pheromones was no longer just a hint; it was a goddamn flood, a thick, sweet, and intoxicating wave that bypassed my brain and went straight to my blood. It demanded one thing: surrender.

“Luca,” he whispered, and the way my name rolled off his tongue felt like a command. “Sabi ko sa’yo kanina, don’t you dare touch me unless I tell you to. You’ve been so busy being the ‘Mafia Boss’ and the ‘Protector’ that you forgot I can handle you, too.”

I swallowed hard, my throat feeling like it was lined with sandpaper. My length was throbbing between us, aching with a dull, heavy pressure that was becoming unbearable. “Jion, f*ck… you’re killing me,” I managed to rasp out.

He didn’t answer with words. Instead, he reached down, his fingers slender and steady as he guided my tip to his entrance. He didn’t rush. He moved with the agonizing precision of a predator who knew his prey had nowhere to run. He rested his weight against me, the heat of his body searing through mine, and then, he began to push.

“T-t*ngina,” I cursed, my eyes squeezing shut as I felt him stretch.

The sensation was overwhelming. It wasn’t just the physical friction; it was the sheer weight of his presence. He was taking me in, inch by grueling inch, his breath hitching in his chest as his body adjusted to the massive thickness I was forcing upon him. I could feel his internal muscles trembling, reacting to the invasion, but Jion didn’t flinch. He leaned forward, his hands planting firmly on my shoulders, his eyes locked onto mine with a gaze that was both hungry and sadistic.

“Open your eyes, Luca,” he commanded, his voice trembling with the effort of taking me. “Look at me. Look at what you’re doing to me.”

I opened them, my vision blurring at the edges. I saw the way his jaw was set, the way a single bead of sweat rolled down his temple. He was nearly halfway down now, and the pressure was building in my gut like a ticking bomb. The doctor’s words about safety were a distant memory; all that mattered was the friction, the heat, and the way Jion was looking at me like he wanted to consume my soul.

“You’re… so… full,” Jion gasped, his face contorting in a beautiful mask of pleasure and pain. “I missed this, Luca. Every night na pinapanood kita habang natutulog, I missed the feeling of you stretching me out like this. I missed being filled by you.”

With a sudden, sharp intake of breath, he seated himself the rest of the way. PLAK. The sound of our pelvic bones colliding was loud in the empty room, a final, visceral declaration of our connection.

“F*CK!” I bellowed, my back arching off the leather. My vision went white for a split second. The heat inside him was staggering—a tight, wet, and pulsing velvet that seemed to swallow my entire length. I felt the base of my length hit his entrance, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe.

Jion didn’t move. He stayed there, seated fully on me, his head falling back as he let out a long, shuddering moan that vibrated through my own chest. I could feel him pulsing around me, his body trying to reclaim its shape while I was buried deep within him.

“Don’t move,” he whispered, even though I was already frozen. “Let me feel you first. Let me remember what it’s like to have you all the way in.”

I watched his chest heave, his ribs standing out with every ragged breath. The sadism from earlier was still there, flickering in his eyes, but it was being overtaken by a desperate, raw longing. He started to grind his hips, not in a rhythm yet, but in a slow, agonizing circle that forced me to feel every ridge, every curve of his interior.

“You like that, Luca?” he teased, his voice dropping an octave. He leaned down, his lips ghosting over mine but never quite touching. “Does it feel good to be owned by your carrier? To be trapped inside me while I decide what to do with you?”

I couldn’t even answer. I was too busy trying not to lose my mind. My hands were flat against the sofa, my knuckles white as I fought the urge to grab his waist and buck upwards. I wanted to destroy him; I wanted to worship him. I was a mess of conflicting instincts, all of them centered on the man currently using me as his throne.

“I asked you a question, Luca,” Jion said, his voice sharpening. He reached up and gripped my hair, pulling my head back so I had to look up at him. “Does it feel good?”

“Yes,” I choked out, my voice sounding like it belonged to a stranger. “F*ck, yes, Jion. It feels like heaven and hell at the same time.”

He smirked—a dark, triumphant expression that made my blood boil. “Good. Because I’m just getting started. I’m going to make you feel every single inch of this. I’m going to make you beg for me to stop, and then I’m going to make you beg for me to never let you go.”

He began to lift himself up, slowly. My eyes tracked the movement, watched as his torso rose, watched as he pulled his body up the length of me. It felt like a slow-motion torture. The friction of him exiting was almost as intense as him entering. I felt the head of my length snagging against his walls, the internal muscles squeezing me as if they didn’t want to let go.

He pulled up until he was almost entirely out, until only the very tip of me was keeping us connected. I could see the glistening stretch of his entrance, the way he was flushed and swollen from the initial entry. He stayed there for a heartbeat, two, letting the tension build until it was a physical weight in the air.

And then, he dropped.

He didn’t just sit; he used his entire weight, his gravity, and his desperation to slam himself back down onto me.

“ARGH!” I roared, the air leaving my lungs in a violent rush.

The impact was devastating. It was a full-service plunge that hit my base with the force of a freight train. Jion didn’t stop there. The moment he was seated, he bounced back up, his movement becoming more fluid, more practiced. He started to ride me with a savage, unrelenting pace that left no room for thought.

He was serving the entire length now—all the way up until the head, and then a brutal, downward thrust that buried me deep in his core. Over and over. The sound of our bodies hitting—that rhythmic, wet thwak—filled the room, a heartbeat for the lust that was consuming us both.

“I missed… this… so… much!” Jion cried out, his voice breaking as his rhythm became more frantic. He was clawing at my chest now, his nails dragging over my skin, but I didn’t care about the pain. All I cared about was the way he was taking me, the way he was making sure I felt every millimeter of his desire.

I looked up at him, and for the first time in my life, I truly understood what it meant to be powerless. I was the head of a criminal organization, a man of power and wealth, but here, under Jion, I was nothing but a foundation for his pleasure. And as he continued to ride me, his eyes wide and glazed with lust, I realized that I wouldn’t have it any other way.

But the real session was only just beginning.

The living room was thick with the scent of sex and Jion’s overwhelming pheromones. My chest was heaving, my skin mapped with the red marks of his nails, but the fire in my gut was only burning hotter. Jion was still hovering over me, his breath coming in ragged, shallow gasps, his body glistening with a fine sheen of sweat that made him look like he was carved from marble.

“You’re taking it so well, Luca,” he whispered, his voice dripping with a dark, satisfied pride. “Pero alam kong bitin ka pa. I can feel you throbbing inside me, demanding more than just this.”

Before I could even process his words, Jion began to move. But he wasn’t just bouncing anymore. With a slow, predatory grace, he lifted himself up until we were barely connected, and then he shifted. He turned his body around, pivoting on my length with a deliberate friction that made my head roll back in a silent scream.

He was now in a reverse cowgirl position, his back to me, his hands reaching forward to grip the armrest and the back of the sofa for leverage. This view… it was a different kind of torture. I could see the arch of his spine, the way his muscles ripplied under his skin, and the devastating curve of his backside as he prepared to continue his assault.

“Now,” he grunted, his voice sounding deeper, more focused. “Let’s see if you can handle the full view of how I’m using you.”

He didn’t ease into it. Jion began a relentless, full-service rhythm that was even more brutal than before. He would lift his hips until the head of my length was almost visible, catching against the swollen lips of his entrance, and then he would slam himself down with a violence that made the sofa creak and slide against the floor.

PLAK. PLAK. PLAK.

The sound was intoxicating. It was the sound of my husband claiming me, of him servicing every single inch of my length with a sadistic dedication. He was grinding his seat against my base with every downward thrust, making sure that the friction was constant and agonizingly perfect.

“F*ck, Jion! Stop… you’re going to make me break!” I roared, my hands gripping his thighs, trying to stabilize him, but he only pushed my hands away, his fingers digging into the leather of the sofa as he picked up the pace.

“I told you… don’t touch me!” he yelled back over his shoulder, his head tossing from side to side. “I want to feel you like this. I want to feel every ridge of you hitting my walls without you helping. I want to work for it!”

He was being so cruel, so beautifully sadistic. He knew that by turning around, he was depriving me of his face, of his eyes, leaving me with nothing but the sight of his body working me over. He started to vary the depth—three shallow, rapid-fire thrusts that barely teased the entrance, followed by a singular, devastating plunge that buried me so deep I felt my pulse echoing in his core.

“I miss you… inside me… like this!” Jion wailed, his voice echoing in the high ceilings of the mansion. “Namiss ko ’yung pakiramdam na wala kang takot na saktan ako… na binibigay mo sa akin lahat!”

I watched his back muscles tense and relax, watched the way his skin flushed a deep, rose-petal pink. He was moving like a man possessed, his rhythm becoming erratic as the pleasure began to overwhelm his senses. He wasn’t just riding me; he was trying to consume me. Every time he dropped down, I felt his internal walls squeezing me with a desperate, milking pressure that threatened to end the session right then and there.

“Look at what you’re doing to me, Luca!” he screamed, his voice breaking. He leaned forward, almost flat against the sofa, his backside tilted up to give me even deeper access.

I was seeing everything—the way I was stretching him, the way his body was reacting to the sheer size of me. It was a visceral, raw display of lust. I could see the lubricant and precum glistening on his skin, making every slide louder, every thrust more lubricated and intense.

“You like… this view… don’t you?” Jion gasped, turning his head just enough for me to see the madness in his eyes. His pupils were so dilated they were almost entirely black. “Knowing that I’m taking all of you… every single centimeter… and I’m still asking for more?”

“You’re a demon, Jion,” I managed to choke out, my voice raw from screaming. “A beautiful, f*cking demon.”

“Then let me show you what hell feels like,” he replied with a dark, breathless laugh.

He doubled his speed. The room was no longer a living room; it was a chamber of friction and heat. Jion was bouncing so hard his entire body was vibrating, his cries of pleasure turning into primal, wordless shrieks. He was servicing the length with a ferocity that was borderline manic, his body demanding the climax that was hovering just out of reach.

I felt my own control slipping. The “Mafia Boss” was gone. The protector was gone. There was only a man being driven to the brink of insanity by the person he loved most in the world. I wanted to flip him over, I wanted to take charge, but Jion’s dominance was a cage I didn’t want to escape.

“Inside… I can feel you… getting closer!” Jion cried out, his movements becoming heavy and sluggish as his muscles began to fatigue, but he didn’t stop. He pushed through the burn, his sheer will keeping him going as he delivered the final, most punishing set of thrusts of this round.

“Don’t you dare… pull out… Luca! Give it to me… ALL OF IT!”

But the climax wasn’t here yet. He was teasing me, teasing himself, building the pressure until it was a physical agony in my veins.

My breath was coming in ragged, painful stabs. Jion was still on top of me, his back turned, his body slick with a mixture of sweat and the lubricant that made every slide sound like a wet, rhythmic slap. He was exhausted—I could see his shoulders trembling—but his resolve was terrifying. He was a man possessed, a sadistic angel determined to drain every ounce of my self-control.

“Turn around,” I growled, my voice sounding like it was being dragged over gravel. “Jion, f*ck… look at me.”

He let out a shaky, breathless laugh, his head falling forward as he gripped the sofa armrest. “Bakit? Is the view… not enough for you, Luca?”

“I want to see your eyes when I break,” I hissed.

He didn’t argue this time. He lifted himself up, a slow and agonizing separation that made us both moan in protest as the cool air hit the heat of our connection. He pivoted back around, his face flushed a deep crimson, his eyes glazed with a madness that matched my own. The moment he was facing me again, he didn’t sit down. He hovered just above the head of my length, teasing the entrance, his chest heaving as he stared me down.

“You think you’re the only one breaking?” he whispered, his voice trembling. “I am shattered, Luca. I am in pieces because of you.”

He suddenly dropped, seating himself with a violence that sent a jolt of pure electricity straight to my brain. But this time, he didn’t stay still. He reached down and gripped my wrists, pinning my hands to the sofa above my head. He was small, but with the adrenaline and the pheromones, his strength was undeniable.

“Watch me,” he commanded, his face inches from mine. “Watch how I take you.”

He began the final assault. It was no longer about grace or rhythm; it was about raw, unadulterated power. Jion was bouncing with a speed that was borderline dangerous, his body a blur of motion as he serviced every single millimeter of my length.

PLAK. PLAK. PLAK. PLAK.

The sound was deafening, the friction so intense it felt like my blood was boiling. Jion was crying now—not out of sadness, but out of the sheer, overwhelming weight of the pleasure. Tears tracked through the sweat on his cheeks as he delivered deep, punishing thrusts that hit my base with the force of a hammer.

“I miss you… I miss you inside me so f*cking much!” he wailed, his voice cracking. “I want to feel you in my soul, Luca! Fill me! Destroy me!”

I couldn’t stay passive anymore. My sadistic little husband had pushed me to my limit. With a roar that felt like it tore my throat, I broke free from his grip. My hands flew to his waist, my fingers digging into his hips so hard I knew I’d leave marks, but Jion only smirked through his tears. He wanted the monster. He wanted the Mafia Boss.

“Then give it to me!” he screamed, his voice a primal shriek.

I bucked up, meeting his downward thrusts with my own violent surges. We were no longer two people; we were a collision of heat and desperation. The sofa was groaning under the weight of our battle, sliding across the floor as I drove into him with everything I had left.

“Everything, Luca! GIVE ME EVERYTHING!”

I felt it then—the sudden, violent tightening of his walls. He was milking me, his interior muscles spasming in a rhythmic, desperate plea for the end. His head fell back, his throat exposed as he let out a wordless, high-pitched cry of release. He was vibrating, his entire body convulsing as his climax took hold.

The sight of him shattered—the man I would burn the world for, completely undone by my body—was the final trigger.

“JION!” I roared his name like a prayer and a curse.

I drove upward one last time, burying myself so deep I felt his heartbeat against my tip. I poured everything into him—my love, my protection, my lust, and the months of longing we had endured. My vision went white, my heart hammered a frantic rhythm against my ribs, and for a few seconds, the world simply ceased to exist. There was only the heat, the scent of his pheromones, and the feeling of being home.

We stayed locked together as the waves of our release slowly ebbed away. Jion collapsed against my chest, his breath hot and ragged against my skin. I wrapped my arms around him, holding him as if he were the only thing keeping me grounded in this world.

The living room was silent again, save for the sound of our overlapping gasps for air.

“I got you,” I whispered into his hair, my voice finally softening. “I’ve got you, baby.”

Jion didn’t say anything. He just squeezed me tighter, his fingers tracing the marks he had left on my chest. We were exhausted, we were a mess, but as I looked at him, I knew that no matter what threats came from the outside world, as long as we had this, we were untouchable.

The atmosphere in the dining room had shifted from playful to something heavy, dark, and dangerously carnal. I was slumped back in that mahogany chair, legs kicked out wide, every muscle in my body vibrating with a tension that was bordering on agony. My skin was flushed, and my breath was a series of jagged, broken rasps that echoed against the expensive marble walls.

Jion was still there, kneeling between my thighs, but the “sweetness” had completely evaporated. He looked up at me through his lashes, his eyes dark with a predatory hunger that made my heart hammer against my ribs. He reached out, his palms sliding up my inner thighs, his touch burning like a brand.

“You look so powerful like this, Luca,” he whispered, his voice low and vibrating with a sudden, sharp edge. “Like a king waiting for his tribute. Pero alam nating dalawa kung sino ang talagang may hawak ng tali ngayon.”

He didn’t wait for me to respond. He leaned in, his lips grazing the very tip of me, teasing the sensitive skin with a light, agonizingly slow swirl of his tongue. I let out a choked sound, my hands gripping the armrests so hard I thought the wood might splinter.

Then, he took me in.

He didn’t ease into it this time. He plunged, taking as much of my thickness as he could in one smooth, practiced motion. The heat was staggering—a wet, tight velvet that seemed to pull the air right out of my lungs. I felt my hips jerk instinctively, my body trying to meet the friction, but Jion’s hands were like iron on my thighs, pinning me in place.

“Don’t move,” he commanded against me, the vibration of his voice sending a jolt of electricity straight to my core.

He began to work with a brutal, focused intensity. He wasn’t just using his mouth; he was using his entire being to worship the length of me. He would pull back until he was just teasing the head, swirling his tongue around the rim until I was seeing stars, and then he would dive back down, his throat working rhythmically as he swallowed me whole.

SLURP. SLURP.

The sounds of his ministrations were filthy, raw, and completely intoxicating. I watched him—watched the way his cheeks hollowed, the way his throat moved with every deep, suctioning pull. He was being so f*cking meticulous, making sure that every nerve ending was screaming for mercy.

“J-Jion… f*ck… enough,” I gasped, my head tossing from side to side. My vision was starting to blur, the pleasure becoming so intense it felt like a physical weight.

Jion ignored me. If anything, he became more aggressive. He used his hand at the base to create a vacuum, his movements becoming a blur of friction and heat. He was a master of his craft, and right now, his craft was my destruction. He looked up at me, his eyes wide and glazed with a dark, sadistic pleasure as he watched me fall apart.

“I can feel your heart beating inside my mouth, Luca,” he murmured, pulling back just enough to let the words out. His lips were swollen, glistening with the evidence of his work. “It’s so fast. Are you scared? Or are you just that desperate for me?”

“I’m desperate,” I confessed, my pride long gone. “F*ck, Jion, I’m desperate for you.”

He smirked—a dark, triumphant expression that made my blood boil with a different kind of fire. He went back down, but this time, he wasn’t just using his mouth. He used his teeth ever so slightly, a tiny, sharp pressure that made me howl. It was a sensory overload—the cold air, the hot wetness of his mouth, and the sharp sting of his teeth.

I reached down, my fingers tangling in his hair, not to pull him away, but to force him deeper. I wanted to feel the back of his throat; I wanted to feel him choke on the sheer size of my desire for him. Jion met my aggression with his own, his rhythm becoming frantic, his breath hitching as he tried to keep up with the demands of my body.

The dining room, a place usually reserved for formal elegance, had become a chamber of raw, unadulterated lust. The cold marble, the heavy wood, and the man kneeling before me—it was a visual I would carry to my grave.

“Luca… I can’t… wait anymore,” Jion gasped, finally pulling away. He was breathless, his face flushed a deep crimson, his eyes Dilated and full of a wild, untamed longing.

He stood up, his body trembling as he climbed onto the massive dining table. He sat on the edge, his legs spreading wide to welcome me, his hands reaching out to pull me toward him.

“Finish it,” he commanded, his voice a primal shriek. “Inside me, Luca! Finish it inside me right now!”

I didn’t need to be told twice. I stood up, my body a mess of nerves and fire, and prepared to claim the man who had just dismantled me.

The tension in the dining room had reached a fever pitch. I was still pinned to that mahogany chair, my breath coming in heavy, ragged hitches, while Jion remained on his knees. But his strategy changed. He pulled back just enough to let the cool air hit the head of my length, his eyes dark and fixed on mine with a hunger that was almost frightening.

“You’re right at the edge, aren’t you, Luca?” he whispered, his voice vibrating with a dark, triumphant energy.

Instead of taking me back in, Jion reached out with both hands. He gripped me firmly at the base and began to jack it off with a relentless, punishing speed. He wasn’t being gentle; he was stroking me with a desperate, crushing pressure that made my hips jerk off the chair. Every upward slide was a deliberate friction that threatened to shatter my remaining self-control.

Then, he did something that made my blood boil. He tilted his head back, his eyes wide and unblinking, and slowly let his tongue loll out. He stayed like that—kneeling between my legs, his hands working me into a frenzy, while his tongue waited like an altar for a sacrifice. He looked feral, completely stripped of the “nice guy” persona I knew. He looked like he was starving.

“Look at me,” he groaned through the hand he had free to stroke himself. “Look at how much I want you, Luca.”

The sight was too much. The “King” was dead; there was only a man driven to the brink of insanity. My vision began to tunnel, the pleasure building in my gut like a tidal wave that was about to break. I could feel the muscles in my thighs tightening, my toes curling against the marble floor.

“Jion… f*ck… I’m going to—”

“Do it,” he commanded, his eyes glowing. “Give it all to me. Don’t you dare waste a single drop.”

With a guttural roar that tore from my chest, I finally snapped. My body arched, my fingers digging into the mahogany armrests so hard the wood groaned. The first surge hit, and Jion didn’t flinch. As I came, he immediately moved forward, catching the heavy, hot spray directly on his tongue and shooting it straight into his mouth.

He didn’t pull away. He stayed there, his hands still gripping me, drinking it down like a whore who had been wandering in a desert for years. There was no hesitation, no shame—only a raw, animalistic greed. He swallowed again and again, his throat working rhythmically as he took every bit of me. He looked like he hadn’t tasted anything this good in a lifetime, his eyes rolling back in ecstasy as he drained me dry.

He leaned in, licking away the traces from the tip with a slow, swirling motion of his tongue, making sure nothing was wasted. When he finally looked up, his lips were glistening, and his eyes were full of a dark, satisfied glint.

“So delicious,” he whispered, a messy, beautiful smirk on his face. “I’ve been hungry for this for so long, Luca. And I’m still not full.”

I collapsed back into the chair, my heart hammering against my ribs, watching the man I loved transform into the most beautiful, dangerous creature I had ever seen. The “King” had been served, but I knew the night was far from over.

(っ´ཀ’)っ Ɑ͞ ͞ ͞ ͞ ͞ﻝﮞ ciao.

EPILOGUE

/ THE ENDING /

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

MAKALIPAS

ANG 9 NA BUWAN

“LUCA! KINGINAMO, BILISAN MO!!!” I shrieked.

The pain wasn’t just a “contraction” anymore—it felt like a Godzilla-sized construction crew was trying to renovate my insides without a permit. I was vibrating from the intensity, trying my hardest not to sob and look like a mess, but failing miserably.

“Sorry! Sorry! I’m coming! Malapit na!” Aiden-or Luca, whatever, he was currently scrambled around like a headless chicken. He was tripping over his own feet while clutching the hospital bags like his life depended on them.

“H*y nako! Kung hindi ka lang talaga gwapo at masarap, hinding-hindi na ako magpapabuntis sa’yo! Putcha, it hurts so bad! I’m dying, Luca! I am literally dying!” I wailed. I could feel the babies-

plural

, God help me-practically knocking on the exit door.

“Shhhhh, baby, breathe. Inhale, exhale,” he stammered, his face paler than the hospital walls.

“Mang Ben! Bilisan mo! Baka dito pa manganak si Jion sa carpet!” Luca yelled at the driver. His voice was cracking, and he looked like he was about to pass out before I did.

“Ang daya-daya mo!” I hissed, grabbing his collar and pulling him down to my level.

“Kapag sa pagpapasarap, duet tayo! Pero bakit sa hirap, solo performer ako?! Hayop na buhay ’to!”

Even while cursing him out, a small, traitorous part of my brain whispered, ’But you’d still do it again for those abs and for that ginormous

dicc

.

Focus, Jion! Focus on the pain!

Back then, I thought one baby was hard. But now? There are three humans inside me. Three! It felt like I was carrying a whole basketball team.

“I’m never doing this again! HUHUHU! Isara mo na ’yan! I-lock mo na ’yan!” I sobbed.

“Shhh, oo, baby. Huling-huli na ’to. I promise,” he cooed, rubbing my hand.

I knew he was lying. He knew he was lying. The doctor probably knew he was lying .

After a car ride that felt like forty years, we hit the ER. The nurses saw my face-which probably looked like a demon being exorcised-and immediately brought out the wheelchair.

“Arghhhhh, Luca! Don’t you dare leave me!” I gripped his arm so hard I’m pretty sure I left permanent bruises.

“Hooo… haaaa… Lord, kukunin niyo na ba ako?!” I gasped as another wave hit.

“Ikaw talagang lalake ka! Puro ka lang ‘round two, round three,’ tapos ako, puro hirap! Damuho ka! You’re banned from the bedroom for life!” I barked. My filter was gone.

My dignity was gone. There was only rage and cervical dilation.

“Shhhhh, baby, I’m here. Just squeeze my hand,” Luca whispered. He was sweating as much as I was. Poor guy-it was his first time seeing the “miracle of life” up close, and it looked more like a horror movie to him.

“Bakit pa kasi ako nakipagbalikan sa’yo?! If I knew I’d be a human vending machine for triplets, hindi na kita tinanggap sa buhay ko!” I wailed. Luca just took it. He stayed silent, acting like a human stress ball while guiding my breathing.

He knew the drill : Let the pregnant person vent or get your head bitten off.

“Mr., you need to wait outside now,” the doctor said, pointing to the delivery room doors.

“Dok, please! Hindi ba pwedeng extension ako sa loob? I can’t leave him!” Luca’s voice was high-pitched with panic.

“Don’t worry, it’ll be a successful delivery. Trust us,” the doctor said, gently but firmly prying his hand off mine.

“I love you! Kayanin mo, Jion! I’m right behind this door!” he yelled as the doors swung shut. He even blew me a frantic kiss.

Lord, please. Survive ko lang ’to, okay na ako, I prayed, watching his worried face through the glass.

But then, another contraction hit.

“ Arghhh

, Luca! Malaki nga

oten

mo pero hindi ako prepared sa

ganitong

sakit! Last mo na talaga ’to!“ I thought, my mind racing. But… maybe after six months, pag okay na uli ang lahat… baka

magpabuntis

uli ako. Damn it.

Let’s be real : the man is a 10/10 , he treats me like a princess, and he’s gifted. I was just ranting because my organs were being rearranged.

Totoo nga ang kasabihan: Sarap muna, bago aray.

We had the time of our lives making them, and now I was the one paying the bill. And t*ngina, the bill was expensive! Tatlong bata! Luca’s sperm must be Olympic gold medalists with the way they colonized my uterus.

“Argghhh!” I let out one final, earth-shattering scream as the doctor told me to push. I called on every saint, every ancestor, and even some Greek gods I didn’t believe in.

MAKALIPAS

ANG

TATLONG

BUWAN

“Hey, Daddy. Magpahinga ka muna. You’ve been staring at them for five hours straight,” I whispered, leaning against the nursery door. Luca was currently bottle-feeding two of them while rocking the third with his foot.

“It’s okay. They’re finally quiet. I don’t want to ruin the moment,” he whispered back, looking exhausted but hopelessly in love.

I walked over and kissed his cheek.

“Bawing-bawi ka na, ah. You’re officially the ‘Father of the Year.’ Baka maungusan mo pa ang mga pastor sa salitang Father,” I teased.

He chuckled softly. “Look at them, Jion. They have your nose and my eyes. For sure, maraming iiyak na babae sa mga ’to paglaki nila.”

“Malaki ang chance na maging babaero silang tatlo. Carbon copy mo kaya sila,” hirit ko, crossing my arms.

“Baka loyal ang ibig mong sabihin,” he smirked, pulling me closer despite the babies in his arms.

“Ever since I tasted your ‘special recipe,’ I haven’t looked at another kitchen.”

“Bast*s! Ang aga-aga!” I swatted his shoulder, blushing like a teenager.

“But seriously, they’re so handsome, right? Pwedeng artista,” he beamed.

“Naman. Nagmana sa tatay, eh,” I admitted, finally giving him the win.

“I know you’re obsessed with me, love. No need to hide it,” he teased, leaning in.

“Loko. Ikaw ang patay na patay sa akin,” I countered, smiling as he pressed his lips against mine.

I felt it then-the absolute peace. Who would’ve thought that after all the drama and the screaming in the ER, I’d end up with a man who assures me every single day that I am his entire world?

We’ll have problems, sure. We’ll probably have more screaming matches. But we’ll face it all

────୨ৎ──── ‧₊˚♪ 𝄞₊˚⊹ ࿔˚˖𓍢ִ໋🦢˚🪞𓍼🕊️❦︎ ‧₊˚♪ 𝄞₊˚⊹

THE WEDDING

The Cornwall coast was typically unforgiving, a place of jagged rocks and a restless Atlantic. But today, the elements had been tamed by wealth and sheer will. Gideon Hermosa had engineered a glass pavilion that defied logic-a massive, transparent structure perched on the cliff’s edge, making it feel as if the ocean itself was our wedding guest.

I stood at the head of the altar, the mirrored glass beneath my feet reflecting the bruised purple of the English sunset. I was wearing a bespoke, midnight-black Tom Ford tuxedo. The fit was so precise it felt like a second skin, but my lungs felt tight, as if the air in the pavilion was too thin. My heart wasn’t just beating; it was thumping with a heavy, primal rhythm that I could feel in the tips of my fingers. I looked out at the sea of faces-heads of state, silent partners in the global underground, and the elite of Europe-but they were all just static. I was waiting for the only signal that mattered.

Then, the first notes of a 50-piece philharmonic orchestra cut through the murmurs of the crowd. It wasn’t a typical wedding march. It was a cinematic, deep arrangement that felt like the earth was shifting.

The heavy, ten-foot oak doors at the end of the aisle groaned open.

ᥫ᭡𓍼ོ────୨ৎ────𓍼ོᥫ᭡

JION

(っ˶ ˘ ᵕ˘)ˆᵕ ˆ˶ς)

The moment those doors swung wide, the cold breeze swept in, catching the silk of my white Tom Ford tuxedo. I stepped onto the mirrored bridge, and for a second, my breath caught. The glass floor reflected the sky, making it feel like I was walking on open air over the crashing waves below. Thousands of white lilies and South American orchids lined the path, their scent so thick it was almost intoxicating.

Every step I took was a million-dollar frame, but my heart was doing 180 beats per minute. I felt exposed, vulnerable, and yet, completely at peace. But as I passed the third row, the “posh” atmosphere I was trying so hard to maintain shattered.

Si Aiden.

Ang gaga, hindi talaga marunong mag-behave kahit sa harap ng mga billionaire. He was wearing a custom silver tuxedo that probably cost more than a mid-sized sedan, but his face was a complete wreck. His expensive foundation was streaked with tears, his nose was bright red, and he was clutching a silk handkerchief like it was a lifeline.

“H-hoy..” Aiden let out a choked-up sob that was way too loud for the solemn silence of the pavilion. He didn’t even care that a former Prime Minister was sitting right behind him.

I bit my lip hard to keep from laughing, my own tears threatening to spill. Aiden was vibrating in his seat, his shoulders shaking so hard that Blake had to practically pin him down to keep him from falling into the aisle.

“G*ga ka, Aiden! Yung make-up mo” I whispered-yelled as I walked past him, my voice cracking.

“W-wag mo akong pakialaman! M-mag-asawa ka na nga! Iiyak ako kung kailan ko g-gusto!” he hissed back, letting out a frustrated, emotional wail that made a few of the stoic bosses in the front row actually smirk.

Natawa ako nang bahagya, a single tear finally tracking down my cheek. That’s the thing about Aiden-kahit gaano pa kami kayaman o kahit nasa dulo pa kami ng mundo, he would always be the one to remind me that we’re just human.

His chaotic, ugly-crying face was the most real thing in this room of glass and crystal.

I turned my gaze back to the altar. And there was Luca.

The Boss of the Moretti empire was trembling.

His jaw was set so tight I could see the muscle jumping, and his eyes were glistening with a raw, terrifying level of worship. He didn’t look like a king; he looked like a man who had finally found his soul.

When I reached the end of the mirrored bridge, Luca didn’t wait. He stepped down, his hand reaching out to grab mine. His palm was burning, and his fingers were shaking with a secret tremor that only I was meant to feel.

“You’re finally here,” Luca rasped, his voice sounding like it had been dragged over gravel. “I thought I was dreaming.”

“Hindi ka nananaginip, Luca. Totoo ’to. At akin ka na ngayon,” I replied, my voice steadying as I looked into his eyes.

He led me up to the altar, and as we stood there facing each other, the grandiosity of the multi-million dollar glass cathedral seemed to shrink. It was just two men in tuxedos, standing on the edge of the world, ready to burn everything down just to keep each other warm.

ᥫ᭡𓍼ོ────୨ৎ────𓍼ོᥫ᭡

LUCA

(っ˶ ˘ ᵕ˘)ˆᵕ ˆ˶ς)

The 50-piece orchestra faded into a low, hummatic vibration that seemed to pulse through the glass floor. Everything felt real-the scent of the white orchids, the distant roar of the Atlantic, and the weight of Jion’s hands in mine. This wasn’t just a ceremony anymore; it was like fantasy.

The officiant stepped forward, but I didn’t see him. I only saw Jion. I reached out, and Blake handed me the first ring. It was a heavy, custom-designed band of blackened platinum, etched with the Moretti seal on the inside.

I took Jion’s left hand. His skin was warm, his pulse fluttering against my thumb like a trapped bird. I looked straight into his eyes, and for a moment, the boss in me was completely gone.

“Jion,” I started, my voice thick and vibrating with a raw honesty that I had never shared with anyone else.

“I spent my whole life building walls and choosing who to destroy. I thought that power was the only thing that could keep me whole. But you didn’t just break those walls-you burned them down.”

I slowly slid the platinum band onto his finger. “I promise to be your shield when the world is cruel. I promise to be the man you can always come home to, no matter how dark it gets. My life, my empire, and my soul are yours. With this ring, I marry you and promise to love you for as long as I draw breath.”

ᥫ᭡𓍼ོ────୨ৎ────𓍼ོᥫ᭡

JION

(っ˶ ˘ ᵕ˘)ˆᵕ ˆ˶ς)

Nang marinig ko ang mga salita ni Luca, pakiramdam ko ay huminto ang pag-ikot ng mundo. The way he looked at me-with so much heat and vulnerability-made my knees feel like they were made of water. I took the matching ring from Aiden, who was still in the front row, making these weird, muffled “hu-hu-hu” sounds into his handkerchief.

I took Luca’s hand. His fingers were huge, scarred, and strong-the hands of a man who had fought for everything. I slid the ring onto his finger, my heart hammering against my ribs.

“Luca,” I began, my voice cracking but growing stronger as I looked at him. “You know I’m not perfect. I’m stubborn, I’m difficult, and I will always talk back to you. Pero sa dulo ng bawat araw, ikaw lang ang gusto kong makasama. You didn’t just give me a family; you gave me a reason to believe that I deserve a happy ending.”

I smiled through my tears, tightening my grip on his hand. “I promise to be your peace and your fire. I promise to stand beside you in every battle and to love you even when we’re both old and gray. With this ring, I marry you and give you everything I am. Hinding-hindi ka na mag-iisa, Luca. I am yours.”

The officiant looked at us, his eyes reflecting the gravity of the moment. The glass pavilion seemed to glow as the last bit of the sun disappeared behind the ocean.

“By the power vested in me, and in the presence of these witnesses,” the officiant declared, his voice booming through the hall. “I now pronounce you legally married partners in heart and mind, in body and soul, in love and life.

“You may now kiss your husband.”

Luca didn’t wait. He didn’t give me time to breathe. He grabbed my waist, his large hand cupping the back of my head, and pulled me into him with a hunger that made the guests gasp. It was a kiss that tasted like a decade of longing. It was deep, possessive, and so raw that I felt it in my soul. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer, oblivious to the cheers of the billionaires and his friends that looks dangerous, but happily cheering for us.

I laughed into the kiss, my eyes still closed as I felt Luca’s smirk against my lips.

The orchestra swelled into a triumphant symphony as we moved to a small, ornate table made of white marble. The legal part. We sat down, our hands still entwined. I watched as Luca signed his name in a bold, aggressive script-

Luca Moretti.

I took the pen next. For the first time, I wrote it.

Jion Moretti.

Nang matapos ang pirmahan, tiningnan ko si Luca. “Officially, you’re stuck with me now,” I whispered.

“Good,” Luca growled, kissing the back of my hand.

“Because I’m never letting you go.”

Matapos ang pirmahan ng certificate, tumayo kami ni Luca mula sa marble table. Ramdam ko ang bigat ng platinum ring sa daliri ko-isang paalala na hindi na lang ito laro o panandaliang sarap. I was now a Moretti. The legal and spiritual bind was complete.

Humarap kami sa mahigit isang libong panauhin. Ang glass pavilion ay mistulang isang higanteng dyamante sa gitna ng kadiliman ng Cornwall. The crystal chandeliers were dimmed, leaving only the warm glow of thousands of candles and the moonlight reflecting off the ocean waves.

The officiant stepped center stage, his voice amplified by the state-of-the-art sound system hidden within the floral arrangements.

“Ladies and gentlemen, it is my absolute honor and privilege to present to you for the very first time…” He paused for dramatic effect, and I felt Luca’s hand tighten around mine, his thumb stroking my knuckles. “Mr. and Mr. Luca and Jion Moretti!”

The applause was deafening. Hindi lang ito palakpakan ng mga sosyal na tao; it was a roar of approval. White rose petals-milyun-milyong piraso-biglang bumagsak mula sa glass ceiling na parang ulan. It was a literal floral blizzard.

The orchestra shifted from the solemn hymns to a triumphant, upbeat orchestral version of a classic anthem. Luca led the way, his chest puffed out, looking like a conqueror who had just won his greatest prize.

Habang naglalakad kami pabalik sa mirrored aisle, dumaan ulit kami sa pwesto ni Aiden. Ang gaga, nakatayo na sa upuan niya habang iwinawagayway ang silk handkerchief niya na parang bandera.

“T*NGINAAAAA! NINANG NA AKOOOO! MABUHAY ANG MGA BAGONG KASAL!” sigaw ni Aiden, ignoring the judgmental looks of a Spanish friends of Luca sitting nearby.

“JION! YUNG GOWNNNN-AY TUXEDO PALA! RAMPA, BAKS! RAMPAAA!”

Natawa ako nang malakas habang umiiyak pa rin. I blew him a kiss, and Aiden pretended to catch it and faint into Blake’s arms. “I-uwi mo na ’yan, Jion! Wag mo nang palabasin ng kwarto!” hirit pa niya bago kami tuluyang nakalabas ng pavilion.

The moment we stepped out of the glass structure, the cold air hit us, but Luca’s warmth was enough. The photographers-the best in the world-were waiting.

“Look at me, Jion,” Luca whispered, pulling me into his chest.

We posed against the backdrop of the jagged cliffs and the crashing waves. The moonlight was so bright it turned the sea into liquid silver. The wind caught the lapels of our Tom Ford tuxedos, and for a moment, we weren’t the heads of a global empire. We were just two people, exhausted but deeply in love, holding each other on the edge of the world.

“You look breathtaking in the moonlight,” Luca rasped, kissing my forehead.

“I can’t wait to see you without this white tuxedo.”

“Hayop ka, Luca. Picture muna bago landi,” biro ko, kahit ramdam ko na rin ang panginginig ng katawan ko sa pagnanais sa kanya.

❦

⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

Matapos ang halos isang oras na pictorial, dinala kami ng isang luxury vintage car sa kabilang wing ng estate. As the grand doors opened, the atmosphere shifted from the cool evening air to the heavy, expensive scent of truffles, vintage wine, and thousands of fresh orchids.

The ballroom was a masterpiece of Gideon Hermosa. A massive “castle” made of white peonies and roses stood behind the presidential table, glowing under the warm amber lights. The guests were already seated, a sea of silk and diamonds, but as the music blared, the room erupted.

“The Morettis have arrived!” the emcee’s voice boomed.

We walked in, the strobe lights catching the diamonds on our rings. The standing ovation felt like a physical wave of heat. It was that classic Wattpad moment-power, wealth, and the kind of “main character” energy that made my heart race.

But then, the room dimmed. A single, warm spotlight hit the center of the dance floor. Luca led me to the middle, his hand firm on my waist. I draped my arms around his neck, my fingers tangling in the hair at the nape of his neck.

The singer began a slow, soulful version of our song.

“Officially mine,” Luca whispered, his voice vibrating against my collarbone as we swayed.

“No more running, Jion. No more ‘what ifs.’”

“Hinding-hindi na ako tatakbo, Luca,” I replied, closing my eyes and breathing him in-the smell of his expensive cologne mixed with the faint, comforting scent of baby powder that always seemed to cling to us now. “Pero siguraduhin mong kaya mong panindigan ang ‘for better or for worse’ ko. I’m going to be a handful tonight.”

Luca let out a dark, low chuckle, his grip tightening just a fraction. “I’m counting on it, husband.”

The romantic tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife, but the moment the house lights surged back up, the fantasy hit a very loud, very realistic wall.

Naka-upo kami sa presidential table, feeling like royalty, but my eyes immediately drifted to the side of the stage. My heart did a little flip.

“Dada! Papa! Look at me!”

Chibi, our three-year-old child, had broken free from his yaya. He was sprinting toward the stage, his tiny custom tuxedo jacket flapping behind him. He looked exactly like a mini-Luca, but with that mischievous glint in his eyes that he definitely got from me.

“Chibi, slow down! You’ll trip, buddy!” Luca laughed, his “mafia boss” persona melting instantly into soft dad mode.

Behind Chibi, the real comedy show was happening. The “Babysitter Club” was struggling for their lives.

Blake was swaying back and forth with Leandro, looking completely drained. Leandro was currently fascinated by the shiny buttons on Blake’s vest, pulling at them with enough force to pop a thread.

Aiden was holding Lucio, trying to look suave for a group of socialites nearby, but Lucio had other plans-he was currently trying to shove a piece of bread into Aiden’s mouth while crying at the top of his lungs.

And then there was Lazzlo.

Luca’s brother-the man who runs empires without breaking a sweat-was holding Leone like the baby was a fragile piece of ancient pottery. Lazzlo’s face was a mask of stoic suffering. Leone had a fistful of Lazzlo’s perfectly styled hair, and a small, unmistakable patch of baby drool was darkening the shoulder of his bespoke Italian suit.

“Look at them,” I whispered, leaning into Luca’s side, my shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter. “Lazzlo looks like he’s calculating how many millions it would take to make Leone stop pulling his hair.”

“He deserves it,” Luca chuckled, watching his brother wince. “He told me having triplets was ‘just about time management.’ Look at him now. He can’t even manage his own tie.”

Suddenly, the DJ dropped a heavy beat. Chibi didn’t even wait for an invitation. He planted himself right in the center of the dance floor, lit up by the expensive chandeliers.

“Dance! Dada, Papa, dance!”

Our son started doing this chaotic, high-energy stomp-dance, spinning in circles until he almost fell over. The posh atmosphere of the wedding shattered instantly. The wealthy guests weren’t looking at the $10,000 flower wall anymore; they were cheering for a three-year-old in a tuxedo.

“Tara na,” I said, pulling Luca’s hand. “Our son is stealing the show. We can’t let him win that easily.”

We joined Chibi, and for a moment, the world felt perfect. It wasn’t just a wedding for me, it was a celebration of the chaos we built. Behind us, I saw Lazzlo finally give up on his dignity, awkwardly bouncing Leone to the beat while trying to maintain his cold billionaire stare.

I looked at Luca, our foreheads touching again, the sound of our kids and our friends filling the room.

“This is it, ’no?” I asked, breathless. “The ‘for better’ part?”

“No,” Luca replied, picking up a giggling Chibi and tucking him between us.

“This is the ‘best’ part.

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

“Ladies and gentlemen! Before we proceed to the cake cutting, we have a guest who has… uh… strongly volunteered to lead our next segment,” the emcee announced, his voice trembling as he shot a desperate look at the security team.

I looked up and groaned, burying my face in my hands. “Oh, no. Not him.”

It was Aiden.

He was strutting toward the stage, a bottle of Moët in one hand and a microphone in the other. His silver Tom Ford tuxedo-which probably cost more than a mid-sized SUV-was completely disheveled. His bowtie was hanging loose around his neck like a discarded ribbon. He looked like he had just won a gold medal in a champagne-drinking marathon.

“MIC CHECK! MIC CHECK! To all the peasants and billionaires in the room! Can you see this beauty?! Look at this face!” Aiden shouted, his voice echoing through the grand ballroom.

I rubbed my temples as Luca let out a low, amused chuckle beside me. Even Lazzlo, who usually looked like he wanted to sue the entire world, was watching with a raised eyebrow.

“Aiden, get down from there before I have you dragged out!” I yelled, half-joking but mostly terrified of what was coming next.

“Shut up, Jion! I am the star of the night—after the happy couple, obviously!” Aiden fired back, pointing the microphone at me. “Anyway, listen up, you rich bastards! Since we are in the Moretti estate, we aren’t playing boring games. We’re playing… ‘Bring Me: The Elite Edition’!”

Aiden leaned into the mic, explaining the rules with a wicked grin.

“The rules are simple: I shout an item, and you bring it to me on this stage. The winner gets bragging rights and a shot of this Moët. But if you’re too slow, you have to donate a thousand dollars to me. Clear? Good!”

He scanned the room like a predator. “BRING ME… THE MOST EXPENSIVE WATCH IN THIS ROOM!”

The room turned into a frenzy. Real-life billionaires were actually checking their wrists, looking confused as to whether this was a joke or a heist. But Aiden didn’t have the patience to wait. He jumped off the stage and marched straight toward an elderly Italian Don who looked like he had personally survived three mob wars.

“Excuse me, Grandpa! I’ll take that Patek Philippe!” Aiden chirped, literally snatching the watch off the stunned man’s wrist. “I’ll give it back later, I promise! Cross my heart, hope to die, you’re gorgeous, don’t kill me!”

He scrambled back to the stage, holding the watch up like a holy relic. “I HAVE THE WATCH! Give me a point!”

The crowd was already howling with laughter. They realized that Aiden wasn’t just the host; he was a participant. And he was cheating.

Next was the “Bouquet” Throw. Since I was wearing a tuxedo and didn’t have flowers, Aiden produced a giant, three-foot plush toy of a Cucumber with googly eyes.

“Listen up, you thirsty singles! All of you who are desperate for a ‘big personality’ in your life, get to the center of the floor!” Aiden commanded.

What happened next was a total bloodbath. Socialites in Chanel and bodyguards in Kevlar were diving for that stuffed toy. But as the cucumber flew through the air, Aiden-the very person who threw it-dived headfirst into the crowd.

There was a massive pile-up of sequins, lace, and expensive perfume. After a few seconds of aggressive wrestling, Aiden emerged from the bottom of the heap, his hair a mess, clutching the stuffed cucumber to his chest like a trophy.

“I WON! IT’S MINE! I AM THE WINNER!” he screamed into the microphone, which was somehow still in his hand.

The entire ballroom erupted into fits of laughter. People were doubling over, wiping tears from their eyes. Even the most serious investors were chuckling at the sheer audacity of it.

“Wait, Aiden!” I yelled through my own laughter. “You’re the host! You can’t win your own game!”

“I don’t care! I’m the fastest, I’m the prettiest, and I’m the next one getting married!” Aiden declared, pointing the cucumber at a very red-faced Blake. “By the power vested in me, by ME, I pronounce MYSELF the champion of the Moretti Wedding!”

Luca was leaning against me, his chest heaving as he laughed.

“Gaga talaga tong bakla na’to,” I whispered, smiling as I watched Aiden take a victory lap around the dance floor, still holding the Patek Philippe he forgot to return.

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

After the insanity of the games, unti-unting kumalma ang paligid. The golden amber lights dimmed into a warm, intimate glow, signaling the start of the toasts. My heart started racing-this was the part where the “tough” facade finally cracks.

Tumayo si Aiden bitbit ang microphone at isang baso ng champagne na halos paubos na. He looked like he’d been through a hurricane-gulo-gulo ang buhok at wala na ang tie-pero pagtingin ko sa mata niya, nangingintab na sa luha. He cleared his throat and looked at the crowd of international guests.

“Alright, listen up, you beautiful fossils and billionaires,” simula niya, sabay singhot. “Since there are so many foreigners here today who probably think I’m some local lunatic, I’ll speak in English for your benefit. Just this once.”

Ibinaling niya ang tingin sa akin, and his playful smirk vanished. His voice became thick with raw emotion.

“Jion… look at you now. Wearing a suit that costs more than our first apartment back then. Honestly, I don’t know how you’re still standing, knowing how big your husband is” he laughed, but it came out shaky.

“People see this ‘Moretti’ life and think it’s all diamonds, but I remember the grit. I remember when your world was just pure, unadulterated chaos. Being a solo parent to Chibi… My God, Jion. Chibi alone was already a full-time disaster. He was like a tornado in a diaper, spinning and all the s*** splattering everywhere, and you were just one person trying to hold the sky up.”

He took a shaky breath, wiping a tear with his thumb. “It was hard. It was lonely. And then, just when you finally found your footing, this overachiever,” tinuro niya si Luca, “decided to triple the trouble. You went from one hard-to-manage kid to four. Leandro, Lucio, and Leone.

“But then… Luca stepped up.” Aiden’s voice softened. “And suddenly, the chaos didn’t feel so heavy anymore. Jion, I saw it-the moment Luca came back into your life, your chaotic world finally found its peace. Even though you have three more tiny humans to worry about now, it’s okay. And It’s all right. Because Luca is there to catch you.

Luca, look at me.“

Aiden’s face turned serious. “I am a crazy b*tch. If you ever make him feel like he’s doing this ‘solo flight’ again, I will find a voodoo priest in Siquijor to shrink your dicc until you look like a Ken doll. Do you understand?

But… overall thank you. Thank you for being the peace in his chaos. And thank you for the donuts that you used to bribe me, just so you can court my friend. I’m the reason that both of you are married tonight, so be thankful with me“

Hindi ko na napigilan, at napaiyak na ako habang mahinang tumatawa. I stood up and hugged him tight.

“Gaga ka talaga, Aiden. Sinira mo make-up ko, bwisit ka.”

Sumunod na tumayo si Blake. The room went dead silent. Everyone in the underworld knows Blake-the cold, efficient shadow that follows the Moretti name. He’s not a Moretti by blood, but everyone knows he’s more of a brother to Luca than anyone else in the world. They’ve bled together, survived together, and built this empire together.

​As he stepped to the mic, he didn’t look like the feared enforcer. He stood there for a good ten seconds just staring at his shoes, his jaw tightening so hard I thought he might crack a tooth. When he finally looked up, his eyes were glassing over.

​“Shut up, Luca! It’s just the dust in this place! Gideon, tell your florists to clean the orchids better!” Blake snapped, his voice cracking mid-sentence.

​Luca didn’t stop. He was practically vibrating with laughter, leaning into my shoulder. “Jion, look! That man is crying! This is going in the family archives!”

​“I said shut up, Luca!” Blake wiped his eyes aggressively with the back of his hand, taking a deep, shuddering breath. He turned to me, and his expression softened into something so raw.

​“Jion… man, I’ll be honest with you. At the start, I didn’t get it. I thought you were just another… well, another headache. Knowing Luca for as long as I have, I’ve seen them all. He had a different ‘flavor of the week’ every time we turned around. I honestly thought you were just another pastime, someone he’d eventually grow bored of once the thrill was gone.”

​He paused, a single, fat tear finally escaping and rolling down his cheek. He didn’t even try to hide it this time.

​“But then I saw him with you. I realized very quickly that I was wrong. Luca wasn’t just ‘interested’ in you… the man was-and is-completely, terrifyingly obsessed with you. I’ve never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you. It’s like the rest of the world stops existing the moment you walk into the room.”

​Blake stepped closer to the edge of the stage, his voice dropping to a whisper that echoed in the silent hall.

​“And then I watched you. I watched you raise Chibi with nothing but your bare hands and a heart that never seemed to quit. And then the triplets came… Leandro, Lucio, and Leone. I saw you survive nights that would have broken a literal soldier. I saw you handle four kids-four tiny versions of my best friend-while Luca was being… well, while he was being his usual chaotic, stubborn self. I realized then that you aren’t just a part of this family because of a legal document.”

​Blake took a shaky breath, his voice thick with emotion.

​“You’re the glue, Jion. I’ve spent my whole life protecting Luca from enemies, but you… you protected him from himself. You gave him a reason to come home. You’re the reason we actually feel like a real family now and not just a pack of wolves. Welcome home, brother. In every way that matters, you’re one of us now.”

​Then, he shot a tearful, murderous glare at Luca.

​“And Luca? If you ever mess this up-if you ever make him feel like he’s carrying that weight alone again-I’m not just joining Aiden’s voodoo session. I’m paying for the premium package. I’ll help him bury the remains in the backyard, and you know I’m the best at hiding bodies. Don’t test me.”

​The room was silent for a beat before erupting into a mix of “Awws” and laughter. Blake sat down quickly, hiding his face in his glass of whiskey, while Luca reached over and gripped Blake’s shoulder, his laughter replaced by a look of deep, silent respect.

Finally, it was Lazzlo’s turn.

The room went dead silent. If Aiden was the chaotic best friend and Blake was the emotional brother-in-arms, Lazzlo was the reality check. He stood up slowly, adjusting his watch with a clinical precision that made the room feel like a courtroom. He didn’t look happy; he looked like a man about to deliver a final verdict.

“Jion,” Lazzlo started, his voice a low, terrifyingly calm drone. “Congratulations. You have officially tied your life to a man who, at ten years old, tried to bribe a priest to cancel Sunday Mass because it was interfering with his nap time.”

The guests let out a surprised wheeze of laughter. Luca’s eyes widened, his face turning a bright, humiliated pink. “Lazzlo, that was supposed to be a secret!”

“There are no secrets from the person who had to pay the priest to keep quiet, Luca,” Lazzlo retorted without a hint of a smile. He turned his cold gaze back to me. “This is the man you married. A man who once bought a Ferrari just because the valet at the restaurant ‘looked at him funny’ in his old one. Jion, you haven’t just married a husband; you’ve adopted a 30-year-old toddler with a God complex and a black Amex.”

The ballroom erupted. The Italian associates were literally slapping the tables. Even the most serious people were doubled over because they knew it was true.

“I’ve spent most of my life as Luca’s professional ‘apologizer,’” Lazzlo continued, his voice cutting through the noise. “I’ve spent decades cleaning up the physical, financial, and emotional wreckage he leaves behind. Honestly, when I heard he was raising a kid solo-Chibi-I prepared a room for the child in my house because I didn’t think Luca could keep a goldfish alive, let alone a human. But then I saw you.”

Lazzlo paused, and the air in the room shifted. He looked toward the wing where the triplets and Chibi were sleeping.

“The fact that you survived raising Chibi alone is impressive. But the fact that you managed to produce triplets with this man and still haven’t filed for a restraining order is a miracle. You are either the most patient person on this planet, or you have a very specific, very dangerous type of brain damage.”

More laughter. Luca was burying his face in his hands now, his ears glowing red.

“But,” Lazzlo’s voice dropped an octave, and for the first time, he looked Luca straight in the eye. “For all his tantrums and his absolute lack of common sense, there is one thing I have to admit. Luca used to be a ghost. He was just a collection of expensive suits and bad decisions. But since he found you? He’s actually… human. You’re the only person who can tell him ‘no’ and not get a vase thrown at your head.”

Lazzlo raised his glass, his expression finally softening just a fraction-the closest thing to a smile we’d see all night.

“So, good luck, Jion. You’re going to need it every single day. I’ve already put our legal team on a permanent retainer for the day he inevitably does something so stupid you want to sell him on eBay. But until then… welcome to the madhouse. Thank you for taking him off my hands. He’s your problem now.”

Lazzlo sat down like a King, the room exploding in cheers and whistles. Luca leaned over, his voice a desperate, embarrassed whisper. “I’m going to poison his wine, Jion. I’m doing it tonight.”

“Leave him alone,” I laughed, wiping tears of joy from my eyes as I squeezed Luca’s hand. “He’s just telling the truth. High maintenance ka naman talaga.”

“Whatever, you still love me anyway” Luca grumbled, though he couldn’t hide the huge, proud smile on his face.

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

To end the formal part, Luca and I stood in front of a 10-tier cake that was literally dripping in edible gold. As we held the knife together and sliced through, fireworks exploded outside the ballroom, visible through the high windows.

“Everything is perfect, baby,” Luca whispered in my ear, his hand sliding down to squeeze my hip possessively. “But the best part of the night hasn’t even started yet.”

“I know,” I replied, leaning into him. “Let’s finish this, because I’m dying to show you what a ‘Moretti’ can do in bed.”

Luca’s eyes darkened. He leaned in and gave me a kiss that tasted like champagne and promise. The party was still going strong, with Aiden now doing a “tabletop dance” in the corner, but my mind was already on the private jet waiting for us.

The roar of the Rolls Royce engine was the only thing I could hear as we sped away from the estate, leaving the flashing lights of the reception and the distant screams of a drunken Aiden behind. The moonlight over the Cornwall coast was sharp, cold, and silver-a stark contrast to the heat radiating between me and Jion in the backseat.

I looked at my husband. He was leaning back against the leather seat, his white Tom Ford tuxedo jacket discarded on the floor. His bowtie was undone, and the first few buttons of his shirt were open, exposing the pulse point on his neck that was thumping frantically.

“Finally,” Jion whispered, turning his head to look at me. His eyes were dark, glazed with the kind of hunger that I had been suppressing since he first stepped onto that mirrored aisle. “I thought Aiden would never stop talking.”

“The jet is ready,” I rasped, grabbing his hand and lacing my fingers with his. The weight of our matching platinum rings felt like a hot brand against my skin. “In four hours, it’ll just be us. No mafia, no business, no triplets. Just my wife.”

“Asawa mo mukha mo,” Jion retorted with a smirk, though he didn’t pull away. “Husband, Luca. Husband.”

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

JION

(˃ᯅ˂ )

| |/ <（‿ˠ‿）> ूाीू

The private jet was a flying palace, but I barely noticed the gold accents or the vintage wine waiting for us. As soon as the cabin door hissed shut and the plane began its ascent toward the Caribbean, the “posh” wedding version of us vanished.

“Luca,” I breathed, pinning him against the suede wall of the private cabin. The altitude made my head spin, or maybe it was just the proximity of this man. “T*ngina, hindi ko na kaya.”

Luca didn’t say a word. He grabbed my waist and lifted me, my legs instinctively wrapping around his hips. The friction of our tuxedos-the black and the white-felt like a sin. He crashed his lips against mine, a kiss that tasted like the expensive champagne we had shared and the raw desperation we had hidden all day.

“I’ve been watching you all night,” Luca groaned against my mouth, his hands wandering down to grip my rear possessively. “Watching every guest look at you, knowing that under this white suit, you’re already marked as mine.”

“Mark me again,” I challenged, nipping at his lower lip. “Gusto kong bawat pulgada ng katawan ko, ramdam na Moretti na ako.”

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

LUCA

( ˃ᯅ˂ )

¡¡

(

ꪊꪻ

⊂)

The flight was a blur of hands, teeth, and whispered promises. By the time the jet touched down on my private island, we were both a mess-disheveled, breathless, and completely consumed by each other.

The island was a sanctuary.

The air was thick with the scent of salt and tropical jasmine. A small boat took us from the airstrip to the shore of the main villa. The sand was like powdered sugar under the moonlight, and the ocean was a vast, silent witness.

“Welcome home, Jion,” I said as we stepped onto the beach.

Jion didn’t walk toward the villa. He stopped right there, at the edge of the water, where the waves were gently lapping at his feet. He looked out at the horizon, then back at me, his silhouette framed by the glowing moon.

“Dito tayo, Luca,” he said, his voice surprisingly steady. “Sa dalampasigan. I want to feel the wind and the sand. I want this to be as raw as the day we first realized we couldn’t live without each other.”

I felt a surge of pride and possessiveness so strong it nearly brought me to my knees. I started stripping off my tuxedo vest, my eyes never leaving his. “Whatever you want, husband. The island is yours. I am yours.”

Jion smiled-that wicked, beautiful smile that always signaled trouble-and started unzipping his trousers, letting them fall into the surf.

“Then come here and claim what’s yours, Luca. I’m ready to be ruined.”

The moon was a witness, hanging bloated and silver over the Caribbean Sea. The only sound was the heavy, rhythmic thrum of the tide and the erratic breathing of the man in front of me. The air was thick, humid, and heavy with the scent of salt and raw, unadulterated lust.

I watched Jion as he stepped out of his white trousers, leaving them to be soaked by the incoming tide. Under the moonlight, his skin looked like polished marble-pale, glowing, and begging to be marked. I’ve owned empires, I’ve commanded armies of men, but looking at my husband standing naked on my private shore, I felt like a beggar finally seeing gold.

“Luca… huwag mo lang akong titigan,” Jion rasped, his voice vibrating with a hunger that matched my own

“I didn’t come to this island for a photoshoot.”

I didn’t answer. I moved. In three strides, I was in his space, my hands catching his waist and slamming his back against the trunk of a leaning palm tree just at the edge of the sand. He let out a choked gasp, his head snapping back as his fingers clawed at my bare shoulders.

“You have no idea,” I growled into his ear, my teeth grazing his lobe. “How hard it was to stay composed at that wedding. To watch every man in that room stare at you, wanting to touch what’s mine.”

The rough texture of the tree bark against his back and the crushing weight of my body against his head spin.

My skin was burning-a fever I only ever caught from him-and it was a sharp contrast to the cool night breeze blowing off the ocean. He wrapped his legs around my waist, pulling me as close as humanly possible, desperate to feel every hard line of my body against every inch of his.

​“Then mark me, Luca,” he hissed, his breath hitching as my hand slid down, gripping his inner thigh with a possessive force that I knew would leave bruises.

“Show them why I’m a Moretti. Show me why I chose you.”

I didn’t waste another second. I dropped to my knees in the sand, my eyes dark and predatory. I looked at him for one long, agonizing second-taking in the sight of my husband under the moonlight-before I leaned in, my mouth claiming him with a ferocity that made his knees buckle. The sensation was overwhelming-the cold sea spray hitting my ankles, the humid air on my skin, and the intense, focused heat I felt for him.

​“L-Luca… f*ck…” he groaned, his head lolling back as he looked up at the stars. His fingers tangled in my hair, pulling me closer, desperate for the friction.

I wanted to devour him. I wanted to taste every inch of the man who had tamed me. After a few moments of driving him to the brink of insanity, I stood up, my breath coming in ragged bursts. I lifted him, his legs locking around my hips, and carried him a few feet further, where the sand was wet and firm from the retreating waves.

I laid him down, the water washing over our tangled limbs. The moonlight caught the silver of our wedding bands as I pinned his hands above his head.

“Tignan mo ako, Jion,” I commanded, my voice sounding like it was dragged over gravel.

He opened his eyes, glazed with tears of pleasure and desperation. “Always… ikaw lang ang tinitignan ko, Luca.”

I entered him in one deep, soul-shattering thrust. The world exploded. Jion’s back arched, his mouth falling open in a silent scream before he finally found his voice, calling my name into the empty night sky. It was raw. It was primal. There were no posh tuxedos or million-dollar flowers here-just two men, bound by blood and a contract of the heart, becoming one in the middle of the ocean.

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

JION (˃ᯅ˂ ) | |/ <（‿ˠ‿）> ूाीू

Every thrust felt like Luca was rewriting my DNA. It was deep, relentless, and filled with a desperate kind of love that words could never capture. The sand was gritty against my back, the salt water was stinging my skin, but I didn’t care. I wanted more. I wanted the pain and the pleasure to blur until I didn’t know where I ended and where Luca began.

“Luca… deeper… t*ngina, sige pa…” I sobbed, my voice breaking. I reached up, my hands cupping his face, pulling him down for a kiss that tasted like sweat, salt, and eternity.

He didn’t slow down. He picked up the pace, his movements becoming erratic and frantic as we both reached the precipice. I could feel the tension building in his muscles, the way his heart was thumping against my chest like a war drum.

“Jion… you’re mine… only mine,” he gasped against my neck, his teeth sinking into my skin to leave a permanent mark.

When the release finally hit, it felt like the ocean itself had risen to swallow us. I shattered, my vision turning white as I clung to him, my body shaking with the force of it. Luca followed a second later, a low, guttural roar escaping him as he filled me, his body tensing with a final, possessive shudder.

We lay there for a long time, the waves gently washing over our spent bodies, cleaning the sand from our skin. The silence of the island was peaceful now, the storm between us finally calmed.

Luca pulled me into his arms, his chin resting on the top of my head as he looked out at the horizon. “Happy wedding night, Mr. Moretti.”

I let out a tired, contented laugh, nuzzling into his chest. “I love you, Luca. Pero bukas, sa kama na tayo. My back is literally exfoliating on this sand.”

Luca chuckled, the sound vibrating through my entire body.

“I make no promises, Jion. We have the whole week.

THE END.

SPECIAL CHAPTER

/ R-18 /

Warning : This chapter is rated 18+. It contains explicit sexual content intended for mature readers only. Reader discretion is advised.

JION

𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

One year.

Three hundred and sixty-five days since I said “I do” under the Cornwall sun. If you asked the public, they’d tell you the Moretti life is a montage of private jets, silent hallways, and cold, calculated power moves. They think our biggest stress is a fluctuating stock market.

They clearly haven’t seen the state of our Italian marble floors at 7:00 AM.

Being married to Luca is a dream, pero ang pagpapalaki sa triplets? That is a high-stakes tactical operation. Every morning is a battle of wills between two grown men and three tiny humans who share our DNA but none of our impulse control. Leandro, Lucio, and Leone are toddlers now, and they’ve officially formed a mini-mafia squad. They don’t just play; they coordinate.

“Leandro, anak, no… please put the Murano back on the coaster. Dahan-dahan lang, it’s very fragile,” I whispered, my voice a mix of plea and prayer. I was employing the ‘Gentle Parenting’ technique I read about in that Swedish handbook, but my eye was twitching.

Leandro looked me dead in the eye, his chubby fingers tightening around the glass. He had Luca’s defiant stare. Just as he prepared to test the laws of gravity, a large, tattooed hand materialized over his shoulder, gently but firmly enveloping the vase.

It was Luca. He looked every bit the billionaire—crisp charcoal suit, a Rolex Submariner glinting on his wrist, smelling of sandalwood and success—but he didn’t hesitate to drop to one knee on the cream carpet.

“Leo, listen to your Papa. We don’t play with glass in this house. This is for looking, not for holding,” Luca said. His voice wasn’t loud, but it had that rhythmic, bass-heavy authority that made even the most stubborn board members sweat. “Hand it over to Daddy. Now.”

Leandro huffed, a tiny puff of air, before surrendering the prize. Luca scooped him up effortlessly, propping him on one hip. With his free hand, he reached out blindly to catch Lucio’s waistband just as the boy attempted to scale the Steinway grand piano like it was a jungle gym.

“I’ve got the acrobats, Jion. Go finish your coffee, Love. Baka lumamig na naman ’yan for the third time today,” Luca said, catching my gaze and giving me a quick, devastating wink.

He didn’t just hand them off to a nanny. He sat right there on the rug, charcoal slacks be damned, and began building a Lego fortress to distract them. He kept a peripheral eye on Leone—the quietest of the three, which usually meant he was five seconds away from a felony. True enough, Leone was currently eyeing the silk curtains with a pair of safety scissors.

“Akala ko ba you have a high-stakes emergency meeting with the London board this morning?” I asked, finally taking a sip of my lukewarm latte.

“I pushed it to Monday. Our anniversary is the only thing on my calendar today,” he replied, his expression softening into that rare, private smile he saves only for us. “Besides, I saw the bags under your eyes, Jion. You were up at 5:00 AM because Leone had that nightmare about the ‘giant vacuum.’ It’s Daddy’s turn to run point.”

My heart did that annoying little skip it always does. He isn’t just a provider; he’s a partner who notices the small things—the hours of lost sleep, the way I prefer my coffee, the way I need a break before I snap.

The tranquility of the Moretti estate officially expired at 2:00 PM. The heavy oak front doors didn’t just open; they were inaugurated.

“THE NINANG HAS ARRIVED! NASAAN ANG MGA MANA-MANA KO?!”

Aiden sashayed in, looking like a fever dream in neon pink faux fur and oversized Gucci shades that took up half his face. Behind him, looking like a disgruntled pack mule, was Blake. Blake was carrying two diaper bags, a portable playpen, and a bag that smelled suspiciously of high-sugar organic snacks.

“Aiden, for the love of God, keep it down!” I hissed, though I was smiling as I stepped forward for a beso. “Katatapos lang nila mag-lunch. If you overstimulate them now, they’ll turn into gremlins by sundown.”

“Baks, relax! I am a professional!” Aiden swept Leone into his arms, ignoring the smudge of mashed peas the toddler immediately smeared on his fur. “Hi, my little Kings! Turuan tayo ni Ninang how to ignore the haters and work a camera angle, okay? Your Daddy is too brooding, we need to lighten the mood!”

While Aiden was busy teaching Leandro how to do a “model pout,” Luca was standing by the foyer with Blake. The atmosphere there was much more… tactical. Luca handed Blake a thick leather folder—not a business contract, but the Moretti Toddler Manifesto.

“Everything is in here, Blake,” Luca said, his face as serious as if he were discussing international shipping lanes. “The feeding schedule, the specific temperature for their milk, and the emergency contacts. And Blake? If Aiden gives them even a gram of refined sugar before 7:00 PM, you’re the one dealing with the 2:00 AM sugar crash. Clear?”

Blake nodded, his jaw set. “Understood, Boss. I’ll make sure the human highlighter doesn’t teach them anything that requires a lawyer later on.”

“I heard that, Blake! Inggit ka lang because your wardrobe consists of ‘Security Black’ and ‘Depression Grey’!” Aiden shouted from the living room, where he was now trying to get Lucio to “vogue.”

I watched Luca for a moment. He was double-checking the boys’ go-bags one last time, making sure their favorite stuffed lions were tucked inside. Seeing the most feared man in the European underworld meticulously checking for unscented baby wipes… it’s a specific kind of thirst-trap I wasn’t prepared for when we got married.

“They’ll be fine, Jion,” Luca whispered, coming up behind me and sliding his arms around my waist. He rested his chin on my shoulder, his warmth seeping through my shirt. “Blake is more than capable, and security is on a five-mile perimeter. This is our time now. We’ve survived year one. Let’s go celebrate the fact that we’re still obsessed with each other.”

I turned around in his arms, looking at the beautiful chaos behind us: Aiden dancing to ‘Stupid Love’, Blake trying to bribe Lucio with apple slices, and my three boys laughing so hard they were falling over.

“Okay,” I breathed, leaning into his chest. “Let’s go. Take me away, Mr. Moretti”.

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

The transition from the chaotic, toy-strewn halls of our mansion to the deafening silence of a private jet is always jarring. But as the Gulfstream G650 touched down on a private strip in the Maldives, and we were whisked away by boat to our villa, the “Papa” part of my brain finally started to disengage.

The villa was a masterpiece of glass, wood, and infinity pools that bled into the turquoise Indian Ocean. No safety gates. No rubber-padded corners. No stray Lego bricks waiting to impale my feet in the dark.

“It’s too quiet,” I whispered, standing on the mahogany deck as the sun began its slow, golden descent. I was still holding my phone, thumb hovering over the group chat where Aiden was currently spamming videos of Leone trying to eat a crayon.

“Put the phone down, Jion.”

Luca’s voice was right behind my ear. He had already changed out of his suit. He was wearing a linen shirt, unbuttoned halfway, and dark shorts—the “Vacation Luca” that the world never got to see. He took the phone from my hand and set it on the outdoor table, face down.

“Blake has everything under control. Aiden is… being Aiden. The boys are safe,” he said, stepping into my space and resting his hands on my waist. “For the next forty-eight hours, there are no triplets. There is no Moretti Empire. There is only us.”

I leaned back into him, letting the sea breeze mess up my hair. “One year, Luca. We actually survived the first year of toddlerhood without burning the house down.”

“We did more than survive,” he murmured, his lips grazing the sensitive skin of my neck. “We built a life. But I’ve missed this. I’ve missed you without a diaper bag strapped to your shoulder.”

He turned me around to face him. The sunset was casting deep shadows across his face, highlighting the sharp line of his jaw and the intensity in his eyes that always made my breath hitch. This was the man who had moved mountains to keep me, the man who looked at me like I was the only fixed point in his turbulent world.

“I have a surprise,” he said, his voice dropping an octave.

He led me down to the private beach, where a table had been set up right at the water’s edge. There were no waiters—just a chilled bottle of vintage Krug and a spread of my favorite seafood. But it wasn’t the food that caught my eye. It was the small, velvet box sitting next to my crystal glass.

“Luca, you already gave me a watch this morning,” I protested, even as my heart started to hammer.

“That was a gift for the father of my children,” he said, picking up the box and opening it. Inside was a platinum band, intricately engraved with the coordinates of Cornwall and the birthdays of our three sons. “This is for my husband. The man who keeps me human.”

He took my hand, his touch steady and warm. “One year ago, I promised to protect you. Today, I promise to always find my way back to you, no matter how loud the world gets. Happy Anniversary, Jion.”

The romantic tension was so thick I could taste it. The way he looked at me—it wasn’t just love; it was a raw, primal devotion. I reached up, cupping his face, my thumb tracing the faint scar near his eyebrow.

“I love you, Luca. More than the peace, more than the luxury… even more than the quiet.”

He didn’t say anything else. He didn’t need to. He leaned in, closing the distance between us in a kiss that tasted like salt, expensive champagne, and a year’s worth of built-up longing. In that moment, the “Papa” and “Daddy” roles were completely gone. It was just Jion and Luca, two people lost in their own private world, while the ocean tide hummed a rhythm only we could hear.

“The villa has an outdoor shower,” Luca whispered against my lips, his hands sliding down to pull me closer until there was no air left between us. “And I made sure the staff stayed on the main island tonight.”

I felt a wicked grin spread across my face. “Well then, Mr. Moretti. I suggest we don’t let the moonlight go to waste.”

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

JION

( ˃ᯅ˂ ) |     |/ <（‿ˠ‿）> ूाीू

The sun had dipped below the horizon, leaving the island in a bruised purple twilight. The only light came from the bonfire crackling on the sand, casting long, dancing shadows that made the jungle behind us look like it was breathing.

I didn’t wait to reach the villa. The “polite” version of us had been left back on the mainland. I dropped to my knees on the Moroccan rugs right there on the beach, the sand gritty beneath the silk, and looked up at Luca. He stood over me like a conqueror, his eyes dark with a cruel, hungry light that told me he wanted to be worshipped.

I reached for his belt, my hands shaking with a desperate need to strip away the last of his civility. When his shorts hit the sand, he was already hard, pulsing with a heat that felt like it could burn me. I didn’t hesitate. I wrapped my fingers around him, feeling the heavy throb of his pulse, and looked him dead in the eye before taking him into my mouth.

I wanted to prove I could handle all of him. I pushed myself, taking him deep, my throat tightening as I focused on the raw, salty taste of him. Luca’s hand slammed into the back of my head, his fingers tangling in my hair with a grip that was borderline painful, forcing me down, forcing the rhythm. He wasn’t being gentle; he was using my mouth like he owned it, a low, sadistic growl vibrating in his chest every time I choked back a moan.

“That’s it, Jion,” he hissed, his voice a jagged edge in the dark. “Take it all. Show me how much you missed this.”

I worked him with a feverish intensity, my tongue swirling around the head, my hand pumping the base until his breath turned into ragged, sharp stabs. When I felt his body lock up, his muscles turning to stone, I didn’t pull away. He thrust deep one last time, a guttural shout echoing across the empty beach as he came. I took every drop, swallowing hungrily, drinking him down until he was empty, my eyes never leaving his as I licked my lips, tasting the salt and the victory.

I expected him to pull me up, to drag me to the bed and finish what we started. Instead, he shoved me back onto the cushions. Before I could catch my breath, he grabbed my ankles and hauled my lower body toward him, flipping me onto my stomach so my face was buried in the pillows and my ass was hiked high into the air.

“Luca—wait—” I gasped, thinking he was going to go for the kill, expecting the sharp, invasive heat of his tongue behind me.

I felt him spread me wide, the cool ocean breeze hitting me where I was most vulnerable, and then I felt his breath. But he didn’t stop at my ass. He moved forward, his mouth finding me with a fierce, possessive suction.

He started to blow me from behind, his tongue flicking against the head of my cock while his fingers worked the entrance he’d just been tasting. It was a sensory mind-fuck. The way he was working me—his mouth hot and demanding, his fingers stretching me with a sadistic deliberation—had me sobbing into the silk. He wasn’t just returning the favor; he was reclaiming me, mocking my restraint.

“You’re so fucking sensitive,” he whispered against my skin, his voice muffled by my own body. “I can feel you trembling. I haven’t even touched the best part yet and you’re already falling apart.”

He increased the suction, his tongue swirling with a devastating pace that pushed me right to the cliff’s edge. I was clawing at the rugs, the sand kicking up around us as I arched my back, my vision spinning. I was close—too close—but he wouldn’t let me go. He kept me right there, on the verge of a ruined, messy release, his mouth a wet, hot vice that refused to let me breathe.

“Luca, please! I’m gonna—I’m gonna cum!” I screamed, the sound lost to the crashing waves.

“Not yet,” he growled, pulling back just enough to bite the sensitive skin of my inner thigh, leaving a mark I knew would turn purple by morning. “I’m going to make you wait until we’re inside, and then I’m going to fuck the soul right out of you.”

I was a shivering wreck, my skin flushed a deep, angry red as Luca hovered over me on the sand. The air was thick with the scent of our combined heat, the ocean’s spray cooling my back while the front of my body burned. He had just finished mocking me with that sadistic tease from behind, and I thought he was done with his mouth—but Luca was never done until he had systematically broken every ounce of my resolve.

He hauled me up by my waist, flipping me back over so I was sprawled on the rugs, staring up at the obsidian sky. He didn’t say a word. He crawled up my body, pinning my wrists above my head with one hand, his weight crushing me into the cushions. He looked down at me, a dark, wicked smirk pulling at his lips.

“You’re aching, Jion. I can feel you pulsing against my stomach,” he whispered, his voice a jagged, low vibration. “You want to finish, don’t you? You want to spill all over these rugs.”

“Luca… please,” I choked out, my hips bucking upward in a pathetic, desperate search for friction.

“I told you. No. Not until I’ve had my fill of you.”

He moved back down, but this time he didn’t go for my cock. He started with my thighs, his mouth wide and hot, biting the soft skin of my inner legs until I was hissing in pain and pleasure. He was marking his territory, his teeth grazing the sensitive tendons before his tongue swirled over the bruises he was leaving.

Then, he took me back into his mouth.

It was even more vulgar than before. He wasn’t just sucking; he was using his throat, drawing me in so deep I felt the heat of him all the way to my gut. He used his hand to grip the base of me, his thumb digging into the nerve at the bottom, while his mouth worked the top with a wet, sloppy intensity. Every time I reached that white-hot peak—every time my back arched and a strangled sob left my throat—he would stop.

He would pull back, leaving me cold and gasping, and just look at me. He watched the way my eyes rolled back, the way my chest heaved. He was a sadist, enjoying the power of holding my release in his hands.

“Look at you,” he mocked, his thumb stroking my wet tip. “A complete mess. One year of marriage and you still can’t handle me, can you?”

He didn’t wait for an answer. He dived back down, but this time, he allowed me to move. I tangled my fingers in his hair, pulling him closer, my legs wrapping around his neck as I tried to force the rhythm. He let me have it for a moment, his tongue flicking against the ridge with a frantic, punishing speed that had me seeing stars.

I was unraveling. The world was nothing but the sound of the waves and the wet, rhythmic sound of Luca devouring me. I felt the pressure build—a heavy, slamming weight in my lower belly that I couldn’t hold back anymore.

“I’m—I’m gonna—Luca!”

I didn’t care about the rules anymore. I came with a violent, jarring force, my body practically lifting off the rugs as I spilled over his tongue. Luca didn’t pull away. He took it all, his throat working as he swallowed every bit of my ruin, his eyes fixed on mine with a terrifying, possessive intensity.

When he finally pulled back, he was slick with me, his lips glistening in the moonlight. He leaned up, pressing a hard, bruising kiss to my mouth, making me taste myself on his tongue.

“Now,” he rasped, his hand sliding down to grip his own heavy length, which was still pulsing and unfulfilled. “It’s your turn again. And Jion? Don’t stop until I tell you.”

The bonfire was nothing but a heap of glowing, angry embers now, casting a hellish red light over the sand. Luca sat back on his heels, his legs spread wide, looking down at me like I was something he’d bought and intended to break. He was still rock hard, leaking a slow, taunting bead of moisture that caught the firelight.

“You look like a starved animal, Jion,” Luca rasped, his voice dripping with a cruel, dark satisfaction. “Go on. Show me how much of a hungry pig you can be for your husband. Drink it all.”

I didn’t need to be told twice. I crawled toward him on my hands and knees, the sand scratching my palms, my dignity long gone. I looked up at him, my breath coming in shallow, desperate pants, before I lunged for him. I took him in all at once, my throat stretching to accommodate the sheer, arrogant size of him.

I was a mess—saliva dripping down my chin, my eyes blown out and watery as I focused entirely on the taste of him. I used my tongue like a weapon, swirling it around the head, sucking with a vacuum-like force that made Luca’s hips jerk off the cushions. He let out a low, filthy curse, his hand slamming into the back of my neck to anchor me there.

“That’s it, you greedy little fuck,” he hissed, his fingers digging into my scalp, forcing me to take even more. “Suck it like you’re trying to drain the life out of me. I want to feel your teeth graze me. I want to feel you choking on it.”

He started to thrust his hips, a brutal, unyielding rhythm that had me gagging, but I didn’t pull away. I wanted the humiliation; I wanted the weight of him. I was making a pathetic, needy sound deep in my throat, my hands gripping his muscular thighs as I worked him. The more he cursed at me—calling me vulgar names, telling me how pathetic I looked kneeling in the sand—the harder I sucked.

The air was thick with the smell of salt and raw, unbridled lust. Luca’s breathing turned into a series of jagged, animalistic growls. He was reaching his limit, his entire body vibrating with the effort of not finishing too soon.

“You’re so fucking hungry for it,” he groaned, his grip on my hair tightening until I was forced to look up at him, his cock still buried deep in my mouth. “Watch me. Watch me ruin your pretty little face.”

He didn’t pull out. He thrust one last, devastating time, his body locking up as he flooded my mouth with a hot, thick surge of salt and adrenaline. I didn’t flinch. I swallowed every drop with a desperate, rhythmic gulping, my throat working overtime to keep up with him. I drank it all down like I was dying of thirst, making sure not a single drop wasted away on the sand.

When he finally let go of my hair, I slumped back, my chest heaving, my lips slick and white. I looked up at him, a dazed, broken grin on my face as I licked a stray drop from the corner of my mouth.

“Good boy,” he whispered, his voice dark and sadistic as he reached out to thumb a smudge of his release across my cheek. “You drank every bit, didn’t you? Like a filthy little pig.”

He stood up, looking down at my wrecked form on the rugs, his shadow towering over me. “Don’t think you’re done. We haven’t even made it to the bed yet.”

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

(っ´ཀ’)っ Ɑ͞ ͞ ͞ ͞ ͞ﻝﮞ

THIRD PERSON POV

The silence of the Maldives was officially dead, replaced by the sound of Jion’s heavy, frantic breathing as Luca dragged him into the master suite. The moonlight through the glass walls was cold, but the heat coming off Luca was lethal. He didn’t use the bed. He shoved Jion against the floor-to-ceiling window, the glass cooling Jion’s chest while his back was pressed against the hard, unyielding wall of Luca’s chest.

“You’ve been acting like such a pathetic, hungry slut all night on that beach,” Luca hissed, his voice a jagged blade against Jion’s ear. He grabbed Jion’s hair, yanking his head back so their eyes met in the reflection of the glass. “You want to feel how big I am? You want to see if your little hole can actually take me?”

Luca didn’t use lube. He used the slick, messy aftermath of their oral session, coating himself before he guided his tip to the entrance he had spent the last two hours demoralizing. He didn’t ease in. He gave one brutal, sadistic shove, burying himself to the absolute hilt in one go.

Jion’s scream was muffled against the glass, his eyes blowing wide as his body tried to reject the sheer, arrogant size of the intrusion. It felt like he was being split, the length of Luca reaching deep into his gut, claiming space that didn’t belong to him.

“Look at you,” Luca growled, his hands bruising Jion’s hips as he held him still. “Stretched so thin you can’t even breathe. You like being filled like this, don’t you? You like being handled like a piece of property.”

Then, the torture truly began. Luca didn’t start a rhythm. He pulled out—all the way out—until only the very tip remained, letting Jion’s muscles try to snap shut in a desperate attempt at relief. Then, before Jion could even gasp, Luca slammed back in with a violent, jarring force that sent a shockwave straight to Jion’s spine.

Hugot-pasok. The repetition was sadistic. Out until the air hit him, then shoved back in with a heavy, meat-on-meat sound that echoed in the empty room.

“Stop… Luca, please… it’s too much… it’s too big,” Jion sobbed, his forehead thumping against the glass, his fingers leaving frantic, smeared streaks on the surface. But even as the tears tracked down his face, his body was traitorous. Every time Luca hammered back into him, Jion’s hips bucked back instinctively, seeking the very pain that was breaking him.

“You’re lying, Jion,” Luca mocked, his teeth nipping at the sensitive cord of Jion’s neck. “You love how this feels. You love being a slut for your husband. Look at your reflection. Look at how wide you’re stretched for me.”

Luca increased the speed, the ‘hugot’ becoming more frantic, the ‘shove’ becoming more punishing. He was bottoming out with every stroke, the sheer length of him rummaging through Jion’s insides until Jion didn’t know where his own body ended and Luca’s began. Jion’s cries turned from pain to a high, keening wail of pure, overstimulated bliss. He was being hollowed out, his mind turning to white noise as Luca used him with a terrifying, calculated lack of mercy.

The emotional weight was staggering—the one year of devotion, the shared kids, the “Moretti” legacy—all of it boiled down to this raw, vulgar display of dominance. Jion was no longer the elegant husband; he was a mess of nerves and raw skin, crying and begging for more of the very thing that was shattering him.

“I’m… I’m your slut… fuck, Luca, keep doing it! Shove it back in!” Jion finally brokenly admitted, his voice a wrecked whisper.

Luca’s response was a low, dark chuckle that promised the night was far from over. He gripped Jion’s throat lightly, forcing him to look at the moonlit ocean while he continued to hammer away at his resolve, part one of his plan to leave Jion completely unrecognizable by morning.

❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

JION

( ˃ᯅ˂ )

|     |/

<（‿ˠ‿）>

ूाीू

Luca didn’t give me a second to recover. Before the echoes of my own screams could fade against the glass, he hauled me away from the window by my hair, my legs dragging across the polished wood floor until he tossed me onto the edge of the massive king-sized bed.

I was a mess—face flushed, eyes swollen from crying, and my lower half throbbing from the systematic hammering he’d just put me through. I tried to crawl toward the pillows, a desperate instinct to hide, but Luca grabbed my ankles and yanked me back until my hips were hanging off the very edge of the mattress.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he snarled, his voice thick with a dark, sadistic edge. “I haven’t even started to break you yet.”

He grabbed two silk ties from the nightstand. With a cold, efficient speed, he lashed my wrists to the heavy mahogany bedposts. I was pinned, chest arched, legs spread wide and draped over his broad shoulders as he stepped between them. From this angle, I was completely exposed, my hole twitching and raw, still weeping from the first round.

“Look at yourself, Jion,” he commanded, looming over me. “Legs wide for me, tied down like a fucking animal. You look like the pathetic little slut you are.”

He didn’t use his hands this time. He just lined himself up and drove in, his entire length disappearing inside me in one agonizing, heavy shove. I let out a choked, wet sob, my head thrashing against the mattress. The change in angle meant he was hitting me even deeper, his cock grinding against my prostate with every brutal inch.

“Is it too big, Jion? Does it feel like I’m ripping you apart?” he mocked, his eyes burning into mine.

He began the rhythm again, but it was even more calculated now. He would pull out slowly, letting the friction burn against my walls until I was gasping for him to come back, and then he would slam home with the force of a freight train. Hugot-pasok. The sound of it—that wet, heavy slapping of his pelvic bone against my ass—was the only thing I could hear over the blood rushing in my ears.

“Answer me, you slut. Tell me how it feels to have me rummaging through your guts,” he hissed, leaning down to bite my inner thigh, hard enough to draw blood.

“It’s… it’s too much… it’s so fucking big,” I wailed, my body jerking against the silk ties. “I love it… I love how you’re destroying me, Luca! Fuck me harder!”

My confession only seemed to fuel his sadism. He grabbed my throat, not enough to stop my breath, but enough to make me feel his absolute control. He increased the pace until it was a blurred, violent friction. He was hammering into me with a rhythmic cruelty, bottoming out so hard I felt the impact in my chest.

I was lost. The “Moretti” name, our anniversary, our life—it all vanished. I was just a hole for him to use, a body for him to wreck. My mind was a static haze of white-hot pleasure and agonizing fullness. Every time he bottomed out, I felt my walls clenching desperately around him, trying to hold onto the very thing that was making me cry out in pain.

“That’s right,” he growled, his thrusts becoming shorter and more vicious. “Take every fucking inch. I’m going to stretch you until you can’t even close properly. I’m going to make sure you feel me inside you for the next week.”

I was close, my cock leaking onto my own stomach, but he wouldn’t let me touch myself. He wanted me to stay in this state of total, humiliating surrender—pinned, used, and utterly ruined.

Luca’s grip on my throat loosened just enough for him to pull me up from the edge of the bed. I was lightheaded, my vision swimming with heat and the lingering ghost of his thrusts still echoing in my gut. He didn’t say a word as he untied the silk from my wrists, the sudden freedom making my arms feel heavy and useless.

He sat back on the center of the bed, leaning against the headboard with a cold, predatory stare. He looked like a king waiting for his tribute—hard, arrogant, and completely unbothered by the sweat dripping down his chest.

“Get on top,” he commanded, his voice a low, gravelly rasp. “You’ve been crying about the size, Jion. Now you’re going to be the one to shove it back in. I want to see you work for it.”

I crawled over him, my knees shaking, feeling like a complete slut as I straddled his thick thighs. I reached down, my fingers slick with the mess we’d made, and guided him to the entrance he’d been hammering for the last hour. My hole was pulsing, wide and raw, but as I lowered myself down, the sheer girth of him made me gasp, my eyes flying open.

“All the way, Jion. Don’t you dare stop,” Luca hissed, his hands coming up to grip my waist, his thumbs digging into my hip bones.

I sank down slowly, centimeter by centimeter, feeling my walls stretch to their absolute limit. It felt like he was reaching my heart, the blunt pressure making my breath hitch in broken, jagged sobs. When I was finally seated flush against him, buried to the absolute hilt, I let out a wrecked moan, my head falling onto his shoulder.

“Now, move,” he ordered, his voice sadistic. “Show me how much of a hungry little pig you are for your husband’s dick.”

I started to move, lifting myself up until I was almost off him, then slamming back down. The hugot-pasok was even more intense when I was the one in control of the depth. I could feel every vein, every throb of him rummaging through my insides. I was hammering myself onto him, my movements becoming frantic and messy.

“Look at you,” Luca mocked, his hands moving from my waist to my chest, squeezing hard enough to leave marks. “Look how you’re taking every fucking inch. You’re bouncing on it like your life depends on it. You’re such a pathetic, used-up slut, aren’t you?”

“Yes… fuck, Luca… I’m your slut,” I wailed, my hair sticking to my forehead, my face a mask of pure, overstimulated agony. I was riding him with a desperate, animalistic hunger, my internal muscles clenching around him with every downward thrust.

Luca wasn’t helping. He was a statue of muscle beneath me, his eyes fixed on mine, watching me unravel. Every time I tried to slow down to catch my breath, he would shove his hips upward, meeting my descent with a violent force that sent a fresh jolt of white light through my brain.

“You don’t get to rest,” he growled, grabbing my hair and pulling my face close to his. “You’re going to keep going until you’re so stretched you can’t even remember your own name. I want to hear you scream for it.”

I was lost in the rhythm, my mind turning to static. The feeling of him bottoming out inside me, the vulgar sounds of our bodies colliding, and the way he looked at me with such cold, sadistic ownership—it was too much. I was crying, my tears falling onto his chest, but I couldn’t stop. I was a slave to the friction, a slave to the man beneath me, hammering away at my own sanity.

“I’m not letting you cum yet, Jion,” he whispered, his teeth nipping at my bottom lip as he felt my body begin to tremble on the verge. “You’re going to stay right here, full and aching, until I’m ready to ruin you for good.”

Luca didn’t let me breathe. He shoved me back and forced my knees up to my chest, pinning me into a tight, vulnerable ball. This was the cannonball—a position that left me completely open, my spine curved and my hole presented like a sacrificial offering.

“Since you’re so eager to ride it, let’s see how you handle it when you can’t move an inch,” Luca growled. He leaned his full weight over me, his massive chest crushing my folded legs against my torso.

He didn’t ease back in. He lined himself up and hammered home with a sadistic, straight-down thrust that felt like it was going to punch through my stomach. I let out a high, broken scream that died in the back of my throat. Because of the way I was folded, his length was hitting deep into territory he hadn’t even reached yet. Every shove was a violent, rummaging intrusion into my gut.

“Fuck, Luca! You’re—you’re too deep!” I sobbed, my face turning a dark, frantic red as the air was literally squeezed out of my lungs.

“I’m exactly where I need to be,” he hissed, his eyes blown out and predatory. He began a relentless, short-stroke pounding, a brutal hugot-pasok that didn’t give my muscles a single millisecond to recover. He was bottoming out against me with every jarring hit, the sound of his pelvic bone slamming against my tailbone echoing like a gunshot in the quiet room.

I was a total wreck, my hands clawing uselessly at my own shins as I tried to hold the position. I felt like a used-up slut, my hole being stretched into a wide, weeping circle of raw friction. Luca was mocking me with every breath, his words a vulgar stream of filth that made my head spin.

“Look at you, folded up like a toy for me,” he mocked, his teeth sinking into the sensitive skin of my inner thigh. “You’re so fucking wide for me now, Jion. I could probably fit both hands inside you and you’d still beg for more. You’re just a hungry, pathetic hole for your husband, aren’t you?”

“Yes! Fuck, yes! Destroy me, Luca! Hammer it in!” I wailed, my voice a wrecked, unrecognizable mess.

I was so overstimulated I couldn’t feel my limbs anymore. All I could feel was the massive, hot weight of him Rummaging through my insides, hitting that one spot over and over until my vision sparked with white light. He wasn’t stopping. He was increasing the speed, his thrusts becoming more animalistic, his grunts sounding more like a predator over its kill.

I was shaking, my entire body vibrating with a need that was bordering on agony. I was so full of him it felt like I was going to burst, but he kept the pressure high, kept the pace punishing. He was a sadist, and he was enjoying every second of my total, humiliating collapse.

Luca didn’t let the pressure fade for a single second. He flipped me onto my side, curling my body into his like a pair of bent spoons, but there was nothing comforting about the way he hauled my top leg back until my knee was tucked against my chest. This position left me completely exposed from behind, my spine curved and my hole gaping, still throbbing from the cannonball.

He pressed his chest against my back, his sweat-slicked skin sticking to mine, and guided his cock back to the entrance he had already turned into a raw, weeping mess. He didn’t just slide in—he lunged.

He buried himself to the absolute hilt, the angle of the bent spoon allowing him to hook even deeper into my gut. I let out a strangled, wet sob, my fingers clawing at the silk sheets as I felt the blunt weight of him rummaging through my insides.

“You’re so fucking open for me now, Jion,” Luca growled into my ear, his teeth grazing my lobe before he bit down hard. “Look how easily I’m sliding into you. One year of being my husband and you’ve turned into such a used-up, greedy slut.”

He started a slow, rhythmic torture. He would pull out until the head was almost clear, letting my muscles desperately try to snap shut, only to shove back in with a violent, jarring force that bottomed out against my prostate. Hugot-pasok. The sound was disgusting—a wet, vulgar slapping of meat on meat that filled the quiet room.

“Fuck, Luca… it’s reaching too deep… it feels like you’re hitting my ribs,” I wailed, my head thrashing against the pillow. I was a mess of tears and sweat, my body shaking with a desperate, unreleased heat.

“I want to hit everything,” he hissed, his hand reaching around to grip my throat, tilting my head back so he could see the shattered look in my eyes. “I want to stretch you until you’re permanently marked by me. I want you to feel this every time you try to walk tomorrow.”

He increased the violence of the thrusts, his hips slamming into my ass with a primal, sadistic speed. Every time he hammered home, my vision went white. I was being hollowed out, my mind reduced to nothing but the feeling of his massive length stretching me to the point of breaking. I was a slut for it, my hips bucking back against him instinctively, begging for the very thing that was destroying me.

“You like being hammered like this, don’t you?” Luca mocked, his voice a low, filthy rasp. “Tell me you’re my slut. Tell me you want me to fuck you until you can’t even scream anymore.”

“I’m your slut! Fuck, Luca, please! Hammer me! Don’t stop!” I sobbed, my voice breaking.

I was on the edge, my cock leaking onto the sheets, but he still wouldn’t let me touch myself. He wanted me to stay in this state of agonizing, overstimulated fullness. He was a sadist, and he was enjoying the way my body was failing me, the way I was completely at the mercy of his relentless, heavy pace.

Luca was done with the bed. He hauled me up, my legs feeling like useless lead, and dragged me toward the heavy mahogany pillar that separated the bedroom from the balcony. He was breathing like a wounded animal—heavy, jagged, and predatory.

He forced me to turn around and face the glass, my chest pressed against the cool surface, and then he hoisted me up. This was the suspended congress. My feet dangled off the floor, my entire weight supported only by his massive arms and the sheer, arrogant strength of his cock buried inside me.

“Look at yourself, Jion,” he hissed, his voice a raw, sadistic rasp against my ear. “One year later and you’re hanging off me like a piece of meat. A fucking used-up, hollowed-out slut.”

He didn’t wait. He started the final, brutal rhythm. Because I was suspended, every thrust used gravity against me, pulling me down onto him while he drove upward with a violent, jarring force. The hugot-pasok was relentless now—he was pulling out until I whimpered at the cold, then slamming back in so hard I thought the glass would shatter.

“I’m… I’m gonna… Luca, please! I’m breaking!” I screamed, my fingers leaving frantic, smeared streaks on the window as I looked out at the dark ocean.

“Break for me then,” he growled, his teeth sinking into the meat of my shoulder. “Show me how a Moretti slut takes a real fucking.”

He increased the pace to something animalistic. He was bottoming out with every hit, rummaging through my insides until I was seeing stars. I was a mess—sobbing, shaking, my head thrashing back against his chest. I could feel him reaching his limit; the way his muscles were twitching, the way his grunts were turning into guttural roars.

“I’m coming, Jion! Fuck, I’m gonna fill you so deep you’ll feel it in your throat!”

He didn’t let me go. He gripped my hips with a bruising force, his thumbs digging into my skin, and delivered three more devastating, bone-deep thrusts. On the last one, he buried himself to the absolute hilt and stayed there.

I felt the first hot, thick jet of him flood me, a white-hot surge that made my entire body lock up in a violent spasm. I finally snapped. My own release tore out of me, splashing against the glass in a messy, vulgar display of my total ruin. I was sobbing, my voice gone, as I felt every pulse of him inside me—filling me, stretching me, claiming every inch of the hole he had systematically destroyed all night.

We stayed like that for a long time—me hanging off him, limp and wrecked, and Luca holding me there, his chest heaving against my back. The only sound was the wind and the rhythmic, uncaring pulse of the waves.

“Happy anniversary, Jion,” he whispered, his voice finally dropping the edge, though his grip remained as possessive as ever. “You’re mine. Don’t ever fucking forget it.”

The room was bathed in the soft, ethereal glow of the moonlight, the air thick with the sweet, heavy scent of tropical flowers and the lingering salt of the sea. Luca didn’t just pull me close; he gathered me into him as if I were the most precious thing he had ever held, his movements slow, deliberate, and overflowing with a reverence that made my throat tight.

He shifted so he was propped up on one elbow, looking down at me with an expression so tender it felt like a physical touch. He reached out, his large, calloused hand cupping my cheek with a lightness that defied his strength.

“Look at me, baby,” he whispered, his voice a low, melodic vibration in the quiet of the suite.

I opened my eyes, meeting his dark gaze. There was no shadow of the predator left, only a man who looked like he was staring at his entire world.

“I know I play the part of the monster sometimes,” he said, his thumb tracing the curve of my bottom lip with agonizing slowness. “And I know I take things to the edge. But I need you to know, Jion… beneath all the dominance and the noise, every single thing I do is because I am utterly, hopelessly consumed by you. You are the only person who can reach the parts of me I thought were dead. You’re my peace, my home, and the very breath in my lungs.”

He leaned down, pressing his forehead against mine, his breath warm against my skin.

“I’m sorry for the bruises,” he murmured, his voice cracking just a fraction. “And I’m sorry for the names. Sometimes, when I have you like that, I just want to make sure you’re so tied to me that you can never, ever leave. But the truth is, I’m the one who’s tied to you. I’m the one who’s obsessed. I would spend a thousand lifetimes just to have one more night like this with you.”

The sincerity in his voice brought a fresh sting of tears to my eyes. I reached up, my hand trembling as I traced the line of his jaw, feeling the solid, unwavering reality of him.

“Luca,” I breathed, pulling him down for a kiss that wasn’t about sex or power, but about a soul-deep connection. It was slow, tasting of champagne and forever. “You don’t have to apologize for loving me fiercely. I want all of you. The soft parts, the dark parts, and everything in between. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”

He let out a long, shaky exhale, as if he’d been holding his breath for a year. He pulled me into his chest, tucking my head under his chin and wrapping his powerful arms around me so tightly I could feel the rhythmic, steady thrum of his heart against my ear.

“I’m never letting go, baby,” he whispered into my hair, his voice thick with emotion. “You’re my forever. My beautiful, perfect husband. Sleep now. I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

As sleep finally claimed me, I felt him press one last, lingering kiss to the top of my head, a silent vow that echoed in the quiet of the Maldives night.

END . ❦ ⋆˚✿˖ °𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ᡣ𐭩 °❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

LUCA C*MMING

( ˃ᯅ˂ ) ¡¡ ( ꪊꪻ⊂)

JION BEING PENETRATED

( ˃ᯅ˂ ) |     |/ <（‿ˠ‿）> ूाीू

(っ´ཀ’)っ Ɑ͞ ͞ ͞ ͞ ͞ﻝﮞ

ciao babies.