Contents

COPYRIGHT
FOREWORD
PROLOGUE
PAST
DESTINY
CRASHED
BURNED
PRESENT
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
EPILOGUE
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
OTHER WORKS
Also By Eve Montelibano
About the Author
 COPYRIGHT

This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used
fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and
any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

LOVE MATCH DIGITAL

A Division of Lovematch/SD&M Publishing
Philippines 9500
http://lovematchdigital.net/
[email protected]

SWEET DOWNFALL Copyright © 2015 by Eve Montelibano

All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.
Cover designed by LM Digital
FOREWORD
Love is universal. It knows no
bounds.
PROLOGUE
WAKING UP ON A BLOW JOB was like getting hot-wired in his dream.
Someone turned his engine on without his permission, hijacking his will. His
body started running, the speed escalating way too soon, the sensations
reaching his consciousness like a rushing flood.
Then he really woke up, on the verge of coming.
The feeling morphed and he was on a plane. Someone pushed him out
into the void without a parachute and he was free-falling to his death. The
end was waiting for him with open arms. He was plunging helplessly, the
gravity, pulling him down hard and fast and he was powerless to stop it.
There was no other way to go but surrender as he reached the point of
inevitable. But it didn’t matter. He needed to die. It was the only way he
could live.
He hit the ground hard, exploding into a million pieces. And then he was
back in the sky, floating like snow flakes…melting away…dissolving into
nothingness.
Eight seconds of death.
“Fffffffuck,” he sighed as his breathing returned to normal.
Surreal.
He opened his eyes to gaze into the blue eyes of a blond goddess.
Gwenna James, the babe who had figured in every horndog’s fantasy
since she’d strutted her naked ass for a full minute as one of Leonardo
DiCaprio’s mistresses on screen last year smiled at him, licking her fingers
dripping with his cream.
He shook his head to activate his sluggish neurons. How in hell did she
end up in his bed?
Hazy memories came back. He was already dozing off in his RV at dawn
when he heard a knock at the door. Groggy, he opened it and there was
Gwenna, the super-sexy supporting actress of his latest movie giving him a
can-I-sleep-with-you-tonight look. It was more likely a can-I-fuck-you-
tonight look but he was not inclined to read her body language.
He let her in and immediately went back to his bunk bed. The next thing
he knew, he was lured back to reality by her impressive ‘lip service’, his
entire length deep in her throat. Now THAT was more impressive as he was
not short in that department.
 He’d groaned in half-protest, his mind too tired but his body was
instinctively responding to her expert ministrations. “Gwennie, I can’t…I’m
beat…”
“Shhh, just lie back and relax, darling. I’m doing this for myself. I
missed you. Mmm, you have the most gorgeous cock, Jaq Montero. I so love
this big, bad, angry wolf.” She giggled.
Sweet Jeez, who was he to complain? His dick sure wasn’t. He flopped
back on the pillows and let her have his way with him. After blasting his
load in her sweet mouth, he went back to snoring. He was a selfish bastard
but she came uninvited and he really didn’t have the energy to romantically
indulge any woman at the moment.
His full concentration was on his movie. It was huge. DreamWorks put
in a 150-million dollar budget. Expectations were high. The studio was
projecting it to earn double than his last movie.
As it was, he was pressed for time to meet the première date. One of the
big bosses in LA called him yesterday to remind him he had to wrap up his
Asian location shoots within two months and proceed to pre-production. Like
he would forget.
Bam-bam-bam!
The RV’s door vibrated, sending shock waves straight to his skull. A
blow job waking him up was always preferable to that racket
unceremoniously rousing him from the dead like a bomb blast. He had
wrapped up one difficult scene last night at way past midnight and he didn’t
appreciate such an early disturbance. Whoever was outside would get an
early demise.
He covered his head with a big pillow and ignored the door but the
fuckwit had a death wish. Who could it be? No one who valued his job
would dare break his few rules on set. They were all fucking sacrosanct!
Rule number one: never wake him up before the time plastered on the door
unless it was a life and death situation.
“You’d better get that,” Gwenna mumbled lazily.
Swearing under his breath, he got off the bed and walked toward the
door.
“Might be paparazzi eager to get a pic of your morning glory,” Gwenna
reminded him. “It will sell every tabloid, I bet.”
Swearing again, he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his hips. He
opened the door with a scowl. “This had better be good!” he snarled.
 Joey, his cousin, a 26-year old dyke was the fuckwit. She was his
Personal Assistant. His PA must be a female because generally, women were
efficient and detail-oriented, BUT she had to be a butch.
“Uhm, cuz…” Joey started, scratching her nape.
Joey was a real piece of work. She had more tattoos than an ex-con. He
used to have sexy PAs but they all ended up infatuated with him, which was
bad for business. A man would normally not decline a free-fuck offer, but
after the action, it suddenly wasn’t free anymore. They’d start making
demands. He wasn’t the ‘together forever’ type of guy and to be fair, he
would always emphasize that before hooking up with a woman. They all
shrugged it off, but they all sang the love songs afterward when the deal was
only hard, fast rock ‘n roll.
He complained about this to his publicist Lulu and she shared some
interesting tidbits about women psychology. According to pseudo-shrink
Lulu, a lot of women had the Sleeping Beauty Syndrome AKA ‘Prince will
be awakened from commitment phobia by deep, pure love’. Well, he had no
problem with a babe lovingly waking up his ‘Sleeping Beauty’ but really, a
man could shoot his load several times in a woman’s generous orifices
without disturbing his cardiovascular system. Unfortunately, women had this
gross misconception that since he was an artist and he made highly charged
music and high-octane movies, he was an emo guy, too.
Wrong. The only thing that responded to a woman in his anatomy was his
jack-in-the-box. So now, he had a hard-core lezbo for a PA. No
complications since. They both preferred chicks and even went to strip clubs
together. But he got sidetracked. “What is it?” he demanded again.
“Sorry, cuz, but it’s an emergency,” Joey said, her face serious.
“Not with the cameras or the crew, I hope?”
“Nah.”
“Is anybody hurt? The cast?”
“Worse.”
Now, he was concerned. “Someone died?”
Joey smirked. “Maybe it would be you.”
His scowl was back. “Joey, I have one hour before shoot starts. Don’t
fucking waste it.”
Joey took out her hand from behind her and slammed several tabloids on
his chest.
He immediately grabbed them by one fist.
 “You’re headline, dude. Enjoy,” she said and turned around.
He heard her snicker as she hurried away.
Puzzled, he looked at one of the tabloids.
The headline made him freeze.
EXPOSED! CELEBRITY SEX VIDEO!!!
Everything in him and around him seemed to stop moving except for the
sudden, heavy slamming of his heart. He stared in shock at the photograph
that dominated the front page of the most popular tabloid in this country.
It was an old photograph of him and a woman. He recognized the still
shot right away.
The woman was Angelina Yulo, eldest daughter of hotel magnate
Manolo Yulo. She was also the fiancée of media and advertising mogul
Jordan Lavega.
Angie.
His first love.
PAST
EIGHT YEARS AGO
DESTINY
JAQ WAS DESPERATE.
He was head over heels in love. But his girlfriend was pledged to marry
another guy. Not HIM. A guy who belonged in their social class. Elite. Blue
blood. Aristocracy. Rich as Croesus.
Everything that he was not.
He was a by-blow. Bred by a sexy star turned serious theater actress and
adopted by her action superstar husband. His blood ran with showbiz fuel,
red as the controversies and scandals that used to headline the tabloids
making money out of his famous celebrity parents. The only claim to
greatness he had so far was being the lead guitarist of the hottest rock band in
the country today.
But he loved her. She loved him. They belonged together.
So, what was he to do when her folks were trying all their damnedest to
break them up?
Kidnap her.
Yes, that was exactly what he did.

He drove them out of there.

Jaq’s gut was still churning with anger and fear of getting caught but his
nerves had calmed down considerably. Angie was with him now. Not with
Jordan.
He still couldn’t speak. He wanted to rant at her for making a big fool
out of him but he reined in his temper. His need to take Angie away from
Jordan was more important than his injured ego.
She’d been so quiet, too while he navigated the vehicle at a speed short
of violating high traffic limit.
“J-jaq…” she started.
He didn’t answer.
“Jaq, I’m so sorry…” Her voice cracked. She turned sideways, facing
him but he didn’t even glance at her. He gripped the steering wheel harder
and concentrated on the road, his jaw set.
“I wanted to tell him about us today…but I didn’t know how. It was just
so hard for me…my dad…my brothers…they told me it’s for our family…I
didn’t know what to do, Jaq…I’m so scared. Please don’t be mad.”
If there was anything that could easily douse his anger, it was Angie’s
tears. He was angry and hurting but she was so young and she sounded so
lost.
The disparity of their personalities became more apparent to him in that
moment. She was only eighteen. Practically a baby. An innocent and
sheltered debutante. He was twenty-three, as jaded, worldly and wild as the
songs he wrote for his notorious band.
He grasped her hand and squeezed it. “Shh, it’s alright. It’s okay.”
She held on to his hand tightly. “I love you, Jaq. It’s you I love, not him.
You know that, right?”
That was all he needed to hear.
“You won’t be going home today. Or the next day,” he said with firm
resolve.
She gripped his hand with both her hands even tighter. “I trust you.”
He exhaled a sigh of relief and kissed her knuckle.
His life had just made a mean left turn.
There was no going back.

Manolo Yulo was livid with rage.

His worst nightmare was happening for real.
“How did this happen?! I trusted you, Jordan! How can you let this
happen?!”
“Sir, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know something like this would happen.
Where would she go? Why would she leave the restaurant without telling
me?”
Before Manolo could reply, Rad gripped his shoulder. “Dad, can I talk
to you for a minute?”
He turned to his son. “Don’t give me excuses! I told you to guard her!”
he snarled at Rad.
“Dad…” Rad steered him away from the group toward the garden near
the pool where nobody can hear them. His entire family had gathered after
learning the news that Angie had disappeared and no one can give him any
information as to where his daughter was now. They had not informed the
police yet.
He had a bad feeling about this. Very bad feeling.
 He didn’t want to waste time speculating. “She went with Montero.
Right?”
Rad nodded. “Jordan doesn’t have any suspicion Montero is involved.
He doesn’t even know Angie’s been fooling around with Jaq. Dad, if we can
keep him in the dark about that, all plans could still push through. He doesn’t
have to know. We’ll keep everything under wraps. We just need to get Angie
back as soon as possible. As quietly as possible.”
There was another reason why he would never want Montero to get
involved with his daughter, alright. Business was only secondary. If he lost to
both, the consequences would be staggering. One he could probably not bear.
He squeezed Rad’s shoulder. “Don’t ever let that punk have your sister, Rad.
It will kill me. You understand?!”
His son nodded. “Yes, Dad. I won’t let that bastard ruin all our plans.
Leave it to me. I’ll take care of it. Don’t worry. We’ll get her back soon.”
“I’ll call Marcus. He would make things move faster.” His close friend,
Senator Marcus Benedicto was a four-star general in the armed forces and a
former Secretary of Defense. Marcus had all the machineries to hunt Montero
down and have him apprehended within the day. Even if he had to request an
entire battalion of soldiers to go after that kid, he would.
Once they found him, he will personally kill the son of a bitch! How apt
the term was.
Jaq Montero was the literal son of a bitch.
If he touches my daughter, I will kill your son, Debbie.

“Is it possible that Angie was kidnapped?”

Jordan was talking to Angie’s twin brothers while they waited for
Manolo to finish conferring with Senator Marcus Benedicto and some
military officials in the study.
Angie had been gone for five hours now. He blamed himself for what
happened. It was his responsibility to take care of her while they were out
together.
“It’s possible,” Ram said.
“But…” He shook his head. “I can’t believe this! Who will kidnap her in
the middle of a busy restaurant? The place was pretty safe. We frequently eat
there.”
“We can’t believe it either, man,” Rad said.
 Jordan was worried sick. He had been reviewing every detail of the
earlier events in the restaurant, trying to figure out what happened and he
came up with no definite conclusion. Why would Angie disappear like that?
“Wait…what about Kit’s friend, Jaq Montero? I haven’t seen him after
Angie disappeared.”
Jordan didn’t really know Montero at all. He knew Jaq’s band mates
though. Kit, Rydon, Tommy and Diegs were his childhood friends. Montero
was very silent while they were in the restaurant. He seemed strangely
distant. “Is it possible that Montero took Angie?”
The twins traded glances.
“I don’t think so. Montero would never dare cross us. Besides, why
would he kidnap, Angie?” Rad said.
“I remember…Montero arrived with Kit and Darry in the restaurant.
They joined our table. Angie and Darry went to the restroom. Then Jaq
excused himself, said he was leaving. Kit and I were left at the table. Darry
came back to the table first. Then she wondered why Angie hasn’t come back
yet. She went back to the rest room to check on Angie. That was when we
discovered that Angie has disappeared.”
“So…what do you think of that?” Ram asked. “Any theory?”
“I don’t know. Maybe we should look for Jaq.”
The twins exchanged a sidelong glance again.
“Yeah, I’ll call Kit and inquire about Jaq.” Rad excused himself.
Ram squeezed his shoulder. “I think you should go home and rest,
Jordan. We’ll just call you if there’s a development.”
“No, I want to stay. This is all my fault. I didn’t take care of your sister,
Ram. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay. We’re not blaming you. I apologize for my father’s behavior a
while back. He’s very distraught. I’ll just ask you to keep everything under
wraps. We don’t want the media to get hold of this and turn our lives into a
circus. That’s going to be a disaster for Empress Hotels and Vega Multi-
Media.”
He saw the wisdom in Ram’s advise. “Okay, I’ll come back tomorrow
morning. Call me anytime, okay?”
“We will. Thanks, bro.”

“Come, I’ll show you something.”

 They went out of the rest house. Cool breeze greeted them and they both
inhaled deeply.
Holding hands, Jaq lead Angie to his favorite spot.
“Ohhh Jaq! Wow!” she exclaimed like a kid.
Her awe was expected. This place was his private sanctuary and he
almost never shared it with anybody. Fresh water streamed down multi-
leveled slabs of stone forming small lagoons perfect for wading and even
swimming. Lined with dozens of blazing torches, the place was illuminated
like a magical, little paradise.
“Whenever I visit, I always hang out here. I love staying here for hours.
I’ve written a lot of songs here.”
She walked to the edge of the lagoon and removed her shoes. She
tentatively dipped one foot in the water. “It’s warm!”
“Yeah. This is a hot spring.”
She looked up at the stars and sighed. “It’s so beautiful out here, like
heaven has come down to earth.”
“Not as beautiful as you,” he said quietly, drinking in her loveliness. He
had fantasized about this during those times when he couldn’t see her and
was missing her so bad. He’d thought of bringing her here, just the two of
them, away from the pressure of his celebrity and the harsh judgment of
people. This moment was very special.
Their eyes met as the soft trickling of water hung around them like a
serenade of calm and peace.
“I love you,” she uttered softly.
Her declaration erased all his fears and doubts.
Those simple words made him feel invincible.
“I love you, too.”
He walked toward her. She met him halfway.
When he reached her, he smiled broadly and went on his knees before
her, holding both her hands in his own. He looked up in her eyes and gave
himself to her completely. He was the songwriter in his band but words had
never flowed freely from his heart, until this moment.
“Will you, my beloved Angelina, marry me and spend the rest of your
life with me, as my bestfriend, my lover, my wife, my equal partner today, for
as long as I live?”
Her eyes were beams of radiant light showering upon him. “Yes.”
 “Will you share all the things that I have, joys, pains, triumphs, failures,
challenges and be my inspiration in this life and beyond?”
“Yes.”
“Will you let me be your protector, provider and loyal ally in everything
that we face together today and always?”
“Yes.”
“And will you be the mother of my children, the light of our home, to
love, honor and cherish, with all my faith, love, loyalty and lust?” He winked
at her.
She giggled. “Yes!”
“For better and for worse, in sickness and in health, ‘til death do us
part?”
“Oh Jaq, yes!”
He removed the sterling silver ring from his finger and slipped it on her
left ring finger. “Ops, too big.” He transferred the ring to her thumb. It fit
perfectly.
He kissed her hand. “You’re now my wife.”
She raised her hand and looked at her new ring, a thick, plain silver
band with a round, black onyx stone adorning it. It was a simple, utterly
masculine ring he’d bought from a London punk rock shop. It was his rock
star ring.
“Rocker wife. Cool!” She smiled and wrapped her arms around his
shoulders. “Thank you, my husband.”
They kissed and laughed and played in the water like they were the only
man and woman on earth. Nothing else mattered. Nothing but their love for
each other.

His sexual journey had started early. Being the stepson of a very
famous man gave him considerable fame as well and women had flocked to
him since he hit puberty or even before that. Now, at age twenty-three and an
established celebrity in his own right, a rock star, no less, he had never been
short on women to shag.
However now, Jaq felt like a virgin.
His girlfriend was a virgin. This girl was his first real love, his true
love. He didn’t want to disappoint her in any way.
Angie took a bath in the master’s bedroom. He took a bath in the other
room because he didn’t want to frighten her or rush her into anything.
 His initial intent of claiming her virginity was replaced by his fear of
hurting her and as the minutes ticked by, the more he had convinced himself
that he should wait.
He would have slept in the other room if she hadn’t come to him. “I think
it’s better if I sleep in the other room...” he said as she lead him back to the
master’s bedroom. The scent of her hair, a baby shampoo of sorts was
wreaking havoc to his libido. She smelled so feminine, a woman, a very
beautiful woman that he was crazy about. What was a man to do under the
circumstances?
“Don’t you wanna sleep with me?”
“No...yes...no. Angie...”
At the door, she faced him. She took both his hands and kissed his
knuckles.
“I want us to make love.”
He froze.
“Angie...”
“Don’t you want me?”
He almost laughed out loud. His board shorts felt two sizes smaller as
they spoke. His nuts hurt.
“You know I do.”
“Then I want my husband to make love to me.”
“Babe...are you sure?”
“Right now, I’m about to drop dead in embarrassment, Jaq Montero.
Please, don’t say no.”
It was his undoing.
She led him into the master’s bedroom and now he was freaking out.
She faced him, a few feet separating them beside the king-sized bed. “I
don’t know what to do. It’s your turn to do something now.”
“I can still wait till you’re a bit older.”
“I can’t. I want to give myself to you. Now.”
God help him.
“Jaq...stop staring.”
“I can’t. Your beauty leaves me weak.”
She smiled.
He gently combed his fingers through her long hair that framed her
glorious face like a veil of moonbeams. Her big, beautiful eyes shone with
expectations which made him even more nervous.
 Fuck, he was a fumbling boy all over again, his vast sexual experience
forgotten as he stared at her pink, innocent lips. Those twin layers of luscious
flesh that tasted like nothing else totally owned him.
“I’m amazed, baby.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re seducing me.”
She turned beet read under the soft light.
His pulse rate was slowly dropping back to normal. She wanted him. It
was she who was asking him to make love to her. That pacified his nerves
and nagging conscience like a shot of morphine. He framed her face in his
palms. “My shy, innocent Angie is boldly seducing me to make love.
Amazing.”
“Uhm...is that bad?”
“No way. It’s great. Super.” His lips hovered above her lips, inhaling
her fresh breath.
“I love you, Jaq.”
He kissed her then.
Sweetly.
He had to go slowly. Helluva job when his endorphins were having a
Lollapalooza fest and his cock was so stiff it could bat a home run in the
World Series.
The recent events of her life transformed Angie from a starry-eyed
teenager into a disillusioned young woman. The tears that she’d cried the
past weeks all but dissolved her girlish idealism.
For the first time in her life, she didn’t feel the security provided by her
family and home. For the first time she felt that they didn’t care for her or her
feelings. All they cared about were their own selfish agendas. That eroded
her faith in the power of goodness, the very thing that her parents had taught
her since she was a child. To be good to people. To respect people. To care
about people’s feelings.
They did not respect her. They did not respect Jaq. They did not respect
their love.
She’d discovered that not all people would wish her well. Not even her
own parents and brothers.
They hated Jaq. They wanted her to be with Jordan.
But she had decided to stand up for herself.
Fight for her right to be happy.
 Fight for the man she loved.
And even though she was so afraid of what the future will bring now that
she had ran away from her family, she didn’t want to waste these precious
moments in fear.
She would spend these moments loving.
Loving Jaq.
Kissing him.
Like this. Sweet. He was kissing her so sweetly.
All over. From her lips to her toes...
Oh God, he was sucking her toes, licking them, sending little serpentine
flames slithering along the length of her thighs all the way to the inferno
blazing between her legs. He’d skipped touching that part of her after he’d
kissed her breasts senseless.
But now, his lips stopped to investigate the inferno. She felt like a
whirlpool of liquid fire down there from all the tingling sensations he’d
evoked licking and sucking her nipples until she forgot her name.
He lifted her legs, pushed them up high. She closed her eyes tightly.
Goodness! Was he staring at her kitty?
“Sweetheart…fuck...”
He felt his fingers gently stroking her folds, combing through the fine fur
which she kept trimmed neatly for her summer bathing suits. Her face was
flaming. What was he looking at down there?
His fingers peeled her kitty lips wide open.
“Jaq!” she gasped, mortified. Why was he looking at it so closely? She
wasn’t particularly a fan of her kitty and rarely investigated it for any reason
other than washing and grooming. A man staring at it was the ultimate
embarrassment.
But this was Jaq. He’d touched her there once before, made her feel so
good with his magical fingers, but stare at it?! His face was close enough so
he could smell her, too!
She squirmed under him, still embarrassed to open her eyes to see what
he was doing.
“This virgin pussy is mine,” he rasped and then she felt his hot breath
there at her very center.
Oh no!
She opened her eyes just in time to see his wicked tongue swipe at that
very sensitive spot on the upper part of her kitty. Her hips jerked at the heat
of his tongue and at the new but very delicious sensation. Oh my goodness!
He was tasting her!
“Jaq...!”
He did it again, another long wipe of his tongue, and another and
another. Then he was flicking on it, tapping his tongue on that sweet swollen
spot, then lapping the entire center, circling, making these slurping noises
which made her secrete more juices, mingling with his saliva.
“Fuck, you’re so delicious.”
She couldn’t close her eyes again from that point on. The sight was
simply too riveting.
And the pleasure! Her knees were weak with it, her toes curling, her
breath coming out in puffs. She felt the pressure build up in her groin,
centering on that place he was mercilessly punishing with such indescribable
pleasure.
The sensations became sharper and sharper until she wanted to scream.
That familiar peak loomed near. She knew that place now. He’d taken her
there once and it was out of this world awesome. She clamored to reach that
peak again, drawing nearer and nearer as he continued the rhythmic dance of
his wicked tongue.
“Jaq, please! Please! Don’t stop, don’t stop, don’t stop!” she sobbed,
grabbing fistfuls of his hair.
He groaned, sucking her little nubbin now like it was her nipple. Then he
went back to that flicking trick, fast, steady flicks until her eyes rolled in their
sockets in delirious fever.
The pressure broke.
Her hips lifted off of the bed as the most intense pleasure ripped through
her. Her core seemed to implode and she sobbed helplessly, feeling every
delicious spasm her sheath radiated all the way to her extremities.
Tears seeped from her eyes as she was hurled to the stars, exploding into
weightlessness.
She didn’t know how long she’d floated away. But when she opened her
eyes again, he was gazing at her with a smug smile.
“Welcome back, baby.”
That knowing smile made her hot all over again. God, she had the most
gorgeous boyfriend in the world and even now, she couldn’t believe he was
hers.
 The first time she saw him, she was like WOW. Like speechless wow.
Jaw-dropping wow. Using her bestfriend Darry’s favorite description of a
hottie beyond ten, he was ovary-exploding wow.
Jaq was of a mixed race but his Caucasian genes ran stronger than his
Asian blood. He had this smoldering appeal that fairly leaped from the
covers of those magazines, riveting the beholder. That appeal was simply
devastating in person. She didn’t stand a chance.
His eyes were hazel which smoldered like embers when his emotions
were high. They were rimmed with thick, long lashes women spent a small
fortune to achieve at beauty salons. His nose looked strong, straight and
slightly flaring, with a small bump on the bridge. His lips…oh his lips were
so sexy and simply illegal on a man! His prominent jawline and cheekbones
had inspired many artworks. The internet was full of his fan-made portraits.
His shaggy hair was dark brown but when the strands caught light, they were
like spun gold.
“Do you like what you see?” he asked.
She flushed then rolled her eyes. “Like you don’t know.”
He chuckled. “I like what I see very much, too.”
He rose above her. “Now…my turn.”

Jaq tapped her little clit with his cock head.

Using his one hand, he peeled her pussy lips wide, pulling and stretching
upward, making her clit protrude. Hot damn! He gripped the base of his dick
and rubbed his entire length against her throbbing little pleasure-button,
bathing his shaft with her copious juices. He could do this forever, but not
right now. He wanted to be inside her so bad it was killing him.
He rimmed her opening. The breadth of his crown alone would rip her
sweet little hole. Shit, why did she have to be so damn small? He’d already
fingered her, tongued her, made her cum twice but her hole was still so tight.
“Jaq, please, please!”
“Are you coming again, babe?
“Uhmmm, uhmmm…”
He rubbed the underside of his cock head directly on her nub, making a
steady, sawing motion. She went crazy, writhing until she was coming again,
her juices oozing out of her. He pressed his shaft flat against her cleft,
absorbing every little vibrations of her orgasm.
 He’d reached the point of inevitable. He choked his cock in his fist and
pumped hard. He bent and kissed her, his tongue driving inside her as he
jacked himself off.
Fuck, he was coming, coming coming!
With a guttural cry, he shot ribbons and ribbons of his load all over her
pussy, mixing with her cream.
He slumped on top of her, all energy diffusing from his body.
Her arms and legs wrapped around him. She idly scratched his sweaty
back.
He shivered at the feel of her fingernails on his skin but he could hardly
move.
The intimacy was sublime.
He still had not popped her cherry, but man, that was an atomic blast.
He rolled on his back, bringing her sprawled on top of him and dozed
off, the weight of her like a soft pillow pinning him deep into the mattress
and her musky feminine scent lulling him to sweet oblivion.
After some 30-minute zone out, his mind drifted back to the business of
popping her cherry.
Shit, why was he afraid to do so?
“Are you hungry?” He knew she was awake and just snuggling like a
kitten above him.
“Yes.”
“You’d need energy for the things we’re gonna do next.”
She giggled and slapped his chest lightly as if to chastise him.
He loved it that she was still so shy after what they did earlier. He’d
never eaten pussy like he did hers tonight. Sure, his latex-clad cock had slid
into lots of slits but his mouth didn’t care much for cunny. Call him a selfish
bastard but plowing his tongue on random fields was just not palatable. Not
safe, too.
With his girl, however, he knew he was safe, because what she had
between her legs was unsullied by nature. Well, not too unsullied anymore
because he did perform a good deal of suck ‘n lick action on her tonight than
all the times he could remember sniffing on a snatch. He couldn’t get enough
of her and he wanted to taste that sweet little clam again, feel it clamping
around his cock for real. The thought made his jack-in-the-box twitch
excitedly. Before he could cave in to his immediate need for speed, he kissed
her pert nose and jumped out of bed, cock bouncing and all.
 “Stay there. I’ll whip up some snacks for us.”
Angie watched in total fascination as her boyfriend strolled out of the
room naked. She dropped back on the bed and snuggled on the sheets in
lethargic contentment.
She felt so good. She didn’t know being intimate with a man was like
this. The closeness she felt with him was just amazing. She wondered why he
hadn’t taken her virginity yet. She didn’t feel like a virgin anymore after
coming thrice from his manipulations. She giggled. Coming. That was how he
called that marvelous phenomenon. No, awesome. No, fantastic. No,
wonderful. She giggled again. Simply indescribable!
She was so in love! And she wanted more. She wanted to know how it
felt to be truly one with Jaq.
She hopped into the bathroom and took a quick shower.
A few minutes later, wrapping a towel around her, she walked back into
the bedroom and waited for him.
He came back shortly with a tray.
By this time, her shyness was reduced to a minimal. This was Jaq, her
beloved. She should not hold back anything from him.
“Sexy waiter,” she said with an impish grin, admiring his tall, broad-
shouldered frame. Jaq was slender but his muscles were toned and well-
defined. He looked good in anything he wore.
“At your service, señorita.” He laid the tray on the bed.
Sausages and hotdogs plus toasted bread and coke. “Perfect!” She
clapped her hands.
He knelt on the bed, his weight dipping the mattress. Her eyes were
riveted on his...thing.
Scary! But awesome to look at. That thing seemed to have a life of its
own!
He picked up a hotdog. “Practice on this first.”
She blushed. He was grinning at her like a rascal.
He held the hotdog alongside his thing. “See, it’s a starter kit for bigger
things to come.”
She giggled, picked up a hotdog and put it in her mouth.
“Slowly...” he said, his eyes smoldering.
She slid the hotdog by inches deeper into her mouth, her lips clinging to
the delicious skin, then she pulled it out again...slowly...then pushed it back
again...
 “That’s right. Man, where did you learn to do this?” His brows were
knitted now.
“Fayeh Heyfon”, she mumbled.
“Huh?”
Grinning, she bit the hotdog in two.
“Ouch!” He covered his crotch with one hand. “That hurt!”
She laughed, spewing bits of hotdog on the bed.
He opened the can of coke and handed it to her.
“Thangz.” She gulped the ice cold drink.
Jaq sat on the bed, resting his back on the headboard, stretching his legs
in front of him. “Let’s cover this for a bit,” He put a pillow on his lap. “You
might mistake it for a jumbo Frankfurter and bite it, too. You need to practice
the art of eating my hot…dog.”
She laughed out loud. “Stop it!”
He made a sandwich and handed it to her. He made another for himself.
“So, wher’d you learn to do that?” he asked her.
“Paris Hilton.”
“That ancient vid?!” He chuckled and bit into his sandwich. “So, you
watch those stuff?”
“What...Oh, you mean porn? Oh no! That was the only one I saw. I just
got curious of her, you know… Darry showed it to me once.”
He had this really naughty grin. “So did you like watching what Paris
did to her BF?”
She threw a pillow at him.
He caught it, chuckling. “You liked it. Admit it.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Wanna do that to me later?”
Her eyes widened.
He waggled his eyebrows at her.
“Maybe I will.”
“Maybe?”
“I really don’t know how to do it, silly!”
“I’ll teach you.”
She bit into her sandwich, her face flaming.
“Promise me you won’t bite my Frankfurter? It’s the only thing I got and
you got.”
That made her laugh again. He was incorrigible.
 “Come here.”
She crawled to his side. He nuzzled her shoulder.
“You showered.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Next time, don’t.”
“Why?”
“I like your natural smell after you come. I like smelling my sweat and
my cum on your skin.”
“Ick, gross!”
He grinned. “Baby, say that later when you’re doing the Paris thing on
me.”

Holy hairy balls of fire, thank you Paris!

Angie was going at his Frankfurter like a crackhead. Eager. Happy. So
fucking excited to consume her fix. Like any regular bloke, he loved
receiving head from a woman. Luckily, he often got it easily. The perks of
playing a mean guitar. Women dug that shit big time. But taking head from the
woman he loved was a major fucking high of a different level.
Of a whole new different zone, too.
Off the charts. Stratospheric!
He was working a high faster than crack could take effect. He didn’t
know why. Her hands were too tight on his shaft, her tongue not dexterous
enough for those oral acrobatics the other chicks had mastered to an art form
but hot damn, she was working him up real damn good and his balls hurt from
holding off because he wanted it to last longer.
He held her face and gently pushed her away from his impossibly hard
stick. He couldn’t believe he was rearing to shoot so soon after blasting like
a motherfucker just an hour ago. “Baby, slow down, slow down...”
She licked her lips. “You don’t like it?”
He wanted to laugh. ‘Like’ wasn’t even the right word to describe how
he dug her lips on his cock. “I love it. I love you.”
He kissed her lips, tasting some of his pre-spunk. That should have
turned him off but what the fuck, knowing she carried his taste in her sweet
innocent lips which were not so innocent anymore gave him pure
Neanderthal high.
“I’d really like to learn how to do that right.”
 Do it right? Given time and practice, she could suck the chrome off his
electric guitar. Hell, yeah, he would enjoy teaching her how to do that.
“So, how did I do?”
A virgin who wanted a blow job rating when he was in a life or cum
situation? Damn, he really loved her. “You were dope, baby.”
“Huh?”
“Awesome.”
“Better than Paris?”
“Are you kidding me?! Paris ain’t got nothing on you.”
She giggled. “Liar.”
“Don’t mention other people when we’re making love. It’s just you and
me, baby. Just you and me,”
She gifted him with a dreamy smile. “Yes. Just you and me.”
He laid her on the bed and settled himself between her sexy legs. He
cupped her knockers. Twin babies of perfection. Just the perfect size to fill
his hands full and fat enough for some cleavage action for his junior. But that
can wait. He couldn’t cram all the moves he wanted to do to her in just one
session. He had to bust her cherry first.
“Babe, when’s your period?”
Since he’d practically kidnapped her out of impulse today, he had not
prepared. No fucking condoms in this house. He’d stopped putting rubber in
his wallet or in his truck or anywhere else he used to stack them, making
good of his promise not to take her virginity until she’d finished college.
He’d prepared himself to be tortured for three long years, to prove his love
and his good intentions, to her and her family.
“What?” she asked him, dazed.
“Your period.” He didn’t know why he was asking, but hell, no matter
how far gone he was, he still wanted to protect her. He could pull out just at
the right time to reduce the chance of her getting knocked up. He hoped. But
stopping now was not an option.
He nudged her slit with his cock head. “Angie, tell me.” He teased that
super responsive nubbin and she moaned, loving it. He rimmed her little
hole, slick and flowing with her sweet honey again, so ready for him.
“Uhmmm... I had it last week...I think... yes, more than a week ago.”
His mind worked faster than Einstein’s on that figure. Safe. Relatively
safe. That added another inch to his erection. His cock could do the happy
dance now.
 He knelt on the bed, taking his weight off of her. He guided his arrow to
hit the bullseye cherry. “I’m coming in. You ready?”
She nodded. No fear now.
He breached the gate of heaven.
She gasped.
“Hurt?” he asked her gruffly, desperately holding himself from ramming
into her hard as his instinct was urging him to do. But he was no rutting
animal when it came to his baby. Damn, this was an act of sainthood
proportions!
“Uhm, no...no...”
Braving his fear of hurting her, he pushed harder and the head popped in.
She made a distressed yelp, her nails biting onto his biceps painfully.
“Sweet fffffffuck...!” She was choking his knob like a death grip, but he
would happily die like this. He’d never felt anything so indescribably good!
He lowered his frame above her, careful not to push deeper. “It’s alright.
It’s alright, sweetheart, relax...”
He kissed her lips tenderly.
“Jaq...Ummmnn.” She was wincing, squirming under him in discomfort.
He rimmed her earlobe with his tongue to distract her from the pain and
pressed deeper ever so slowly. Once he’d breached the tight gate, her inner
walls were more receptive...until he came into a barrier.
There it was.
His. Only his.
“Remember when we first saw each other?”
“Uhmmm...Jaq...it hurts now...”
“You know the first time I saw you at Hysteria…you were so beautiful
there on the dance floor. You made my cock so hard that night...as hard as my
cock now inside you...Feel that?”
“Uhmmm...yes...”
“I wanted you then. So much. I never wanted anybody like I wanted you,
like I want you now. I want to slide inside you like this...every day...every
night. Would you like that, my love?”
“Uhmmm...yes...yes.”
He rotated his hips, stretching her very snug but very slick walls, making
himself familiar and comfy. She seemed to like that, too. Her pussy fluttered
and squeezed and sucked at his shaft, but the depth was not enough. He still
had plenty of him waiting to hit home run.
 “I love you, my sweet, sweet Angel.”
“I love you, too. Jaq, I love you so much!” she said passionately but she
was wincing.
His hand snaked between them again and played with her clit. Her
arousal shifted back to high gear. She was so responsive and he vowed to
practice a million ways of pleasuring her, especially with his stick, until just
the thought of it sliding into her would make her cream.
His guitar was her body, her clit was the six strings and he revved it like
he knew best, like it was the sweetest song in his heart.The second she hit the
highest note, he slammed hard into her, bringing all of him inside her.
She screamed, contracting almost violently around his cock in another
sweet, sweet orgasm.
“God, Angie…!” He moved, riding the ripples of her ecstasy. She’d
brought him to the brink by his excitement in finally claiming her virginity
and making her come in the process. He didn’t need any more teasing.
A few short, quick slides and he lost it, too.
All of himself.
Inside her. All over her.
His cum, his love, his soul.
All flowed into her sweet, heavenly body.
Home sweet home.
CRASHED
LADY DEBRA CHALMERS was studying the libretto of the new musical
she’d be top-billing when the butler approached her.
“Excuse me, Lady Chalmers, there’s a long distance call for you.”
She smiled. Jaq was calling her? That was the only call she’d be
expecting from overseas. But her son would only call her on special
occasions like her birthday and Christmas. She was the one who would
always call him. They hadn’t seen each other for more than a year now
because Jaq refused to come to London even for a visit. She would have to
visit him in Manila soon, something she was still not comfortable with.
Besides, she had to have her husband’s permission to do so. Alfred didn’t
want her traveling without him.
“I’ll take it here. Thank you, Walter.”
She stood up and picked up the phone sitting on a Neo-classic table.
“Hello, Jaq?”
“Debbie! It’s Celica!”
She gripped the phone hard. The last time she got a relative calling in a
frantic voice, someone in the family died. She uttered a silent prayer. “Cel?”
“Debbie, it’s Jaq!”
Fear immediately gripped her. These were the calls she dreaded the
most to receive, too, something that concerned her only child. Whatever it
was, she prayed it wasn’t grave. “What happened?”
“People arrived here at our house accompanied by the police and some
army guys! They were looking for Jaq! They searched the whole house, Deb!
Without a warrant! Ruben and I could do nothing!”
“What?! Why?! Why were they looking for Jaq?!”
“They said Jaq kidnapped the daughter of Manolo Yulo!”
At the mention of the name, Debra felt the floor tilt. She grabbed the
back of a chair for balance. “Daughter of M-manolo Y-yulo…?”
“Deb, what are we gonna do? You gotta come home! We’re so scared for
Jaq! He hasn’t called us and we couldn’t reach his phone! He’s not in his
townhouse either!”
Her ears were ringing from Celica’s agitated speech but she tried to
focus despite the terror now surrounding her. “Cel…calm down. Tell me
again what happened. Slowly.”
“Minutes ago, Manolo Yulo arrived with his two sons. They were
accompanied by the police and some military men. They were looking for
Jaq and when we said he’s not here, the police searched our house without a
warrant. They interrogated us. That’s when I learned that Jaq allegedly
kidnapped Manolo Yulo’s daughter. They asked us where Jaq could possibly
go. Of course, we said we didn’t know. Deb, you must come home
immediately! We can’t handle this on our own!”
“Okay, okay, Cel. I will book a flight ASAP. I will be there the day
after.”
“Deb, Manolo Yulo looked so furious! He’s a very wealthy and
powerful man and we’re afraid he might do something bad to Jaq if he finds
him!”
Wealthy and powerful man. Didn’t she know that first hand? “Do you
have an idea where Jaq could be?”
“They said they’ve searched Jaq’s townhouse and he’s not there. He
could be in the rest house. I don’t know any other place where he could go
and hide, if he’s indeed hiding. We need to warn Jaq that the authorities are
looking for him but we can’t reach him. We don’t want to go to the rest house.
We might get followed. I know they’re watching our every move now! I’m so
scared, Deb!”
“Cel, calm down…shhh.”
“My God, Deb, I don’t know what’s happening to Jaq! We didn’t notice
anything wrong the last time he came over to visit us weeks ago. He’s been
busy with his shows and rarely showed up here. He looked fine and happy so
I don’t understand why he would do such a thing! To kidnap someone! Ruben
and I are freaking out here, Deb–”
“Alright, Cel, I’ll put down the phone now so I can book a flight. I will
be there the soonest time possible, I promise. Thank you so much Cel for
taking care of Jaq. I will see you soon, okay?”
The moment she put down the phone, she dropped weakly on a chair.
The name still rang loudly in her ears.
Manolo Yulo.
It had been a long, long time since she even allowed herself to think of
him.
So many questions came to mind. Why would Jaq get involved in any
way with Manolo’s family or kidnap his daughter?!
 This was a joke. A sick joke. Of all the people that Jaq had to encounter,
it had to be Manolo Yulo’s daughter? The Yulos belonged in the elite society
of Manila while her son was an ordinary person. Granted he was a rising
celebrity in his own right but the elite couldn’t be bothered by celebrities.
Too beneath them. Except probably that one time when a man from the elite
actually bothered with a small town girl who wanted to be a celebrity.
But that was a fluke. It didn’t happen in the real world among people in
their right minds, especially not to those people who had names that didn’t
need building up because they were born with blue blood and silver spoons
in their mouths.
Nothing had changed. Manolo Yulo still hated her. And she was sure, he
hated anything or anybody connected to her.
Between her shock and panicking mind, she grappled on how to deal
with the situation. She was on the other side of the globe and the authorities
were hunting down her son right this very minute. Jaq could get hurt in the
man hunt or even get killed in a shoot-out. What could she possibly do to
prevent that? If Manolo found Jaq, God only knew what he might do to her
son.
For so long, she was able to evade Manolo’s wrath. But now, she had to
face it.

Manolo was going mad. It was all he could do not to thrash the whole
room to vent out the storm whose very eye was inside of him. It was difficult
to breathe with this suffocating fear doing a bloody concerto with all the pent
up hate and bitterness he’d bottled up inside for years.
It was past midnight. The police were still out scouring the entire
metropolis for Angelina. Senator Marcus Benedicto, his long-time friend and
business ally provided him enough firepower at his disposal.
He couldn’t sleep until they’d found his daughter and that bastard
Montero.
His men had interrogated the staff of the restaurant where Angie was last
seen with Jordan and they all confirmed Jaq’s identity as the man his
daughter was last spotted exiting the restaurant’s back door with.
He should have seen it coming! He knew when he first met Jaq that he
would cause him trouble. He saw how his daughter was taken with Montero
but he’d presumed that Angelina would be too scared to go against his
wishes. She had always been very obedient. But he had underestimated his
daughter’s feelings towards that punk.
“Dad, there’s a development. I think we have a loc now. They're
searching the area.”
He merely nodded at Rad. For the first time that night, he felt a fraction
better. They would find Montero. If he had to use all his influence in the
government to hunt that damn boy down, he would.
As for his eldest daughter…
He didn’t know what he would to with her when he saw her again.
Angelina’s betrayal was like a death blow to him. Unfortunately, he survived
the blow and he would now stare at her everyday, a remembrance that two
Monteros did him a huge number.
He didn’t know if he could forgive her after what she did. Angelina
chose the son of Debra over him, her own father?! It was a very, very bitter
pill to swallow.
“Rad,” he called out to his son just as Rad turned around to leave.
“Yes, Dad?”
“Make sure this is totally out of the media’s radar. Complete media
black-out, you hear? Most importantly, the Lavegas must be kept in the dark
at all costs. I don’t want this matter to jeopardize our plans for expansion in
any way. You got that?”
“Yes, Dad.”
“Morning, angel.”
Angie smiled at the sound of that voice. Jaq was sitting on a chair beside
the bed, his camera focused on her, as usual. She covered her face.
“Oh my God, how could you! I haven’t washed my face yet!”
He grinned. “You’re always beautiful, asleep, awake, angry, horny…”
He winked at her.
She threw a pillow at him.
He chuckled and put the camera on top of a cabinet, focusing the lens on
the bed.
Then he jumped on the bed, crawling under the covers with her.
“I can’t believe you’re filming us!”
He groped her under the blanket. “Fun, huh?”
“It’s so kinky!”
He raised his brows. “And what kinky stuff have you seen?”
 She slapped his chest playfully, her cheeks heating up. “You’re a bad
boy!”
“That, I am.”
He adjusted their position and moments later, they were making love.
Jaq had been nothing but a gentle, generous and passionate lover last night.
He had taken care in preparing her body that she only felt tolerable pain
when he finally took her virginity.
“Are you feeling sore today?”
She blushed even more. “A bit.”
“Can I kiss it to make it better?”
“Jaq!”
He chuckled and his head disappeared under the blanket. She shrieked
and giggled as he glided his lips down her body, lingering on her breasts, her
belly and finally settling between her legs. Her squeals turned to breathless
pants and moans as he stroked her cleft with gentle expertise. She was
familiar with the build-up of pleasure now. Jaq had taught her what to expect
next. She knew he would bring her to a height of ecstasy that will make her
forget everything.
He set the comforter aside, revealing their naked bodies. He was already
fully aroused, his thing looking menacing in broad daylight. She stared,
fascinated yet again.
“Touch me,” he commanded softly.
Both her hands wrapped around him to cover his entire length.
Goodness, she wondered how they ever fit last night! It seemed impossible to
take him inside her now. Can she handle him again?
“You look worried.”
She met his eyes. He was grinning at her like the wicked devil.
Her cheeks flamed, not yet used to casual bedroom talk but she was
enjoying her new-found sensuality. She was able to handle him last night. She
surely can again. “Uhm…how big is this?”
“Ladies don’t ask such questions, Mrs. Montero.”
“But I’m no longer a goody-two-shoes. You already took care of that,”
she replied teasingly.
“Might frighten you if I told you.”
Immensely enjoying their morning banter, she measured him with her
hands and her eyes widened. “Oh my gosh, do I have small hands or you’re
just Superman?”
 He chuckled. “Just for you, baby.”
She stared at him, her fingers gliding along his impressive length.
“Really? No more others touching you like this?”
He groaned. “Yes. No more but you. Just you.”
She gave him a sexy smile. “Make love to me, my husband.”
“Gladly, my wife.”
He petted her like he owned her body, knowing which spot to lick, rub
and suck, giving it just the perfect amount of pressure and speed.
She was a flowing river of fire in just a few minutes, every fiber of her
flesh clamoring for the release she knew he could give her.
He kissed her lips as he slowly entered her.
She was wrong. She could take him. Despite a slight pain, she took him
all the way in. And whereas his lips, tongue and fingers felt incredible, the
feel of his manhood sliding hot and hard to her core, filling her so deeply,
was even better. Unbelievably better.
He moved in and out of her slowly, leaving a trail of scorching fire with
his every thrust. Soon, they were clinging to each other as he took her harder,
further into a place she was familiar with now. The ultimate peak of
sensations.
He grabbed her legs and folded them toward her torso. He went deeper
into her.
Their lips fused, their breaths mingled, their hearts beat as one.
The exquisite pressure burst, washing over her in wave after delicious
wave of mind-shattering bliss.
As she was swimming in it, she opened her eyes, wanting to look at him
when he reached his own peak. He was a sight to behold in the throes of
passion, his face etched with harsh lines of pleasure, his pupils dilated. He
was staring at her, too.
“Oh baby…God, you feel so damn good! Angie, sweetheart…you’re
mine…mine! Mine!”
He threw his head back and shuddered in his own release. So beautiful
and wild!
Her Jaq.
She felt one with him, joined with him for eternity.

“It’s done!”
 Angie glanced at her ‘husband’. She was cooking lunch for them.
“What?”
“Our movie.”
Her eyes brightened. Jaq had been working on their movie for weeks
now, recording their every secret meeting. She saw him bring out some
electronic gadgets from his SUV earlier. He got busy with his tech stuff and
she got busy in the kitchen.
“Really? Can I see it?”
Jaq wrapped his arms around her and kissed her lips tenderly. “After
lunch. I’m starving.”
“I didn’t think you’d ever ask for food.”
He laughed. “Yeah. Been eating another very tasty meal all night and half
the day but now I want something for my stomach. Then I’ll go back to my
new favorite food. I’ll never get tired eating it.” His hand crept to the
juncture of her thighs.
She slapped his hand away. Jaq’s candid, mischievous ways took some
getting used to. “Don’t even think about it. It’s already sore!” It was true.
She’d been walking with a bit of discomfort since they left the bedroom.
He was instantly worried. “I’m sorry. Are you okay?”
“Just sore, that’s all.”
He kissed her forehead. “I’ll kiss it better later. I’ll be so gentle.”
“That’s already gluttony, mister!”
“My favorite deadly sin, then.”
“Sit. Lunch is almost ready.”
He obeyed her like a boy scout. “Yes, ma’am.”
The rest house caretakers Dario and Thelma came over to give them
fresh fish and vegetables from the town market. Thelma offered to cook for
them but Angie insisted to do it herself. She wanted her boyfriend to taste her
cooking.
She filled a bowl with her recipe and laid it on the table. Jaq leaned
forward and sniffed the steaming dish. “Hmm, smells good! What is it?”
In truth, she was not really confident with her cooking yet, but she will
learn how to be a good cook for Jaq. “Uhm, just steamed fish with sauce that
I mixed from the stuff I found in the pantry.”
“Looks good to me. I’ll eat anything you cook for me.”
Minutes later, she was anxiously waiting for his comment and he was
taking his time, just looking at her, chewing his food.
 She kicked his shin under the table. “What?”
He chuckled, shrugged and continued eating.
“What? Tell me!”
“Not bad.”
She sighed glumly. “It is bad.”
He winked at her. “Not bad for a wifey.”
“Really?”
He filled his plate again.
“You’re gonna make me fat. I won’t fit in my leather pants no more. I’m
gonna lose all my groupies. But I won’t mind.”
She laughed. These moments were so precious she wished the day will
never end.
“Angie?”
“Hmm?”
“The day after you graduate, I will marry you,” he said, his face serious.
She lifted her hand to show him the ring he gave her. “In my heart, we’re
already married.”

Later, they lay in bed and watched their love story on a TV screen.
Angie didn’t know how her talented boyfriend did it but it was indeed a
mini-movie. Even as Jaq had protested before, he used Always, the song she
had chosen to be their theme song as the musical background at the end part.
It was strange watching her face dominate the screen, her uninhibited
laughter mostly providing the most distinct sounds. But she loved what she
saw of herself there. It was like meeting a different person, a happy, free-
spirited person, not her timid, often insecure self. She didn’t know she could
look so beautiful, too! Jaq had edited their lovemaking scene, showing them
passionately locked in each other’s arms without capturing any of their most
private parts. Well, the camera had caught his sexy bum numerous times but it
titillated her more than it scandalized her. Jaq had a very fine body and
watching him naked on screen, so expressive and full of life made her warm
all over.
She felt so beautiful in the mini-movie. So desired. So cherished. So
loved.
“What do you think?” he asked her after they were done watching.
“I think…uhm…”
“What?”
 “You’re an exhibitionist.”
He guffawed. “And I think…” he countered, grinning naughtily.
She frowned. “What?”
“You’re a voyeur. That turned you on.”
She blushed and giggled.
She kissed him, loving him even more. “Thank you, honey. It’s beautiful.
I love it. I love you.”
Jaq stared at her, turning serious. “Angie?”
“Yes?”
He sighed deeply. “I’m sorry…but I think...I have to...I need to bring you
back to your family.”
Her heart sank.
She couldn’t respond for awhile. Just when she had decided to turn her
back on her family to be with him, he would change his mind like this?
“But…why?!”
He cupped her face in his palms. “Forgive me for saying this now, but I
can’t let you live like this, baby. I can’t have you running away from your
family and them hunting us down like fugitives. I’m sure they’re looking for
us now.”
Tears pooled in her eyes. “Are you regretting what we did?”
“No! No, sweetheart, it’s not that. I will never regret what we did.
Everything that we did together is here in my heart and will never be
forgotten. But I want us to have a future together. A good future. You feel me,
babe? I want us to get married properly, have kids and a home together. I
want you to be able to be with me without sacrificing your relationship with
your family. Do you understand me, angel?”
She gripped the front of his shirt, fear engulfing her. She’d expected all
other forces to try to tear them apart, but not him. Not him! “But I already
did! I chose you over my family! I don’t wanna go back! I wanna be with
you!”
He hugged her. “I know. I know and I feel so blessed having you in my
life. You were so brave to do that, to risk your entire future for me, for us.
Your sacrifice will never be in vain because I will never leave you, angel,
come hell or high water.”
She clung to him. “Promise?”
He put her hand on top of his heart. “I vow.”
 She managed a wobbly smile. “I trust you, Jaq. Whatever you think is
best, I will support you. I will follow you.”
“Thank you, baby. We will make things right. I’ll talk to your father. I
need to do this, to earn his respect and trust. It will be hard, I know, but I will
fight for us. Nobody can come between us. I’ll work so hard to win your
family, I promise. One day soon, I know they will come to accept our
relationship and everything will be alright.”
“You really think so?”
He wiped her tears away. “I know so. Your father is a good man, I feel
it.”
She nodded. “Yes, he’s a good man.”
“Tomorrow, we’ll go back to Manila.”
He kissed her then as their lives took another turn. She was afraid for
them both, of what awaited them in the future. But she will face anything,
everything, as long as Jaq was by her side.
They spent their remaining hours in the rest house cuddling, talking and
making slow love. Just like he promised, ever mindful of her well-being, he
only kissed and petted her to a series of mind-blowing climaxes in the next
hours. And he taught her how to do the same to him.
She was his most eager pupil.

“Ready?”
Angie nodded.
Jaq turned the ignition and his Patrol roared to life. It was a beautiful
morning.
He decided for them to leave early. A reckoning was waiting for them in
Manila. He had to make amends with her family and the sooner he started
doing that, the better.
He had thought things over as he was editing their mini-movie. Angie’s
beautiful face, her innocent smiles and carefree laughter had pricked his
guilt, forcing him to really examine the reality of their situation.
He felt ashamed of his actions. He was older than her and he behaved
like a selfish child concerned only of his self-gratification. The thought of
losing her to Jordan had blinded him of all reason. The only thing that
mattered to him was his loss. He didn’t think of what she would lose, of how
she would feel when she turned away from her family and leave her comfort
zone, just to be with him.
 He cried when realization hit him.
A life in hiding was not the one he had envisioned for him and Angie. He
wanted her to have a full life, to experience all the things that a young woman
her age should experience within a normal environment. She hadn’t even
finished college.
Reality slapped him hard in the face. How can he support her without a
job? He needed to have a good job. Therefore, he needed to go back to
Manila. He had to make something good for himself so that he can offer her a
great future. That was the only way he can truly have her.
He gripped her hand tight. “It will be alright.”
She smiled at him encouragingly, her eyes full of innocent trust. “I
know.”
And he drove off from there, his heart full of hope for a future they will
soon live together.
The backhand slap across her face made Angie stagger backward,
nearly toppling over
“How could you do this to me, Angelina?!” Her father was shaking in
rage. It was the first time he had laid a hand on her.
She was sobbing in fear and helplessness. A few meters away, her
brothers and the police were ganging up on Jaq, viciously beating him while
the soldiers watched with their guns ready. Jaq was like a criminal they’d
apprehended and they were making sure he won’t escape.
She dropped to her knees before her father and grabbed his pants. “Dad,
please, forgive me! Please, tell them to stop! They will kill Jaq! Please,
Daddy, I beg you, make them stop! Please!!!”
“Shut up! That son of a bitch doesn’t deserve to live for what he did to
you!”
She embraced her father’s legs. “No, Dad! I went with him willingly! He
did not kidnap me! I love him! I love him! Please, Dad, please!!!”
Her father remained hard and cold.
Jaq was on his knees now, his face bleeding. They continued to kick him
from all directions.
Rad pulled out a gun and aimed it at the back of Jaq’s head.
She screamed in terror. “No!!! Kuya Rad!!! No!!!”
Rad glanced at her, his face a mask of chilling ruthlessness. One slight
move of his finger on the trigger and Jaq will be no more.
 She looked up at her father, her tears blinding her, her strength
completely deserting her. “Dad, if you kill him, I will die, too! I can’t live
without him! I will kill myself! I swear! I will die…I will die…I will
die…!”
The world seemed to turn over. She saw white, blinding light. Then
darkness.
The door of the prison cell slammed shut with a loud bang. The police
officer walked away without a word.
Jaq dropped to his knees. They had dragged him in there when his legs
had failed to support his weight from the nasty beating he took. He felt dazed,
his nose and lips bleeding, his knuckles and arms severely bruised. The pain
in his stomach, legs and back had given way to shock. He no longer felt any
pain. He was numb all over.
Two men were in the cell. They gave him a slightly curious glance,
seemingly used to seeing bleeding people. Zombies came to mind– lifeless
eyes, dirty bodies and rotting souls.
He felt like floating and yet his whole body felt so heavy and he couldn’t
even stand up. Crawling to a corner with the last ounce of his strength, he sat
there on the cold, grimy, concrete floor and stared in space, dazed.
Everything came back.
Angie’s screams as her brothers dragged her away still echoed in his
head. He couldn’t do anything. He was held down by three burly military
men. There was a battalion of them waiting for him at the checkpoint.
Manolo Yulo came at him and punched him hard in the face several
times. Soon, it was the twins’ turn to beat him to pulp. They were mad. Very,
very mad.
But he took all of it. Like a man.
He deserved it anyway. He would probably do the same if some asshole
took his sister away. Never mind that the asshole loved his sister like nothing
else.
“What did you do, kid?”
He slowly glanced at his cell mate, one of the two guys who shared his
latest digs, or was it the other way around? He would be sharing this
cramped, stinky, flea-infested iron cage with whoever these criminals were.
For how long, he didn’t know.
He hadn’t called anybody yet. They threw him in there without even
reading him his rights. He should call a lawyer. But nobody was offering him
any phone. All his important belongings were left in his truck and he didn’t
know what happened to it. He was loaded in a military jeep and taken
directly to this place. He didn’t even know where this place was.
“Kidnapping...maybe,” he replied, wincing. The feeling on his face was
slowly coming back.
“Did you hit some big time motherfucker, kid?”
He nodded.
“Tsk, that’s gonna be life,” said the other prisoner.
No shit. He digested that possibility.
Reclusion Perpetua for abducting Angie. He was sure Manolo Yulo can
make that happen. He had expected the man to beat him to within an inch of
his life, his sons to do the same. But to put him in the slammer, this, he never
expected.
So much for winning the old man’s trust.

Angie woke up disoriented in a strange room.

“Angie? You’re awake!”
She turned to her right, her head fuzzy. “Sherry...?”
Her sister was at her side. “Oh, Ange! I was so afraid you won’t wake
up! It’s been four hours!”
“Whe…where am I?”
“You’re in a hospital. You fainted.”
Her recent memories came back in a rush. She sat up abruptly on the
bed. “Jaq! Sher, where’s Jaq?!”
Sherry looked perplexed. “Jaq? I haven’t seen him, Ange.”
“Where’s Daddy? Kuya Rad and Kuya Ram? Where are they?!”
“Dad went with Mom to talk to your doctor. The twins, I don’t know.
Haven’t seen them since I got here with Mom.”
Angie felt helpless. She tried to slide down from the bed but Sherry
stopped her. “You can’t. You’re on IV.”
“I need to go, Sher. I need to see Jaq!”
“But you can’t leave the hospital yet, Ange. Why don’t you just call him
so he can visit you here? I’m sure he’d come running when he finds out what
happened to you. We were so worried, Ange! We were all freaking out!”
Her sister’s barrage of words made her head pound painfully. “Where’s
my LV shoulder bag? I was holding it before I lost consciousness.”
 Sherry stood up and opened a cabinet. She came back with her bag.
“Here, Dad gave it to me.”
She took the bag and squeezed the bottom part of it. She inwardly sighed
in relief. “Sher, you take care of this, okay? Promise me no one will hold it
but you. Bring it home and put it inside my cabinet. Hide it well.”
“Okay. You must rest now, Ange. You’ve been through a terrible thing.
Thank God you were ransomed by Dad sooner. I was so worried. I was
praying so hard.”
“Ransom?”
“Your kidnappers got away. The authorities are still looking for them.”
Now, she was confused. What was going on? What was Sherry talking
about?
She needed to talk to her father. She had to find out what they did to Jaq.
She felt short of breath just thinking of the possibilities. “Sher, call Dad,
please.”
“Okay, I’ll go get him. Just lie down for now. Don’t get off the bed,
okay?”
When Sherry left, she inspected her bag. Everything was still there, all
her personal belongings. She called Jaq on her cellphone. He couldn’t be
reached. It meant her brothers probably still had him somewhere. Oh God!
She felt like fainting all over again in fear for Jaq’s well-being.
The hospital door opened and her parents came in with Sherry.
“Sweetie!” Her mother immediately enveloped her in a tight hug. “Are
you alright, baby?”
She just nodded and sought her father’s eyes.
Manolo was looking at her grimly. “Marcella, I want to talk to our
daughter alone.”
Despite the puzzlement in her eyes, Marcella obeyed without a word.
Sherry went out with their mother.
Angie was left in the room with her father who was eying her now with
grave disappointment.
“D-dad, where is Jaq? Is he okay?”
Her father remained silent.
“Dad, please, tell me. Is he…is he...?”
“He’s alive.”
She closed her eyes tightly in relief.
“I will tell you something and you’d better listen carefully, Angelina.”
 She nodded repeatedly.
“That bastard will pay for what he did to you.”
“But Dad, he didn’t do anything–”
“No one abducts my daughter, insults me and jeopardizes my business
deal and gets away with it!”
Fear ripped through her again. Her tears welled up. “Dad, please, he did
not force me to go with him. I willingly went with him. It’s the truth!”
“And how could you do that?! How could you betray me like that,
Angelina?!”
Guilt merged with her fear, making her shake from inside out and she
couldn’t stop babbling. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, Dad. Jaq and I realized it
was wrong. That’s why we were coming back! He was going to bring me
back home. Dad, please forgive us. Please, give him a chance. Jaq is a good
man. He loves me very much and I love him! If you will only open your heart
and give him a chance, he really is a good person. Daddy, please,–”
“Shut up! Enough!”
She bowed her head but she couldn’t stop crying.
Her father sat on the chair beside her bed and wearily massaged his
forehead. “I cannot believe you would do this, Angelina. You nearly killed
your mother and I with worry.”
Her father’s tormented voice cut through her. Guilt overrode her fear.
“Dad...I’m so sorry. Please, what can I do? What can I do to make it up to
you? I will do anything, Dad. Please, forgive me.”
“I don’t want you to see him again.”
She shook her head.
“You want him safe? Then don’t see him anymore. Forget him.”
“Where is Jaq, Dad?”
“He’s in jail.”
“In jail?!” she gasped.
“Yes. He will be charged with illegal possession of firearm, possession
of illegal substance and abduction.”
She blinked rapidly, not fully comprehending. “But…but…firearm?
Illegal substance?”
“He was carrying a stolen gun in his truck and a considerable amount of
cocaine.”
She shook her head vehemently. “But Dad, Jaq never used drugs. I’ve
never seen him–”
 “How can you be so sure of that? You just met him. He’s a rock star.
Rock stars use drugs all the time. It’s their lifestyle.”
She was confused now. Of course she wasn’t sure. She really had not
spent enough time with her boyfriend to know for sure.
Panic seized her. Jaq was in danger of going to jail. The very thought
terrified her. She couldn’t imagine Jaq spending time in jail. It would be hell
for him.
“Dad, please, help Jaq. He’s not a bad person, I can testify to that! I need
to talk to the police, explain to them what really happened. He’s innocent!”
His father stood up. “Get some rest. We’ll talk again tomorrow.”
He quietly went out of the room, leaving her in a limbo. She burst into
sobs.
Her mother and sister came back with a nurse.
She was crying and babbling to her mother as the nurse injected some
liquid into her IV tube.
Within a few minutes, her eyelids started to droop.
She panicked. “No, I don’t wanna sleep! Mom, I need to see Jaq!
Please!”
But she couldn’t fight the lethargy swathing her like a warm cocoon of
light.
The voices around her faded, along with her vision.
BURNED
HOLY SHIT, YOU LOOK ALMOST FUBAR, MAN!” Kit blurted when
he saw his battered face. That was their frat code for ‘fucked up beyond all
recognition’, an expression usually reserved for their enemies. Ironic that it
applied to his poor mug now.
Jaq tried to smile but his swollen lips hurt like a motherfucker.
“How did you find out I’m here?” he asked them.
Alexis shrugged. “We have our sources.”
“Damn, what did they do to you? Are you okay? You should be in a
hospital!” Alexis was wincing as he surveyed his damaged face.
“Yeah, can you arrange that?” he replied bitingly.
“Have you called a lawyer yet?” Kit asked.
“No one is minding me here. They threw me in and left me alone.”
Alexis cursed. “I heard they will charge you with illegal possession of
chrome and coke.”
He wasn’t surprised anymore. “Yeah, thanks to you, guys.”
Alexis and Kit looked at each other and turned serious.
“Listen, I’m sorry, man. I’ll help you get away with the gun charge. After
all, it’s my father’s gun,” Alexis smiled smugly, as if the whole thing was just
a simple misdemeanor offense.
“Your old man’s gun?!” Jaq spluttered. Sometime last week, they were
having a get together at his townhouse. He had confided his woes to his
friends about Angie and her twin brothers roughing him up. Alexis offered
him the use of his gun, a mint-looking HK45. After the Yulo twins beat him to
near pulp, it felt good to hold a gun. It was somewhat comforting. He knew
how stupid that was now.
“Here’s the scenario, man. It was found in my Patrol, therefore, I stole a
freakin’ four-star general’s gun. Good job, X. You just expedited my trip to
the pits.”
Alexis waved his hand in dismissal. “I’ll get you out of that, don’t
worry.”
Sighing deeply, he turned to Kit. “And can you get me out of the dope
charge, Kit? You borrowed my car and the next thing I knew it was loaded
with crack. Where did you stash them anyway? How come I never found
‘em?”
Kit looked guilty, too “Sorry, bro, but it wasn’t a huge amount of crack
where they can charge you as a dealer. The most they can charge you with is
as a user. And when they’d do a drug test on you, you’ll probably turn out
negative. So, don’t worry about it too much.”
Jaq shook his head. “You both think this is a simple case.”
“The gun and dope are actually the least of your problems, man, but
using them as evidence, they could do you in for a more serious crime,” Kit
explained.
“What else are they charging me with? Abduction?”
“Sort of,” Kit said.
“Angie will never testify against me.” He was confident of Angie’s love
for him.
Kit and Alexis exchanged a meaningful look and no longer elaborated on
the subject. Before they left, they promised to provide him with a top lawyer
to get him off the hook. They even gave him twenty grand for his expenses, as
if he could go shopping while in the can. But he could use the money to bribe
some corrupt cop for a phone call.
When he tried to bribe the policemen, they searched his body for hidden
cash. His twenty grand kissed his ass goodbye without producing a single
phone call.
Now, he regretted not asking Kit to call his relatives. He never thought
he’d ever be in a situation where a single phone call was like a manna from
heaven.
Some guy from the Public Attorney’s Office came to talk to him and
asked him about his family background. He must look so bad that the guy
didn’t even recognize he was a big celebrity, or chose to ignore that fact. He
was advised to get a private lawyer for his counsel since he could afford
one.
Well, at least Kit and X promised a private lawyer for him soon.
He spent a sleepless night in the cell, the mosquitoes and fleas greedily
feeding on his blood.

Angie opened her eyes and found her father sitting on a chair by her
hospital bed.
 “I’m glad you’re awake now, Angelina,” he said in a low voice, no
longer angry.
“W-where’s Mom and Sherry, Dad?”
“They’re outside waiting for us to finish talking. We will go back to
Manila today.”
She nodded. Then she remembered... “Dad, what happened to Jaq?”
“That’s what we will talk about.”
“Dad, he’s innocent!”
“Listen carefully, Angelina. This is very important, for Jaq’s sake.”
She bit her tongue and fell silent.
“Jaq’s crimes are abduction and serious illegal detention, illegal
possession of firearm and prohibited substance. Do you know the punishment
for these crimes?”
She shook her head.
“Life imprisonment.”
A sob escaped her lips.
“But we will not press charges against Jaq anymore. He can walk away
free. But the law has due process. You will have to testify for him, that he did
not abduct you at gun point, that he did not use drugs and did not force
himself on you, that you went with him on your own free will. It’s called an
affidavit of testimony.”
Gratitude for her father’s generosity filled her heart. She didn’t know
anything about the legalities of the law but her father’s words were enough to
reassure her that Jaq would be alright. He would be safe.
“But you have to promise me, Angelina. Promise me that you will never
see him again. Promise me that you will forget him and focus your attention
to Jordan.”
In that moment, she would promise anybody anything. She nodded in
acquiescence. She had to save Jaq first and deal with the other matters later.
Her father stood up and went to open the door. A dignified-looking man
came in. The guest was probably her father’s age and looked respectable in a
suit.
“I’d like you to meet Attorney Abrazaldo, our lawyer. He will help Jaq.”
She wiped her wet face with the blanket and managed a smile for the
lawyer. “Good morning, sir.”
The alwyer smiled at her kindly and walked over to stand beside her
hospital bed. He was holding some sheets of paper and a pen.
 “I already drafted your affidavit of testimony, Angelina. You just need to
sign it. I presume your father has explained everything to you?”
She nodded. “Yes, Attorney.”
“Okay.” The lawyer dragged the side table attached to her hospital bed
and positioned it in front of her. He placed the documents on top of it and
pointed to the blank spaces. “Sign here and here.” He gave her the pen.
Without hesitation, she signed the documents.
Afterward, the lawyer left.
Angie met her father’s eyes. He was so kind and good. Despite what she
did, her father still loved her enough to help Jaq. She felt so guilty for hurting
her father.
“Thank you so much, Dad,” was all she could say.
“It’s alright now. Let’s go home.”

A lawyer came to him that morning. Some counsel from an

organization called FLAG. Free legal assistance whatever. In his experience,
any professional service given for free was worth shit.
But it turned out, this lawyer, Attorney Glenn Edrinal, despite his gaunt
face and glassy eyes that looked like he had not slept for days, was a bar top-
notcher, worked for FLAG as his charitable endeavor, but made his big bucks
as one of the counsels for the Del Bianco Group, Kit’s family’s business
empire.
Jaq smiled to himself. Kit and Alexis could give Manolo Yulo a freakin’
headache. His buddies were secretly helping him while publicly washing
their hands off of him. It was more than what he expected from them. Spoiled
they may be but they valued friendships.
Atty. Edrinal was a straight up dude, too. “Tell me everything I need to
know, Jaq. If you want me to help you, I don’t want any secrets between us
regarding this case, is that understood?”
He nodded. The lawyer had this strange, intense look on his face that
told him “I have no time for bullshit so you better get your shit together”.
“I want to know exactly what happened so that we can prepare for
whatever charges they may file against you.” Glenn put a tape recorder on the
table. “Okay, start from the beginning. How did you meet Angelina Yulo?”
He recounted how he met Angie and how their relationship developed.
The lawyer patiently listened, occasionally writing on his planner. After
about an hour, he was done recounting and answering Glenn’s numerous
questions. He felt like being cross-examined in court already but he knew the
lawyer was on his side so he answered as honestly as he could.
Afterward, he asked Glenn to lend him his cellphone so he can call his
relatives.
Celica and Ruben were already in a state of panic.
“Jaq, where are you?! Your mother is here and she’s going crazy! Come
home, dammit!” his Uncle Ruben sounded very angry and he was seldom
angry.
Jaq was ashamed to tell them the truth. The last thing he wanted was to
give them reason to further worry, especially his mother. He would get out of
this mess on his own without involving his family.
He was thankful he was not in the news yet. The TV was on almost
twenty-four-seven at the police station but he never heard any mention of his
name in connection with a crime. The absence of press in the area was
testament to the fact that Manolo Yulo wanted to keep everything within a
tight lid. In this respect, he appreciated the man’s power and influence.
“I’m in the province, Uncle. Don’t worry about me. I’m fine.”
“Don’t give me that crap, Jaq! A few days ago, Manolo Yulo was here
with the police looking for you! They said you kidnapped his daughter! Is that
true?!”
“W-what? That’s not true. I’m working on some gig here with my band
mates. I’m really fine, Uncle. Tell Mom not to worry, okay? I’ll be home
soon but I won’t be able to contact you in a week or so. But I’m fine. No
worries, okay? Bye, Uncle.”
He didn’t wait for his uncle to reply. He cut the call.
“I’ll come back as soon as the charges are officially in,” Glenn
promised.
Jaq was left to spend hours in his stinky cell again, feeling like he was
waiting for his sentence when he wasn’t even formally charged yet. Counting
every minute was hell. He wondered how those convicted felons managed to
get by when they were counting years.
How did his life come to this? Only last week he was a member of the
hottest rock band in the country, a budding film director, a popular MTV VJ,
a sought after club DJ of the most happening places in South East Asia. He’d
had gigs in Singapore, Hongkong, Macau, Malaysia, Indonesia, you name it.
He was having the time of his life, not even at his peak.
Now, he might do some time, indeed.
 Angie, where are you? Don’t forget me.

Jaq’s wait was over. Two separate complaints were formally filed
against him. The charges of illegal possession of firearm and possession of
prohibited substance came from two government agencies.
The third complaint was filed by Angie.
Abduction and rape.
That left him in a state of absolute shock.
He couldn’t comprehend it. It didn’t make any sense. No sense at all.
Angie won’t do this to him. He was sure Manolo Yulo had something to
do with it! He had to talk to her! God, this can’t be happening!
He asked his lawyer to contact Kit.
“Bro, I need to talk to Angie. Can you arrange it?”
“You know that’s impossible, Jaq. After everything that happened, you
think her father and brothers will let her out of their sight?”
His shoulders sagged. “I’m being charged with rape, Kit.”
“Maaan…Did you…you didn’t…?”
He expelled a breath. “Yes, I did. It wasn’t rape though. He’s my
girlfriend, man.”
“Aw, shit…”
“Okay, Kit, thanks for all the help. Really appreciate it, man.”
“Anytime, bro. Whatever you need, just tell Glenn, okay? We’re just
here, man. We’re behind you.”
“Yeah, thanks. Bye.”

When he finally read Angie’s affidavit of testimony, Jaq refused to

believe it.
She cannot do this to him. Not his Angie. She cannot just tell these lies
about him, about them so conveniently. They loved each other. He loved her.
She loved him. She had told him so many times. They had vowed to be
together for always as husband and wife.
But she put her signature on the dotted line.
The woman he loved was accusing him of rape, betraying him in the
most painful way. And without a doubt, with all the other evidence that
would corroborate her claim, he knew, he will be found absolutely guilty.
He was given ten days to file a counter-affidavit.
 He stared at Angie’s testimony. The words blurred and his eyes swam
with tears. There was a dead weight in his chest it hurt to breathe.
“Jaq?” he heard Glenn say. The lawyer’s voice seemed to come from a
distance, yet he was just sitting opposite him on the table. “Are you alright?”
He inhaled deeply, hating the emotions threatening to break him.
“Yeah…please, give me a minute, attorney.”
Glenn nodded in understanding and stayed quiet for a few minutes while
Jaq struggled to make semblance of what just happened.
Finally, he spoke. “Okay, tell me my position here, attorney.”
Glenn went straight to the heart of the matter. “You’re facing four
possible charges and they will be tried separately. Illegal possession of
firearm is bailable. Possession of prohibited drugs is bailable. The others,
abduction and rape are not bailable, meaning it is the court’s discretion
whether you are granted bail or not and with the evidence presented against
you, I can say, the court will not rule in your favor. However I see it, you
will stay here as the case progresses.”
He nodded, barely understanding Glenn’s explanation. His thoughts were
muddled and his heart was in pieces. But he heard the last sentence clearly.
He will rot in jail for as long as he was on trial.
“With the first two charges, we can do little to deny them, Jaq. You were
busted with those solid evidence in your possession. I will advise you to just
admit the offenses so you’ll have a lesser sentence. I don’t know how in hell
Senator Marcus Benedicto’s hand gun came into your possession but I know
there’s a logical explanation to that and I will hear it from you soon.”
Again, he just nodded.
“What we’d need to really focus on are the rape and abduction charges.
These are grave criminal offenses, Jaq and you could go to jail for life if
found guilty. This is the process. We have to submit a counter-affidavit as
soon as possible. The fiscal will review your affidavit and Angie’s and he
will judge if the charges against you have sufficient merit to proceed to trial.
That’s why your written testimony is very important. We will counter Angie’s
allegations in detail. Read her testimony very carefully, repeatedly so that
you will know how to refute her claims in a manner that is believable,
enough for the fiscal to junk the charges for lack of merit. Don’t worry, I will
assist you every step of the way in drafting this. Just be eloquent in your
expression. Clarity and order of your thoughts and recollection are very
important.”
 He looked his lawyer straight in the eye. “What are the chances of me
walking away from the rape charge?”
“That will depend on your testimony and Angie’s. This is a difficult
case, Jaq. But I will do everything I can to help you.”
That was almost a conviction but he tried to show his appreciation of
this person who was his main lifeline right now. He had no choice but to trust
him completely. “Thank you so much, attorney. I will read this again.
Tomorrow, I’d be ready to write down my affidavit.”
The lawyer gave him a sad, sympathetic look. “Are you okay here?
They’re not harassing you or anything?”
He shook his head. So far, he had been left alone by his cell mates. He
couldn’t say the same when he got transferred to a bigger cell some place
else. He inwardly shuddered at the thought. “I’m okay. Thank you.”
“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Glenn left.
He no longer went over Angie’s testimony again.
He cannot bear to read her ugly lies the second time.
Debra stood in the middle of the vast room, her insides quivering in
fear. Everything she saw spoke of power. It was the last place she wanted to
be in.
After that single phone call to Ruben, Jaq never made contact again.
Together with Ruben and Celica and some of their relatives, they looked for
Jaq in all the possible places he could be but they didn’t find him. They’d
learned from Dario that Jaq had indeed stayed for a couple of days at their
rest house with a beautiful young woman Jaq had claimed to be his girlfriend,
confirming her worst fear– Jaq had fallen in love with Manolo’s daughter.
Of all the young women in the world...! God!
Jaq was missing for more than a week now. She went to the police with
Ruben and Celica to report Jaq’s disappearance but until now, he had not
been located. She was so afraid something bad had happened to her son. She
couldn’t go on asking the people who knew Jaq one by one. She went straight
to the person she knew who can give her answers.
A door opened.
Manolo Yulo came out.
They stared at each other.
The huge room seemed too small now to contain all the painful
memories between them. Two decades shrunk into this very moment.
 “What are you doing here?” Manolo spoke, his voice cold. Very cold.
“Manolo,” she uttered his name softly. She had not said it aloud in so
long. “Manolo…my son. Where is my son?”
He didn’t answer and continued staring at her with stoic calm.
She took a step toward him. “Manolo, I beg you, whatever my son did,
please forgive him. He’s a good boy–”
“He abducted my daughter,” he said softly but his voice was full of quiet
menace.
She shook her head. “No, Jaq would never do such a thing. Manolo,
please!”
“He raped her.”
She blanched. “No! Jaq would never... I raised him well...”
He expelled a scoffing laugh. “Yes, you indeed raised him. I expected no
less from a whore’s son. He will rot in jail, I swear, Debra.”
He turned around.
She grabbed his arm. “Manolo, please I’m begging you! He’s so young,
only twenty-three! Can we talk about this? Compromise? Please!”
He wrenched his arm from her grasp.
“Manolo, please, don’t hurt my son. Can’t you see, the children eloped!
Jaq did not kidnap your daughter. They were having a relationship! Jaq loves
her, I am sure! He will take care of her, marry her–”
“You think I’d let your son taint my blood, you bitch? I’ll kill him before
that happens! Get out!”
She stared at the man she had once loved with all her heart, tears running
down her face. “Manolo…do you really hate me this much? All these years,
you still haven’t forgiven me?”
His eyes became shuttered. He didn’t answer.
“This is not about the children, is it? This is about us. You want me to
pay for the past and you’re making me pay through my son.”
He finally smiled. A smile so diabolical it chilled her to the bone. “I’ll
call you when the verdict is out. You will be the one to accompany him to the
state penitentiary. Don’t get smart with me and go to the police. I own them.
If you go to the media, your son will land some place else and it’s not a
prison cell.” He pointed to her face. “That is not a threat, Debra.”
Manolo left the room, closing the door behind him with sinister finality.
 Jaq had written his counter-affidavit despite the utter revulsion he felt
as Glenn discussed every paragraph of Angie’s testimony with clinical,
rational detachment. But God, he could not be rational about it. He could not
get past Angie’s betrayal.
Everything she’d written repulsed him.
Every word mocked the love he thought they felt for each other.
Her testimony was flawless. Who would not believe the words of a
society princess with the most sterling of reputations, who belonged in an
illustrious and wealthy clan, and whose father’s influence and power
stretched all the way to the presidential palace?
The weight of his words was only as good as the love he felt for her. To
Angie and that unyielding court, that amounted to nothing.
With incriminating evidence found in his car to support her claim– a
stolen gun and a few grams of crack, he was done for.
Her testimony came with an even more solid evidence. She had been
medically checked for sexual abuse and there were lacerations found in her
private parts. She was a virgin and however gently he had taken her, she had
bled. They had made love several times. Of course she would look ravaged
down there. Never mind that she was all too willing the whole time.
Angie had concocted an elaborate tale about him abducting her at
gunpoint when she refused to go with him. She recounted how she was so
afraid he would kill her and so she let him have his way with her. She denied
any existence of a romantic relationship with him.
That was plain rape, abusing an innocent woman without regard for her
feelings.
The work of a savage animal.
She ripped his character to unrecognizable pieces.
In his heart he knew, he was doomed.
God, Angie! Why? I loved you! Why?!
PRESENT
Chapter One
“ANGELINA YULO is truly a belle of substance. She is a super ‘IT’ girl.
At twenty-six, she has everything a young woman of her stature should
have: Elegance and style that always land her on the top ten list of the
most well-dressed socialites; the classic beauty that has captivated the
heart of one of the most eligible bachelors in the country, her fiancé,
media mogul Jordan Lavega; smarts and wit that have turned her into a
marketing powerhouse for her family’s hotel empire, and a charitable
heart that makes the Yulo clan truly an enduring pillar of philanthropy in
this country.”
Angie closed the magazine and stared at her face. She was on the latest
cover of the Tatler, following her much-publicized engagement to Jordan,
showing off her stunning 10-carat diamond engagement ring. When Jordan
slipped it on her finger, the beauty of the stone mesmerized her more than his
grand proposal.
She bit the inside of her cheek at her traitorous thought.
Don’t invite bad vibes, she inwardly scolded herself.
She shifted position, crossed her legs and tried to relax in the plush
backseat of her chauffeured Mercedes Benz sedan. She was on her way to
work and the morning rush hour traffic was terrible as, usual.
She channeled her mind to happy thoughts. She got engaged two months
ago. They had yet to pick a date for the wedding but Jordan said it would be
within the year.
Her fiancé was a prize catch. From the top of his impeccable haircut to
the tip of his expensive Italian shoes, he was simply perfection, always
polite, a true gentleman, a successful businessman and most of all, a person
she tremendously admired and trusted.
But deep inside, if she would be honest with herself, it wasn’t
excitement she was feeling at her impending marriage. She felt like there was
a noose hanging over her head.
A noose? Was she crazy? Women would kill to be in her shoes.
Feeling these irrational doubts and fears really worried her. She loved
her fiancé and she wanted to feel giddy and happy just like any bride-to-be
should be, as happy as she was when she was with–
 Dammit! She abruptly halted her thoughts from straying into forbidden
territory. She should never compare Jordan to anybody, especially to HIM!
He’s in the country again, shooting his latest Hollywood movie with
his gorgeous rumored actress girlfriend…
She slapped the expensive upholstery of the backseat to stop the taunting
thoughts. She had a whole new journey unfolding in front of her. A new life.
In a few month’s time, she would be a wife and soon after that, a mother.
Jordan wanted children right away and she would give him all the kids he
wanted.
This was just pre-wedding jitters. Nothing more. Super IT girl will slay
bridezilla. She will have a fabulous wedding minus all the drama and she
will walk down the isle in her dream Alexander McQueen wedding gown
and rock the cathedral.
Her life was nearly perfect.

Angie entered the magnificent lobby of the newly-renovated, Empress

Hotel, the flagship of the Empress Group, the 5-star hotel empire her family
had been running for decades now.
The Empress Group used to be a purely private company but the
necessity for expansion had forced her father to offer Empress stocks to the
public, turning the company into a huge corporation.
The tactical move proved to be very profitable. The last five years had
been the best years for the company. Two five star hotels were added to the
chain in Hongkong and Indonesia and one was currently being constructed in
Thailand.
Competition in the hospitality industry was very tough in Asia. She had
to be constantly on her toes, abreast with other high-end hotels and resorts,
especially in South East Asia where tourism was on the all-time high in the
last decade. The Empress high-end resorts in the western Philippines located
within three private islands were world-class. Those paradise islands with
their stretches of white sand beaches were favorite vacation hideaways for
westerners, frequently visited by Hollywood celebrities and European
royalty.
When it came to her job, Angie was obsessive. Perfectionist was a word
her staff had admiringly attached to her name from the beginning, but as the
years passed, it was no longer in a good light. They couldn’t keep up with
her. She demanded only the best performance from her people but the best in
her book was not found in the typical one-to-ten rating scale.
When one spent the last eight years of her life proving to her family,
especially to her father that she was a true and worthy Yulo, one would
develop a controlling attitude. It quickly became a habit.
The elevator took her to the tenth floor.
The moment she alighted from the lift, Betty was on her, as if she had
been waiting for her right there at the elevator lobby.
The pretty, chubby and usually cheerful PA looked frantic. “Angie!”
“Good morning, Betty,” she greeted her PA cooly.
“Angie, you have to see something.”
They passed by the vast Marketing and Promotions Department of
Empress Group, her domain. She caught the covert glances some of her
employees threw her way. “Is something wrong, Betty?” She didn’t like
guessing games.
For the first time in their three-year working relationship, Betty grabbed
her wrist and practically dragged her inside her office suite. Betty locked the
door.
Angie was even more perplexed now. “Betty, what’s wrong?”
“There’s something you need to see.”
“What? Show me!”
Betty gestured to the executive table. Several tabloids were lying there.
She frowned. “You know I don’t read those stuff, Betty.”
“Those were brought in by some employees of the hotel.” Betty was
twisting her fingers in apparent agitation.
She raised a brow. “And why would they bring tabloids to my office?”
Betty gingerly picked up one tabloid and showed the front page to her.
The headline screamed in big bold, red letters, almost dominating half of the
entire page.
Angelina Yulo and Jaq Montero in a Sex Video Scandal?!
It didn’t register at first. Why would her name be in a tabloid? With Jaq
Montero of all people?
Wait…Sex video?!
She went cold all over.
“Oh my God!” she gasped, her hand on her throat.
Her legs turned to rubber and she grabbed the back of a chair to steady
herself. She walked on wobbly legs toward the sofa and dropped on it.
Suddenly nauseous, she was afraid she would retch on the carpet. She leaned
back and closed her eyes, trying to calm her nerves.
“Angie, are you okay?” she heard Betty ask anxiously.
Okay? Oh God! She didn’t understand. Why would she be in the rags
with Joaquim Arkeus Montero, that Hollywood director who was as famous
as the actors he directed, at least in this country? She was afraid to read the
articles. But she was sure it was bad! Sex video? What sex video?
Jordan! She had to talk to Jordan first before he’d get to see those
tabloids!
With shaking hands, she groped for her cellphone inside her bag. She
blanched when she saw the screen. 27 miscalls! Mostly from Jordan, her
father and brothers! She didn’t hear the rings. She forgot to unmute her phone
from last night.
She was afraid to make a call now.
Her phone suddenly vibrated. Terrified, she just stared at it.
The caller was her fiancé.

Today was a holiday in hell.

Jaq was on the phone talking to his company’s publicist. Lulu called him
from LA screaming like a banshee she nearly busted his left eardrum. Fuck.
Shit traveled fast nowadays. The internet was an uncontrollable monster.
“No, Lulu! I ain’t doing any press conference to deny it! That’s me in the
vid. Yeah. I’m sorry. It’s an old, old video....Hey, listen, this is different....
No, I’m not dating her. No…an old girlfriend from way back. I don’t
care!...Listen! Relax. You don’t need to issue any statement. I don’t need to
talk to the local press either….Just Jared? The fuck? What do they want from
me? I’m a fucking director not Justin Bieber! They should leave my ass
alone! Alright…alright…I’ll deal with it, okay? I need to go. I’ll call you
later.”
He angrily ended the call. “Joey!” he barked.
His PA popped up inside the huge tent. “Geez, man, seems like you’re
back to your ol’ bad boy days! They want your ass!” She meant the local
paparazzi trying to kill each other to get a piece of him. The security men
he’d hired were fending them off. He had no idea the local paparazzi could
be as rabid as their western counterparts.
The world was awaiting his next opus as this was a major studio
production, especially in this country where Hollywood movies were regular
entertainment staple.
On normal shooting days, people flocked to his set like tourists but they
didn’t behave like this. Madness! His set quickly turned into a damn circus
and he was the main entertainment.
“I think you can make a living as a porn star, cuz,” Joey commented.
Jaq kicked one of the plastic chairs near him, sending it like a missile
toward Joey who jumped back in surprise, narrowly missing getting hit.
“Aw, man! A joke, okay?!” she whined.
“Shut the fuck up!” he growled.
She made a face and hunched her shoulders.
He really wanted to kick someone’s butt for real.
Eric Gould, one of his assistant directors entered the tent. “Jaq, I think
we need to stop shooting for now. The crowd’s getting unruly.”
Pack-up? That would mean further delay in his schedule and budget
spent on nothing. He hoped the studio wouldn’t hear of this. He’d been in all
kinds of female shit but he’d never had his ass caught on cam. The irony was
not lost to him, too. It was his camera that caught his own ass on cam. Fuck!
A gunshot suddenly cracked the humid air.
He jumped in surprise. “What the hell was that?!”
Screams.
They all ran outside the tent.
People were scattering like ants, running in all directions.
“Holy shit! Is somebody dead?” Joey croaked.
They ran toward the center of the commotion.
He saw one of the security men holding a gun upright. “I said the set is
closed right now!” the guard shouted at the throng of paparazzi. “You’re
trespassing!”
“We just want to talk to Jaq! You have no right to stop us! We’re just
doing our job!” shouted one reporter.
“Jaq is very busy!” the guard shouted back.
“We will write about this!” threatened another paparazzo. “This is
harassment!”
Jaq cussed under his breath. This was getting more fucked up by the
minute.
When they saw him, the hounds went wild again, as if he was the last
meal they would have on earth. His first words regarding the ‘scandal’ must
cost a fucking fortune. The scene before him looked surreal.
 Jesus, what did this people want from him? He may be a highly-paid
Hollywood director now but he was no longer the rock star the local kids
used to idolize. His Oblivion days were long gone. His life was behind the
camera now. Sure, he still dated actresses and models from both sides of the
Pacific, but even that had not caused this kind of mass hysteria.
It must be Angie causing all this extreme curiosity. She was the one who
was famous now and that fiance of hers who owned the biggest television
network in this country.
“Jaq, what do we do now?” asked one of the security men. “We can’t
fend them off for much longer. We may resort to force...” His voice trailed off
nervously.
Jaq exhaled sharply. “Call the local police.”
The man saluted and jogged away.
Having no choice, he finally shouted to his crew nearby, “Pack up!” He
cursed his way back to his tent while his men scampered to do his bidding.
Managing a set this huge was hard work. It was a movie that had scenes
taken in a real location and not within a studio where environment can be
controlled. They were in the open and it was hard to cordon the set and
prevent spectators from disrupting the shooting.
Now the paparazzi were here. These were a different breed of nuisance.
He grabbed a cold bottle of mineral water from the cooler and downed
it until it was empty.
Joey stuck her head inside the tent again. “Cuz, the bitches are asking
what’s going on.”
Joey collectively referred to the male actors of his movies ‘bitches’
because according to her, they were all pussies anyway, only in different
clothing. Joey was right, at least in this particular cast, with the exception of
Romjin, one of the supporting actors, The muscle-bound extras he’d hired to
act as warriors in this movie were all swag (Secretly We Are Gay), but he
preferred to call them ‘happy’ people, literally and figuratively. Living the
best of both worlds should make anyone happy, right?
“Tell them to rest at the hotel for now. We’ll resume tomorrow.”
His actors were billeted at a 5-star hotel within a high-end resort around
the area.
Joey disappeared.
Jaq dropped his bulk on a chair and massaged his forehead. What the
fuck should he do now? After Joey slammed those tabloids in his face this
morning, he went about his business. Today’s schedule was full of difficult
stunts and he needed natural daylight. But not sooner than his crew started
setting up the shoot, people arrived in droves, along with the paparazzi.
Mayhem followed.
The video. He had to check his house. Shit!
He jumped back on his feet and gathered his important stuff.
Someone called out from the outside.
“Come in.”
Gwenna entered the tent. “Jaq, are you okay?”
He nodded and slung the backpack on his shoulder.
“Where are you going?”
“Just gonna check on something.”
“Can I come?”
Her eyes were telling him she wanted to come another way but even a
promise of a wild nooner from the sexy starlet couldn’t cheer him up today.
“Sorry, sugar. I need to attend to something. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She pouted. “Is this about that video?” she pressed.
“Gwennie…”
“Who is she? An old girlfriend of yours?”
He didn’t like her questions. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“You’re not going to her, are you?”
He speared her with a serious look. “You should be concerned about
your acting, sweetheart. It’s more important to me than those nonsense.”
She smiled, licking her lips, touching his denim-clad hip suggestively.
“Can I treat you to something delicious before your go? You won’t have to do
anything. Just lie down and enjoy.”
Christ, the woman was a blow job junkie! On another occasion, he
would have been her willing fix, but not today. Today, he needed to fix
something. Fast!
He kissed her cheek. “Take a rest. We’ll be busy tomorrow. I’ll see you
then, okay?”
He exited the tent.
Pulling a cap over his head, he ducked behind tents, avoiding being
spotted by the hounds.
A scandal of this magnitude was the last thing he needed attached to his
name right now. He was gunning for a General Patronage rating for this
movie, an action-packed, fantasy-epic designed to please the younger
generation. It will have its world premiere in summer, which meant he had
two months tops to wrap up all the additional fight scenes so he can go back
to LA and proceed to post-production. But all of that might be shot to hell
because of a freakin’ video scandal starring him, no less!
The local moviegoers might just boycott his movie because the director
was a slimy perv caught in some old video humping the shit out of an
insanely beautiful society princess. It was a consolation he’d finished all the
major scenes involving his lead actors a month ago or he’d be the
laughingstock on set for weeks.
Sex videos were like a fad nowadays and he’d seen some nasty shit by
some notorious Hollywood celebrities wanting to get even more famous. He
had watched them with mild curiosity and some amusement and even shared
some ribald jokes with his male friends. But those celebrities were multi-
media commodities and public properties who shrewdly capitalized on their
infamy for more popularity. While Angie was…
God, this would destroy her. She won’t be able to handle this.
Dammit, who would do this thing?
He called Joey. She popped up again beside him like a troll. Sometimes,
Joey really spooked the shit out of him.
“I need to go back to Manila to check on something. Entertain the
bitches. Treat them and the entire crew at a restaurant later for dinner. I’ll be
back tomorrow for the shoot, okay?”
She nodded. “Got it.”
They entered a tent. Eric was inside conferring with Wade Douglas, the
fight choreographer, Calum Wells, the chief cameraman and Edmund Mead,
the set designer. They stood up when they saw him.
“Let me see the shoot sched, again, Eric.”
Eric showed him a chart and gave him a pen. He put marks on the chart.
“Have those scenes set up when I get back. We’ll resume tomorrow. Call
me if something comes up. Keep those hounds away at all costs, okay boys?”
They nodded, but they all looked speculative. That pissed him off some
more. He was embarrassed by it all but he didn’t need to explain anything to
them. This was his damn business. Not that he still needed to talk about it
since the whole country was probably latching on it like flies on freshly
dumped shit anyway. Still, he felt the need to apologize. His team were all
professionals. “Sorry about that, guys. I’ll take care of it. See you
tomorrow.”
 He left the tent with Joey. They walked briskly toward his pick up truck
parked at the back of the set, beside his RV.
“Don’t fuck up while I’m gone and don’t hit on the staff,” he warned her.
“Come on, cuz, not even the sexy daughter of the caterer?”
He scowled at her. “Yeah. She’s jailbait.”
“Is there a law against lesbians making out with chicks under 18?”
That made him pause.
“Gotcha!”
He snorted. “Yeah. Your prick is bigger than mine.”
“It probably is. I got a new strap-on. Wanna see?” she dissed back.
He rolled his eyes. Joey could actually pass for a handsome young man
with her buzz cut, squarish jaw line, silver blings and those tattoos. She had
ink all over her body and a total of ten body piercing, she’d told him. The
only ones visible were her pierced eyebrow, left ear and tongue. Only the
devil knew what else she’d had pricked under her clothes. No pun.
“Don’t fuck up,” he repeated and opened the pick-up’s door.
“A friend of mine just sent me a clip of that vid. Wanna see?” There was
a naughty glint in her eyes.
He grabbed the lapel of her polo shirt. “Gimme your cell.”
“Aw, come on, cuz!”
He wrenched the phone from her hand and let her go. “Where?”
She winced. “Press ‘play’.”
He pressed the play button. The scene was shot in the bedroom.
Of course, everyone would focus on that particular segment. Never mind
that it only occupied a very minimal space in the entire thirty-minute video.
People were interested only in digging up dirt, preferably the filthiest, most
shocking ones. Especially high society dirt.
Angie was elite while he was purely showbiz bred. Despite his own
personal success, he was and will always be below her social class. At least
in this country. Her father certainly had no compunction in calling him trash.
But that video was far from trash. He had shot it with all the love in his heart,
with all the reverence and passion for the woman whom he’d thought
returned his love with the same breadth and depth.
The bedroom scene played before his eyes like he was taking it from his
personal video camera eight years ago. It didn’t seem so long ago.
God, this was supposed to be private! Only for him and Angie. Now, the
entire world was privy to their most intimate memories, even if it happened
so long ago.
He deleted the video clip and handed the phone back to Joey.
“If I catch anyone watching any fucking clip of that fucking video on my
set, he’s fired. Including you. Spread the word,” he said menacingly.
Joey nodded wordlessly.
He climbed into his truck and shut the door hard.
He sped off like a hundred demons were after him.

Angie approached the Yulo mansion’s imposing front entrance on

shaky legs. She hoped she could get inside before shame and fear got the
better of her.
She had built a tough armor around herself over the years. But even the
toughest person had an Achilles’ heel. Hers were all in this house.
The oversize and heavily carved front doors were opened by one of
their maids.
Walking slowly into the grand living room, she felt like approaching a
judge’s bench to receive a death sentence. They were all there, waiting for
her.
She first made a quick eye contact with her brother Rad. His face was
set in grim lines, his aggression barely contained. It would unleash any time
soon.
Ram was composed, as usual, but the cold, cynical look in his eyes was
condemnation enough.
She glanced at her only sister but Sherry’s head was bowed.
Angie bravely met her father’s eyes and she nearly staggered back. The
combined anger and disappointment she saw in Manolo’s eyes violently
hurled her back in time and she was that young girl again, afraid, insecure.
She slowly turned to her fiancé. Jordan was standing there, as still as a
statue, his jaw, set firmly, his eyes, remote. His silence spoke a thousand
words and she knew, they were not pretty.
Their combined stares was just too much to take all at once, but she had
to face this. She owed it to them. “Dad…?”
“How do we get through this, Angelina?”
It was seldom his father spoke like this, his voice, gravelly, faint as a
whisper. It cut through her like the sharpest knife. She knew he was beyond
angry.
“Dad…I’m so sorry…” Her voice cracked.
 “Sit down.” The softly uttered command barely registered in her guilt-
flooded mind.
She sat on a vacant chair. She would take all the blame. Her reckless,
indiscriminate behavior had no justification. The passion of youth ran hot in
her veins in those times. She was madly in love, totally oblivious to the
possible consequences of her actions.
“We will fix this mess together,” her father declared in a tone he
normally used when presiding as a CEO of their company. “How bad is the
damage, Rad?”
“Very bad, Dad. Google Empress now and dozens of websites carrying
that video will turn up.”
“Angie can have a press conference and deny that she’s the woman in the
video,” Sherry suggested.
Ram turned to Sherry. “Have you seen the video? There’s no way Angie
can deny it. Because it’s really her. That will make us blatant liars. We’ll
lose credibility even more. It’s better if Angie would just admit it and
apologize for being stupid and reckless. The public will forgive and forget
about it for the next hot gossip.”
“If you don’t have anything sound to say, shut up,” Manolo said to Ram.
Ram shrugged. “Whatever,” he mumbled sullenly.
“We’ll sue that whoreson,” Manolo declared.
Angie felt even more disgraced. She was an outsider listening to them,
worthless, all her hard work reduced to a mere sex video. Eight years of
doing good, striving to be the best, wiped out by a single mistake. But she
can’t blame them. That video dragged the Yulo name to the gutters.
“Yeah. He’s using that video as a publicity stunt for his new film.” Rad
agreed.
“But won’t it aggravate the situation? It will attract more media
attention,” Sherry disagreed.
“And what would you like to happen? Allow that bastard to walk away
from this scot free? He’s laughing at us right now. He’s scored a big one.
That bastard will pay for this!”
“Rad is right,” Manolo said.
“Or we can just axe the motherfuck–”
Sherry gasped. “Kuya Rad! We don’t have to resort to violence!”
Rad dropped himself onto an armchair. “So, who has a better idea?
Huh?” he challenged.
 “Hey, bad publicity is still publicity, you know,” Ram stated matter-of-
factly.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Rad asked.
Ram uncoiled his frame from the sofa and stood up, addressing them like
a military tactician assessing a battle position, clinical and impersonal.
“What’s done is done. Right now, the Yulo name is swimming with the
plague-infected rats. It will contaminate and destroy us all if we don’t play
our cards right with the media. It’s all about public perception, so I suggest
we look at it from a different angle. Let’s turn this mess to our advantage. It’s
a simple cause and effect situation. There’s a sex video of Montero and
Angie. People are going, whoaa, Montero and a Yulo? Really? How did that
happen? There’s gonna be a hoopla as is happening now. Social media, TV,
tabloid, radio are all abuzz. It’s a very hot talking point that’s actually
generating huge traffic. Now, transfer that same momentum to our business.
Angie works at Empress. Montero is a famous piece of Hollywood shit.
They’d wanna check in at any Empress in the hopes of seeing Angie. Shit
sells, the shitest, the best. End of story.”
Angie didn’t know if her brother was insulting or defending her but she
was thankful for his sensible mind under the circumstances. Ram was the
epitome of ‘cool under pressure’. If she was not at the center of this unholy
mess, she would have suggested the same thing like any cutthroat PR
executive would. If only the rest of the people in the room had Ram’s
disposition.
Rad was not convinced. “This is not a bloody ad campaign we paid for!
We cannot possibly profit from shit. We’re running a freakin’ hospitality
business, not a TV network!”
“But I am,” Jordan finally cut in.
Angie glanced at her fiancé. He had been silent the whole time, but now
he got everyone’s attention. Jordan’s demeanor was shuttered but imperious.
This must be how he presided over his board of directors, she thought.
“Ram’s right. We have no choice. We’ll turn this around. We’ll not be on the
defensive. We’ll be aggressive.”
Ram looked at his twin smugly. Rad glared back.
“Go on, Jordan,” Manolo said.
“A media blackout is no longer possible at this point. The video has
gone viral. A street kid can download it anytime from his phone. Even if we
track down the main source, a lot have already downloaded from the
website.”
“Yeah, true,” Ram said. “I had my cracker friend shut down several
websites hosting the vid, but whoever leaked it used several IP decoys so we
can’t really trace the exact location of the bastard. The internet is a no man’s
land. Literally, it’s like coughing a deadly virus into the air and wham,
everyone catches it.”
Rad cussed. “You mean we can do nothing to stop it? Nothing at all? We
can sue.”
“Who are you gonna sue? Yahoo? Google? Those websites and
tabloids? Get real. That would be a waste of money at this point. The damage
has been done. It’s irreversible. But like I said, it’s all about perception.
What we can do is convince the public it’s not damaging to us, at all.”
Before Rad could cut it, Ram continued. “The video’s been chopped into
small parts. At full length, it’s like a mini-movie, edited and complete with
sounds. Smaller vids are faster and easier to upload and download,
especially in cell phones. In fact, I have a copy here in my phone. It’s the
full-length version. Why don’t we just all watch it?”
Angie made a distressed sound.
“Shut up!” Rad snarled at his twin.
“It’s not as bad as everyone thinks, certainly not as graphic as that old
Paris Hilton vid. There’s a lot of kissing and cuddling. No frontals, but it’s
obvious they’re both naked and having sex in one scene. If there was no clear
sound, no one would believe it’s Angie. She was not popular in those days
but Montero was and he is easily recognizable in this one. He mentions her
name all throughout the video, a dead giveaway. The voices are actually
more revealing than what you see on the screen.”
More expletives from Manolo and Rad.
Angie’s head felt like exploding with all the ugly emotions twisting
viciously inside her. They were talking as if she wasn’t there, discussing her
life, her shame, her most guarded secrets, as if she was not listening!
She stood up. She needed to get out of there. She would crack any
second now.
“Sit down, Angelina!” he father thundered.
“Dad, please, it happened a very long time ago…”
“The public will not care. They are seeing it now!”
 Her tears finally fell. She raised her hands in a gesture of helplessness.
“But what can I do now, Dad? What else can I do?”
“You will do nothing! You will not show yourself in public until we’ve
come up with a plan to resolve this! Do you understand?”
As if she could show herself in public now after all of this? She just
nodded and bowed her head, biting her lower lip hard to keep herself from
breaking into hysterical sobs. It was like having an out-of-body experience.
This wasn’t happening. Not to her. Not to her.
“Sir…” Jordan interjected again.
“Don’t worry, Jordan. We’ll rectify this,” Manolo said.
“Sir, may I talk to Angie in private?”

Angie wished he would rant at her, even hurt her, but Jordan just
stood there, looking at her with cold intensity.
The silence between them was deafening and she couldn’t stand it
anymore. “Jordy…”
“Did you love him?” he asked her quietly.
That very question was like a bullet fired at her and honesty was the
order of the day. She didn’t have any problem with honesty, but God, not a
question that ricocheted. “I’m so sorry…” What could she say to him that
would soften the blow?
“Answer me.”
“It happened a long time ago, Jordy. I was very young.”
“That’s not what I want to hear.”
Ah, damn honesty. “Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about him?”
She raised her chin a fraction. “I never asked you about your past
relationships.”
“I had nothing that mattered, nothing that would affect our relationship
now. Ours is the only relationship that matters to me.”
That made her feel guiltier. “What do you want me to say, Jordy? I don’t
know how that video came out. I...”
He shook his head slowly.
“It’s in the past. It doesn’t mean anything to me now.”
“Do you still love him?”
“No!”
 He stared at her harder, gauging the truth from her vehement denial. She
could see distrust in his eyes now and it was breaking her heart.
“I don’t love him anymore,” she said firmly, fighting not to squirm under
his skeptical gaze.
He looked away and walked towards the veranda. Settling his hands on
the wrought iron railing, he gazed at the perfect Mediterranean garden that
surrounded the luxurious swimming pool of her family’s lavish mansion. The
beauty of their surroundings seemed to mock them both.
When Jordan finally faced her again, he was devoid of any expression.
Not even anger. She felt a chill run down her spine at the blankness he saw in
his eyes.
Suddenly, he was a total stranger to her.
“I’ll understand if you call off the wedding–”
“No. Nothing will change between us. You will be my wife.”
The words that he uttered were strange to her ears now. Jordan Lavega
was a powerful tycoon, respected and admired by his peers. Her reputation
had been besmirched beyond repair. How could he still want her to be his
wife? “Jordy…”
“We will let this pass. It will pass. We will go out in public and carry on
as if nothing happened.”
He was being optimistic and yet his flat, impassive voice sliced through
her like slivers of ice. It did nothing to comfort her.
Gone was the tenderness whenever he spoke to her. Gone was the loving
glow in his eyes when he looked at her. She saw nothing now that would
encourage her to still want to be his wife in the real sense of the word.
“Jordan…” She couldn’t bear to use his cute nickname now. It would
sound phony in the light of the drastic transformation in their relationship.
She just knew they will never go back to what they were once to each other.
“You will conduct yourself in public as my loving and devoted fiancée,
and you will not dignify any questions regarding that video. Ever. Do you
understand, Angie?”
No, she didn’t understand.
“You owe me this.”
There was not an ounce of understanding in his gaze, just
uncompromising resolve. Just like her father and brothers, Jordan was
treating her as a business situation that can be troubleshot, not a wounded
human being.
 “Fix yourself and join us in the living room again.” He turned around
and walked away.
She was left there, feeling light-headed. It must be the shock. Everything
hadn’t fully sunk in yet, In the next days, it will get worse, she was sure of it.
More pain. More shame. More guilt.
She didn’t want to think of the coming days. If she could only fast
forward her life to the next five years, she would. Or better yet, delete this
entire episode like it never existed. But she had no remote control of her life.
The past slammed in her present like a bullet train without warning.
She was eighteen again.
In love.
Heart-broken before her time.
Chapter Two
AFTER HIS DEBACLE WITH THE YULOS eight years ago, Jaq went
back to London with his mother who had made a name for herself there as a
credible actress since appearing in that maiden cast of Miss Saigon. But he
only stayed there for a few months. Her second husband, a British lord, made
him feel everyday that he will never be welcome in his noble, palatial home.
He decided to go to the States to pursue his dream of becoming a movie
director.
He was able to enter the US with a working visa, thanks to his well-
connected, richer-than-Midas biological father whom he hadn’t known until
he was twenty three years old.
Today, he enjoyed both American and Philippine visas and could come
and go in both countries as he pleased. He was a by-blow but he was the
only son which probably gave him some edge over his legit siblings, which
explained the few billion pesos that suddenly popped up under his name at a
local bank. Even as a hotshot director in Hollywood, that kind of cash never
lined his pockets. In this country, he was a fucking secret billionaire, which
made things easier for him to set up his local businesses.
The old man was finding more and more excuses to see him lately. He
didn’t know if that was good or bad. What if the rags found out? That would
be another scandal of a different level.
His two-story, five-bedroom, open-plan house in that very exclusive
subdivision in Manila was a generous gift he’d received from his old man on
his birthday three years ago. It was formerly owned by a renowned architect
in the country, hence its sleek, stream-lined, ultra-modern architecture. It was
almost as huge as his own crib in LA. Both houses were too big for him who
liked to live alone, but it was the vast spaces he craved for his creative
musings.
The security system was busted, as he’d expected. Those thugs knew
their business.
He was cursing as he entered the expansive living room.
It looked like a tornado had passed through it, leaving everything in
shambles.
He ran up the stairs to the second floor. All the contents of his closets in
the master’s bedroom were on the floor, the mattress of his king-size bed,
ripped to pieces. The other three bedrooms suffered less vandalism.
 He went downstairs to check his state of the art recording studio which
boasted the most sophisticated equipment in multi-media production, bracing
himself for the worst. But except for his video collections scattered on the
floor, nothing here was touched.
Leaving the studio, he went to the kitchen. The appliances in this part
were custom-made for urbane, sophisticated and busy lifestyle. Not a thing
astray here. Of course, who would look for anything worth stealing in the
kitchen? But what those idiots were looking for was exactly in the kitchen.
He pushed a button hidden under the lid of the counter top. The modular
cabinet moved, revealing a safe. He twisted the revolving lock a few times
using a code and it opened.
He stared at a few CDs, several USBs and an external hard disc lying on
top of stacks of other valuable items and documents. They were all intact. He
slammed the safe shut and locked it.
He went back to the living room and assessed the damage done to his
property. A professional designer would be needed to put everything back
together.
Nothing was stolen. Which meant two things. They came for the video
and the vandalism was a warning. By now, he had a pretty good idea who the
culprits were.
The buzzer went off.
Fuck, who would come calling now? Today of all days? Considering the
battered state of his residence, he wasn’t in the mood to accept visitors,
He proceeded to a discreet corner and rolled a sliding door open. The
door blended with the wall so the scumbags didn’t find it. It housed some
CCTV screens for his back up surveillance system. He checked one of the
screens.
A man was standing outside the gate. He didn’t look familiar but he was
wearing a formal suit. A decent-looking dude. But what did he know about
decent people? They were as heinous as the worst thugs in the slums. There
was a car parked nearby, apparently the man’s but no sign of companions.
The buzzing continued. He went out to check on the visitor. Nobody
would open the gate for him. He had an agency that supplied cleaning ladies,
utility men and gardeners and these people came at a scheduled day within a
week.
He walked down the front steps and cautiously opened the small door
beside the massive gate.
 “Jaq Montero?” the guy outside asked.
“Who’re you?” he countered without acknowledging his identity.
“Wayne Defensor, Manolo Yulo’s legal counsel.”
The mere mention of the name triggered a code red alert within him. His
anger built up again. A lawyer? This one was a high-powered asshole if he
was Yulo’s shit-sweeper. “What do you want?”
“Can we talk?”
Now, why would Yulo’s ass-licker wanna talk to him? He opened the
door wider.
The visitor stepped in.
He slammed the door shut. “Sorry, we can’t get in. My house is a wreck
right now, courtesy of your client,” he said, watching Wayne’s face closely
for a telltale sign.
The man didn’t even blink. “Excuse me?”
He sneered. “Cut the crap, will you? You know damn well he’s
responsible for trashing my house. Why did he send you here anyway? To
gloat?”
Wayne smiled, not fazed by his blatant accusation. “I’m afraid whatever
happened to your house, my client has nothing to do with it, Jaq.”
“Come on, did you come here to bullshit me?”
“No. I came here to talk to you about the video.”
“Ah.” Putting on a mask of indifference, he shoved his hands in his
jeans’ pockets.
“I’m sure you’re aware of the Yulo family’s sterling reputation.”
Sterling, my ass. Bunch of hypocrites. “No, I’m not.”
“Nevertheless, that video has caused major damage to the family’s
reputation.”
“Really?”
“It has affected their business. It has caused shame and embarrassment to
the family members.”
“Do I look like I care?”
“You should. Because my client wants to sue you.”
The fuck? “For what?”
“For malicious intent to sully his family’s reputation and sabotage the
Empress Groups’ good image.”
He couldn’t help it. He laughed in derision. “Wow.”
 “It’s a very serious offense if proven guilty. The Empress Group is a
huge corporation.”
He was tempted to level the lawyer’s face with his fists. Smart-mouthed
fuck. “Tell me, Wayne, what exactly are you here for? Cut the BS, man. We
both know you’re not here to sue my ass.”
“I want you to surrender that video and all files connected to it, deny any
involvement in making it and never talk about it to anybody, especially to the
press. Under no circumstances will you mention Angie’s name, least of all
acknowledge any involvement with her in the past. My client wants this in
black and white.”
He wanted to laugh out loud at the audacity of the lawyer. His hatred for
Manolo Yulo rose to new heights. The old, rotten bastard actually sent his
legal shyster to issue threats at him and tell him what to do after his goons
totaled his house?! It was beyond incredible.
“I want you to tell Manolo Yulo this. Tell him to shove his threats up his
bloody ass. Tell him not to come within an inch of my property again or I’ll
kill him. Tell him that.”
“Be reasonable, Jaq.”
“Reason is not the way to deal with a snake like your boss and you know
it. Now, leave.”
He walked to the small door and opened it again.
“Think about Angie, Jaq. She doesn’t deserve this.”
He didn’t say anything more. She deserved something else, alright.
Angelina Yulo owed him bigtime and she hadn’t paid up yet.
Wayne stepped out of the door.
He slammed the panel shut and strode back to his house, kicking any
debris lying in his way.
Damn Manolo Yulo! The old man had thrown enough shit at him to last
him a lifetime. He’d stayed away from the Yulo orbit all these years. He’d
moved on. But the old man wouldn’t let it rest. They just wouldn’t leave him
the fuck alone. Manolo Yulo the evil king, his vicious jackass twins and his
black-hearted princess.
Maybe it was time he threw back all the shit they’d dished him years
ago.
Yeah, it was time.
 The Yulo mansion was still as grand as he remembered, a colossal
work of fine architecture located within a billionaires row.
He’d been inside this house once, when he was still under Angie’s spell.
To belong to her family was his fondest wish. What a sucker he was. He was
still lucky it didn’t happen because this family was an evil bunch. Rotten to
the core. They were prejudiced and greedy, no honor and definitely no
respect for people below their social class.
He jumped out of his truck and approached the massive gate embellished
with intricate wrought iron works. He punched the buzzer. A uniformed guard
opened the small gate and came out carrying an automatic rifle. It was
casually slung on his shoulder but Jaq knew this guy would not hesitate to
smoke him where he stood if he started acting up.
“Good morning, sir. What can we do for you?”
“I’m Jaq Montero. I want to talk to Manolo Yulo.”
“Just a moment, sir.” The guard disappeared inside the little gate.
He patiently waited, his temper simmering with the humid weather. The
guard came out again. “Just leave your truck here, sir. You can come in.”
He stepped inside the enemy territory, ready to draw blood.
The Yulo residence was magnificent like those European manors and
villas. The driveway leading to the main entrance was long and winding,
lined by hardwood and palm trees. It was a slice of paradise in the city only
the very rich can afford. There was no doubt as to how wealthy this family
was, even more so now. He’d read about them in the papers over the years,
inaugurating a new hotel, buying properties all over Asia. A bunch of money-
hungry vultures.
Some fifteen meters away, he saw three men come down the mansion’s
portico.
The one at the center was definitely Manolo Yulo. He was flanked by his
twin sons, Rad and Ram. Man, did he miss this trio?
He’d seen the twins sporadically over the years at his favorite hang-out,
an exclusive gentleman’s club called Lothario owned by Alexis, a close
friend of his from way back. Even Angie’s boyfriend was a member of that
club. They never spoke to each other.
He stopped a few meters in front of them. How was it possible that all
his mortal enemies were gathered in one clan? Six mean-looking sons of
bitches immediately surrounded him. Hired attack dogs. They all looked
ready to tear him apart.
 “You have the balls to come in here, Montero,” Manolo greeted him with
that imperious tone. “I don’t know what to call you, a hero or a fool.”
The man looked old now, older than he remembered. But Manolo still
looked invincible that even if Jaq hated him so much, he had also feared the
old man’s power. But that was then, when he was still next to nothing. Now
was a different ball game altogether.
“I came here because you’re a coward, old man. You had to pay a fancy
lawyer to deliver your bullshit to me? I don’t know what to call you, a
yellow ass or a chicken full of shit.”
Rad stepped forward like a vicious hound ready to defend its master.
“Watch your filthy mouth, Montero!”
But gone were the days when they could just bully him at whim. “You
have the fucking gall to tell me to watch it after you trashed my house?”
Rad smirked. “Are you accusing us? You have no proof.”
There you go, the defensive words of the guilty. He nearly blurted out
that he could send Rad to prison if he wanted to because he had concrete
evidence, but he decided to save that ace for later encounters. The Yulos, as
he had learned over the years were a thick, hard wall to crack, much less go
through. He didn’t even get past a female Yulo, he thought with irony.
“I will sue you,” Manolo declared.
“On what grounds?” he scoffed.
“Malicious intent to destroy my family’s reputation and profit from it.”
He smiled in derision. “Really? And how will that even pan out? You
didn’t even find the video when you ransacked my house. That’s your only
evidence and ill-acquired evidence don’t count in court. What’re you gonna
do, old man?” he taunted.
Manolo clenched his jaw, his eyes burning with hate. That’s right, old
man, hate me. Hate me as I hate you.
“You will regret this.”
“I won’t regret anything, Yulo. My conscience doesn’t stoop that low.
Unlike you.”
“You fuck! You’re lying!” Rad snarled.
He turned to Rad. “Why would I would waste my precious time lying for
your stupid ass? I was minding my own business all these years and you
came to my house, destroyed my property and you expect me to just stand
back and watch?” He shook his head. “Not this time.”
Rad whipped up a gun and pointed it at him.
 He stared at the barrel and didn’t even blink. He spread his arms,
challenging Rad. “What, you gonna shoot me in broad daylight? Go ahead.
I’m sure the public will welcome new shit from the Yulo clan. That will be
prime time news for ages. You ready to spend life in jail?”
Rad bared his teeth in a feral smile. “We can say you trespassed. I can
kill you right now, Montero.”
“Aah, come on, Rad, put it down if you don’t have the balls to fire it.”
“You fuck–!”
“Don’t be nervous. One bullet and we’re both going down.”
“Put the gun down, Rad,” Manolo said.
Gnashing his teeth, Rad lowered the gun to his side.
Jaq smirked at Manolo.
“Let’s cut the bullshit here, Montero. You’re the only one who would
benefit from leaking that video,” Ram cut in.
He turned to Ram. This one had a cool head. “What benefit are you
talking about?”
“Money. Publicity for your movie.”
He exhaled a short laugh. “Are you kidding me? I work for
DreamWorks.”
“You’re from showbiz. Of course you want publicity. Anything to sell
your shit. You and your shit-loving kind get off on it,” Rad said with
contempt.
For his profession to be insulted by this dumbfuck who probably hadn’t
woken up even a single day in his life worrying about money, it really stung.
“You know nothing, Rad. All you do is talk and threat and blow fucking
smoke because you’re here in your territory surrounded by your bodyguards.
Try going out of this mansion on your own. You think you’re the only one who
knows how to pull the trigger?”
Rad’s face looked mottled now. He opened his mouth to say something
but shut it again.
He’d had it with these motherfuckers. They had all been the bane of his
life since he had the misfortune to fall in love with a member of their family.
On second thought, whoever leaked that damn video did him a great
favor he could give the bastard’s ass a big wet kiss. Looking at his Yulo
nemeses all worked up and worried about their fucking reputation, he felt a
kind of perverse joy. The scandal sure knocked these pompous asses right off
their bloody high horses.
 He addressed Manolo Yulo again. “As for the profits, I wish I was
making some. But you gave me an idea. I own the original copy of that video
and the director’s cut. That’s where all the juicy stuff is and if you’d bothered
to watch the video, your daughter was quite a willing participant in it, old
man. I didn’t rape her, you know,” he emphasized the last words with a sneer.
“I could have used that as evidence eight years ago.”
Rad lunged at him.
Angie was roused by the non-stop knocking on the door. She had
locked herself in her bedroom the whole morning, even skipping lunch. The
events that transpired earlier today had completely shook her life to its
foundation.
She left the bed and opened the door. Her younger sister was outside
looking frantic.
“Angie, come! Hurry!”
“Sher? Why?”
Sherry grabbed her arm. “Come on, let’s go!”
They ran to the hallway and descended the grand staircase. Loud voices
wafted from the front entrance. She recognized her father’s voice and her
brothers’ and someone else’s.
A familiar voice.
Her heart slammed hard in her chest. “Oh God…!”
“It’s Jaq! He’s here! They’re gonna kill him!”
She stopped walking and stood there, her limbs shaking. Her mind was
shouting in mounting panic.
Jaq? Here?!
“Angie, come on, let’s go!”
Sherry shook her arm, pulling her back to reality and dragged her to the
front door.
The commotion was coming from the driveway of their mansion.
They burst through the front door.
Angie was greeted by a scene straight out of a movie flashback. The
movie about her life.
Jaq was being held on both arms by their bodyguards. Rad was aiming a
gun in his face at close range, while Ram and their father looked on.
That fateful day some eight years ago was right in front of her again.
“Kuya Raaaad! Noooo!” she screamed in horror.
They all looked at her.
 “Get back inside!” Manolo shouted.
But her fear for Jaq’s life was greater than her fear of her father. She ran
down the steps and crossed the paved walk toward them. “Let him go, Dad!
Please, let him go!”
Lord, this couldn’t happen all in one day! But it was. Fate must really
hate her today.
Ram clamped his hand around her arm, hard. “We’re just teaching him a
lesson. Get back inside.”
She struggled to get away but Ram was so strong. “Kuya Ram, please!”
Sherry ran to their father, crying. “Dad, please, don’t hurt him! Please!”
Manolo exhaled deeply and gestured to the bodyguards.
They let go. Jaq fell to his knees on the ground.
Angie stared at him. Their paths had never crossed again all these years.
Then all of a sudden, he burst into her life again like a meteor, exploding in
all directions, turning her world upside down.
Jaq slowly stood up, wiping his bleeding nose with his hand.
Their eyes met.
His eyes were blazing with hate, but what she felt was freezing
coldness, immobilizing her where she stood.
“Wow, finally, a reunion with the entire Yulo family. How lucky can I
get?”
“Shut up!” Rad snapped at Jaq.
“Hey, Angie, cheer up! We’re famous! Resurrected from the dead! Ain’t
that grand?”
She wished the ground would open up right that minute and swallow her
whole. She felt like a woman of the lowest morals. She couldn’t face Jaq like
this. She wasn’t prepared.
“Just let him go, Dad,” she said softly and turned around.
Her tears fell the moment she turned her back on them.

Jaq watched her retreating figure with ambivalent feelings. Seeing

her again after all these years was like getting hit by lightning.
The shock was staggering.
“Don’t ever come near any of our property again, Montero. You won’t
like what we’d do to you next time,” Rad warned him.
As if they hadn’t done enough damage to him already. Rad was the
funniest shit. “If you touch any of my property again, I’ll kill you.” He really
meant it, too. Enough was enough.
“First you accuse us. Now you’re threatening us?”
“No, I’m telling you, Rad and you better take it seriously. You think
you’re the only one who has connections? Who knows how to play dirty?
You think your money can save your ass all the time? Lemme ask you, do you
wear Kevlar twenty-four seven?”
Rad visibly paled, but it was gone in a flash.
“You’re not invincible. Nobody is. We all die. In the end, the only thing
that will count is who pulled the trigger first and who hit the mark.”
Rad was speechless.
“So if you want to kill me, do it now, because if not, you’ve earned
yourself a death wish. Any day could be your last, too. Remember that.”
Jaq clashed stares with them, making them feel the depth of his hate.
“Get out,” Manolo rasped.
Jaq smiled and gave Rad a full right swing to the jaw.
The fucker dropped to the ground like a fallen tree, his eyes losing focus.
Guns were drawn again, aimed at him.
“Don’t fire!” Manolo shouted, spreading his arms to stop his
bodyguards. The old man rushed to his son’s side and took the gun from
Rad’s hand, probably afraid that his trigger-happy son would totally lose it
and start shooting indiscriminately.
“I thought you wanted my blood, old man?”
Manolo’s nostrils were flaring as he chased his breathing. “Do not push
it, boy.”
“Do you ever wonder who helped me out of prison eight years ago?”
Manolo paled.
He smiled perversely. “That’s right. Keep guessing. But I will tell you
this, Yulo. I go down, you all go down. Your entire clan. Take heed, old man
because I really hate your guts. Don’t push me.”
He spat to his side and walked away.
Chapter Three
WHY DIDN’T SHE BURN all these a long time ago?
Angie's tears rolled down her cheeks as she opened the box that
contained assorted silly stuff that only a teenager in love would think to keep.
Empty chocolate boxes, used gift wrappers, ribbons, creased candy
wrappers, dried roses. The only thing not silly in there was a CD entitled
Always.
She picked up the CD and stared at it. It had been in her keeping for so
long.
How could Jaq do this? Despite everything that happened, she would
never have thought that he would exact his revenge on her and her family in
this manner. He was a good, decent man. But what did a teenager know about
men? She didn’t know Jaq, after all.
She angrily stuffed the mementos back inside the box and put it back in
the closet. Soon, she would incinerate the damn box and everything in it! She
changed into casual clothes and called her bestfriend. “Darry?”
“Ange, are you okay, girl? You haven’t returned my calls! I saw the
tabloids–”
“Listen, I need to talk to…I need to talk to Jaq.”
“Tonight? But it’s 9 PM.”
“So? Tell me where he lives.”
“But…are you sure you wanna do this, Ange? Wanna talk about it first?”
“No, Darry. I really need to do this tonight.”
Darry sighed and told her. She knew the address. Several of her friends
lived there.
Darry and Jaq had remained in touch all these years. Darry’s parents
who were famous movie directors in the country had struck a close
association with Jaq when he ventured into directing and producing movies.
Time and again, she’d gotten bits and pieces of information about Jaq as
Darry would sprinkle their conversations with her ex’s achievements, his
blockbuster Hollywood movies, his business ventures, his various
prestigious awards, his latest girlfriends.
As much as she didn’t want to care about the latter, Jaq’s relationships
had been well-documented by the local press. Though he’d been mostly in
LA the past eight years, people had not forgotten his successful rock star days
and everything about him fascinated the entire nation, especially his love life.
He’d been romantically involved with various Hollywood celebrities over
the years. An actress would make a movie with Jaq and she’d end up in love
with him. By premiere day, they were a couple. But his relationships didn’t
last long. He was a player and couldn’t hold a relationship for a year. She
didn’t know if she would feel happy or sad for him.
She’d learned to act indifferent whenever Darry would talk about Jaq.
When she and Jordan started seriously dating two years ago, she asked Darry
to finally stop mentioning Jaq, which her bestfriend respected.
“You want me to go with you, girl?”
“No, I’ll be fine.”
“Call me if you need me, okay?”
“I will, thanks.”

Jaq stared at the series of colored pictures splattered on the sheets,

contemplating suing for libel. But these cheap tabloids were mostly fly by
night. The big ones knew how to play with semantics to avoid getting sued,
hence the question marks on the headlines. They’d say it was a mere quest for
truth, not a statement of fact.
Libel was about the truth and that video was true. He shot it himself
eight years ago.
But that video was long buried with the memories of his past. Who
would be interested to dig it? He was sure, whoever leaked it wanted to hurt
the Yulos, not him.
His life had been relatively peaceful since he came back here.
In the past three years, in between making Hollywood movies, he was in
and out of the country discreetly setting up his local businesses in
entertainment— a movie production company and a music recording and
promotions company. With his accumulated experiences and connections
from years of working in the US, he planned to turn the local movie industry
into a haven for quality movie-making in Asia that could compete with
Hollywood standards.
He would start his mission with his latest flick, a project he’d fought
hard to get a huge budget from DreamWorks, his home studio in LA. The
movie required a tropical terrain for its elaborate battle scenes along white
sand beaches and under thick forests. The Philippines was the perfect
location for his cinematic vision.
 For the fist time in eight years, he willingly allowed the public to know
he was back in the country to shoot a big-budget Hollywood movie. He was
received with warm welcome by the people and the movers of the local film
industry. After all, he used to be a famous rock star here.
He kept his public appearances at a minimum, even if he got dozens of
invitations to appear on TV shows and lifestyle magazines. He was here to
shoot his movie and he didn’t want distractions. Except for the press and
paparazzi flocking his set to get pictures of his lead stars whose scenes he
shot first during the first month of filming here, his set was relatively
peaceful.
He had been here for two straight months without trouble. He should
have known it was too good to be true. Trouble had always been his middle
name, but this kind of trouble, he could do without.
Yulo shit was the last thing he needed right now.
THAT family. Fuck them! All of them!
He couldn’t stop the memories from rushing back. Bad memories. Yes.
He’d prefer to remember the bad segments of the past. They far outweighed
the good ones anyway. When all had been said and done, he was the one at
the losing end with a shitload of bitterness, hate and pain that would have
made a lesser man commit suicide.
It wasn’t easy to accept that he had lost in such magnitude. It was hard to
move on when his heart cried for justice and retribution.
But he did. It was the only way to survive. To live.
He must admit now that coming back to the Philippines was a huge test
for him. A test of will and self-control. He wanted to find out if he could
again exist in the same place as the Yulos like a normal person, breathe the
same air that they breathed without wanting to commit murder, go on with his
life without feeling like the biggest fool all over again.
So far, he was doing okay. His movie kept him very busy everyday the
past months he hardly had time to think about her. He’d heard news about her.
She was getting married. Finally, a closure. Their story had run out of pages
to write it on. It must finally end. As it should. For good.
But some unscrupulous bastard provided new blank pages to write on.
As the perverse fates would have it, his and Angie’s story was still far
from the epilogue.
Angie slowed down her car in front of the tall gate.
 Normally she had a chauffeur to do the driving for her but tonight, she
decided to go solo, conniving with some of their house help so she can leave
their mansion undetected.
The gate was made of black painted steel, severely geometric in design.
She knew he was expecting her. The guard at the main gate called Jaq’s
residence to inform him of a visitor. She was expecting to be rejected but he
gave the guard permission to let her in.
She breathed deeply then got out of her car. She approached the gate
slowly and punched the buzzer. She jumped in surprise when the small door
at the side of the gate immediately opened.
Jaq came out.
Their eyes met. Connected. Locked.
In the dim lighting of the street lamps, he looked so formidable, tall and
solidly built.
Seconds ticked by and they continued to stare at each other. She lost her
tongue. Her heart was suddenly beating so fast she had difficulty breathing.
He always had that effect on her which she used to love but now hated.
“Come in,” he finally said and entered the small door again, holding it
open for her.
She had to be careful not to touch him when she stepped inside his
property.
“This way.” He walked up the driveway leading to his house. She
followed him hesitantly. Even from behind he looked so intimidating, his
shoulders broad, his arms delineated with lean, hard muscles. His long legs
ate up the steps with the sure strides of a sleek jungle animal.
Jaq had been gorgeous as a younger man and she was a teenager on the
verge of discovering her womanhood when she met him. She was no match to
the reckless allure of his wild youth. Like a helpless moth, she was drawn to
the raging fire, willingly. But now, in his early thirties, he was simply
devastating. She had to be careful.
His house was huge and the illumination outside perfectly highlighted
alcoves of great architectural details. Her sophisticated eye knew it was
designed by a top-shelf architect. She could make out the Zen garden and the
austere, modern structure of the house.
They went up the stone-paved steps of the wide portico. He opened one
of the double-paneled, hardwood doors at the main entrance.
“Come in.”
 It was his domain, his territory and it looked as solid and imposing as its
owner.
She only hesitated for a few seconds then stepped inside.
He jaw dropped in shock. “Oh my God! W-what happened here?!”
“Impressed? That’s courtesy of your brothers.”
“My brothers?!”
“Uh-huh, your brothers and whoever thugs they were with,” he said, his
eyes, dark and serious.
“But…but…why would they...? You don’t mean…I can’t believe…”
“Don’t be surprised. You know damn well they’re quite capable of
doing this.”
She couldn’t argue with that but she wasn’t about to let him slander her
family in any way. “My brothers are decent people. But not when they’re
wronged.”
He leaned on a post and crossed his powerful arms in front of his chest.
In his black, sleeveless basketball shirt, gray track pants and black sports
slippers, he looked as magnificent as when she first saw him manning that DJ
booth at Hysteria years ago. Still as arresting. Still as commanding. And
more. So much more.
“Did you come here to discuss decency with me, Angie?” His voice was
hard-edged, mocking.
She swallowed. “No.”
He went to a sofa and cleared the mess from the seat with a swipe of his
hand. “Sit down.”
She sat down only because she didn’t think her legs could support her
for much longer.
He dropped on an armchair opposite her.
Neither of them spoke for some time. They stared at each other. The
silence in the room was only punctuated by the beating of her heart and the
sound of running water from an oriental fountain nearby. His huge living
room seemed to have shrunk into a small box, where only the two of them
existed.
“Can I get you anything to drink?” he asked her casually, like a host
would to an invited guest. Only, she was hardly a welcome guest in his
house.
She shook her head. “No, thank you.”
Silence.
 His whiskey-colored eyes bored into her, beautiful, sorcerer’s eyes that
used to melt her defenses the moment they rested on her. They were still
framed by impossibly thick, long lashes that a woman would kill for. Those
intense, penetrating gazes could put her in a trance anytime he wished to.
They were doing the same now...
No! This was closure, not reminiscing time, she reminded herself. Be
done with it! “So, tell me, Jaq. I want the truth. Did you leak the video on the
internet?”
Despite the great probability that he did it, she was still hoping that he
didn’t. Better some unscrupulous bastard did it to make money than Jaq. That
was easier to accept no matter how badly it had damaged her reputation.
But he sneered. “I think I’ve had this conversation this morning with
your loving family. Didn’t you talk to them?”
“No. I want to hear it straight from you. The plain truth. From your own
lips.”
He let a few seconds pass before answering. “What does your instinct
tell you, Angie?”
She wondered why their voices were hushed. There was no reason for
that. The vast living room was empty save for the two of them. “I’m asking
you. I want a straight answer,” she said in a louder voice, attempting to sound
like her normal self.
“Suppose I did, why do you think I did it?”
Please, dear God. Don’t let it be the truth. “Money?”
He laughed, a hollow sound in the stillness of the night. “Look around
you. You should have seen this place before it got trashed. You wouldn’t
think I was having money problems. Sorry, honey, it’s not that. I’m quite
liquid, now, thank you.”
“Publicity?”
He leaned back, draped his powerful arms on the sofa and propped his
ankle on one knee. It was a lazy masculine pose, but it only emphasized his
superior strength.
“Let me see. I babble mushy bullshit to some society princess for thirty
freakin’ minutes on cam, make ridiculous cow eyes at her, declare my
undying stupid love for her and then I proceed to show my skinny butt for all
the world to see, and all for what, hmm? Publicity?” He shook his head in
amused incredulity.
“Anything can be a motive.”
 Something flickered in his eyes. It could have been pain but no,
impossible. Those eyes were as unyielding as twin orbs of diamond.
“See that?” He pointed at something beside her.
Embarrassment heated up her cheeks. The statuette discreetly standing
on a table beside her was the acclaim he received several years ago as Best
Director at the Cannes Film Festival for his independent feature film, Boy
Soldier, a true story about the youngest member of a Muslim militant, terorist
organization from South East Asia. She had seen the movie and was moved
beyond words by its depth and sensitivity. It was, raw, gutsy and
provocative, raved about by international critics as a tour de force in
independent film-making. That movie put Jaq in the map as one of the most
credible and talented filmmakers in Asia. Boy Soldier harvested more
international acclaims, and it swept the local awards, too. He absolutely
needed no publicity. His works alone spoke of his excellence.
“Revenge, then,” she finally added.
His expression became shuttered. “Now, that’s interesting. Revenge.
Tell me, Angie, why would I want revenge on you and your family?”
His voice had gone an octave lower, so soft now, but not quite a
whisper; more like a caress. But she knew it was nothing tender. It was the
soothing voice of a predator, cooing to its prey while its fangs were ready to
strike at a mere sign of weakness.
God, he hates me. He really hates me.
“Because my father put you in jail eight years ago,” she stated, willing
herself not to remember the fear and pain she’d felt that time. She had been
so young and so in love. But that love was put to the test all too soon and she
was helpless against the mighty forces that tore them apart.
A small muscle on his left temple flexed, the only indication that she hit
a nerve somewhere inside his seemingly impenetrable heart.
“You think that’s enough motive for me to want revenge?”
“Yes.” She willed herself to withstand the laser-like intensity of his
stare.
He stood up and crossed the short distance between them. He slowly
knelt in front of her.
She couldn’t look away from those dark, hypnotic eyes. Just like before,
she was drawn to their depths, even against her will.
His hand reached out to trace her cheek but his fingers didn’t touch her
skin. She only felt the warmth emanating from them. It had been a long, long
time when he last touched her. She should no longer feel anything for him.
But for the life of her, she was dissolving into a million silky fragments,
quivering, fluttering like fragile butterfly wings.
“You’re still so beautiful,” he murmured softly
“Jaq…don’t…”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t…touch me.”
“I’m not.”
“I’m…getting married,” she blurted, as if that fact could defend her from
the powerful force of his sensuality.
His hand slowly dropped to rest on his knee. “You look different.”
You look the same, only more good-looking…more…more… “How
so?”
“You look like an ice queen now, not the woman I remember years ago.”
That hurt. She was not an ice queen! Or was she? She didn’t want to
examine her psyche now, especially from his point of view. “That was a
naive girl you remember. Yes, I’m different now. People change. For the
better.”
His head slanted, as if to peer at her more closely. “For the better? I
don’t think so. I like the Angie before. The Angie I thought I knew.”
“You didn’t know me that much before and you don’t know what I have
become today.”
His lips curved into a semi-smile. “I don’t know what you have become.
I only see what you no longer are.”
She shouldn’t be affected by his words. His opinion of her character
meant nothing to her now. But she couldn’t resist asking him anyway. “And
what is that?”
His eyes traveled to her neck, and then her chest. It stayed there for
several moments then it continued down to her legs and feet clad in slip-on
flats. She was dressed decently in a pair of long floral-printed skirt and
white, soft cotton blouse, but she felt suddenly bare, as if he had visually
stripped her for his leisurely inspection.
She fought the urge to cross her arms in front of her. It would give away
the discomfort she was feeling and she didn’t want him to know how he was
affecting her.
“The warmth, the spirit, the strength, the passion...You no longer have
them.”
 Her already raw nerves were inflamed further. “You don’t know me!”
“Yeah and I don’t care, really. But I pity the man who’s about to marry
you.”
She abruptly stood up, breathing fast, fuming at his insults, at the
conflicting feelings she felt for him, at the injustice of it all. “How dare you!
Who are you to judge me?!”
He stood up, too. “Who am I?” He pointed to his chest. “Let me ask you
the same question. Who am I, Angie? What was I to you back then? Can you
actually blame me if I have a low opinion of your character?”
Her throat constricted and her eyes burned with the tears she couldn’t
shed in front of him. “Jaq…I–”
“Why did you come here? To dig up old dirt? Frankly, I’m not at all in
the mood to shovel shit from the past. They stink like hell and I’d rather they
remain buried for good.”
He was right, of course. There was no sense dredging up old dirt. She
squared her shoulders. “Once and for all, answer me then, Jaq. Did you leak
the video?”
He shrugged. “Maybe I did.”
He could have just put his hands around her throat and squeezed hard,
choking the life out of her. She shook her head. “No…You don’t mean that...”
His smile was sadistic. “Why not? You deserve it. You and your father
and your brothers deserve it. In fact, it’s not enough. You deserve more. You
deserve a lot more.”
She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. He suddenly morphed into
this terrible monster. She actually thought…hoped that he was still the Jaq
she had known before, the wild but sensitive and sweet man she had loved
with all her heart and soul. But he turned out to be just like what her family
had always thought of him, a good-for-nothing opportunist who would do
anything to better his life.
Now, he had stooped so low as to make money out of the only great thing
that happened between them. Their love. Or was it even love to him?
Apparently, it didn’t mean a damn thing to him at all!
“So, what are you gonna do about it, Angie? Sue me?”
“You bastard!” she choked out.
“Thanks but I already know that for a fact.”
Fury filled her chest to suffocating intensity. She never thought she could
ever feel hate for him, but now she did. She really hated him in that moment.
“How could you?!”
He let out a short, jeering laugh. “Oh come on, be practical. You want a
take from the profit? I’m game. After all, we did that video together and we
had fun, didn’t we?”
She was shaking inside but she willed herself not to unravel in front of
him. He would really love to see that. “You destroyed my life!”
His eyes became glacial as the arctic. “And what do you think you did to
mine?”
No, Jaq, don’t tell me that. I gave you everything. Everything! “You
hate me that much?”
“Hate is a very abused word. Just like love. I feel neither for you.”
She didn’t know how she was able to stand there and endure their
conversation. But no matter how painful this revelation was, it was just as
well. She can finally write him off as a terrible mistake she’d committed in
the past and bury him for good. She won’t have any more ‘what ifs’ in her
mind. Certainly no more regrets.
“You’re despicable,” she uttered in pure disgust.
“And you think you’re any better?”
That did it. Her insides shook with the violence of her contradicting
feelings for him. How did she ever fall for this cold-blooded bastard? Love
was indeed blind and she was a damn blind fool! “Daddy was right! You’re
good for nothing! I was a stupid fool to believe all your lies! You were
nothing but an opportunist! You used me!”
Fire seemed to leap out of his eyes. His fists clenched as if he would hit
her.
She stepped back, intending to flee but the edge of the sofa prevented
her.
“There you are. I thought you’ve turned into a cold fish,” he taunted her.
“I’m leaving…”
“Just to set the record straight, you snotty, high and mighty, stuck-up
bitch, it was you who used me. What were you then, huh, Angie? An itchy
pussy dying to get scratched for the first time? Did you and your fancy friends
talk about how you were gonna get it off with me? Me, the lowly bastard who
was dying to get in your panties like a dog after a bitch in heat? Hmm?”
She cringed at the obscenities he was spewing. Maybe she earned the
slander by casting the first stone but it hurt so much. Oh God, Jaq, please,
stop.
 “Tell me, was it good for you? Did I measure up to your expectations?
Did you gossip about me with your friends afterwards? About my
performance? Did you compare me to the boys you had after me? Did you?”
She leaned back and slapped him hard in the face.
The impact jarred her entire arm, making her wince in pain. She was
immediately horrified at her violent outburst. She was never the
temperamental type.
He lazily rubbed his injured cheek, smiling insolently.
She couldn’t take any more. She turned to flee.
He grabbed her arm. “Not so fast.”
In reflex, her hand lashed again, hitting his face. It was not anger this
time but self-preservation. She didn’t want him touching her in any way!
He cursed and grabbed her wrists and had her manacled and anchored
against his hard frame in mere seconds. She cried out in combined rage, hurt,
and shame at the way her body was betraying her reason, even after
discovering that Jaq was as vile as her father had told her he was. But she
was no match to his superior strength.
“Now, this is the Angie that I want,” he rasped, his voice, low and
sensual. “Feisty.”
She was breathing fast, hating him so much she might explode with it.
“Damn you, let me go!”
He held her tighter, his grip punishing. He was toying with her, knowing
how vulnerable she was. “Let me go or I swear to God, I will put you in jail
for this!”
He grinned evilly. “Baby, have you forgotten? The world is watching our
video right now. There’s no rape there. Just good ol’ sex.”
It was a humiliating truth. “I will scream the house down! Your
neighbors will hear and they will have you arrested!”
“Go ahead. My neighbors are used to women screaming in here they
won’t even bother to check. But if they do, do you want them to see us
together? It will make us more famous. Our sex video will sell more copies,
too.”
The thought of them dominating the headlines again left her nauseous. It
will totally destroy her family name, or what was left of it. Now she realized
it was a huge mistake to come here.
He licked her cheek slowly, leaving a narrow, wet track of saliva from
her chin to her earlobe. It was so carnal that she wanted to cringe in disgust
but she felt her insides clench in acute longing instead. He used to lick her
just like that all over…
“No, Jaq. No!” she managed to say weakly.
He suddenly hauled her up like she weighed nothing and lowered her on
the sofa. She tried to kick him but he held both her legs fast, clamping his big
hands around her ankles like vise grips. He wedged himself between her
legs, trapping her in a position so sexually dominant she felt powerless to get
away. There was no doubt as to his physical state at the moment.
She had a very aroused male lying atop her.

He shoved her skirt up and ripped the flimsy scrap of underwear off
of her.
Angie’s entire being was screaming in denial but she watched in
helpless anticipation as his long fingers combed through the thin, triangular
patch crowning her womanhood. His hand was so dark in contrast to the fair
skin of her inner thighs.
He let out a feral groan. “So beautiful…” He gently separated her
smooth, pink folds, unfurling her most intimate folds to his eyes.
She felt wide open, as if her very soul was exposed to him, too. No man
had ever been this intimate with her. No one else but THIS man.
The first gentle brush of his thumb against her clit made her shudder in
helpless, sinful delight.
Her conscience wailed. This shouldn’t be happening! She should not
permit this! Her body was pledged to another man. This man’s hands had no
business touching her this way, violating her!
But her conscience was deaf against the carnal need that lay siege to her
entire being in that moment. She couldn’t help it. She had missed him. So
much.
Jaq. Her first and only lover.
She couldn’t hide her eager response to him any more than he could. He
had taught her young and innocent body how to receive and give pleasure and
she hadn’t forgotten how it felt, even after all these years of abstinence from
sex. He knew just how to twist and turn, to press and pluck and dip using her
own slippery juices, and she gave in to her body’s need to be petted and
loved again.
“God, baby, you’re so damn wet…”
There was no anger in his voice now.
 And then his lips were there, right there where she was shamelessly
dripping like an oil well, starved for his attention in so long that every flick
of his wicked tongue made her cry out in agonized pleasure. He was lapping
her slick, swollen sex like he had not eaten in ages. He plundered her, his
tongue delving deeper into her opening while his fingers strummed her clit
and she could do nothing but let the storm rage inside her body, savage her,
whirl her into a vortex of the most incredible, almost violent sensations.
Oh God, she will shatter any moment! The pleasure was so sharp it will
surely kill her soon…now…! Her fingers gripped his hair in her frenzy as
she ground her hips harder against his face.
Then he stopped.
She cried out in protest. She was so close! “Jaq!”
“Shhh, I want to be inside you when you come. I want to come inside
you while you’re coming all around me.”
Dazed, she watched him frantically untie the drawstrings of his track
pants, cursing in his haste. She went weaker when she saw his manhood
spring from confinement.
Hard. Huge. Hungry.
Her hand moved on instinct, encircling his shaft possessively as he had
taught her. It didn’t seem so long ago. The feel of him, the smell of him, so
familiar, as if they had made love only yesterday.
“Yes…Oh God, Angie…yes!”
His own hand covered hers and their fingers moved together. Grunting
and groaning, he thrust repeatedly in her hand. She stared between them,
riveted by the sight of him, solid, sleek and silky, the rounded crown oozing
with the whitish fluid of his desire for her. He was scalding hot and she
wanted that hotness inside her, scorching its way all the way to her core.
He removed her hand from his shaft and kissed her fingertips. He bent
forward and grasped his member, sliding it back and forth between her moist
folds, their wetness melding, the sounds created by their rubbing flesh, so
sinfully wicked.
“So fuckin’ sweet…So hot…shit, baby…Did you miss this? Did you
miss me?”
“Oh yes…yes! Oh, Jaq…I missed you! I missed you so much!” she
admitted unabashedly, lost in the ravenous demands of her body.
He rubbed harder, circling her clit relentlessly and she bit her lower lip
at the deliciously decadent sensations savaging her sanity. And then he kissed
her, his lips tasting of her essence. She opened her mouth, welcoming his
tongue in. God, how she had missed kissing him!
Then he was pushing inside her, his hot, hot fullness invading her snug
depths. Her inner muscles protested at the intrusion but her raging need for
completion would have none of it. She wanted it…wanted him so badly
inside her with every beat of her heart, with every breath that she took.
“God, baby…you’re…so…small…” he rasped in a broken, tortured
voice. He lifted her legs higher, his hands gripping the back of her upper
thighs hard, spreading them wider. He thrust again and cursed, panting like a
hungry animal. She felt him stretching her to the limit… and yet she wanted
more of him.
“Dammit, do not resist me!” he growled.
What was he saying? She was open for him! So open and yet he wasn’t
moving inward any further. She was suspended on the precipice of release.
She clamped her legs around his hips and tried to pull him deeper. She
was impaled and stuffed and yet it wasn’t enough. Even though she was
feeling a nagging pain now, she craved for more. The discomfort was
irrelevant to the clamor of fulfillment clawing at the very center of her being.
Her hands grasped his firm buttocks, her nails digging onto his smooth, moist
skin. “Jaq, please, please, please!”
“Ohh ffffuck… you’re so…tight!”
His fingers were on her sensitive nub again, doing their magic. She
mewed, gratified as he rubbed her there in an increasing speed and perfect
rhythm, his fingers so wicked…mercilessly wicked…so good, so so good…!
He roughly pulled her blouse up her torso, exposing her breasts. He
pushed her bra upward and bent to lick her nipples. Like a starving man, he
fed on her, alternately sucking the puckered, pink peaks while his fingers
played with her below. He was ravaging her, destroying her so sweetly. His
voice was so sexy as he crooned to her.
“Come for me…sweetheart, you gotta come for me…you gotta come for
me now!” His words were punctuated with the relentless, masterful flicks of
his fingers on her clit.
The exquisite pressure in her core shattered.
She shuddered in utter bliss and it went on and on and on. She was only
vaguely aware of being suddenly filled to bursting as he surged to the hilt
inside of her, for she was soaring in the most intense orgasm she had ever
experienced in his arms in so long. She was a mass of exploding nerves and
kaleidoscope of vivid colors…weightless... formless…
And as she whirled in the vortex of ecstasy, he took her higher, thrusting
inside of her over and over, so hard and so deep until she felt like she had
absorbed all of him inside her body. As she floated in the river of her own
fulfillment, she saw his face in her hazy vision, beautifully tortured by
pleasure, his groans, feral. Tears seeped from her eyes as her emotions
overwhelmed her.
“Angie, take me...Fuck, I’m coming…!”
She held on to his powerful shoulders tighter, chanting his name, kissing
his lips, holding him so tightly, wanting all he had to give, demanding total
surrender.
Right now, he belonged to her. Only to her.
He went rigid in her arms, and then his entire frame shuddered violently.
She felt him swelling and flexing inside her, flooding her with his essence.
His savage groans of satisfaction echoed like a song around her, sweetly
filling the void in her soul.
A few seconds of infinity.
In this little moment of perfection, she was whole again.
It was a long time before either of them could move.
She wished it was all a dream. An incredible, sublime dream that she
didn’t have to wake up from.

But it wasn’t a dream.

It was a nightmare. A nightmare of her own doing.
She couldn’t blame anybody now. Not even the man who had caused all
of her troubles. She didn’t want to open her eyes and see what she had
become in under twenty-four hours. She didn’t want to look at what she had
destroyed. Completely, this time. With her own impulsiveness, with her own
weakness.
But she had to. She had to leave. But she couldn’t move. He was a dead
weight sprawled on top of her. He was still inside her, a part of her. But this
was the extent of the connection they would ever have. They were a collision
course. Their lives would never meet again in harmony.
She closed her eyes tightly. She didn’t want to break their connection, no
matter how flimsy it was. Not yet. Her heart cried in despair at the
hopelessness of their situation, at the impossibility of it.
 “Jaq…I need to go home.”
He didn’t move, as if he didn’t hear her.
“Jaq…”
Slowly, he uncoiled his body from atop her. He propped himself on his
arms and looked down at her half-lidded, his face softened by satiety, a
familiar expression. She had seen him in that state a few times in the past.
Without a word, he disentangled himself from her. She winced at the
movement. She hurt all over. Her body, her spirit.
He knelt on the floor and looked at her with concern in his eyes. “Are
you okay?”
How could she answer that? She was not okay. There was nothing more
painful than the wound in her heart, the wound that never healed, the wound
that would probably never heal.
Ignoring his question, she sat up on the sofa.
He stood up and hiked his pants up his hips. She averted her eyes and
picked up her tattered underwear from the granite floor and shoved it in the
pocket of her skirt. She grabbed her shoulder bag and stood up. She winced
as her legs shook. She wanted to lie down again. Ignoring her discomfort, she
walked towards the door, avoiding the debris on the floor. She didn’t know
how she was able to walk when she felt like collapsing any second.
“Angie…”
She paused but didn’t look back.
“Can you handle it? You want me to drive you home?”
He sounded guilty. Yes, he should be. He should be! She shouldn’t be
alone in this boat!
Tell me something, Jaq. Tell me you’re sorry for hurting me like this,
for destroying my pride, my honor, my dignity. Tell me you didn’t mean it,
that you didn’t leak that video, that you were only joking when you said
you did, that you still care. Even just a little. Tell me, Jaq, please…!
But he didn’t say anything more.
“I guess we’re even now,” she said lifelessly and quietly went out the
door.

Jaq had difficulty taking in what had transpired in his living room
tonight.
It was the last thing he ever wanted to happen between them, for in his
heart, mind and soul, the thought of touching her again– the woman he had
loved with all the passion and innocence in his young heart, the same woman
who had betrayed her in the most cruel way– was simply unthinkable.
Maybe it was an act of nature induced by the combined forces of rage
and lust, a quirk in the universal order of things. Whatever it was, it didn’t
matter. That shouldn’t matter anymore. It happened.
He had sex with her.
She had wanted it as much as he did during those moments. It was a pure
animal mating between two equally horny adults. He’d had plenty of sex with
different women after her. Before her. She was just one pussy in the overall
count no matter how intensely satisfying that encounter was.
He ground his teeth at the thought. He didn’t want it to be like that, as
fantastic, as incredible, as mind-blowing and as gratifying as that. But it was
just that. Incomparable.
Dammit, no! She was just a pussy, one of many that went through his
dick! Nothing more!
He stood up from the sofa. He needed a shower. He wanted to erase
every trace of her from his body, her lingering scent, her sweet taste on his
lips, her sticky cream on his cock. He ran up to his bedroom and went
straight to the bathroom, hastily taking off his clothes.
He was arrested by the sight of dark red stains on the crotch of his pants.
“What the hell…?” He picked up his pants from the floor and scrutinized
the stains.
Blood. It was blood, alright.
Shit, he was bleeding!
He checked himself but found no wound on his nether regions. Not even
a scratch. But there were traces of drying blood on his genitals. How...?
His heart suddenly slammed hard in his chest.
Grabbing his pants, he ran naked downstairs and opened all the lights in
the living room. He checked the sofa where he had lain with Angie. The
upholstery was black, Italian leather. He could hardly see a thing on its
surface. With heart pounding painfully in his chest, he dragged his white
pants over the upholstery. The cloth came off with tiny reddish streaks.
God, he had hurt her. There was no denying that.
She’d said no, didn’t she? But he didn’t listen. He was too far gone with
his desperate need to bury himself inside her. He had drawn her blood. There
was no amount of rationalization that could erase the glaring evidence of
what he had done.
 Angie didn’t want to get up from the bed. Every movement of her
body reminded her of her grand stupidity last night. He breasts felt swollen
and between her thighs, she felt sore. Her muscles seemed knotted and her
skin, the parts where Jaq thoroughly licked and sucked felt abraded. It was a
rough, unbridled mating. He took her like a tramp in his living room, on the
sofa, with their clothes still on!
She heard a soft knock on the door.
“Ange? You awake?”
She burrowed deeper under the covers.
The door opened slowly. Damn, she hadn’t locked it last night.
“Sis, you awake?”
She didn’t answer. She didn’t want to see anybody today. Forever!
The side of her bed dipped under Sherry’s weight. “Are you alright,
Ange?”
“No,” she whispered.
She felt Sherry’s hand running gently on her back. Her sister was trying
to comfort her but no amount of pat in the back could make her feel better
today or in the coming days.
“Why is this happening to me, Sher?” she asked in a small voice. Her
emotions were so ravaged she wanted to cry all over again but her tear ducts
seemed to have dried up. She had been crying all night.
“Oh Ange, I’m so sorry…”
She turned over and removed the comforter from her face. Sherry was
looking down at her with very concerned eyes. “I went to talk to him…last
night.”
Sherry’s eyes widened? “Him? You mean Jaq?”
She nodded.
“And? What did he say?”
“What did you expect? He hates me.”
“Oh Ange...”
“He didn’t deny that he was the one who leaked the video.”
“Really? Why did he deny it in front of Dad?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know what to believe anymore. It doesn’t matter
anyway. The video is out. God, Sher, I don’t know how to face this. I really
don’t.” She covered her face with her palms.
“Oh Angie…I’m so sorry…” Sherry hugged her. “How can I help you?”
“No one can help me.”
 “Let’s go abroad. Let’s tour Europe. Let’s go to Greece or Rome.”
The thought crossed her mind. She wanted to get away, disappear from
society indefinitely.
“Will you really go with me? What about your fashion shows? The
launching of your shops?”
“I can postpone them. Yandra will understand. You are more important
to me than my career.”
She hugged her sister. Sherry was her main source of moral support at
the moment. The rest of her family simply didn’t have any sympathy for her
recent plight. Of course, Darry was there, and Lexi, Tisha and Dana. But she
felt absolute comfort in her sister’s presence, safe in the thought that no
matter what happened, Sherry would still love and accept her, disgraced and
all.
“I’ll talk to Dad. We’ll visit Aunt Isolde in Florence. We can tour the
rest of Europe after. Before you know it, all of this is water under the
bridge.”
She sighed deeply. God, she hoped so.
Chapter Four
"CUT!!”
Jaq shouted the command for the fifth time in the same scene. He jumped
from the director’s chair and strode towards the actors playing the scene.
“Is that all you can give me? Come on guys, this is a sword fight, not a
goddamn pillow fight! Gwenna, quit fidgeting with your freakin’ hair! You’re
a valiant warrior here, not a pin-up girl for Pete’s sake!”
Gwenna winced. Tears instantly pooled in her pretty eyes.
“Aw sheesh!” he cursed under his breath. They’d been shooting as early
as 5 AM and now the sun was high up above them, showering them with
blistering heat. The scene was difficult and involved a lot of group fights and
he knew his actors were already tired.
He sighed heavily. “I’m sorry, Gwennie.” He didn’t mean to be abrasive
with her but he’d been running on short fuse the past days.
“Why are you so testy? I’m doing my best, Jaq.”
Testy was actually an understatement of how he felt today, or the past
days. Hellish was more like it. “I know, Gwennie, but you gotta give me
more, okay?”
She pouted and turned away from him.
“Let’s take a break! We’ll resume in an hour!” he shouted.
Everyone made a happy noise.
Romjin McKay, the hottest rock star in this country today who was
playing a supporting role in this movie approached him.“I thought you’d
never holler the magic word, man! I’m starving and this freakin’ costume is
killing me!”
Jaq smiled apologetically. Romjin’s costume was inspired by a
medieval knight’s armor. He had it specially crafted by a prosthetics expert
in the US. It was heavy and whoever wore it felt like he was slowly being
roasted in an oven.
He liked Romjin. The younger man was devoid of any star complex,
hardworking and a fresh talent to work with in film. A few years ago, he saw
Romjin perform at a local club and immediately signed him in his recording
company.
Jaq founded Bad Boy Records with his former Oblivion band mates and
was now the biggest recording company in the country that specialized in
rock music and all its sub-genres. BBR was also responsible for bringing
rock gods from abroad into the country to perform. The most recent gigs BBR
promoted were the U2 and Greenday Asian tours and both sold out the
newest, most state-of-the-art entertainment venue in the country, the Mall of
Asia Arena.
He went to sweet talk Gwenna who was now sulking in a corner. “Come
on, let’s have something to eat, Gwennie.”
The actress turned up her nose at him and walked out.
“Trouble in paradise?” Romjin asked.
“Hardly.” He and Gwenna were not a couple, just convenient bed
partners whenever they were both available. But she liked to imply to the
public that they were an item which really pissed him off. But he was playing
the gentleman. This movie will be finished soon and he won’t have to see her
again back in LA. She’d be too busy with her own gigs and she won’t have
time with him, which would be a great relief.
He clapped the actor in the shoulder. “Sorry, man. I’m just not feeling
right today.”
“I know. It’s okay.”
They walked toward the huge tent where the food for the entire cast and
crew were laid everyday by various caterers. Today, he was shooting under
a small stretch of forest. He’d requested for police assistance. He ignored the
reporters calling out his name from a distance. They were still following him
everywhere. Easy for them to do because this place was a famous tourist
destination and he was just at the right place at the right time for a scandal
like this to erupt. They forgot to stalk the other celebrities vacationing in the
area and focused their dogged attention on his ass. He wondered when this
hoopla will end.
Taking a took a bottle of mineral water, he grabbed a canvas folding
chair and went to a spot away from the crowd. He reclined on the chair and
stared pensively at the glittering Taal lake below the cliff. The volcano in the
middle of the lake with its gaping crater looked good enough to hole in.
He wondered how Angie was coping with the scandal. Even if it was
eating him up inside with resentment, he actually heeded what Wayne
Defensor told him. The lawyer was right. If he won’t dignify it, the issue will
just die a natural death.
But his last encounter with Angie was causing him sleepless nights than
any bloody scandal connected to his name. Not even his movie had set him
on edge like this.
 Why did it have to happen, he’d asked himself so many times. What on
earth possessed him to grab her like that and…She didn’t deserve to be
treated like that, no matter what she did to him in the past. No woman should
ever be treated like that.
Guilt was eating him up inside. He couldn’t perform his best on set with
his concentration divided. Guilt was one thing, but he couldn’t take the
graphic images of their recent encounter from his mind. He could feel her,
smell her, taste her everywhere and it was driving him nuts.
He needed to screw other women. He had to erase her recent memory
from his mind and body, replace it with new ones so he would stop thinking
about her. But not even the presence of always-ready-for-hot-bootie-action
Gwenna had stirred his cock with even the mildest interest.
Fuck, he hadn’t been in a quandary like this in a long time.
It was going to get worse, he knew.

"No. You can’t leave.”

“But Jordan…”
“No one leaves.”
“It will only be a few weeks. Sherry will be with me–”
“So, you will leave me? Alone in the middle of all this?”
Those words cut her anew, digging deeper into her conscience. “I’m not
leaving you, Jordan–”
“Then don’t.”
He turned away.
Angie stared at his back in mounting frustration. Jordan was a man of
few words. He was normally gentle and formal, almost never raising his
voice no matter how bad the situation. Jordan’s remoteness now only
emphasized how angry he was. But she couldn’t understand why he would
prefer to face the scandal head on than just lay low from the public for a few
months.
She cannot bear to be with him. Looking him straight in the eye was
becoming difficult every passing day. She had betrayed her fiancé with the
man who had caused them all this public embarrassment. The guilt was just
killing her.
She wanted to come clean but she just couldn’t bring herself to confess
something that will cause Jordan even more pain and humiliation when he
had not even recovered from the first one.
 God, how did she get herself into this terrible, terrible mess?
“I can’t show myself in public just yet, Jordan.”
He faced her again and for the first time, she saw an implacable side to
his nature. “And why is that, my dear? You have nothing to be ashamed of or
feel guilty about, right? You are the victim here. It happened a long time ago,
when you were young and didn’t know any better.”
“Jordan, please…”
“Why, are you ashamed, Angie? I saw the video. You were a willing
participant in it and in the making of it.”
Oh God, how many times would she have to hear this? For her past
mistakes to be rubbed in her face over and over?
“You looked like you were really enjoying it, too.”
She bowed her head to conceal her self-loathing. If Jordan could hurt her
like this with a transgression that she had nothing to do with, what would he
tell her after she told him that she had sex with Jaq Montero recently? He
would probably never forgive her.
“If you can’t accept me now as myself, Jordan, just tell me. We don’t
have to prolong the agony. I will understand. Please, let’s not hurt each other
like this.”
“You really loved him, didn’t you?”
She didn’t answer.
“Didn’t you?!” his voice cracked like a thunder. It was the first time she
ever saw him lose his temper around her.
That loss of control made her crack, too. “Yes! I loved him! He was my
first love! Is that what you wanted to hear?! How much I loved him?! Yes, I
loved him very much! You saw that video! It said it all!”
His breathing became ragged, his light brown eyes blazing with fury. She
had never seen him show such naked emotion, as if he wanted to kill
someone. Her.
“Jordan, I’m so sorry…”
“You’re not leaving the country. We will face this together. I won’t allow
Montero to make me look like a fool in front of the entire nation. That video
changes nothing. He may have had you before but you will be my wife in a
few months. Mine, you understand?”
Strange, but she no longer felt good at Jordan’s possessiveness. Whereas
before it gave her a sense of emotional security, it felt like a prison cell now
than a manifestation of his love for her. He was treating her like a possession
instead of a human being.
“Tomorrow, we will attend Kit’s wedding.”
She blanched. “Kit’s wedding…?
His smile was cruel. “Yes, Kit’s wedding to Bettina Palermo. Kit and I
are planning to do business together. We must be there.”
She shook her head, recoiling at the thought. “I can’t go with you.”
“Why? Because Montero will most likely be there? He’s Kit’s friend.
He’ll be there.”
“Why are you doing this? You’re deliberately hurting me, Jordan.”
“No, Angie. I want us to face this trial together as a solid couple. We’ll
show them that goddamn video doesn’t affect us one bit. That will not break
us up.”
“But that’s not true. That video is tearing us apart, can’t you see?”
“Only if you will allow it. I don’t want to look like the poor loser in
this. You destroyed a huge part of my name, Angie. Restore it. Show to the
damn world how much you love me, how excited you are to be my wife. You
owe me that.”
There was no rebuttal for that kind of clear-cut logic. Yes, she did owe
him. She owed him more than he will ever know. She had a bigger debt to
pay to him aside from that damn video. She cheated on him.
“I will pick you up tomorrow at seven PM sharp.”
She nodded wordlessly.
Jordan left without another word.
She slid onto a chair weakly. The thought of seeing Jaq again after what
happened to them in his house left her faint. How would she be able to
endure it?
Chapter Five
 KIT DEL BIANCO’S WEDDING TO Bettina Palermo was lavish.
Occasions like this would gather some three hundred guests from the elite in
this country.
Jaq had never belonged in this very small society. Never wanted to. But
some cosmic fluke thrust him in the middle of these folks for a decade now
and he never got out.
This wedding reunited the Zeta Upsilon members, his fraternity in
college composed of the most loaded, most powerful and well-connected
scions of this country. In fact, he was the odd man out in that brotherhood.
Until he’d leaned who his real father was and he felt a bit of affinity. Just a
bit.
Kit and Ina recited their sacred vows in a cathedral earlier in front of an
archbishop. By the looks of it, Kit had found his dream girl, a woman who
looked kind of familiar at first glance. But surely, it was the first time he’d
seen her. Bettina seemed to be a great woman. He was happy for Kit.
All in all, it was a really jovial affair. If only Angie didn’t turn up with
Jordan at the reception.
It went downhill for him since then.
Seeing them together in person had a different impact, far different from
just seeing them in pictures. Fuck, they even had matching attires! Jordan
wore an inner shirt that matched the color of Angie’s aquamarine gown, only
a shade lighter.
Their clothes mocked him.
They were a pair. Engaged to be married.
As he stared at Angie standing beside the man who would be claiming
her as his wife soon, Jaq felt a violent emotion rip through him. He was
afraid to acknowledge the feeling. But he knew what it was. Possessiveness.
It was raw, primitive and territorial. Someone was trying to take away what
was his.
He finally admitted it to himself. Yes, Angie was his. Then and now.
What they had was an incurable disease of wanting each other despite the
lies, hatred and betrayal. It was sick, to still want someone who had hurt him
in an unforgivable way. But he wanted her still, despite everything.
Not once did she glance his way. Her face was frozen in its stoic
expression, her features rarely moving. It was Jordan’s stare that he met
across the ballroom.
It was a highly-charged collision.
As if reading his thoughts, Jordan smirked at him. Then the gloating
bastard transferred his hand around Angie’s waist and pulled her closer to
his body.
Jordan blatantly staking his territory. One that Jaq should concede to if
he were in his right mind. But he couldn’t.The alpha in him won’t let Jordan
have the last word in this clash.
I took your fiancée’s cherry when she was eighteen. He wanted to mock
Jordan with that fact, rub it in like a macho badge against his mightiest rival.
Just last week he banged her again and despite her initial protests, she’d
come hard around his dick. What the hell was Jordan smirking about? Idiot!
Obeying his immediate instinct, he stepped forward.
Somebody put an arm around his shoulder.
“Jaq, join us. We all missed you.”
Kit steered him almost forcibly towards the table their common friends
occupied, thwarting his intention.
“Jaq, my man!” Alexis greeted him in a booming voice. “Sit beside me,
bro!” He tapped the vacant chair to his left.
There was a collective murmur of happy greetings from his other
friends.
“Come on, Jaq, let’s eat,” Rydon said.
He sighed and occupied the chair decorated with a golden silk sash
beside Alexis. “Thanks. I’m not hungry.”
Kit sat beside him. “So, how’s your movie shaping up?”
“Doing good. A bit behind schedule but nothing I can’t handle,” he
answered, his eyes following Jordan and Angie as they occupied a table
reserved for them on the other side of the ballroom.
Kit waved at someone. “Sunshine!”
Jaq tried to focus on his friends. Bettina walked towards them, very
beautiful in her wedding dress. His throat constricted, recalling a time in the
past when he wanted to see the woman he loved in a wedding dress...
Shit! Why would everything remind him of that little slice of heaven he’d
had with Angie in the past? It was inconsequential after the hellish events that
followed.
He stole a glance at Angie again. She was eating now with Jordan, her
head gracefully bowed. She seemed oblivious to everything and everyone
around her.
“Ina, meet my buddy from my college days, Jaq Montero. Jaq, my wife,
Bettina.”
He forced his attention back to the newlyweds. He shook hands with
Bettina.
“I’m glad you could come, Jaq,” Bettina said in a soft, serene voice, her
beautiful eyes somewhat...impassive.
Something was weird about Kit’s bride, he thought. While she was
regally composed in a remote way, Kit looked flushed, excited like a kid. Ah
well, who was he to judge people’s behavior when he was behaving like an
idiot himself at the moment?
He exchanged a pleasant conversation with Kit and Bettina until the
couple had to move around to greet other guests.

For the next hour, Jaq spent his time with his friends, reminiscing
their good ol’ days while his eyes followed Jordan and Angie across the
ballroom. It was hard to listen to the conversation around the table and focus
his attention on something else at the same time.
Alexis was in his typical element, cracking everyone up with his
trademark wry sense of humor. Rydon and Tommy were giving X a run for
his money. As usual, the topic centered on creatures with two legs, two tits
and two pairs of lips.
X turned to Jonty who was quietly minding his own business with
whatever shit in his glass. Jonty had been detached and surly the whole time.
“Jon, your babies at the club miss you. You’re acting weirder everyday.
What’s eating you up, man?”
“Nothing,” Jonty answered curtly. “Same ol’ shit.”
“You still have a problem getting it up?” Alexis whispered the last part.
Jonty bristled. “I told you, I got cured already.”
“Seems not to me. You haven’t nailed any geisha–”
“Drop it, X. I’m not in the mood for your freakin’ jokes,” Jonty cut
Alexis and took a huge gulp from his glass. Jonty was downing pure whiskey
while everyone was guzzling Diamond Martini, the official drink of the
wedding. It was too early in the night for anyone to get seriously drunk.
“Guys, what’s the cure for uhh...dwindling libido?” Drew asked in a
hushed voice.
 Alexis’ brows drew together. “Why, you also have a problem with your
equipment, man?”
Drew sighed heavily. “Not really. I’m fine. It’s just that...” Drew looked
embarrassed now.
Almost everyone in the table leaned closer, curious.
“I just don’t like nailing other chicks lately. I’m hung up on one
particular babe,” Drew admitted in a worried tone. “No matter what I do, I
just can’t bring myself to get in the mood with other girls. Imagine, craving
for one pussy alone? I feel really weird.”
“Oh shit, not again!” Alexis groaned and leaned back in his seat with a
thud.
Jaq couldn’t help but join the discussion. He and Drew seemed to share
the same predicament. “Then nail her ‘til you get your fill of her.”
“I do, but the more I screw her, the more I want her. She’s like dope,
man. It’s driving me nuts,”
“That’s bullshit!” Alexis protested and leaned back in again. “You can
only want a pussy so much. After that, on to the next. Come on! I can’t
believe I’m hearing this all over again!”
“This is different, bro. She’s different,” Drew insisted.
“Why don’t you just marry her, man,” Russel suggested.
“Aw, shut it, Russ,” Alexis grumbled. “Don’t try to recruit these guys to
your pussy-whipped club with Lucky.”
Russel smirked. “You can’t stop them from giving up their suites at
Lothario, X. Not even a hundred beautiful geishas can stop them from going
exclusive with a special woman if they’ve found one already. Accept it.”
Russel turned to Drew. “I’m speaking from experience, Drew. I used to
be just like you, until Ally.” Russel beamed proudly at the mention of his
wife’s name.
Russel got Drew’s full attention now. “Really, man? It’s not like a weird
disease or something?”
Russel chuckled. “Nah, you’re normal, just evolving. But it can be a
horrifying transition. Ask Marc.” He elbowed Marco beside him who was
busy annihilating a plate of Angus steak.
Marco barely lifted his head from his food and mumbled, “Huh? Uh-
huh.” He gave a thumbs up sign of agreement and continued eating.
Alexis downed all the contents of his glass. “Whatever!” He stood up.
“Excuse me, my date is missing me. Carry on with the lecture, Russ but I
don’t need to hear a lame word of it.” He rejoined his date, the ravishing
heiress, Renee Montenegro at a nearby table.
Jaq shook his head. Alexis would probably end up a bachelor all his life
with his warped beyond repair notions on relationships. Unlike Alexis, he
wasn’t a commitment-phobe. He played the field like the typical free-
wheeling bachelor but he was not averse to the idea of having a wife and a
family someday. He just hadn’t found anybody who could make him give up
his freedom and settle down exclusively. It was only Angie who–
Dammit! He looked in her direction again.
She was no longer at her table.

Angie went to the ballroom’s powder room. How long could she
endure this before her barely holding mask of indifference would crack?
Mingle, make stupid, small talk, laugh at jokes she didn’t understand.
She knew all the people in that ballroom had seen the video. They were
just too polite and decent that no one ever mentioned anything remotely
connected to it. But their eyes told her a different story. They were looking at
her in a different light now.
Her super It Girl status plummeted to the super skank category.
What were they thinking of her, of Jaq and Jordan, all three of them, in
one huge party? The selected media people invited to cover the affair were
probably writing about her dirt in their anonymous society gossip blogs
instead of this grand wedding.
Quickly finishing her make-up, she went out of the powder room. She
was in the hallway going back to the ballroom when somebody grabbed her
arm. Instinct told her who it was in an instant.
He dragged her to a little corner, away from the other guests in that area.
“Let me go!” she hissed, struggling to get past him but she was trapped
between a wall and his solid body. She prayed that Jordan won’t come
looking for her!
“Relax, your boyfriend’s busy.”
She met his eyes defiantly. “What do you want?”
“Impressive. You two seem fine. Not affected by the scandal at all?”
“Why? Did you expect us to die in shame and commit suicide?”
His eyes softened. He actually looked guilty. That was strange when he
had practically admitted leaking the video without an ounce of remorse. “No.
I just didn’t expect you to be attending a party so soon.”
 She shrugged, mustering an air of nonchalance. If he only knew, she was
inches from cracking. “Life must go on. Are you happy now, Jaq? You have
embarrassed us in front of the entire nation. You had your revenge. Are we
even now?”
His eyes turned dark. “No. We will never be even, Angie. You and your
family still owe me a lot.”
“Ah, so you’re not done yet?”
He only smiled mysteriously and digressed. “About what happened…”
Her cheeks flushed with heat. She evaded his eyes. “I don’t wanna talk
about it. Forget it ever happened. Let me pass, Jaq.”
He didn’t budge. “I want to know something.”
“What?!” Her composure was slipping.
“Why did you bleed?”
Her face cheeks flamed in embarrassment. “Stop it.”
“Why?”
“Why what?” she snapped in a harsh but stifled voice. She wanted to
scream at him but couldn’t.
“Why did you bleed?” he repeated, intent on getting a straight answer.
She will never give him a new weapon to ridicule and hurt her with
even more. “I don’t know!”
“I admit I was not very gentle, but you were very wet. You were ready.
You weren’t supposed to bleed.”
“Can’t you just drop it?! It won’t happen again!”
“Are you so sure about that?”
What he said angered her all the more. She itched to punch the arrogance
off of his face. “It was a mistake and it will never happen again.”
“Yeah? Did you tell your boyfriend about it?”
“God, you’re such a bastard!”
He smiled without mirth. “I know.”
She felt a small guilt at calling him so when it had been his stigma all his
life. “I didn’t mean it that way, damn you, Jaq!”
“Are you and Jordan actively intimate?”
“None of your business!” she said between gritted teeth, both furious and
mortified at his blatantly irreverent questions.
“Are you on the pill?”
“Oh, God, you have no shame! Let me pass!”
“I didn’t use a rubber.”
 That made her freeze.
Their eyes clashed heatedly.
At last, she spoke. “I’m on the pill. And yes, Jordan and I are actively
intimate. I bled because you practically raped me, you beast!”
This time, he paled visibly. “Angie...I didn’t mean to…I…” His voice
trailed off.
“Don’t ever come near me again!”
She managed to squeeze past him and ran to the rest room again, entered
a cubicle and locked it. She dropped the water closet lid and sat on it,
chasing her breath.
She wanted to cry but she suppressed her emotions, making her head
pound in a building headache.
It took her awhile to get back to the ballroom.
“Where have you been?” Jordan asked her.
“At the rest room.”
“It took you thirty minutes?”
She hated the suspicion in his eyes, her own guilt mocking her. “You left
me all alone at our table. I got bored,” she replied frostily.
His face softened a bit. “Dance with me.”
He lead her to the dance area where couples were already gently
swaying to the tune of the saxophone. She spotted Duero Leon DeLeste and
his wife Monique, Dylan Anderson and his new bride Issabella. Gorgeous,
happy couples.
Jordan wrapped one arm around her waist possessively, his other hand
clasping her hand firmly.
She saw Jaq over Jordan’s shoulder, watching her like a hawk. He broke
their visual duel first and walked out of the ballroom.
“Angie?”
She looked up at her fiancé.
“Look at me like you really love me.” It was an austere command that
had nothing to do with love. “Embrace me.”
She wrapped her arm around his waist and rested her cheek on his chest.
She used to find joy and comfort doing this, showing the world how much she
cared for him. She did love him. But she found out that love could grow and
thrive in different places inside her at the same time, one fed by the acrid
taste of betrayal and the other nourished by all her sweetest hopes for the
future.
 Jaq was her pain. Jordan was her hope.
She found out that she could feel love and hate at the same time for the
same person. And she could walk into a prison of her own making, escape
and then walk back in on her own volition, because it was the right thing to
do. These arms wrapped around her were no longer the embrace of a sweet
sanctuary but the iron bars of an immovable fortress.
Her life had turned into a lonely paradox.
Jordan’s lips caressed her hair like a butterfly’s gentlest wings. But it
didn’t comfort her. Something had been irrevocably lost between them, if it
was there in the first place.
“We will be good, together, Angie. Trust me, all of this will pass. You
take care of me, I’ll take care of you. We will be fine if we stick together.
Always remember that.”
She closed her eyes.
She could feel it. Every single breath that kept her alive was a step
towards that tragic end.
Chapter Six
ANGIE DECIDED TO TAKE A PAGE from Jordan’s book of ruthless
pragmatism.
He was right of course, as he always was. She would treat the scandal
like some petty smear campaign and deal with it the way she should have
dealt with it right away. After all, PR was her line of expertise. For awhile
she had forgotten her hard-earned power as she was blindsided by it all. But
it was time to get her act together and rebound.
She showed up at her office after almost two weeks of moping at home.
She won’t be cowered by this, driven away by shame.
Betty was surprised to see her. “Angie! You’re back! I mean…Great to
see you again!”
She gave her PA a bright smile. “Hello, Betty. Call a meeting with the
Marketing and PR execs in fifteen minutes.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
Fifteen minutes later, she felt like her old self again. She presided at the
head of the conference table like a Yulo, commanding, decisive. But she
noticed the discomfort of the executives, especially the men. They couldn’t
look her straight in the eye.
She leaned back on her swivel chair and crossed her legs. “So, did my
video scandal affect our bookings?” she asked no one in particular. “Are we
losing?”
Jaws dropped. Nobody dared to answer.
It felt good to be able to talk about it as if it was just an agenda in a
meeting. “Come on, guys, give me figures. Marvin, talk to me.”
Marvin faked a cough, adjusting his neck tie. “On the contrary, Miss
Yulo, our bookings even escalated in all our branches locally just days after
the uhm...after the video came out. We were always fully booked considering
it’s not peak season. Our Metro Manila branches are doing exceptionally
great, as we speak.”
She tapped her fingers on the table. “Hmm, I should make another video,
then? To increase sales? Maybe my father won’t kill me if he saw the
resulting profit.”
Again, no one dared to comment. They probably thought she was
serious, too.
She smiled. “Come on guys, I was joking.”
 Laughter erupted. That certainly broke the ice.
The meeting went on without tension anymore.

She went out to lunch with Darry and the Monleon sisters, her best
friends, at their favorite restaurant. She’d avoided them for days but no more.
Almost all the frequent customers of the restaurant knew her but she braved it
and acted like nothing happened. She went her usual way and air-kissed
everyone who greeted her.
“Girl, are you alright?” Darry asked her when they’d settled at their
reserved table.
“Of course, why wouldn’t I be?”
Her friends looked at each other.
“You’re acting weird,” Dana commented.
“What, you were expecting me to be so depressed I’d wear a blanket
over my head in public, or take a hike to the mountains and never come back
for a century?” she said with deliberate insouciance and sipped from her
glass of sparkling drink.
“Well, not exactly like that but the Angie we know would deal with it in
a different way, in a quiet way, like go abroad or something to hibernate,”
Dana said. “But of course, we will always be here for you, no matter what.
We’re glad you’re back in the circ so quickly.”
It surprised her that her friends still saw her as that timid, self-
conscious, painfully insecure girl of ages ago. She thought she’d totally
ditched that negative aura and it irked her that she hadn’t, at least in her
closest friends’ eyes. She shrugged and struck a glamorous, confident pose.
“Well, introducing the Angelina Yulo version three point zero, the reigning
video scandal queen. Brass, bold and doesn’t give a fuck what others say.”
They were looking at her in complete stupefaction.
Rightfully so. She rarely ever swore. And never with the F-bomb.
“I’m not sure what to make of the new you,” Darry said cautiously. “That
attitude is mine.”
Angie combed her hair with her fingers. “Well, sorry to be hitching in
your spunky boat girlfriend but I’m finding this attitude quite empowering. I
think I’m gonna keep it from now on. Angie the doormat is gone forever.” She
flicked her wrist away. “Like GONE to oblivion!” She smirked and sipped
her sparkling drink. “No pun.”
 Darry shook her head, looking at her in a funny way. “Wow, what
happened to you?”
She shrugged. “That video set me free.” In more ways than one, that may
be true. The scandal had put her in such a defensive position where she had
to change her self-image to survive. She needed to evolve as a person, as a
woman.
“Hmm, I think I’m liking this new you, Ange. Frankly, you were getting
way too boring for everyone’s comfort,” Tisha said teasingly.
She feigned innocence. “I’m so sorry it took me so long to catch up with
your exciting personalities. I promise, version 3 will kick ass.”
Her friends laughed and they group hugged.
Lexi lifted her glass. “Let’s drink to that.”
“To the new edition of Angelina Yulo, reigning sex symbol of the
country,” Dana declared.
“Now that’s taking it too far,” Angie protested.
“Didn’t you know you beat everyone by a mile as the most desirable
socialite of the month at Manilasocial? We are talking 100K plus likes in two
weeks!”
She almost groaned out loud in mortification. That notorious blog ran by
a vapid social climber was the last place she wanted her name to land on,
and certainly not on that even more notorious list composed of the most vain
and superficial women.” “Is that good or bad?” she asked Darry.
“Are you kidding me? I have never been on that list. Now I know how.
Make a sex video,” Darry replied in her usual deadpan humor.
Angie cringed. A sex symbol was a woman known for her sexual
attractiveness. She was the last woman to be viewed in that light as she had
always downplayed her looks and personality in public wearing simple,
conservative, clothes, saying the nicest things, doing benevolent deeds. She
was the most boring personality on the planet. But in that video, the public
saw a different side of her. For thirty minutes, she was herself in that video,
naked body and soul.
Unfortunately, society cannot reconcile the Angie of today and the Angie
in that video.
Sex symbol. It strangely sounded good to her ears.
She would take that to another level. She would show them all who she
really was, what she was capable of. It was time she let her father and
brothers know that she can no longer be manipulated like a meek lamb for
their selfish agendas.
Oh, she can handle Jordan. Whether he would still be her future husband
remained to be seen. But it will be on her terms.
And she most definitely can handle Jaq Montero, her bastard ex.

The next thing Angie did shocked her family and the entire nation. She
gave an exclusive interview about the sex video scandal at Jordan’s TV
network. It topped all TV ratings that day.
When her family confronted her, she was prepared. Gone was the
woman who cowed and bowed her head at their accusing stares. Gone was
the spineless weakling who always begged for their forgiveness.
“What on earth came over you?! Why did you do it, Angelina?!” her
father demanded.
She raised her chin, undaunted by her father’s harsh voice, less afraid
now that he would have a heart attack. He survived the video. He would
survive this.
“I did it to gain back my self-respect, Dad, to reclaim my credibility. I
can no longer live a lie. That was me in the video but I will not deny that to
save face. Some cold-blooded bastard leaked the video to the public and I’ll
be damned if I let him win and run me to the ground. I am fighting back.”
She surprised even herself at how confident she sounded, how calmly
she spoke. She relished her father’s apparent shock. “As for Empress Hotels
and Resorts, records will show that the video has greatly affected our sales.
It increased by 40% after the video was leaked. Meaning, I’m quite an
effective ad campaign for our business.” She couldn’t help the dig in those
last words.
“Bring it on, Angie. We’re the most respected entertainers in the country
right now and they’re gonna honor us with an award for producing the best
video of the year,” Rad said with dripping sarcasm.
She turned to her brother. “Speaking of respect and honor, brother, why
do I feel that I carry the sole responsibility of preserving our good name and
upholding our family honor? What about you, guys? You make quite a habit of
dragging the family name through the mud with your reckless escapades.”
Rad looked at her blankly. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“I am talking about your own affairs, Kuya Rad. That thing you had with
that congressman’s wife? Our good name was dragged into that scandal, too.
The congressman and his wife split because of you.”
Rad laughed her argument off. “They split because they cannot stand
each other, not because I was giving the wifey a good time,” he retorted
without remorse.
“You wouldn’t say that if I were the one who got involved with a
married man.”
“I’m a single man. You’re an engaged woman. There’s a big difference.”
He squared her shoulders. Dealing with chauvinist pigs in the family
took some mettle and a whole lot of patience, especially this particular Yulo.
“It’s the same. I take the responsibility of protecting our good name seriously
but you have condemned me for a single mistake that happened years ago
when I was only a teenager. But both of you do it all the time. You don’t care
about our name.”
Rad raised his hands in the air, exasperated. “What bullshit is this? I’m
lost!”
“You won’t ever get it because you have double-standards. You judge
me differently because I’m a woman, but we are all the same. We commit the
same mistakes.”
Rad shook his head, clearly frustrated by her reasoning. He glanced at
his twin. “Can you believe this?”
Ram just shrugged and said nothing.
She addressed their father again. “I did that interview to put a rest to the
issue once and for all. As long as I and Jaq are not talking, the media will
still continue to run the story. The best way to kill the scandal is to admit it,
own up to it and move on.”
“Who’s the fool who advised you to do that? Admitting it was the height
of stupidity!” Rad shouted.
“Sorry if we have contrasting views on the matter, Kuya Rad, but I will
face the consequences of my past actions as a rational adult even though I can
easily excuse my behavior because of my youth. I was only eighteen. You’ve
done worse in your day, when you and Kuya Ram both had sexual relations
with Charlotte Rocha, remember? When she got pregnant, she couldn’t tell
which of you was the father of her baby. You guys were only what, fifteen?”
Rad clenched his jaw, his cheeks flushing.
She felt smug. She scored a hit there. “So, what would you have done?
Hmm? Make a bet and whoever wins will marry her? But her family made
her get rid of the baby so you were off the hook. Lucky you, Daddy was so
good in shutting the press up that nothing came out. But unlike you, my dirty
laundry hasn’t been totally locked in the closet. It’s out there in the open and
people are having fun at my expense. What am I to do? Hide? Lie about it?
Pretend it wasn’t me?”
“Yes! No legit media would have dared insist it was you if you just
maintained your silence. They were all just speculating, alleging, guessing.
They were all afraid we’d slap them with defamation lawsuits.”
“Who are you going to sue? The millions who have downloaded the
video?”
“If you didn’t open your trap and admitted it, it would have remained
mere speculation.”
“For how long will I be able to hide the truth? Time will come when I
won’t be able to hold it together and that would make me a liar ten times
over. That would be more shameful. I’d rather come clean now than later.”
“You just admitted to being Montero’s plaything years ago. Does that
make you feel better about yourself?”
“Oh, is that an issue for you, brother? But you got it all wrong. Jaq
Montero was MY plaything years ago. See, like you always do to your poor
women, I got rid of him, too. Thanks to you and Dad for that. Don’t worry,
from now on, I will follow your example when it comes to handling men. I’ll
use my mind and never my heart. Come on, it was only sex. No big deal.”
That certainly rendered her misogynist brother speechless.
“That’s enough. We’ll talk in another day. Angelina, absolutely no more
interviews from now on, you understand?” Manolo said, grim-faced.
“Certainly, Dad.”
She turned around to leave but paused. “By the way, aren’t you
wondering why I did it at AZN of all networks?”
Nobody spoke. She smiled smugly. “It was Jordan’s idea. So, stop
panicking. Everything will be alright. All things will proceed as planned.”
Without waiting for their reaction, she walked out of the room with her
head held high.
Jordan called her some time later.
“I saw the interview.”
“Yes?”
“It was good. It’s gone viral. Thousands of positive feedbacks. You did
the right thing, Angie.”
 “Thank you, Jordan.” She agreed to the interview for two reasons. To
come clean and put a stop to the public’s excessive fascination with the
mysterious video. And more importantly, to save Jordan’s face.
“Dinner tonight? I’ll pick you up at seven.”
“Okay. See you then.”
From that conversation, it was very clear to her what marriage will be
like to a man like Jordan Lavega. Business. All business.
But then she rationalized, all marriages were legalized by contracts.
Every married couple signed a document to seal the deal. The whole
business set up was just sugarcoated by childhood fairy tale hang-over. The
sooner she got used to that fact, the better. There was no room for the idealist
romantic in her current world anymore.
She was the eldest daughter of one of the richest men in the country,
heiress to a hotel empire, future wife of the owner of the biggest television
network in the land.
She should think and act like one.

Jaq was on edge now.

His commitments were piled ten stories high and he was busy thinking
about something else. He hated distractions like this when he was working on
a high-budget flick. Especially when his money was at stake, too. He was
also an executive producer for this film. The pressure was nerve-wracking
and he needed all his concentration to make everything perfect. But she was
there, always at the back of his mind, always in his groin.
Pressure would always kick up his libido sky-high but it was normal for
him. In his line of work, “fucking your buddies” was both a lifestyle and a
necessity. Plenty of females willing to have mutual gratification at a single
call. But this time around, it was different. He tried getting a quick fix but his
dick wasn’t interested.
Gwenna was especially pissed about it, too.
“We haven’t fucked for weeks now, Jaq! What the hell is wrong with
your dick?! My vibe is doing all the fucking work it’s nearly worn out now!”
she’d ranted at him a few days back.
The babe was frustrated she couldn’t even engage him in a blow job
now. That greatly alarmed him, too. Since when did his jack-in-the-box
become too choosy with consumption? Especially if it was extremely hungry
and needed to release a lot of tension?
 But he could do nothing about it. He just couldn’t make himself lay with
another woman. He wanted Angie. Tasting her once again after eight long
years wasn’t enough. He had to have her again and get his fill. Really get his
fill. Then he can go back to work without any more distractions.
His cellphone rang. It was his publicist, who flew into the country a few
days ago to handle his current public image which was resembling a train
wreck every passing day. It even got worse as he got ugly with the press at
one point when they stormed his set again and disrupted shooting. Another
video involving him cussing the paparazzi to hell and back went viral last
week. It was so bad one of the bosses in LA called to tell him in not so pretty
words to get his shit together. “Hey, Lu.”
“Since you didn’t call me, I take it you don’t know the latest shit about
you.” That was Lulu, always straight up.
“You know I’m busy here. What is it?”
“Angelina Yulo did a surprise interview earlier today. Didn’t know
about it, too. Was sleeping when it aired. Joey informed me. She recorded
it.”
He froze. “Yeah? What did she say?”
“I don’t think it’s not on YouTube yet. But it’s all over the news. You
gotta watch it, Jaq. I’m uploading the clips to Google Drive.”
“Alright. I’ll wait for it.”
Minutes later, he was watching the interview on his laptop.
Angie was being interviewed by the top female journalist of AZN
channel, the number one network in the country owned by her boyfriend.
She was sitting in an armchair, elegant, sophisticated and polished in an
indigo business dress and she was casually talking about her long ago “puppy
love affair” with a certain DJ named Jaq Montero.
“What was your first reaction when the video came out?”
“Shock. Then mortification, of course. That’s a normal, immediate
reaction, I guess. My family is very conservative. Plus I’m engaged. Old
skeletons in the closet were having a merry time that day.”
“You seem to be taking this with a sense of humor now.”
“Yes, how else will I take it? It was a long time ago. I was only eighteen
and teenagers do a lot of silly things including doing a silly romantic video
with a DJ who worked for our hotel. I was adventurous, I guess.”
“That DJ is a huge celebrity in his own right today, a multi-awarded
director and producer in Hollywood.”
 “Yes, he’s come a long way from spinning music at Hysteria.
Congratulations to him.”
“You were in love with him before though? You certainly said a lot of “I
love yous” in that video.”
“Like I said, I was eighteen. I was in love with Tom Cruise, too, and
Brad Pitt and Dare Montgomery. So, yes, I was probably in love, in a way.
Puppy love, whatever you call it. I was very young. We all pass through that
stage.”
“Why did you break up?”
There was a pause before Angie spoke again.
“I guess we were both too young. I had to go back to school. He had a
budding career in music. We both got busy and just lost contact. It happens.”
“Jaq left the country eight years ago for Hollywood but he’s been in and
out of the country. You never bumped into each other again through the
years?”
“No.”
“Not even by accident?”
“No. I guess we’ve been living in different worlds. I’m a very private
person and he’s showbiz. I don’t like showbiz. No offense to him and to the
network, but you know what I mean. I’m only having this interview now to
put closure to the whole issue. There have been a lot of things written about
me, my family and my fiancé, mostly fabricated by the overly-speculating
press. I’m just clarifying things once and for all. After this, it’s closed book
to me.”
“Too bad. You’re a natural on cam.”
Angie smiled. “Thanks. Have you seen the video?”
“Yes.”
“What can you say about it?”
“What can I say? Hmm let’s see...Well, Jaq Montero is a brilliant
filmmaker, as an amateur and as a pro. No question about that. He’s had it all
so quickly, which is rare. Cannes, Sundance, Toronto, even an Oscar
nomination, you name it. I can fairly say he’s a prodigy. He’s so huge now
that it’s funny to even think he used to make little videos like that for fun
when he was younger. Well, in my book, that video hardly qualifies as a sex
video. More like a romantic montage most kids do nowadays on YouTube.
Except for that three-second butt exposure courtesy of Jaq, I never saw
anything obscene in there. Well, unless you consider French kissing obscene.
Plenty of smooching there. We get it. You guys loved to kiss.”
Angie laughed, looking a bit flustered. “Thank you!”
“How did this whole thing affect your businesses? You’re the head of all
PR and Marketing concerns for your family’s hotel chain, right?”
“Oh, thanks to this scandal quote-unquote, our hotels and resorts are
always full nowadays. They’re expecting copies of the video as freebies.”
The journalist’s eyes widened. “Are you serious?”
“No, I’m kidding, of course. Whoever leaked the video is raking all the
profits.”
“Who do you think leaked the video?”
A few seconds passed before Angie answered with a shrug.“I don’t
know.”
“No suspects at all?”
“Could be Jaq. But he denied it. So…”
“He denied it?”
“Yes.”
“Did you talk to him?”
“Our lawyer went to talk to him.”
“I heard that your family is planning to sue him.”
“No. That’s not true.”
“What does your fiancé think about all this?”
Angie smiled sweetly for the camera. “My fiancé is the greatest guy. He
certainly won’t let a juvenile mistake get between us. We are both rational
adults. We know where we stand in each other’s lives. Jordan has had
relationships in the past and I don’t make a big deal out of that. They were in
his past, before us. The most important thing right now is we are together and
we are solid and we are definitely getting married.”
“When will the wedding take place?”
“Jordan and I will announce it soon.”
“So, all’s well that ends well?”
“Absolutely.”
“Any words for Jaq Montero?”
“Good luck on his movie. I’m sure he’s going to make his country proud
again.”
“That’s all?”
“That’s all.”
 Leaning back on his chair after watching the interview, Jaq didn’t
know what to feel. Angie’s words kept echoing in his mind over and over.
Juvenile mistake…Puppy love…Silly romantic video…
He clenched his fists until his knuckles hurt from the tension. He didn’t
know what enraged him more, the fact that Angie had called their love silly
or that she thought it was a juvenile mistake.
Bitch.
For her it had been a silly mistake born out of her spoiled existence, a
caprice, a reckless adventure. For him however, it was a life-changing
experience that killed his idealism, a major error in judgment that turned him
into a hard-core cynic, a betrayal so deep he had never recovered, not even
after all these years.
She hated showbiz, huh? What a phony.
She had thrown the gauntlet on national TV. It was just as well, he
thought with vindictive anticipation.
She will get a dose of her own medicine.
Chapter Seven
JAQ FINALLY STEPPED INTO THE LIMELIGHT AGAIN.
He brought Gwenna with him. He knew it was going to fuel more
controversy but he needed her presence right now to smoke Angie’s
interview. The bitch portrayed him as a freakin’ love sick puppy she’d just
played with when she was eighteen. He still couldn’t get over it. It rubbed
fresh salt to his old injuries.
They attended a local awards night where he would receive a special
citation and a little bronze statue as The Most Influential Filmmaker of the
Decade. He got a standing ovation after delivering his speech. He was
wondering if the audiences’ response had something to do with his video
scandal. Were they really applauding him or mocking him?
The press went crazy when he exited the Cultural Center of the
Philippines theater with Gwenna. He couldn’t avoid the press now. He didn’t
want to either.
He allowed himself to get cornered first by the sexy and bouncy
celebrity reporter from ABS-CBN network, his personal choice among the
throng of hungry beasts waiting to devour him alive. He asked the theater
security guards to hold the others at bay.
“Jaq, congratulations!”
“Thank you.”
“Hello, Miss James!”
Gwenna flashed a huge smile. “Call me Gwennie.”
“Gwennie. Wow! You guys look smashing together!”
Jaq kept Gwenna glued to his side which the starlet was greatly
enjoying. Cams flashed all around them from a few meters away.
“Okay, Jaq, Most Influential Filmmaker of the Decade. What can you say
about that?”
He grinned. “Truth be told, I didn’t expect to win it. There are so many
great directors in this country who deserve it more than I do. They’ve
worked so hard and I’d like to share the honor with all of them.”
“But you deserve it! You’ve been a dominant force in the world box
office for years now. And multi-awarded, too. Let’s be honest here. No
Filipino filmmaker made it to Hollywood like you did, Jaq.”
“Thank you. I can only thank my countrymen for patronizing my films
despite the fact that I carry the Hollywood banner nowadays.”
 “Of course we love your films! We’re so proud of you!”
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
“So, how’s your new movie coming up? I heard filming is almost done?”
“I still have a couple of scenes to finish but it’s getting there.” He
glanced at Gwenna and smiled. “She’s fantastic in it.”
“Oh, I still can’t get over your scenes with Leo, Gwennie!” gushed the
reporter.
“It’s a DiCaprio movie. Never waste an opportunity to show some ass.
You’re gonna be taken seriously,” Gwenna quipped sassily.
The reporter laughed.
Even Jaq was genuinely amused by Gwenna’s quick wit. Shit, she
wasn’t bad at all.
“So, what are you showing in Jaq’s movie, Gwennie?” the reporter
asked.
Gwenna looked at him teasingly. “Oh, I wouldn’t mind doing a full
frontal with Jaq, but this one we’re shooting is for kids. So…Maybe in his
next movie about serious world issues.”
He kissed Gwenna’s hair, a deliberate gesture to fan the rumors that they
were a couple. More cameras flashed. Fuck. He was never the one to work
the media but he was now playing the publicity game without remorse.
“We hope you will come back in the near future and make a local movie,
too. Jaq. You know, where local talents get to shine under your genius
direction and the world gets to see it, too?”
“Of course. That’s actually in the works. I’ve been talking to some local
producers about it a lot and we will definitely kick start that project soon.
Filipinos are world-class, you know? We should show them more out there
the rockin’ stuff we got here.”
“You’re really the best director of your generation, Jaq. We’ll look
forward to those masterpieces. Uhm, speaking of directing...there’s this little
movie you shot and directed years ago...”
Here we go. He was wondering when the cute babe would get to her real
business – to score the first scoop straight from the other horse’s mouth, so to
speak. His career plans were boring compared to his video scandal. “Be
specific. I did a lot of short films in the past.”
“Okay. What can you say about Angelina Yulo’s interview recently?”
“Who?” he deadpanned.
“Angelina Yulo. Hello?”
 He faked a cough. “What’s that got to do with me?”
“Come on, Jaq, Angie already admitted that it was indeed the two of you
in that video.”
He still feigned innocence. “She admitted it?”
“Yes, on national TV. At the other network.”
“I see. What exactly did she admit?”
“That you used to be in love.”
He gave a short laugh. “No comment.” He bent and kissed Gwenna on
the cheek. The actress framed his face with her hands and gave him a
lingering kiss on the lips.
Oh shit.
Camera shutters were on overdrive now.
The reporter was not deterred from her mission. “Come on, she already
came clean, Jaq.”
He shrugged. “Okay, let’s put it this way. Whatever she said, whatever
she admitted, then that’s all there is to it. I won’t add anything to it.”
“Angie implied that you may have leaked the video. What can you say
about that?”
“I did?” He laughed again. This time, it was real. Truly, it was amusing.
“Look, I won’t argue with her. But if I may speak for men in general, no man
in his right mind will release something that makes him look like ten kinds of
dumbass, no matter how pretty the woman he’s with.”
“I beg to disagree! You were so cute in that video. So romantic!”
He grinned sheepishly and scratched his nape self-consciously for good
effect. “Nah, it happened a long time ago. She’s getting married, right?”
“Uh-huh. So, if you didn’t leak it, who did?”
He shrugged and dropped the bomb as casually as he could. “Why don’t
you ask Miss Yulo? She has a copy of that video.”
Shocked was an understatement to describe the reporter’s reaction.
Scoop, indeed. Huge.
Eat this, Angie.
“Really?! Oh my...!”
“Yeah. Ask her. Excuse us, Gin. The others are going ballistic now.”
“Thanks, Jaq!”
He winked at her and then walked with Gwenna directly into the rabid
hounds’ den.
 Angie was getting ready to attend a meeting with some Empress
executives when Sherry burst into her room looking like the devil was after
her.
“Angie, open the TV! Hurry, we might miss it!”
“Why, what’s happening?”
Sherry grabbed the remote control from the sofa and turned on the TV to
Channel 2.
“Taryn called me. Jaq gave an interview to ABS last night.”
She froze from combing her hair. “What did he say?”
“Something about the video. I don’t know yet. Taryn’s pissed off . Jaq
only talked about the video to the ABS reporter, not with her or any other
reporter.”
She felt a frisson of fear grip her but she calmed herself. This was
expected after her interview. Jaq may talk, too. She hoped he just let the issue
rest like a gentleman. After all, it was in the past. When she decided to do the
interview, she promised herself that she would really move on and no longer
mind it. But she couldn’t help it. She was mightily curious as to what he’d
said about her to the press.
They waited for the channel’s three o’clock thirty-minute entertainment
show to come up. Between commercials and her heavily beating heart, her
insides were already tied into little knots she could hardly breathe when the
show was finally on. They waited fifteen minutes more before Jaq’s
interview was featured. Clearly it was the highlight. They even did a
background on what the interview was all about. Seeing herself in blurred
video clips on the screen knowing that half of the nation must be tuned in to
this channel right this minute made her grind her molars in utter humiliation
all over again.
Jaq was with his rumored girlfriend Gwenna James, a Hollywood rising
star more famous for her sexy body than her acting talent. The blond actress
was so gorgeous and she was all over Jaq. No. He was all over her. They
were showing everyone how intimate they were.
Angie willed herself not to get distracted by their kisses and
concentrated on what Jaq was saying.
Her jaw dropped lower and lower as the interview progressed. She was
shaking when it was over. It was short but very meaty. Jaq didn’t douse the
fire. He poured kerosene to it!
 “Oh my God, was he implying that I leaked the video myself?! That is
absolutely insane! Why on earth would I do that?!” she exclaimed in
horrified disbelief.
“What are you gonna do, sis?”
“I don’t know! I don’t know...”
She couldn’t think straight. Her interview was the last one she would
ever give, she had vowed.
“Why couldn’t he just let it rest? I know he was the one who leaked that
video! He admitted it to me! He’s just toying with us, that evil, evil bastard! I
wanna kill him!”
She let out a furious roar.
Sherry stared at her, agape. Understandably so. She rarely showed her
temper, least of all cuss like a tramp and roar like a pissed off rhino in her
elegant Jil Sander dress. Jaq Montero could really bring out the worst in her,
damn him!
She paced around her expansive bedroom restlessly. “I regret the day I
met that low life! I should have listened to Daddy! He is no good! No good! I
should have let Kuya Rad shoot him in the head, the pig!”
“Ange, calm down.”
But she couldn’t stop. All her pent up anger which she hid behind a
calm, quiet disposition all these weeks just burst out like a broken dam. “I
hate him, I hate him! I! Hate! Hi––m!!!” she screamed at the top of her lungs.
She dropped her butt on the sofa beside Sherry, chasing her breath.
Silence.
“Feeling better?” her sister inquired after a while.
She nodded. She felt better, alright. But not in the way Sherry thought.
She felt strong. In fighting form.
For war.
“Sher, will you do me a favor?”
“Anything, sis.”
“I want to be alone for now.”
Sherry nodded in understanding.
The moment Sherry was out the door, she whipped out her cellphone and
called Darry. Her BFF picked up right away.
“Darry, will you find out where that bastard is right this minute? Where
does he work?”
 Darry didn’t pretend not to know who she was referring to. “What are
you gonna do?”
“I will go kill him.”
Darry clucked her tongue. “Mind consulting your lawyer first?”
She growled impatiently. “Come on, tell me! I’ll just go talk to him.”
“Promise you won’t do anything stupid?”
“I promise, okay? Now tell me where he is!”
Jaq was talking to Alexis on the phone. He was at the Black Jack
Production headquarters at the Centurion Tower in Manila to test-run reels
from the last three shooting days. He let his unit directors take charge of the
set while he was gone.
“X, are Angie and Jordan invited to the inauguration of The Great One
next week?” he asked Alexis.
“Of course. Why’re you asking?”
“Nothing. Just wanted to know.”
“Are you going?”
“Yeah.”
“This is new. You were always invited to my parties but you never
showed up. What brought this on?”
This was brought about by a pair of cat eyes and perfect tits and the
tightest snatch I’ve been itching to bang again so bad for weeks now. “I’m
taking a weekend break.”
In truth, he had been avoiding all parties that may likely be attended by
Jordan and Angie in the past years. The world of the elite was small in this
country and he happened to have friends from very high places who all loved
him like their very own brother, but he never considered himself one of them
despite his own tremendous success. Except maybe when his biological
father would finally publicly acknowledge him. But that was an impossibility
he had accepted long ago. It was just too complicated for the old man.
“I ain’t buying that bullcrap. Come on, fess up, man. What are you up
to?”
“What do you mean? Don’t you want me to be there?”
Alexis sighed. “Lemme tell you this, bro, ex lovers are just like old
clothes. Crammed in the closet for so long, they might still look good to
wear, but once you wear ‘em again, you’d find out they no longer fit you as
good as when they were brand new. Got that?”
“Is that an original theory of yours?”
 “I’m not sure, but it’s been proven.”
He shook his head in amused resignation. X had the most warped
perspectives this side of fuckdom. “Point taken. Thanks. See ya. Bye.”
He strode out of his ultra-modern private office to the spacious sci-fi
inspired main working area of BJP. His workplace here was set up to his
exact specifications. Nowadays, film-making had advanced to Computer
Generated Imagery to simulate live movements using graphic images. His
film outfit was the first to bring CGI technology into the country. It had been
running the past few years, catering to TV advertising.
His employees were a smorgasbord of only the best in the business–
scriptwriters, graphic designers, set designers, costume designers, musical
scorers, photographers, cinematographers and college drop-out computer
freaks. They were all highly-paid geniuses in their respective fields. Call
him anal but he couldn’t tolerate mediocrity in his team.
He took his own training in the US seriously. Very seriously. Filmmaking
became his obsession. After taking special courses in visual effects,
animation and even game production, he’d interned at George Lucas’
Industrial Lights and Magic then did a series of jobs assisting unit directors
in various Hollywood films. He discreetly came back to South East Asia at
age twenty-five, stayed for two months alternately in Malaysia and the
Philippines and shot a feature film entitled Boy Soldier. He submitted it to
the Cannes Film Festival. Who would have known it would be the beginning
of his stellar career in Hollywood?
After winning a Palme d’Or, everything changed. That award sure sold
his chops early on. DreamWorks saw him right away and signed him in to do
a movie. His brand of directing which critics referred to as a perfect blend of
the eastern and western style of experimental filmmaking was a hit among the
North American and Asians moviegoers alike. It even got the attention of the
more discerning moviegoers, hence his critical acclaims. His career as a
director and producer was on full-throttle since he won that Cannes six years
ago and never let up on the gas.
“Guys, order for pizza!” he hollered.
His employees let out a collected shout of happy approval. “I love you,
boss!” teased one of the pizza-loving boys. “Can I kiss you?”
“I don’t love you enough to flip, smartass.”
Hoots and laughter.
 The front desk girl suddenly came running to him looking pale as a ghost.
“Jaq!”
“Hey, Sheng. Wazzup?”
The usually jolly Sheng looked like she had faced the death squad.
Seconds later, he knew why.
Walking toward them was a one-man death squad clad in high fashion. If
her eyes were guns, he’d have been dead on the spot.
His favorite ol’ shirt in the flesh. Only she didn’t look worn out to the
seams. She looked spectacularly brand new. As always.
She stopped a couple of meters from him, her hands on her killer hips
and she was looking at him like a cockroach she’d gladly grind beneath the
heel of her stiletto.
Jack-in-the-box sprung out.
His lips twitched into a half-smile, hating and loving the instant response
of his body from the mere sight of her. “Hello, sweetheart. Glad you found
me.”
In response, she threw her bag at him. He easily evaded it and it landed
with a thud on a drafting table, sending drawing gadgets crashing to the floor.
Speech finally found her delectable lips coated with pink gloss. “How
could you?! How could you do that, you low-life?!!”
Uh-huh, scandal number two in the making, he thought. His staff had all
stopped working to watch the action. Only, he wasn’t directing.
“Everything stays here! If something goes out, you’re all fired!” he
shouted.
He then picked up Angie’s bag from the table, grabbed her arm and
dragged her out of there.
She pummeled him with her free hand, her little fist landing on his chest,
stomach, neck, cheek.
Hot damn, she was wild!
“Bastard! Pig! Snake! I hate you! I hate you!” She was calling him all
names from the pits and he was getting harder and harder with every small
impact of her fist landing on his body. His employees stared at them in slack-
jawed shock. Angie’s screams were reverberating all over the place.
“I’ll kill you! I’ll feed you to the dogs you good for nothing slime! Let
me go!”
“Wow, where’d you learn to cuss like that? I could hire you as one of the
villains for my next flick.”
 She punched him in the jaw.
Cussing, he practically pushed her toward his private office and locked
the door.
Angie was not finished. She picked up a bronze sculpture and threw it at
his head. He ducked, narrowly missing concussion. The artwork crashed
behind him, only inches from a glass divider.
“Shit!” That was a valuable Solomon Saprid, practically a national
treasure!
His private office had glass walls on two sides and his staff could still
see how Angie was trying to maul him to pulp. She will likely total his
office’s expensive interior in less than a minute. The woman was on the
warpath.
He dragged her inside another room, his personal hide-out. It was a 100-
square meter space resembling a hotel suite. If he needed to work extra hours
into the night, he’d sleep here. It was soundproof and private and she could
yell all she wanted and nobody would hear.
Leaning casually on the door with his arms crossed over his chest, he
watched the tigress run riot, picking stuff and hurling it everywhere. He’d
never seen her like this, wild and out of control. Not even during her younger
days.
“What, don’t tell me you’re finished?” he teased her when she paused to
catch her breath.
“What’s the matter? Afraid your staff will hear how disgusting you are?”
she spat.
“On the contrary, I don’t want them to witness how Miss Angelina Yulo
makes a scary spectacle of herself. I’m doing it for your benefit. This is my
place. I can do whatever I want here. I can be disgusting anytime and they
will just look the other way.”
That brought more color to her already flaming cheeks. He smirked. “Go
on.”
He threw her bag on one of the sofas. It was a black silver studded thing
probably inspired by the band Kiss for those hard-core Hell’s Angels’ wives
and girlfriends. Was that a skull on the latch? He was a rocker and he liked
leather and silver, but on his sweet Angie, he only liked feminine clothes and
stuff, not that she didn’t look plain smashing in that white, tight, one-piece
number she had on.
“That ugly thing looks really lethal.”
 That seemed to catch her off-guard and she looked at her bag, then back
at him. “That’s a couture Alexander McQueen, idiot!”
What did he care about queens designing scary goth stuff for women? He
would, but only for costumes in his horror or fantasy movies. “You have a
gun in there?”
“If I had, you won’t be standing there, you slime!”
“Tsk, you’re getting redundant, sweetheart. You wanna kill me that bad?
What did I do this time?” he deliberately asked her that rhetorical question to
goad her temper further. He’d like to see more of that fire.
“How dare you imply to the press that I leaked the video myself?!”
He shrugged. “Turnabout is fair play, baby. Now you know how it
feels.”
“I know you did it! And don’t call me baby! I’m not your baby!”
“Careful Ms. Yulo or you might just get a lawsuit out of that totally
baseless accusation. I’m done letting you and your family accuse me of crime
after crime.”
“And I’m surprised you haven’t been convicted of any of those crimes!
Because you are capable of anything! You have no morals and zero
conscience!”
“What about your morals, Miss Engaged-to-be Married? Have you told
your fiancé yet that you fucked your ex while planning your wedding?”
She went to pick up her badass-looking bag and this time, her aim was
accurate.
It hit the side of his neck hard.
Shit, those studs hurt!
He closed the distance between them and grabbed her, intent only on one
thing.
“I will show you what I’m capable of, you wild little bitch!”

Angie tried to break free. She hit him with her fists and kicked him
with all her might. He grunted in pain when the metal toe cap of her
Louboutin shoe caught him in the shin.
He grunted in pain.“Dammit, you little tigress!”
He hauled her on top of a table, spread her legs and planted his solid
frame between them.
The position left her vulnerable.
 “Let me go!” she screeched, her nails aiming for his face but he was fast.
He caught her wrists and held them behind her back like an iron manacle,
rendering her defenseless.
She was breathing so hard her chest might explode. She made a blood-
curdling sound, baring her teeth at him.
“If you bite me, I swear on your McQueen, I’ll fuck you as many times as
the number of metal studs in that hideous piece of junk.”
He slammed his palm between her legs and squeezed. She froze, ranting
forgotten. Her body was now suddenly feverish and frantic from a different
kind of turbulence. “Jaq!”
The next thing that happened was purely instinctive.
Their lips connected.
She didn’t know who kissed who first. Maybe it was her. Maybe it was
him. But it didn’t matter. They were devouring each other’s lips, their
tongues twisting and twining like hungry serpents. Her hunger was matched
by his own.
He let go of her hands and she wrapped them tightly around his torso,
wanting to feel more of him. More! She undulated against him, burning with
need to feel him naked, rubbing all over her.
He paused from kissing her only to unzip her dress at the back and
pushed it down her shoulders, exposing her chest. “Fuck...” he growled,
tugging to free her arms from the sleeves. He impatiently unclasped her
strapless bra and her breasts were free.
His mouth immediately latched on her nipples like a hungry newborn, the
suctions he made making her faint with pleasure. Her nipples seemed to have
some live electric connection to her groin. The more he sucked her, the more
she throbbed between her legs.
“Do you hate me? Do you hate this?” he rasped in between flicking and
rolling her nipples with his tongue, grazing them with his teeth gently.
She could only moan in response. She was shaking, her bones melting,
her blood rushing hotly, her skin so sensitive, her entire body on fire!
He cupped her mound again, his fingers setting her flimsy, silk
underwear aside. He delved into her wetness. She cried out, biting her lower
lip as his fingers petted her now very moist sex. Once awakened from years
of dormant state, her sensuality came back with a vengeance. It took only one
touch from this man and she burst into flames, and right now, he was stoking
her flames into a raging wildfire. He knew the epicenter of her pleasure. His
wicked fingers played with her clit and it was madness, the toe-curling
sensations!
“You’re so wet. Is this for me? Hmm? Are you wet for me?” He slipped
one finger inside her.
She gasped. “Yes! Oh, yes!”
He slipped two digits in, rubbing that spot that made her shudder in
further excitement. “Jaq!”
“Fuck, I wanna eat your pussy but I can’t wait. I want you so much! I
gotta have you now!”
He unzipped his fly and freed his manhood. She went weaker at the sight
of it, knowing how it would pleasure and satisfy her in the next instant.
She wanted him inside her, so deep inside her.
Without hesitation, she touched him, gripped his thick shaft, loving the
raw power she literally held in her hand. He felt incredible! Such contrasting
textures. Soft and yet hard. Ridged and yet velvet smooth.
He kissed her and thrust in her hand repeatedly, the intensity of his
arousal vibrating in her palm. “You want that? Hmm? Want that? Tell me!”
“Yes, oh yes! I want you! I want this!”
He cupped her bottom and lifted her off the table. She immediately
wrapped her legs around his hips. He backed her on a wall. She held on to
his muscled shoulders as he adjusted their position. He was so strong, so
powerful.
Then she felt him, so scorching hot, probing her entrance. She was so
wet and eager that he slid in without discomfort. He impaled her, slowly...so
slowly that she cannot wait. “Jaq, more…more!” she panted, wanting to
absorb all of his length inside her at once.
But he controlled the motion, guiding her hips so that he would enter her
only by increments. She waited helplessly as he lowered her onto his shaft
deeper…then lifted her again, then pushed her down again deeper...and
deeper still. He was so big, so hard and hot and she wanted to be filled by
him. All of him! “Jaq, deeper!”
“Yeah? You’re craving for this cock? You want it deeper? Like this?”
He kissed her hard and rammed to the hilt.
She keened, clamped around him, squeezing him inside her. There was
no discomfort now, only delicious pressure testing the limits of her sheath.
And then he was moving, thrusting in and out of her, her body weight
resting entirely on his arms and hips as he lifted her up and down on his
erection. She threw her head back, losing all control, aware only of his heat,
his power, this mind-blowing pleasure he was giving her.
He sucked on her breasts, taking in as much of each globe in his mouth.
The combined contact of his lips on her breasts and his shaft moving in and
out of her was overwhelming. Her core churned as he quickly built up an
inferno of the most exquisite pleasure.
He pumped into her like a piston, his hands holding her bottom cheeks
firmly, slamming her down on him as he surged upward in her. The angle of
his penetration rubbed that familiar super-sensitive spot inside of her that
he’d usually tease with his fingers. So good! Too good!
The flood of sensations hurled her straight to the peak too soon.
All too soon!
She keened helplessly as her universe exploded.
He swallowed her scream with his kiss.
She swam in the savage upheaval happening within her womb as he
thrust into her even harder and deeper, jarring her entire body with his animal
strength.
“Fuck, baby, I’m coming...!”
She hugged him tight and licked his lips. “Come to me. Inside me! Fill
me!”
“Here we go...Squeeze me! Yes! Now...Now! Ffffuuuuck!”
He shuddered violently in her arms.
It was the most sublime feeling, her body absorbing the quickening of his
entire frame as he experienced his own peak.
Seconds later, he slumped against her as they both labored to breathe.
His lips were resting in the crook of her shoulder, his tongue skimming her
skin gently.
Oh God. This was so good she couldn’t describe it.
The next thing she knew, she was lying fully naked on her side on the bed
and Jaq was sliding his naked, sweaty body behind her, wrapping his arms
around her, twining their legs spoon-fashion. Just like in the past.
“Jaq…”
“Shhh.” He kissed her hair gently.
She didn’t say anything anymore. She let her sated body revel in the
afterglow in his arms.
Sometime later, he made love to her again...and again, taking her in
various positions that made her gasp in awe and moan in absolute delight.
She didn’t know she was capable of such bed acrobatics. Their lovemaking
years ago was pretty traditional compared to what they were doing now. Her
modesty was stripped by Jaq’s total lack of inhibitions. He made love the
way he played his guitar during his Oblivion days, wild and free.
He pleasured her until she couldn’t move a single muscle in satiety.
She fell asleep in his arms, forgetting the outside world.

Jaq paced the hallway restlessly. He had been walking the expanse of
his office for almost thirty minutes now, deeply unsettled and…afraid.
What happened there in his private room totally freaked him out. It was
the same the other time in his house. No, better. He had taken her
successively, so ravenous for her that he had forgotten they were in his
office.
Even now, after his body would have been overfed with several earth-
shaking climaxes, he still wanted her. He wanted to crawl back into bed with
her and just touch her, feel her skin on his, smell her, taste her...and stay like
that forever. He’d never experienced that kind of intimacy with any other
woman, where he couldn’t seem to get enough of her. Not before and after
her.
This was freaking him out big time.
This was just sex. Pure animal lust.
So, why was he pacing like a caged animal about to get slaughtered?
Like a terrified prisoner awaiting a verdict? A verdict that he could only
give. The reality of his fear was staring him in the face and it stung like a
motherfucker.
In his ravaged soul, the questions came back again, questions he hated,
questions he didn’t ever want to ask again, but they were there, chanting,
screaming inside of him all over again.
God, Angie, why?! Why did you do it?! Why did you betray me? Why
did you leave me?!
He wanted answers. After eight long years, he wanted to hear them from
her own lips.

When Angie woke up, she was alone in the room.

Her immediate feelings were shame and mortification, then guilt and
self-castigation.
 But she curtailed the old habit. She was in this situation on her own
volition. She must own up to it. Yes, Jaq had everything to do with her
weakness but it was her body. She made her choice. No, she won’t do the
proverbial walk of shame this time and let Jaq Montero have the last laugh
again.
The new Angie will get up and face her lover, make him feel that it had
been a great privilege for him to have sex with her and it was his duty to
pleasure her. The new Angie will not feel that having great sex was
something a woman should deprive herself of or feel guilty and ashamed
about. Acknowledging that she loved sex and enjoyed the act immensely with
a man she was attracted to was a normal attitude of a true independent,
modern woman. Angie the pushover doormat had retired. For good!
She glanced around, appreciating her surroundings for the first time. Jaq,
as always, had great taste in architecture. The room was contemporary Zen in
design, polished, simple and visually serene. The furnishings were tastefully
done in wood, stone, sculpted glass and expensive leather. Masculine,
sedate, solid and yet very warm. Just like Jaq.
She went to the bathroom. It was spacious and attached to a walk-in
closet, complete with all the modern amenities, including a spa shower.
She took a warm bath. She wondered where Jaq was?
Jaq had always been an open parenthesis in her life, an unfinished
business. One thing was for sure, unfinished business was no longer her
forte. Independent women took care of business, and they always made sure
they landed on top.
The agenda of the day was: Deal with her ex and then deal with her
fiancé. In that order.
With a new boost of resolute determination, she padded back to the
bedroom with towels wrapped on her hair and body.
Jaq was back.
He was lounging on the sofa, one leg resting on the other. His eyes
picked up heat when he saw her and they traveled the length of her body in
masculine appreciation.
She wanted to turn around and look for her clothes, but the new Angie
won’t do that, she reminded herself.
“Oh, you’re back,” she said casually.
“Just went out to check the office. Did you miss me?” His voice was
smooth and lazy.
 The desire to go to him and sit on his lap was so strong but she gave him
a seductive smile instead. “Not for some time, I think. I’ve had enough of you
for now. Have you seen my clothes?”
His eyes widened a fraction.
Hiding her smile, she turned around and went looking for her dress. She
found it hanging in a closet. Her bra and panties were there, too. She put her
bra back on but ditched her soiled panties. She was slipping into her dress
when Jaq entered the walk-in closet. She fought the urge to cover herself
from his dark, sensual gaze.
“Angie…” he said in a tentative tone.
“Oh, darling, you’re not going to be dramatic about this, are you?”
His brows drew together.
Careful not to show how self-conscious she was, she turned around.
“Zip me, up,” she said in a commanding tone.
He didn’t move.
“Jaq, zip me up.”
He zipped up her dress slowly.
She gave him a sweet sideways smile. “Thanks.”
Removing the towel from her hair, she walked back to the bedroom.
He was right behind her. “Angie…”
“Hmm?” She ran her fingers through her wet hair, not bothering to fix it
with a comb. Her stylist had given her a cut that was great even when wet.
“What, Jaq?”
His mouthed opened to speak but he closed it.
She smiled again. “Look, there’s no need to discuss anything. It
happened. Heat of the moment. I’m no longer underage so you don’t have to
feel guilty about the whole thing,” she teased.
His jaw clenched. “I am not feeling guilty. I…” his voice trailed off.
“So, chill out. It was great sex.” How casually she’d said it. She felt
really proud of herself.
She put her high heels back on.
“Great...sex?!” he spluttered.
“Yes. Wasn’t it great for you?”
Again, he was at a loss for words.
She picked up her bag from the sofa and slung it on her shoulder. “I gotta
go.” With head held high, she walked to the door.
He rushed to open it for her.
 His office was dimly lit now. All the employees had gone for the day.
She’d spent close to six hours with Jaq in that private room, forgetting her
own business engagements while his business went on outside!
She wondered if they’d be in the rags again tomorrow. Her composure
started to crack at the mere thought. She had to get out of there fast. She
didn’t want to ruin her New Angie act in front of him.
When they reached the main entrance of his office, Jaq punched the
digital security locks to open the glass doors. He faced her again and finally
spoke.
“Let’s go have some dinner.”
She flipped her long hair away casually and gave him her most dazzling
smile. “Oh thanks, but I have a date with my fiancé tonight. Bye, Jaq. I had a
great time. See ya when I see ya.” It was a lie. One she needed to say.
She had the satisfaction of seeing total shock register on his face before
she turned and opened the glass door and sashayed away confidently.
She paused a few meters away, turned around and blew him a kiss.
Chapter Eight
JAQ PAUSED TO ADMIRE the stunning facade of The Great One, a 55-
story hotel, casino and business center rolled into one. The Ancient grandeur
of Acropolis fused perfectly with the cutting-edge engineering of extreme
Modernism. High- octane architecture if he ever saw one. It was a gleaming
tower of jewel, easily outshining every building around it in its sheer
magnificence. Alexis’ love for anything Greek was finally realized through
visionary and renowned architect Veldon Simpson, the mega-brill architect
of The Luxor.
He was let into the gigantic sensor glass doors by bare-chested, ripped
warriors who looked like they just stepped out of a 300 set, Spartans in full
battle gear. He noticed metal discreetly attached to their sides and he
realized they were real warriors. Security men. Well, they were necessary. X
said the president would be here tonight.
There were not enough words to describe the magnificence of the lobby.
Statues of Greek gods and goddesses everywhere, intricate designs adorning
the soaring ceilings and walls, murals, gold plating, stylized chandeliers
dropping like stalagmites of Kryptonite glass from the sky.
The throng of tourists of all races moving around the expansive and
cavernous lobby with flutes of champagne in their hands looked like they
were really enjoying themselves. X was surely bringing the vibe of Vegas
into the country.
Fuck, this place was pure dope.
He caught sight of several females clad in flowing, thin fabrics,
resembling those Greek goddesses. One of them approached him.
“Hello, welcome to the Great One! Would you like some champagne?”
He blinked and realized the goddess was actually a hotel staff. Geishas
on the loose! Was X serious?! This was straight out of Lothario! “I’m
attending the gala at the summit. Would you direct me to the elevator,
please?”
The woman smiled. “This way, sir.”
He thanked the attendant and boarded one of the zoom elevators. In
under a minute, he alighted into the well-lit atrium at the pinnacle of the
skyscraper.
The party was already underway. Huge crowd.
 Just like the hotel’s lobby, the atrium was decked with Greek
extravagance as only fitting for the guest list. All of Manila’s who’s who
were probably here tonight.
He scanned the mélange of guests leisurely rubbing elbows under the
glass dome of the vast atrium– a mixture of big time business, big time
politics and the much needed ice-breaker, big time celebrity. X knew his
money-generating cocktail, alright.
He came in as inconspicuously as he could, but a number of his friends
spotted him right away, very surprised to see him there. He just waved at
them, not really joining any group yet.
Alexis saw him. They exchanged a brotherly hug.
“You actually showed up.”
“Told you I would.”
“Don’t piss on my shit,” Alexis warned him.
He grinned. “When did I ever? My first time to attend your shit.
Impressive shit, by the way. Congratulations, bro. Fucking dope, this,” he
said looking up at the soaring dome above them.
Alexis grunted and picked up a drink from the tray of a roving goddess
and gave it to him.
He accepted it and took a sip. “Did you bring all the geishas here
tonight?” he asked and winked at the waitress as she moved on to the other
guests.
“Find out for yourself. You might get lucky.”
“Sonuvabitch. Seriously?”
Alexis just chuckled.
Rydon suddenly popped up from the crowd. “Bro, are you and Gwenna
still dating?”
“Why do you ask?”
“I saw her at a party last night.”
Well, she hoped Gwenna had been finding entertainment elsewhere
because she wasn’t getting it from him. The actress had taken the local
showbiz by storm and had been guesting in several TV shows the past weeks
which he allowed as long as it did not conflict with her shooting schedules.
“Nope. We really are not…” he shrugged.
Rydon looked pleased. “I like her. Do you mind?”
“No, not at all.”
“Great. Later, brothas!” Rydon disappeared.
 Alexis smirked.
“What? I wasn’t seriously dating her.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
His eyes scanned the crowd again.
“She’s at your right, near the buffet table, wearing red, talking to
Darriene,” Alexis supplied.
His eyes zeroed in on her. As expected, much as he hated it, his pulse
accelerated like a sports car’s speedometer at the sight of Angie shrink-
wrapped in a crimson gown that delineated every inch of her killer curves in
a really classy way.
“Bro, old clothes in the closet, remember?”
“Why don’t you try wearing ‘em again, X? They might still fit like brand
new,” he said thoughtfully, thinking how exactly he’d wear Angie next.
Alexis gave a short laugh. “Nah. Got enough clothes more than I can
wear. They even keep coming for free. Why wear one until it wears out?”
He declined to comment further. In his case, Alexis’ maxim about old
clothes and women would never apply. Angie always felt brand new to him.
The glaring truth left a bitter taste in his mouth but it wasn’t enough to
discourage his cock from seeking her heat like an infrared missile.
Alexis clapped him in the shoulder. “The president just arrived, I think. I
need to play the good host or my father would raise Hiroshima and Nagasaki
on my ass for not making his good friend feel welcome on enemy lair.”
“Okay.” Politics, not his thing, even if his own old man was at the center
of it.
Alexis looked back. “Hey Jaq, join us later, okay? The guys are all
here.”
“Yeah. Later, bro.”
But he didn’t come here to socialize.

Angie could feel a force pulling at her, an instinctive awareness. She

was afraid to look around and find the source of that magnetic energy. She
was almost sure what it was.
Sure enough, suddenly, he was there, a few meters in front of her,
appearing out of a cluster of designer clad people. The predatory glint in his
eyes made her skin break out in goose bumps. Everything inside of her
jumped in red line alert, sensing danger…and excitement.
 There were women who dressed to tease. Jaq was the male counterpart.
Unapologetically so.
He was simply devastating in his all-black ensemble, disregarding the
black tie rule of the gala. Jaq knew his own style. His black leather pants
rode low on his hips, molding his sexy butt and long legs to a sexiness good
enough for a billboard. The laces that secured the crotch of his pants could
invoke all kinds of titillating carnal thoughts. He finished the rock star look
with black boots that gave extra length to his already endless legs. He was
just too sexy for her comfort.
God, she needed to hate him to fight him.
He walked towards her with that unique swagger of his, like he didn’t
give a damn.
“Hello, ladies,” he drawled lazily.
Darry turned around. “Jaq Montero!” she practically squealed like a
starstruck fan.
“Darriene Salvador,” he said smoothly, a sexy smile on his lips.
Angie had to hide her clenched fists behind her back as Jaq and Darry
kissed each other’s cheeks in more than the customary greeting.
“My goodness, Jaq! It’s been awhile since I last saw you!” Darry’s full
attention was now on Jaq. “You look great! Wow, look at you!”
“Yeah, I missed you too, gorgeous. How’re your parents?”
“Oh, they’re fine. Dad’s busy with the ad firm. You know Mom, I’m sure
you bump into each other every now and then.”
“The last time I saw them together was mid-last year at the Cannes. I
went to see their gala screening. Was invited along with other directors to tag
along with Steven who was jury president last year.”
“Wow. I can only dream of being on first name basis with the Almighty
Steven.”
“He’s the coolest guy, when not working, that is. Your Mom’s Cannes
entry rocked. I heard Ang Lee raving about it.”
Darry laughed. “She never gets tired telling everyone that.”
“I wouldn’t, too. Anyway, after that, I got really busy with my film. I
miss hanging out with your folks, though.”
“I’ll tell Mom you said hi. She’d surely invite you to visit them soon.
And maybe work with us, too.”
“Why not? I’ve been thinking of a project which your Dad might be
interested to produce with me. By the way, congratulations. I heard your firm
got the McDonald’s account this year. That’s huge.”
“I did the copy,” Darry happily informed him.
“I know. You scored a home run there. Way to go, Darry.”
Angie clenched her jaw to suppress her jealousy as Darry and Jaq
chatted with the familiarity of old friends. Darry had shared a part of Jaq’s
life that she’d never had the chance to share with him. She felt cheated of that
privilege by circumstances.
Jaq finally addressed her. “Hi.”
“Hi.” The simple word almost didn’t leave her throat. The whole room
was abuzz with activities and yet she felt alone with him, the sounds muted,
the rest of the world in black and white and only Jaq and her in vivid colors.
She should say something. To be polite. Small, pleasant talk was always de
rigueur in affairs like this even when dealing with the enemy. She had
mastered the art, too, being who she was and being the head of Empress’ PR
team, but she didn’t know what to say to him, not even a lame comment about
his rockin’ outfit.
There were so many unspoken words between her and this man, so much
history. They had this invisible bond that refused to get severed no matter the
time and distance that stretched between them. And this bond should not even
exist anymore. It should have been destroyed long ago. They had separate
lives now. But it was still there, locking them in an impossible situation.
“So when will your movie get shown, Jaq?” Darry was saying.
“In the summer. My studio always releases my movies during summer
and December. Have you seen my latest film?”
“Of course! Went to see it with Mom and Dad. It was breathtaking! How
was it working with The Rock? Is he nasty or nice?”
“Dwayne is a gentle giant. Nicest guy on the planet.”
“Oh I love Dwayne Johnson!” Darry gushed.
“He’s in this new movie I’m shooting, too. I’ll have an Asian premiere
in Singapore. I’d like to invite you two to come see it with me as my guests.
I’ll shoulder everything, of course. Dwayne will be there.”
Darry practically jumped in delight. “Oh, we’d love to! Right, Ange?”
Angie inwardly cringed. “Uhm…we’ll see. I’m quite busy at the hotel.”
“Yeah, I know how busy you are,” he agreed, his eyes speaking volumes.
“Very busy shuffling from one hotel to another. Must be really hard work.
Aren’t you confused?”
 She raised her chin, goaded by the double entender. “The two of us in
your movie premiere? What are you thinking? Scandal Part Two? Get real,
okay?”
“Scandal Part Two and Three are done. But they hadn’t been leaked on
the internet yet. Shall we work on four?”
Her embarrassment was trumped by alarm at his implication. “You
didn’t…?” Oh God! Could he have filmed their recent encounters, too? With
a camera freak like Jaq, everything was possible!
“You’ll never know. I’ve discovered it’s quite lucrative. What do you
say? We can split the profits.”
“You’re the lowest of the low, you know that?” she hissed, seething.
How easily this man could incite her into committing murder in public!
“And you’re the biggest phony.”
Darry coughed nervously. “Yoohoo, guys, guys, it’s a new year! Let’s
forgive and forget?”
She looked at Darry. There were a few times when she badly wanted to
throttle her BFF. This was one of them. “Forgive and forget? When China
surrenders their share of the Spratly Islands to the Philippines maybe.”
Fuming, she walked out on them. Alexis’ parties were always swarming
with gossip-mongers disguised as legit media people. That man himself was
always the toast of scandaldom. She could sense people staring at her. Jaq
was not discreet. Maybe he deliberately approached her to drag her in the
mud again. Bastard.
God, why was she here in the first place? Her plan of breaking up with
Jordan didn’t happen. He’d been very busy the past days and they hadn’t seen
each other. They’d talked on the phone but she couldn’t break up with her
fiancé on the damn phone.
When he did show up at their mansion, he was closeted for the most part
in the study with her father and he didn’t even give her time. In fact, this party
was the only time they’d been together the past week.
She looked for Jordan in the crowd. He was busy talking to the president
of the republic and his fellow businessmen. Bowing her head, she made a
beeline for one of the doors, avoiding him. He might call her and she’d be
forced to play gracious fiancée for those powerful men. The thought was
nauseating.
She wanted to go home. When Jaq arrived, she felt stalked by a predator.
She was too aware of him. Strange but the vast atrium seemed to suffocate
her now. Everything was suffocating the life out of her.
She discreetly exited one of the atrium doors.
Fresh air greeted her. She inhaled deeply, feeling relieved.
She could stay here for awhile and pass the time.
Someone grabbed her from behind.
She yelped. A hand covered her mouth. “Shhh.”
She stopped struggling in an instant. The hand freed her mouth.
“Let me go, Jaq.”
Instead of doing so, he dragged her further out into the vast balcony that
seemed to wrap around the entire floor.
“Where are we going?”
“Do you want your fiance to see us together?”
The mention of her fiance made her dug in her heels, but it was hard to
do in her 5-inch Manolos. “Jaq, please, let me go.”
He stopped walking and let her go.
Suddenly free of his touch, she felt the cool wind on her skin. She saw
the city lights below.
The scenario took her back in time to that fire exit. They used to gaze at
the twinkling lights at night, holding hands, kissing in between their quiet
conversations, singing their love song.
She slowly walked towards the railing. She used to be afraid of heights
but Jaq had cured her of that.
He joined her on the railing. They stood side by side in contemplative
silence, looking out into the endless darkness dotted with a million blinking
lights.
“There weren’t as many lights eight years back. I like it better back
then.”
His low voice was as soft as the breeze kissing her face. No trace of
intimidation. She relaxed a little. Maybe he just came for a little chat.
“You’ve been living in LA for almost a decade and you like less lights at
night. Funny, that.”
“LA is like a hungry beast at night. The people there are its willing
dinner, endlessly satisfying its insatiable need for worldly pleasures.”
“And you think this city is different?”
“Manila is a labyrinth. It hides its hunger like a mystery. You have to
look harder for places to satisfy your hunger. But it’s always worth it.”
 She looked away, not wanting to read between the lines. His eyes
glittered with meaning when he said “hunger.” She should leave. The best
way to avoid trouble with this man was simple to walk away from him. But a
stronger part of her wanted to prolong their conversation. “So you don’t like
light in the dark?”
He inhaled air deeply into his lungs. “I want just the right light to
illuminate the night, but I wish nights would be nights in the true sense and
days will be days in the true sense. I want honesty in my night and day.”
She glanced at him again. “Is that part of a movie script you’re writing?
Or a new song?” she asked him teasingly.
He smiled at her. It warmed her like sun in the morning. That smile. Pure
and true. She’d missed that so much. God, she should really leave.
“You find that cheesy?”
“Oh no. Not at all.”
“What then?”
She shrugged. “Well, I just don’t peg you as the….”
“What?”
“The simple and uncomplicated type.”
He fully faced her. “How do you peg me then?”
“Honestly?”
“Honestly.”
“You are…a labyrinth in the night.”
He stared at her. “Is that bad?”
“Depends.”
“On what?”
“If the person loves labyrinths.”
He slightly nodded. “So how do you peg your boyfriend?”
There was an edge to his voice now. She knew their casual conversation
just ended. “My fiance,” she corrected him, “is far from a labyrinth. He is a
manual. I always know where I stand with him.”
He smirked. “How boring.”
She should have known politeness between them would only last a few
minutes. “I should go.”
“Running away?”
She bristled. “No.”
“Then stay.”
“Why?”
 He faced the vista before them again. “I missed this.”
Her throat constricted in bittersweet pain. How she missed it, too.
“Don’t you miss it?”
“It doesn’t matter anymore. It was so long ago.”
“Yes, but I remember everything. Don’t you?”
“I remember some...vaguely.”
“Indeed, it’s too much to ask for honesty in my night.”
She sighed. “What do you want from me, Jaq?”
He faced her again. “Isn’t it obvious? I want you.”
She willed her stare not to waver and give him a glimpse of the chaos
inside her. “What happened, happened. It was just sex. Don’t make a big deal
out of it.”
The corner of his lips lifted in a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m
not making a big deal out of it. I’m just obeying some good ol’ instinct.”
“I think your erstwhile inflated rock star ego is still stuck in your head.
But I’m not one of your groupies who’d jump in your bed at the crook of your
finger.”
“I see. Then what did you do at my house and at my office? Ah yes, we
didn’t use the bed for the most part. Just my sofa, my wall and my table.”
His conceit was just too much, but she remained calm. She gave him a
casual once over. “You’re just a man, Jaq. I can have anybody I want. If I
want to,” she said flippantly.
“Sure you can. But isn’t it too late for such attitude, sweetheart? We
already had two encores.”
“I could have had that with other men. You just happened to be there.”
He sneered. “I wonder what your fiance will say about that.”
“Jordan and I have an arrangement,” she fabricated, not wanting to lose
this round to him.
“Wow. A swinging couple and not even married. Who knew?”
She smiled all too sweetly and shrugged. God, the whole conversation
was so weird she felt strange being part of it. “Life in the new millennium.
But we’re going exclusive once we’re married.”
“But in the meantime…”
He moved closer to her.
She took a step back. “No.”
There was an unholy glint in his eyes. “Keep saying that.”
He advanced. She retreated. “Back off, Jaq!” she hissed.
 He backed her against the railing.
“I said no! When a woman says no, believe it!” she snarled as she felt
her body betraying her again.
“How can you say no when you’re wet?”
She flushed. “I’m not…!”
“Prove it.”
Of course, she couldn’t! She glared at him. Hating him. Longing for him.
He smiled knowingly. “I knew you were lying.”
He grabbed her hand and brought it to his groin. She gasped. His arousal
throbbed, hot, hard and huge. Her nipples tightened.
“Feel that? It’s for you. All for you. You can have it anytime, right this
minute. Say no to that.”
His vulgar words made her cringe but a part of her was wildly titillated.
He pushed her palm harder on his bulging crotch. “I know you want it.
Come on, say it.”
The fire between her legs blazed, her juices seeping to soak her panties,
but she kept her mouth tightly shut.
He guided her palm to rub him. “Say yes and it will be yours.”
She shook her head repeatedly. “No. No.”
“Don’t you want that sliding inside you?”
“Yes…no!”
“It’s gonna stretch your sweet little pussy until you’re so wet and ready
to come. Don’t you want that?”
“No…yes! Dam you!”
“Make up your mind, baby.”
“You’re such a bastard!” she sobbed, her fingers involuntarily curling to
grip him, feeling his pulsating power.
He pulled her roughly towards him then, molding her to his hard frame.
“Say yes, my angel.”
“Yes! Damn you, yes!” she conceded, cursing her unexplainable need for
his touch. Why oh why did she feel this for this man alone? This urge, this
uncontrollable want and need to mate with him was insane!
He laughed smugly and lifted her in his arms. She clung to his shoulders,
her entire body churning with anticipation. He brought her to the farthest
corner of the balcony where it was shadowy and partially concealed by tall
ornamental plants. He put her on her feet again and turned her around so that
she was facing the breathtaking view.
 He was behind her and his hands began to roam on her front. The design
of her gown aided his explorations, giving him easy access to her breasts.
Pushing the bodice of her gown down her torso, he cupped her breast with
his palms. “Fuck, you have great tits. All real and natural.” He squeezed and
kneaded them, plucking her nipples, teasing the tips until she was gasping,
wanting more.
He gave her more by snaking his hand between her thighs, cupping her
mound. “I like your little thongs. They’re very convenient for fucking.”
True enough, he didn’t need to remove her undies to pet her. He just
pulled the elastic thing aside and she was open for him. Yes, wet and willing.
His fingers slid between her slippery folds. She sagged against him,
putting her weight against his frame. Her legs turned to jelly with the bone-
melting pleasure his adept fingers were giving her.
“Say no to this…” His hands joined forces between her legs. It was a
riot of breathtaking sensations. He peeled her lips wide and rubbed her clit,
manipulating it in various ways, circular, side to side, up and down, until she
felt faint with it all. Everything he was doing felt so good, so sinfully
delicious! “Oh God, I hate you! I hate you!”
“Yes, you hate me. You so fucking hate me you’re so fucking wet and
dying for my cock to fuck you hard right now.”
She closed her eyes tightly in helpless futility, unable to deny that very
fact. She hated herself for not being able to deny her body the addicting
pleasure that totally undermined her self-control every time. How easy for
him to reduce her to this? Damn him!
“I’m gonna fuck your little pussy so hard until you come around my cock.
You like that?”
He was rimming her opening while his other digits slithered wetly like a
thousand little serpents around her now very swollen clit, until she could no
longer think straight.
A thick finger entered her, and then another, stretching her. “Tight…so
very tight, baby. I want this around me, squeezing my cock. That would feel
so fucking good. That will make me come. Would you like to make me come,
angel?”
His carnal words seduced her senses, making her feel like she was the
most desirable woman.
He kissed her hard, driving his tongue in her mouth as he rubbed and
rolled her clit and thrust his fingers in and out of her, bringing her quickly to
the brink.
Then he stopped and turned her around to face him.
“On your knees,” he commanded.
Despite being dazed with arousal, her mind still rebelled from his
imperious tone, as if her sole reason for existing was to grant all his wishes
like a love slave.
“On you knees,” he repeated.
Her eyes flashing with combined lust and defiance, she boldly cupped
him in his pants. “Say please.”
He stared at her, his eyes scorching even in the dim light, his breathing
fast and shallow. “Say please,” she repeated, demanding surrender, as well.
“Please,” he finally said. “Please, suck my cock.”
It was still an arrogant plea but it was good enough. She knelt before
him.
She fumbled with his zipper. It stuck halfway over his bulge. He cursed,
helping her.
His manhood sprung out inches from her face like an angry serpent
rearing up for attack. He gripped the thick base and guided the rounded tip to
her mouth. “Suck it.”
He rubbed the swollen crown against her lips. She immediately tasted
his fluids. Heady and delicious! She took over, wrapping both her hands
around his shaft, stroking it up and down, the resilient skin stretching and
molding around the hard length. He was so hot, like a burning rod. Her
tongue flicked over the glistening tip.
“Yeah, that’s it, baby…yeah…oh fuck...!”
Fueled by his animal groans, she took him in her mouth and pleasured
him as he had taught her, maintaining the rhythmic circular motion of her palm
around his shaft as she licked and sucked the crown. She just loved how he
smelled and tasted, salty and yet sweet. Intoxicating!

Jaq had never seen a more riveting sight. Angie on her knees, his hard
cock in her sweet, hot mouth. It was enough to give him a heart attack of the
most delightful kind. Fuck, how he’d missed fucking her. No, he had missed
her every fucking day.
She played with his cock devoid of practiced technique but with her
unique, sweet, indescribably good way. All his senses were alive, attuned to
her, singing in pleasure. Only Angie could make him lose it like this. Like…
nothing else.
Framing the sides of her head, he slowly fucked her mouth. Her lips
clung to his cock as he pulled away, making him want to ram hard down her
throat. But he pushed back in gently, deeper and deeper, as far as she could
take him. Mother of all fucks, she could take a lot of him. The sight was so
fucking awesome he’d like to film it and watch it over and over. Shit, he was
a perverted fuck. Only a couple inches and his entire length would disappear
down her throat…
She pulled away, catching her breath. But her tongue immediately snaked
out to run around his cock head. Fuck, he’d blow his load sooner if she kept
doing that.
He helped her to her feet and backed her on the railing. He knelt before
her and groped under her gown and pulled down her thong. Raising the hem
of her gown to expose her mound, he trapped her legs within his embrace.
He looked up at her. “Open for me.”
“My legs…?”
“You pussy. I want to lick your clit.”
She gaped.
He let go of her legs and grabbed her hands, guiding her fingers to
spread her pussy lips wide, exposing her mouth-watering clit. Fuck, she
smelled so good. Fresh. Earthy. A very aroused woman. All his. “Hold it like
that. Don’t let go.”
Trapping her legs within his arms again, he looked up at her again and
smiled. “Would you like me to lick your clit now?”
“Jaq!” She squirmed in embarrassment.
He grinned and blew on her engorged clit. Her little pleasure button
protruded outward, begging to be sucked. Man, this was the most beautiful
sight.
“Jaq!” Her tone was commanding now, impatient.
His mouth happily went to work, torturing her clit until she was dripping
on his chin. He brought her to the brink again and stopped.
“Jaq, please!” she wailed, panting hard, her smooth belly heaving.
He stood up and turned her around and guided her hands to hold on to the
railing. He bent her over. “I’m gonna fuck you so hard now.” He flipped the
hem of her gown to expose her rounded ass. The sight of her smooth, super
sexy bum nearly made him spill. He bent to lick the cheeks, biting playfully.
 She yelped.
He guided his stiff shaft along the slick path to paradise, coating himself
with her sticky juices. She was more than ready for a wild ride.
He pushed and she gasped, calling his name sweetly.
He steadied her bucking hips and slid in slowly, gently breaching her
very moist but very tight cunt.
Sweet fuck...!
He wondered how it was possible that she felt so unused? She was still
as tight as eight years ago. Like a fucking virgin. Thinking about Jordan
enjoying this pleasure brought a murderous urge and he blotted the thought.
He would erase every memory of another man from her mind. He will fuck
her brains out so she won’t ever forget who satisfied her the most.
He pushed harder until he was buried inside her to the hilt. He groaned
aloud as she clenched around him like a fist, sucking him in deeper still,
owning him. He could no longer deny his own body’s demand for
satisfaction.
Leaning over to cup her breasts, he began hammering her. His other hand
slid down to pet her pussy, rubbing her clit as he stabbed into her repeatedly,
hard and fast.
He closed his eyes at the sharp, almost painful pleasure caused by his
frenzied thrusting. She had the tightest, most delicious cunt. She bucked
wildly, countering his thrusts with grinding movements of her curvy hips,
sobbing his name like a litany.
He loved hearing her incoherent cries, mewing like he was hurting her
but he knew he wasn’t because her pussy was milking his cock for all it was
worth.
“God, you’re so fucking hot…my angel, so good…you’re so good…I’m
gonna come inside you, baby, fill you up so good,” he crooned to her, his soft
voice in contrast to the rough movements of his hips. He was banging her so
hard she’d probably be sore tomorrow but he couldn’t stop himself. He was
so close, so nearly there…almost there…Fuck!
He rubbed her clit harder, faster, in cadence with his thrusts, bringing
her with him to the edge.
A few beats before his explosion, she cried out, hitting her orgasm. He
threw his head back, groaning hoarsely, driving that final thrust inside her. He
felt his balls tighten in delicious pain and then released all the tension in his
body.
 His mind turned to mush. His entire being dissolved into liquid,
throbbing ecstasy, lost in the depths of her sweet, little body. Somebody
could have shot him between the eyes right now and he wouldn’t know what
hit him. Fuck, he was dead. So fucking dead. With every slamming of his
heart, he was drowning in incredibly satisfying, bone-melting explosions.
Moments later, they were both leaning heavily on the metal railing, the
magnificent view of the metropolis below beckoning for a free fall.
“This will be a good position to die,” he murmured lazily. Indeed, if he
had to choose how to end it all, this would take top spot on his list. Dying
inside Angie’s warm body after shooting his load inside her.
She giggled, causing her sheath to ripple soothingly around his now
semi-soft cock.
Damn, that felt good.
“Imagine the headline. Lovers fall from skyscraper doggie-style.”
He chuckled, amazed at her wicked sense of humor. He nuzzled her
cheek, inhaling her sweet scent mixed with the musky aroma of her spent
arousal. “Where did you learn such language?”
“Where else? From you, of course.”
“Me? I don’t remember cussing like a sailor around you. I was always a
gentleman.”
She actually gave an unladylike snort. “You should record yourself in the
middle of it.”
He chuckled. “What did I say?”
“Lots of nasty, dirty unmentionables.”
He squeezed her breasts.“I bet it really turned you on.”
“No way.”
He kissed her nape. “I’d like you to talk dirty to me.”
“Ew.”
Grinning, he slapped her ass playfully.
“Aw!” she yelped and giggled again.
He gently pulled out of her. It immediately gave him a feeling of loss. He
wanted to spend more time cocooned within her heat.
He needed more of her. Much, much more.
He wrapped his arms securely around her, lacing their fingers together.
“Still afraid of heights, angel?”
“No. Not anymore.”
 Silence stretched as words both failed them. They stared at the expanse
of glittering lights below, the gentle wind fanning their faces, cooling their
over-heated bodies.
“Let me go now,” she finally said after some time.
His arms tightened around her. He didn’t want to let go of this moment
yet, to go back to his side of the battle line. “Angie…”
“Please.”
He sighed and let her go.
Silence stretched again as they put their respective clothes back in place.
He watched her as she gracefully combed her long, shiny hair with her
fingers, drinking in her beauty as the line that bitterly divided them
resurfaced to put them both back in fighting stance.
Okay, ask her now. Get your answers. End this story once and for all
and close the damn book.
“Why are you with Jordan?” It was probably the most stupid question
but he couldn’t help it. He already knew the answer of course but he badly
wanted it straight from her lips.
“You already know why, Jaq,” she replied without looking at him.
“Yeah. Business. Big business. He must be really worth something,
huh?” The words barely cleared his throat, his jealousy of Jordan almost
overwhelming him.
She nodded. “Yes.”
“I thought you two would have been married a long time ago.”
She raised one brow. “I didn’t know you’ve been following my love
life.”
“Just wondering why you didn’t marry him when you turned twenty one.
That was the plan, right?”
She looked away. “My mother died.”
He fell quiet. He’d read in the news about the tragic death of Marcella
Yulo when the sedan she was riding with her husband rammed into a
speeding cargo truck in an intersection at past midnight. The couple
reportedly came from a party. Manolo luckily survived.
Despite his hatred, he’d felt sad for the Yulo clan. He had nothing but
good memories of the one and only time he had met the vivacious and
gracious Marcella Yulo.
“I’m sorry,” he said sincerely.
She shrugged. “It’s okay.”
 He didn’t think she would elaborate on the matter but she spoke again.
“My father went into a period of depression. Then the economy crashed.
Stocks plummeted and lots of businesses folded in those times. Deals were
put on hold. Therefore, my marriage was put on hold, too. And I think Jordan
realized that time that marrying in his mid-twenties would be foolish for a
man of his stature. He needed more freedom as a bachelor.”
“Until recently, I suppose.”
“Yes. Five years ago, our families went on with the merger. Jordan’s
family owns thirty-five percent of Empress Group now. We were able to
expand all over Asia. Business has been good since and Jordan is now
finally ready to settle down,” she stated matter-of-factly, as if she was
discussing a business plan, not her life. But then again, to the Yulos,
everything was about business.
He didn’t know why he was subjecting himself to this kind of torture.
What was the fuckin’ point? Would her answers make any difference after all
these years? No, definitely not. But the questions won’t stop flying out of his
lips. “You’re not in love with him.” It was a statement.
“How do you know that, Jaq? Are you an expert in those things?” she
retorted mockingly.
“You won’t be with me now if you love him.”
She smiled even sweeter and it grated at his nerves, her utter composure.
“Come on. Does that mean you love me, Jaq Montero?”
That caught him unawares. Her question hit him like a bullet straight to
the heart. She was waiting for his answer, but he couldn’t find any cavalier
comeback to that direct and calculated attack.
“There’s your answer,” she said, smiling sadly. “Love? What’s love
gotta do with it?”
Indeed. You gave your virginity to me and you didn’t love me. You give
yourself to me now so passionately and you still don’t love me. My love
meant nothing to you then as you so easily betrayed me. It still means
nothing to you now.
But he didn’t say those words. They would make him sound even more
of a fool than he already was. He wanted to shake her until her bones rattled
at her casual admission of not loving Jordan either. Was she made of stone?
He cannot believe that within that exquisitely formed body lay a dead heart.
“But make no mistake, Jaq. I am committed to Jordan. He’s going to be
my husband.”
 Marry a man she didn’t love but she was committed to? Hearing her say
these things now made him realize one truth. He really didn’t know her at all.
This woman was as ruthless and greedy as her father. She would do
everything, including selling herself to the highest bidder for more money and
power.
She was not worth it, really. She never was.
He was disgusted anew by her total lack of morals. But even then, he
was not about to let her go just yet. He found out now, he was not prepared to
close their damn book, after all. “This won’t be the last time we’ll do this.”
Her beautiful eyes glittered with challenge. “Can’t get enough?”
“Not yet. Neither can you.”
She shrugged. “Okay. But it ends on my wedding.”
He smiled then, full of confidence on that score. “Don’t bet on that,
baby.”
She raised a mocking brow. “But what would I need you for when I’ll
have Jordan to satisfy me?”
He sneered. “He obviously doesn’t satisfy you now.”
“You flatter yourself. Like you, I just like variety. Jordan is not a saint,
either. We understand each other’s need for individual explorations. We have
a very comfortable set up. But on second thought…” She raked him with a
purely dominant, sexually objectifying once-over, “Why not? Men have
mistresses. Jordan will most likely take one, too. So, why can’t I have a
lover on the side when my hubby becomes too busy at work? Billionaires
tend to get distracted by a lot of corporate matters. Alright, I’ll call you in the
future when my husband is not available. I guess you’ll do as a side dish.”
She winked at him. “See you around, Jaq.”
Tossing her glorious hair over her shoulders, she walked away from
him, leaving him standing there feeling like a bomb literally exploded in his
face. He wanted to run after her and drag her back, but he just watched her
until she rounded a corner and disappeared from his sight.
She was still going to marry her fiancé. After writhing against him,
calling his name as she came hard around his cock, she was still going to
marry her damn fiancé.
That made him what?
Nothing.
Just like before, Angie made him feel worthless as shit. Just a body that
she used and then discarded at whim. He inhaled and exhaled slowly, his
chest pricked by a thousand needles of individual pain.
She could still hurt him after all these years. And with that hurt, his
hatred reaffirmed itself, filling his entire being with renewed strength. She
knew all his vulnerable spots and she got got him good. Twice in a row now.
Theirs was a sordid story long overdue for a grand finale.
He angrily wiped the wetness in his eyes.
Bitch.

Walk away like you own the world. You’re in control. You don’t care.
Everything that happened between you in the past and in the present means
nothing. Nothing. Nothing!
Bullshit. Liar.
Angie tried to walk as gracefully as she could manage on rubbery legs.
She had been fooling herself when she thought she could handle Jaq with
casual indifference. Being constantly subjected to power showdowns with
him sapped all her energy to the bone, leaving her cold and bleeding from
old wounds being reopened over and over.
Despite her well-played bravado, she could never be someone who
would engage in sex without emotion, because where Jaq Montero was
concerned, she was an emotional mine field, open and vulnerable. Once
again, Jaq had proven his power over her. All it took was one touch and she
became a puppet, eager to do his bidding.
She still loved him so very much. Giving herself to him meant everything
in the world to her. She had never been intimate with any other man all these
years. She had never felt any passion for any other man. And now she knew
why. They were not Jaq, the only man she had ever loved. The only man she
would probably love ‘til she was no more. A sob escaped her lips as that
self-admission really sank in.
When she spotted a powder room, she rushed toward it, locking the
door. All the pressure of the recent events finally caught up with her and it
felt like a great flood rushing out of her, wanting release. She sat on the
water-closet, sobbing with anguish that came from the deepest part of her
soul.
After so many years, she allowed herself to cry again and feel the pain
and regret for her and Jaq, for their young love that didn’t stand the test of
time, for losing him before she even had the chance to fully show him how
much she loved him, for all their dreams that had turned to ashes all too soon.
 She didn’t know how long she’d sat there crying. When she heard
somebody trying to enter the powder room, she stood up and fixed her
appearance. With her head bowed, she opened the door. She took the
hallway, walking away from the atrium.
She saw a door that bore the sign ‘Only Hotel Staff are allowed’. She
entered it. It was the kitchen.
A staff saw her. “Yes, ma’am?”
“Is there another way out of this building aside from the main
elevators?”
“Yes, ma’am, the utility elevator.” The staff pointed her to the direction
of the lift.
“Thank you.”
Chapter Nine
HER FIANCE DIDN’T USUALLY come visit her without calling her first
but today must be an exception. Jordan looked his usual impeccable self, his
business suit, custom-made to fit his tall, well-built frame, making him look
more handsome and sophisticated.
Sometimes Angie wondered if his clothes ever got creased. She’d never
seen him disheveled. He was always well-groomed, always looking too
perfect for anyone’s comfort.
She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. “Jordy, what are you doing
here?”
“Why did you leave me at the party?” He always cut to the chase, too.
“Sorry, I wasn’t feeling well and I didn’t want to disturb you while you
were talking to your business associates. I knew how important it was for
you.”
“I saw you talking to Montero. Did he bother you?”
She swallowed. Here was her chance to come clean. “Jordy…I need to
tell you something…”
“Shhh. Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter, Angie.”
“But Jordy—”
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
She gasped in shock, freezing in his arms.
It wasn’t the first time he’d kissed her but it was never as demanding as
this.
She wrenched her face away from him. “Jordan!” she exclaimed,
mortified and feeling...guilty. After Jaq’s kisses, it didn’t feel right to kiss
Jordan anymore.
The irrational feeling infuriated her. Jordan kissed her and she felt like
she was cheating on Jaq!
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”
Embarrassed, he let her go.
She was at a loss for words. It was one of the most awkward moments
between them. When Jordan proposed to her two months ago, it was only the
time when he had started kissing her in an intimate manner. Prior to that were
mere hugs and pecks on the cheek. Jordan was a complete gentleman, a rare
breed nowadays. She did not deserve him.
Do it now. Do it! “Jordan–”
 “I’ve been thinking, we should announce the date of our wedding.”
Her heart dropped to her stomach.
“It’s time we made the date official.”
“Jordan, listen–”
“We’ll announce it at AZN this week. Let’s do it. Let’s get married.”
She blanched, her stomach going queasy.
“Angie?”
“Hi guys!”
Sherry bounced into the room in a flurry of colors, totally disrupting a
crucial moment. Angie wanted to scream at her sister for interrupting them.
As usual, her sister’s voluptuous figure was clad in nothing short of
fabulous. She looked like a glam rock star in a colorfully beaded tube top,
low-rise, red leather pants, towering studded heels, her long, super straight
black hair, highlighted in shades of blue, pink and purple. She was wearing
purple contact lenses framed by thick lashes and hot pink lipstick.
If they were seen together, she would look like Sherry’s PA in her
sedate, black pant suit.
Jordan was eying Sherry with disapproval.
Sherry air-kissed her. “Sis! Thought we were gonna have lunch together?
Didn’t know Jordy would be here,” she said in a breathy voice and gave
Jordan an impish smile, not bothered one bit by his withering stare. “Jordy,
you’re looking GQ as always.”
“And you’re looking weird as always,” Jordan shot back without
mincing words.
Sherry grinned and flipped her hair away from her face. “Don’t like my
fashion sense, I see. I can understand that, boring as you are with yours,” she
retorted saucily. “Why don’t you let me design your dress shirts and ties? It
won’t hurt if you put a bit of color in that suit, Jordy.”
Momentarily diverted from her woes, Angie was finding the exchange
amusing. Jordan looked incensed as if the thought of Sherry designing his
clothes would be his worst nightmare.
“I like my clothes simple and normal, thank you.”
“Yeah, simple and booooring!” Sherry dissed back.
“Are you two going out now?” Jordan asked.
“Yup, wanna join us?” Sherry batted her mile-long eyelashes at him.
He checked this watch. “No. I need to go back to the office. There’s a
board meeting waiting for me there.”
 “Too bad. We’re eating at this new fab Thai restaurant.”
“No, thanks, I hate hot food.”
“My, my, you have so many restrictions, Jordy. Do you hate raw food,
too?”
Jordan displayed one of his rare boyish grins. “Now, that’s another
story. I love raw.”
Sherry had no smart comeback.
“I gotta go. See you, sweetheart.” Jordan kissed her cheek. “We’ll talk
soon, okay? Don’t worry, everything will be alright.”
Angie watched Jordan leave her office, feeling the entire world
weighing down on her.
“You ready?” Sherry asked.
She walked to the sofa and sat there quietly.
“Hey, what’s wrong, Ange?”
“Jordan wants us to set the date of our wedding and announce it on TV
this week.”
“T-this week?!” Sherry exclaimed.
She looked at her sister helplessly. “What am I gonna do, Sher?”
“What…what do you mean?”
“I don’t know...I’m so confused.”
Sherry sat beside her. “Tell me.”
“I just...I just don’t think we should get married...”
“You don’t...uhm, you don’t wanna marry, Jordy?”
“It’s not that. I just don’t think we should marry this soon.”
“Why?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know…”
“Is it because of Jaq?”
She didn’t answer.
“You still love him?”
Her eyes watered. “Oh Sher, what am I gonna do? Jordan...Dad...our
brothers...our company...Jaq...” She shook her head. “I don’t know what to do
anymore.”
Sherry gripped her hand. “It’s simple, Ange. Just follow your heart. It
will always set you free.”

Jaq was in a foul mood as he entered one of the lounges of Lothario.

His movie was almost done so he treated his cast and crew to a weekend
break. He left them in the capable hands of Joey and his production
managers. They were somewhere in the city having a good time.
He was at Lothario most weekends since he came back into the country.
His house had been restored to normal but he didn’t want to spend time alone
there. He used to enjoy his solitude for his creative moments but he now
hated it.
A few months ago his life was alright. He had a job he loved, a social
life that was satisfactory. But since he saw Angie again, he found himself not
in complete control of his life and he hated it. He hated feeling vulnerable.
Worst of all, he hated being needy.
He’d vowed to make her pay for everything she had done to him. He
promised himself that this time around, he would make her want him so badly
she would break up her engagement with Jordan and go back to him, and it
would be his turn to walk away and leave her high and dry.
What a great plan, dumbass. The moment your dick was inside her, you
were the one flying high, and definitely not dry, too.
Angelina Yulo was the one chink in his armor that he just cannot fix. Not
even after all these years. The more he had her, the more he wanted more of
her like a junkie. He’d swallowed his pride and called up Darry to ask for
Angie’s phone number. Darry was only too happy to give it to him. He had
been trying to contact Angie for days now but she was not answering her
phone. He was tempted to visit her at the Empress Hotel and declare war on
her family again so he could see her again. Jesus, was he obsessed with her?
The possibility made him sick.
He went to the bar and ordered whiskey.
“Too early to get drunk, sugar,” said the bartender dressed exotically as
a Pagan High Priestess, her bountiful wares on display, if he was interested.
“Humor me, Psy and just pour me another one,” he said curtly.
Psy poured her another glass. He finished the round in one swig.
“Another one.”
Psy clucked her tongue. “When a guy wants to get stinkin’ drunk, there
are only two reasons. The GF or wife left him or he is getting married.”
He looked at the geisha curiously. Psyche was very beautiful and
obviously had something between her ears, as well. She was one of those
geishas who can actually carry a very interesting conversation with a guy,
which made her a huge hit at the club. “I could be just broke.”
 “Doing a Hollywood film starring The Rock and Alex Pettyfer? Nah.
You getting married?”
“Since when did you become the host of Lothario’s entertainment
news?” he asked her sourly.
“Bartending is boring as hell I have to amuse myself at your expense.”
He smirked. “Not enjoying as a geisha lately?”
“I’m on a sabbatical leave as a G.”
A geisha on a sabbatical leave? That was funny. But Psy was no
ordinary geisha. She had a degree in Psychology, thus her moniker. Members
of the club would generally seek Psy’s company to talk. Geishas like her who
can talk with sense, fuck good and keep confidences were the top earners of
the club. He was actually lucky he caught her alone at the bar tonight. On
most nights, she was surrounded by guys, always the center of attention.
He cleared his throat. “I have a question Psy. Pretend you’re not a geisha
for a moment. Do women really enjoy sex for sex alone?”
She raised a brow. “Why, Jaq Montero, I didn’t know you were a
chauvinist pig.”
He shrugged. “Call me a normal self-centered bastard, but it’s a common
assumption by us men that you at least love us a little first before you decide
to fuck us. You know, the don’t-do-him-on-the-first-date motto most of you
girls live by.”
Psy rolled her eyes. “Yeah, well, sorry to burst your fat, sexist bubble,
boy, but women can actually enjoy an emotional-rubbish-free sexual
encounter with a man anytime and not think about it the next day.”
“Like a slam-bam-thank-you-sir? Really?”
“Yeah.”
Well, he’d been with those types in the past and he didn’t mind. But
Angie as one of them? Every part of him objected violently.
“Well, we prefer sex with men we really, really like. It’s just better and
more intense.”
So, did Angie have real intense feelings for him?
What feelings, you fool? He put you in jail years ago for banging her,
you idiot!
His common sense put him back in the right frame quickly. “Women.
Who can ever figure ‘em out?”
Psy leaned on the counter showing him her cleavage. “Now, Jaq, I
really, really like you, you know?”
 He grinned. “Now, now, baby, I’m gonna pay you good for this great
conversation.”
She smiled lazily. “For free.”
He kissed her cheek. “So sweet. Thank you.”
She pouted. “Oookay, I get it,” she refilled his glass.
He downed it. “So, how do you know when you’re really in love with a
man?”
She laughed. “Tsk, you must be in real deep shit, dude.”
“Come on, humor me.”
“Okay, I’ll tell you something. When a woman falls in love, she will
commit to her man exclusively even if she thinks he is Mr. Wrong. A man on
the other hand could meet Miss Right but he won’t commit if he isn’t ready to
do so, even if he loves her to bits. He will likely even dump her to find a less
complicated Miss Right Now. Self-centered bastards.”
“You’re saying that for women, commitment means love?”
“In most cases, yes.”
He swallowed hard. “What would make a woman commit to a man aside
from love?”
She smiled sadly. “Security and convenience, I guess. Women have
wised up in this game. Like men, love no longer rules our world. In fact,
between love and money, it’s a tough choice.”
“Money talks faster, huh?” he said bitterly.
He felt sick. Psy just unknowingly confirmed Angie’s character in black
and white. But Angie wasn’t aiming for a paltry sum from her marriage to
Jordan. How much money did Angie want to be content? Obviously, a lot
more than what she already had. Much, much more than what he had and
would ever make.
Psy shrugged. “If we can’t have love, beaucoup moolah is the next best
thing. Why, isn’t that what you men live by, too? Money, money, money? I
mean, look at this place. It’s all about money and power.”
He won’t agree with her on that score. Making tons of money had never
been the end point for him. His career was widely successful but the resultant
monetary rewards of his hard work made no difference in his outlook in life.
“Another shot, sweetheart, please.”
“Hey, enough. You’re still driving home, right? Come on, handsome,
what’s really bothering you? Tell Momma here and I will make it better.”
 Maybe it was the whiskey or just plain desperation that made him
confess to the geisha. “A woman let me have sex with her but she said she is
committed to her boyfriend.”
“Hmm, is the boyfriend old and ugly?”
“No. On the contrary, he’s my age, good-looking and very loaded,” he
said resentfully.
“Hmm, and you were hurt by this?”
“No. Insulted.”
Psy smiled knowingly. “For being the boy toy?”
He growled something unintelligible.
“Oooh, Jaq Montero the playah hates being the boy toy. Isn’t that
ironic?”
He grunted.
“She’s committed to her boyfriend but would gladly ride your jack-the-
giant-bean-stalk, too? Aren’t you a lucky prick? Who hates a free fuck?”
He clenched his jaw. She leaned forward and peered at him closely.
“What?” he snapped.
“You’re in love with her!” she exclaimed.
He grimaced in distaste. “I’m not.”
She chuckled. “Yes, you are, otherwise, you’d be happy being the boy
toy. Come on, it’s every man’s fantasy. Free fuck and no strings attached.
Perfect set-up.”
What she said was true enough. If it were another woman, he’d be happy
being the boy toy. But Angie’s boy toy? He wanted to run amok in affronted
rage. Damn her, she always made him feel unworthy to be with her for real.
She had given him full access to her body but not her life. She had never been
proud to be with him, walk with him in public hand in hand, introduce him to
her circle of friends and her folks. He’d never felt secure in the thought that
she’d accepted him, the whole of him. He was never the most important
person in her life. She would never choose him over Jordan–
He halted the direction of his thoughts. This masochistic need for her
absolute acceptance was simply pathetic.
“Hmm, I think I know her, too. In fact, I got a video clip somewhere here
in my cell–”
“Don’t,” he warned the geisha.
She sighed dramatically. “Ah well, if she’s the one causing you all this
drama, then she must be really something. Would you like to marry her
yourself?”
“No,” he said flatly.
“Then why are you so worked up about being her side dish? Maybe you
wanna be her main dish?”
Were women’s minds wired together or something? Side dish?! Shit.
“Just one last drink.”
“Uh-huh, speaking of the devils…Don’t look behind you now. Jordan
just came in with the Yulo twins.”
Jaq braced himself as Rad, Ram and Jordan approached the bar. He
didn’t look at them but he knew where they were. If they’d lay a finger on
him, it was motherfucking on!
“Hi guys!” Psy greeted the trio. “What can I get you?”
They sat a few meters away from him. He quietly fiddled with his empty
glass.
“Montero!” Rad called out to him.
He slowly turned his head toward them.
“You have the balls to still come in here.”
The corner of his lips lifted in a sneer. “I am paying the membership,
Rad.”
“Now that makes me wonder about the qualifications of becoming a
member of this club.”
He bristled at the insult. He had known X from way back and he had
earned the right to be a member. “Why don’t you ask X about that?”
“I will certainly do that. What you did must not be tolerated by the club.
It’s a ground for expulsion.”
“What I did...?” he asked slowly, his temper rapidly escalating. It took a
lot of self-control to tolerate Rad Yulo but tonight, he just wasn’t in the mood
to walk away from trouble.
“Leaking the video, you fuck!”
He turned the bar stool so that he was fully facing Rad. “If I were you, I
wouldn’t worry too much about my sex video with your sister. There’s
another video you should really be worried about.”
“What do you mean?”
He finally dropped the bomb. “I have another video that could put you
and your brother in jail.”
Rad snorted. “Yeah, what video are you talking about? Me bangin’
you?”
 He gave the asshole an evil smile. “Believe me, man, this video will
send you two in the can and for sure, lots of inmates will gang bang you there
everyday.”
“Spit it out! What video are talking about?!”
“You think you’ve destroyed all my CCTVs? What you destroyed were
just the decoy cams. I have other well-hidden surveillance cameras and they
caught you and Ram and your goons breaking into my house searching for
something and vandalizing my property. The last time I checked, burglary
alone could give you six to twelve years. And I won’t negotiate.”
Rad looked taken aback but recovered quickly. “You’re bluffing.”
“Wrong guess.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Why not? What do you expect from a guy you already accused of
leaking your sister’s sex video? I can make your life very difficult with those
evidence.”
Rad was about to lunge at him but Jordan stopped him.
Angie’s boyfriend walked up to him.
“What did you say?” Jordan asked, his voice calm.
Jaq stared at Angie’s fiancé. He had seen Jordan a lot at Lothario over
the years but they never exchanged any word, not even once. He’d avoided
Jordan at all costs. He’d been hating the guy for so long. If it were up to him,
he didn’t want to see Jordan at Lothario, but his privilege as X’s friend
didn’t extend to meddling with X’s other friendships.
“Jordan.” He didn’t know what to say to the man who was everything
that he was not, who possessed everything that he longed to have. Jordan had
the only woman he had ever wanted. The only woman he had ever loved. In a
few months, she would be Jordan’s wife.
The sudden self-admission hit him to the core and it threatened to choke
him in rage.
“Tell me honestly, Jaq. Did you really leak the video?”
His resentment for Jordan reached boiling point. “I have the original
uncut, no holds barred version. Wanna see it?”
Jordan’s fist flew.
He ducked in time and Jordan hit air. That was a most welcome
provocation because he was itching to beat the shit out of Jordan so badly.
Fuck, game on!
 Jordan grabbed his lapels and hauled him from the bar stool. He lost his
balance, knocking off the bottles of liquor lined up at the counter. They
crashed to the granite floor, creating a loud noise.
Psy screamed. “Oh my God! Help!!!”
Jordan was on him again but this time, he was ready. He charged the guy
like a linebacker.
They landed on the floor.
He straddled Jordan and rained punches on him. Everything turned to
bloody red as they struggled to hurt each other.
Jaq felt a hard kick on his back. He knew it was Rad.
He left Jordan on the floor and faced Rad.
He charged the asshole, too. His rage was too much that he quickly
overpowered Rad. His fists felt raw but he landed many blows on Rad’s
face, cursing him, wanting to kill him with his bare hands!
Fuck, fuck, fuck him him! Fuck them all, motherfuckers!
He was bodily dragged from Rad, his neck trapped in an arm lock. That
put him in a helpless, defensive position even as he struggled to free himself
from Ram’s tight hold.
Jordan was on his feet looking ready to kill him, too.
Using Ram’s hold as leverage, Jaq attempted to kick Jordan.
Jordan blocked his leg and slammed his fist solidly on his solar plexus.
Jaq’s breath whooshed out of him. Jordan grabbed his hair and snarled in his
face.“She’s mine, you fuck! Mine!”
“She was mine first, you dumb fuck! I popped her cherry!” he snarled
back.
Jordan slammed his fist in his stomach again. Jaq choked on his breath,
his vision blurring.
He vaguely saw Alexis, Jonty and Rydon running towards them.
“What the fuck is going on here?!” Alexis roared.
Alexis grabbed the back of Jordan’s shirt, pulling him away.
Ram finally released his hold on his neck. Jaq dropped to the floor on
his knees coughing, blood dripping from his mouth.
“Outside, all of you!” Alexis ordered like a pissed off army drill
sergeant.
Moments later, he and Jordan were at the pool side, their faces bloody
as they both listened to Alexis rant about his club’s rules and regulations.
 “You know the rules! Thou shall not kill each other because of a damn
pussy! Fuck, Jaq, get yourself your own bitch, man! Angie is Jordan’s now!
Respect!”
Jaq clenched his jaw in futile rage.
“Make peace with each other or I’ll kick you both out from the club.”
Nobody made a sound.
“Apologize to each other!” Alexis repeated.
“He started it, X,” Jaq said through bleeding lips.
“I didn’t. You did!” Jordan shot back, spitting blood on the ground.
“Okay, you wanna settle this in the ring?” Alexis asked them.
The infamous boxing ring of Lothario had been a silent witness to many
duels between feuding members. When things couldn’t be settled by mere
talk, X put the members in the ring to slug it out. Afterward, the feud would
be as good as settled. Whoever violated the peace got kicked out.
“Yeah!” Jaq answered right away.
“Yeah! Now!” Jordan agreed, slamming his fist into his palm.
“A’ight, come on, let’s go.” Alexis glanced at an area of the pool side.
“Kit, you wanna watch?”
Jaq saw Kit in a corner, drinking alone. He hadn’t seen his friend in
weeks and he seemed thinner now. Stubble had darkened his face, his eyes,
bloodshot.
Kit raised his bottle of Jack Daniels in their direction. “Good luck guys.
Lemme remind you, a pussy is not worth dying for,” he said with caustic
humor.
What Kit said stuck as Jaq faced Jordan in the ring, mayhem pulsating in
his bloodstream. Wearing a pair of boxing gloves and a protective headgear,
waiting for the duel to begin, he thought, was Angie worth all the hell he was
putting himself through?
The answer to that didn’t matter as the bell rang. The only thing he
wanted to do in that moment was kick Jordan’s bloody ass to kingdom come
and back.

Angie learned something that day. When Jordan wanted something to

happen, he’d work on it right away.
Jordan arrived that day in the Yulo mansion with his parents, Teddy and
Marjorie Lavega, his only sister Celine and the host of AZN’s most top-
rating celebrity talk show, Taryn Verga. Taryn had her entire production crew
in tow, too.
The Lavegas were in full force to ask for her hand in marriage again, to
the surprise and delight of her father and brothers.
Angie’s favorite fashion stylist suddenly arrived with her little entourage
composed of a make-up artist, hair stylist and a fashion designer. She brought
a truckload of new designer dresses for her to choose from. Her favorite
food caterer arrived shortly, too, quickly laying a banquet.
In an hour, the mansion’s garden was transformed into a set for a TV
show, starring her and Jordan.
It was a coup.
She was totally blindsided.
When Jordan told him they’d announce their wedding date within the
week, she thought she’d have time to convince him otherwise. She was
wrong.
She met Sherry’s eyes across the room. Her sister was silently
encouraging her to stand up for herself now. But as she stared light-headed at
the hustle and bustle— her father and Teddy Lavega talking like brothers, her
twin brothers and Jordan laughing together, Marjorie and Celine busily taking
charge of the entire affair— she wondered if she could really stand up now
and leave.
It was a now or never moment and she was confronted by her real
choices.
If she left now, what was waiting for her on the other side of the
equation?
Freedom? From what?
What did she want to walk away from?
Her family who loved her?
The chance of becoming a part of Jordan’s wonderful family who
practically owned half of Empress Group— the perfect business set up for
both their clans?
The job that she’d worked so hard for all these years?
This beautiful home that held so many of her great childhood memories?
She had good relationships, a good life, a great job and a bright future
with a man who wanted to honor her by marrying her despite the scandal. She
would destroy all of that for what? What would she sacrifice all that for?
 Her looked away from the happy tableau as her tears fell. She answered
her own questions.
Nothing. No one.
Jaq Montero?
She wanted to laugh hysterically. What was she thinking? What did she
have with that man?
A video scandal and two recent sexual encounters. What she had with
Jaq were lust, hate and lies. Yes, she loved him still. But did Jaq love her?
No. Jaq hated her. Jaq wanted her and her family to suffer. And he was
making them suffer.
Jordan loved her. His family loved her.
Her choices were simple and clear.
It wasn’t hard to choose, was it?
There was no contest, really.
Oh stupid, stupid heart. Stop being stupid. Just stop.
She thought it would be a simple announcement but the Lavegas decided
it would be a special event at AZN. The ‘show’ will run thirty minutes on a
prime time slot and will be aired on Valentine’s day.
Chapter Ten
“YOU CAN’T IGNORE ME LIKE THIS. I know you want to see me, too.”
Angie made an angry, frustrated sound after reading the message. Jaq had
been bombarding her with phone calls the past days which she all ignored.
How did he get her number?
Her private land line went off. It was Betty whose little office was
adjacent to hers.
“Angie, Jordan is on line 2.”
She was puzzled that Jordan would call her land line. He had all her cell
phone numbers.
She’d decided to give their relationship a chance. Why was she the one
being difficult when she was the one at fault? She should be ashamed of
herself. Really ashamed of herself.
Jordan chose to move forward, turn a new page from the scandal. She
should do the same. It was the mature thing to do, the right thing to do, the
sane thing to do, the smart thing to do, not wallow in her confusion over her
complicated feelings which brought her nothing but trouble from the
beginning anyway.
She should learn to simplify her life. Life was more peaceful and
productive that way.
“Angie?” Betty’s voice interrupted her musing.
“Okay, please transfer the call here, Betty.”
The call was transferred. “Hello?”
“Angie?”
She froze.
“Don’t put the phone down.”
She gripped the receiver harder. Her heart was suddenly racing.
“You haven’t returned my calls and my messages.”
She didn’t answer. She just listened to his low, nasal voice as he spoke,
her longings clawing at her.
“Angie, talk to me.”
She remained silent.
“I missed you.”
She closed her eyes.
“If you don’t see me now, I’ll go to your office.”
She finally spoke. “Don’t, Jaq. Security will throw you out.”
 “Watch me. I’m coming.”
The line went dead.
She stared at the phone for a few seconds then slammed it back in the
cradle.
Panic seized her. She called his phone. It rang but he didn’t pick up.
“Damn you!”
She grabbed her bag and ran to the door. A scandal here at the Empress
Hotel would be a disaster of unthinkable consequences. Her father and her
brothers were all in the building.
Rad had given the guards at the main entrance a very clear photograph of
Jaq taken from one of Jaq’s official websites. Jaq was persona non grata at
any Empress establishment.
Boarding a lift , she went down to the lobby. Once at the ground floor,
she dialed Jaq’s number again. She exhaled sharply when he finally picked
up.
“I’m almost there.”
“Don’t you dare! The guards will throw you out, I swear!” she said a
hushed voice.
“Yeah? We’ll see.”
“Jaq, please!”
“I wanna see you now. If this is the way to make it happen, then so be it.
I’m now rounding the corner towards the hotel driveway.”
“What are you driving?!”
“Why, you wanna hop in, baby?”
“Don’t go up the driveway! I’ll meet you at corner Legaspi, damn you!”
He chuckled. “Can’t wait to see me, huh?”
“Your car, tell me!”
“A black Dodge pick-up.”
She cut the call and discreetly walked to the hotel’s side entrance, all the
while securing a scarf over her head to cover her hair and face. She put on
her big sunglasses. The guard at the door didn’t recognize her. She’d be back
in a few minutes.
She saw a black pick-up truck parked at the curb. She quickly
approached the vehicle.
Jaq came out of the truck clad in a black shirt, black pants and aviator
glasses. He opened the front passenger door. She climbed in without a word.
 The moment he came back to the driver’s seat and closed the door, she
let her temper loose. “This is insane, Jaq! You can’t just do this! I would
have none of this anymore! You have to stop doing this–”
He leaned over, grabbed her face and kissed her hard. The contact was
like a high-voltage current, momentarily stunning her. Then it rushed through
her, energizing every nerve in her body.
Oh God!
She opened her lips to taste him further but he pulled back.
He smiled knowingly. “You’ll have more later.” He strapped the seat
belt on her torso.
That snapped her back to reality. “We really need to talk, Jaq! We can’t
go on like this! This is totally, totally irresponsible and wrong! It’s is
destroying our lives! We cannot continue disregarding–”
“Shhh.” He navigated the huge vehicle back on the road.
“I am serious, Jaq!”
“Me, too. We’ll talk, but later. I’m driving.”

They’d been cruising for a few minutes amid moderate traffic when he
turned left, entering a narrow street. Before Angie she knew it, the truck was
nosing its way into a long driveway.
“Duck,” he told her.
“Why?”
He put his hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her to bend over.
“You don’t want anybody to see you entering a motel, do you?”
She gasped. “A motel?!”
“Here we go.”
She really ducked her head this time, hiding her face below the
dashboard. “Oh my God, you bastard! Turn back! You can’t bring me here!”
He chuckled. “Too late, we’re already in.” He killed the engine. “It’s
alright now. We’re private.”
She cautiously peeked outside the window. They were inside a garage of
sorts and it was dimly lit. Nobody but them in sight. She straightened in her
seat and smacked him in the shoulder. “How dare you bring me here! I’m not
one of your cheap bimbos!”
“Stay here.” He got out and disappeared from sight.
She stayed in the truck waiting for him, fuming. The passenger door
suddenly opened making her jump in surprise.
 He gave her a naughty grin. “Miss me? Let’s go.”
“Jaq— ”
“Unless you wanna fuck here in the garage, let’s go,” he said warningly.
She glared at him, fighting the fluttering ache between her legs. “I want
to talk.”
“We will. Upstairs.”
“We will no longer have sex, Jaq.”
“Whatever you want.”
He helped her out of the truck and holding her hand, he led her up a
narrow stairs. He opened the door at the top of the stairs and nudged her into
the room.
She looked around in surprise. She didn’t know motels looked like this.
The room was quite spacious, cozily lit, plushly carpeted and elegantly
furnished. Not cheap-looking at all. She glanced at Jaq.
He had locked the door and was now looking at her with a wicked
gleam in his eyes. “First time?”
“Where are we?”
“Valley of Kings.”
She was even more mortified. The Valley of Kings, a chain of upscale
motels peppering key cities all over the country was owned by Brandon
King, a good friend of her brothers. “My God, if someone saw–”
Before she could finish, he reached behind his back and pulled off his
black shirt.
That shut her up. Jaq had the body made for sex— tall, bronze-skinned,
super-toned.
Grinning, he undid his metal-studded belt and unzipped his pants. He
kicked off his loafers.
“Jaq, stop! Don’t..!”
He hands stilled at his waistband. “I thought you wanted a side dish?”
She flushed, her own words back-firing on her now.
“Well, this dish is not some boring, limp vegetable, mind you. It’s meat.
Raw, grade A, juicy meat.”
“I’m getting married!” she shouted at him, grasping at straws, desperate
to resist him. “Is that so hard to understand?! Can’t you respect that?!”
“Yes. I totally get that part now. As you wish, I’ll be your side dish.” He
grinned sexily. “I promise to always be delicious for you. I want you to eat
me all the time.”
 His words were shameless, eroding her remaining morals. She put her
hands up to ward him off. “Okay, okay, I didn’t mean what I said. That was
bullshit and I’m sorry I said that. But I do intend to be faithful to Jordan when
we’re married. Please, Jaq, we have to move on. Everything that happened in
the past…us…the video… let’s move on from that. I will no longer hold it
against you. You had every right to take revenge on me and my family. We
deserved it. Please, I beg you, let’s just move on. I’m so tired of all this. I’m
so— ”
He dropped his pants and stepped out of it, kicking it aside. “Tired of
this?”
Her eyes were riveted to his erection. The length and thickness of it just
took her breath away every time. It was a sinister-looking source of her
immeasurable pleasure.
He took hold of his rigid shaft and started playing with himself. “This is
definitely not tired of you. Won’t ever get tired of you for a long time.”
He was simply devoid of any inhibition. This was probably what
primarily drew her to him more than anything else, his devil-may-care
attitude. How else could she explain her craving for him despite all the
shame and degradation he’d brought upon her? It was the sex. The incredibly
addictive sex. Any woman would probably succumb to his seduction the
moment he looked at her like that, as if she was the most beautiful creature on
the planet that he was dying to make love to.
Who could possibly resist all that raw masculinity pulsating with
unrestrained energy?
“You were saying?”
She swallowed hard, losing the battle with her conscience.
He reached her in a few strides and lifted her in his arms. “You talk too
much.”
There were no preliminaries. Their heated verbal exchanges and her
emotional roller coaster when they were together were enough aphrodisiacs.
It was sick, so sick, but she could not control her need for him. She was a
junkie and he was her drug.
Her back met the plush bed. He pushed the hem of her pencil skirt up her
thighs and got rid of her underwear. He opened her legs wide for his visual
inspection and he went straight to the core of her. With Jaq, she could hide
nothing, for he demanded to see everything.
 Her heart banged like a gong behind her rib cage as she watched his
fingers separate her nether lips, peeling them wide open, revealing the
flowing evidence of her craving for him.
“Beautiful…you have the most beautiful pussy, angel.” She gasped and
jerked as he thumbed her pink, swollen clit. “Did you miss this?”
She gripped the sheets and didn’t answer. Smiling, he licked his
forefinger wet and slowly rubbed her.
“Oooh!” she moaned, her hips lifting, electrified.
He was gently writing a continuous loop on her clit. Oh God, so good!
She closed her eyes, her hips moving sensuously, grinding at his hand.
“Fuck, look at this juicy little cooch...”
He rimmed her moist opening, gently snaking a finger in…deeper and
deeper, stretching her. He pulled out then pushed two fingers in, curving
upwards. She shrieked as he stimulated that delicious spot inside her. Her
juices gushed even more. The pleasure was so sharp she wanted it to stop
and yet she wanted it to go on and on. “Jaq…oh God!”
“I can’t wait. I have to be inside you now.”
She opened her eyes, not wanting to miss this.
He rose on top of her. The skin of his shaft stretched fully now to reveal
muscles and veins, the plum-like crown glistening. He sawed his turgid
length along her moist cleft, bathing it with her fluids, again and again, till
she was dizzy with intensified arousal.
Delirious with need, she grabbed his cock, pointing it to her entrance.
“Jaq, please! Now, please!”
He slammed into her. Hard.
She gasped and jerked at the stabbing pressure but her well-lubricated
passage aided his entry. She clamped her legs around his hips at the pleasure
of him stuffing her to bursting again. She hugged him tighter with her inner
walls, welcoming him, eager to do the age-old dance with him. Only him.
Kneeling on the bed, he spread her legs wider and higher. Then he
unleashed his raw power on her. She arched her body to meet his strong
downward strokes. He was rough but she didn’t mind. She wanted to feel his
vibrating strength, dominating her, savaging her.
Her eyes caught sight of two lovers entwined in the heat of animal lust in
the ceiling. The male’s buttocks moved like a jackhammer between the
woman’s thighs and she could feel the impact of that powerful body battering
into her repeatedly, every delicious slam and pull.
 He popped the buttons of her blouse, pushed her bra up, exposing her
breasts. He palmed her globes none too gently, rolled her nipples between
his fingers as he rammed faster still, his grunts and groans mingling with her
cries.
The image above her was so overpoweringly erotic. Jaq between her
legs, taking her, plundering her core and she was loving it…loving him…
loving him so much…!
She closed her eyes, her hands gripping his forearms as she shuddered,
her climax hitting her so sharply she sobbed aloud in its intensity.
He panted above her, licking her lips, gorging her so deeply she thought
she’d split in two and then he hugged her tightly, calling her name as his
entire frame went rigid and then wracked by the seizures of his own release.
The warm essence of him flooding her felt like his love rushing inside
her and she squeezed him, milked him for all that love she had missed all
these years.
Sweet madness.
Moments later, she opened her eyes and looked above them. A man was
sprawled between a woman’s thighs, unmoving. She was still partially
dressed while he was fully naked. She ran her fingers on the man’s muscled
back. He groaned like a well-fed beast.
She cupped his firm buttocks in both her hands and squeezed hard,
making him groan again.
“Enjoying the view, sweetheart?” he asked lazily, nipping her neck
playfully, growing hard inside her again.
She met her own eyes in the mirror above them.
Stupid, shameless heart. You never ever learn.

They were lying in bed spoon-fashion, his arms looped around her.
Angie reveled in the feel of Jaq’s warm, smooth, sinewy skin against her
back.
“Tell me again what you were saying earlier,” he murmured in her hair.
Tell him to go away and not bother you again.
Tell him you don’t want to see him again, ever.
But she couldn’t. She didn’t want to ruin the moment yet. Here she was
again, having a tryst with her ex while the countdown to her wedding just
started. How she managed to string herself into this impossibly complicated
situation, she didn’t know. But she didn’t want to think about that now. Not
today.
She was in another world, in another dimension with Jaq Montero,
where nothing else mattered but the two of them. In this anonymous, little
room she wanted to savor every minute of it, every precious second. This
tiny fragment of the day was borrowed from their past and like a chapter
from a novel, it would end soon. Truly end.
Was it too much to ask for these last few pages of time with him to last a
little longer?
Her eyes misted and her emotions almost overwhelmed her. She took his
hand and pressed his palm to her lips, comforting herself with his warmth.
“Can we just pretend for now that we are at Suite 200 at the Empress
eight years ago?” she asked him softly.
She felt him tense but only for a few seconds. He relaxed and turned her
around to face him.
They stared in each other’s eyes.
In this pretend dimension, she can hold him again. Her old Jaq.
He smiled. That tender, breathtaking smile that could melt all her doubts
and fears away. She inhaled shakily. God, how she missed her old Jaq. How
she missed her old self. She was so young but she was brave. She valiantly
fought for love. She fought and lost.
She touched his face lovingly, wanting him to feel how much she still
loved him. Couldn’t he feel it? She was overflowing with it.
“Tell me what you’d like to become in the future, Jaq Montero.”
He pretended to ponder for a bit. “I’d like to become a successful movie
director and producer.”
“Hmm, not a successful rock star?”
He grinned. “I’m a successful rock star now.”
She rolled her eyes. “How modest. So, what movies would you like to
do?”
“Something new and revolutionary. Something that would make people
appreciate life on the edge.”
“On the edge, huh? Action or horror movies?”
“I like horror movies but mine would be really scary you won’t be able
to sleep with the lights off for a year. Maybe a combination of horror and
action. Or an epic fantasy set in the realm of the unknown. Or high-octane
action movies.”
 She laughed. “You want everything. What else?”
“I wanna do films with social consciousness, too, something that would
make people see the other side of life or the road less traveled. War movies
probably. Indie Films I could submit to the Cannes or Sundance.”
She smiled. “You think you’d get a Cannes?”
“Uh-huh. Maybe an Oscar, too.”
She kissed his hand. “Tall order. But knowing you, you’ll achieve
anything you set your mind to.”
“You really think so?” he asked with the vulnerability of a little boy. So
like her old Jaq.
“I know so,” she told him with all the pride she felt in her heart. This
was the only chance she got to finally tell him how happy and proud she was
of him, of his awesome accomplishments. So very proud. She combed his
hair with her fingers. “You’re great now. You can be the greatest in the future.
I feel it.”
He smiled boyishly, his cheeks flushing at her compliment. “What about
you? What do you wanna be in the future, Angelina Yulo?”
She tried not to be overcome by her emotions. Pretending to be the
Angie of eight years ago brought back her girlish yearnings of happily ever
after. The yearnings that would never be realized now. “I’d like to help run
the hotels someday. I’d probably take up Hotel and Restaurant Management,
or Mass Communication, and pursue a masters, too. Nothing too spectacular
and flashy like your goals.”
She touched the tip of his nose with her forefinger to be flippant.
“I know you can be anything you wanna be. The world is in your hands.
You can have everything, angel.”
“Not everything. Nobody has everything.” I don’t have you.
He was silent for a while, just staring at her.
“I do,” he said softly.
“Really? Tell me what you have.”
His forefinger traced the lines of her face gently, stopping at her lower
lip. “I have the most beautiful angel in my life.”
She swallowed the lump in her throat. The look in his eyes was pure ol’
Jaq. God, how she missed him looking at her like that, like she was the only
woman in the world for him. “You think she will be enough for your
everything?”
“Sure, I’m a simple guy. I don’t need much. Just a lot of sex.”
 She laughed and lightly slapped his chest. “You think she can give you
all the sex that you need?”
“Sure.”
“Like how much sex are we talking about here?”
“Uhhh, three times a day is a good dosage. With an option for afternoon
or midnight snack.”
“That’s gluttony,” she said, feeling like they’d had this conversation
before.
He squeezed her derriere. “I’d gladly fry in hell for that sin.”
She grinned. “It’s a very addicting sin. So…I’m on.”
He kissed her then. It was gentle, cherishing, reverent. Her old Jaq.
“Why do you think you can’t have everything?” he asked her.
She drew circles on his chest. She was never as articulate as him, never
as artistic in her expression. But her old Jaq always got her simplicity.
“Because life is so tricky. It doesn’t really give you everything. Just when
you think you have it all, you lose something.”
“What are you afraid to lose the most?”
She evaded his eyes and laced their fingers together. She stared at their
joined hands, controlling her emotions. “You.”
“Why are you afraid?”
She met his eyes again, uncaring now if he saw through her. She smiled
at him wanly. “Because you’re so wonderful. So alive. So beautiful.”
“Is that bad?”
“No. You’re perfect. But life isn’t. Life always ruins perfection.”
His eyes had a moist sheen in them now. Was he feeling what she was
feeling?
“Life is beautiful when it is first given to us and its beauty is always in
the eye of the beholder. In all its forms, it is perfection itself. It’s our actions
that destroy it. In our lives, we make decisions. We choose who to keep and
who to let go so that we’ll have the freedom inside us to achieve our own
idea of perfection. It’s never easy to choose. But in order to be free, we have
to be brave.”
Her tears threatened to fall now.
“You won’t lose me, angel.”
“I just gotta be brave?”
“Yes.”
“Make love to me again.”
 They let their bodies communicate the rest of their feelings. They made
love until they couldn’t move anymore from exhaustion.

He took her back several hours later to the Empress Hotel. She
asked him to drop her at the same spot where he’d picked her up.
“Angie…” he started softly.
She turned to look at him.
“I…” he sighed harshly, his hands gripping the steering wheel hard his
knuckles stood out. His profile was etched in hard lines. He looked at her
and she saw the naked turmoil in his eyes. “Why are you marrying him?”
God knew she was sick of asking herself the same question. And she
was sick of her own sane, safe, right answers. “Why not?” she countered.
He slammed his fists on the steering wheel the truck honked. “I cannot
believe you’re still going to marry him after what just happened?!”
“What happened, Jaq?”
“Us! Us happened again, Angie! Us!”
Her throat constricted tightly. She was barely holding on to her own
emotions and he was talking like this, giving her hope.
Hope was dangerous with this man. “Is there an us, Jaq?”
“Yes! There is an us!” He grasped her shoulders. “Leave him. Come
with me. To America.”
“Oh Jaq…”
“We can start anew. I don’t care what happened in the past anymore,
Angie. All I want is you. I want you in my life again.”
Oh God, please, don’t do this to me. Don’t make him say these things
and end up lying. “Jaq…”
“I know you want me.”
She shook her head. “Sex is not enough.”
“What do you want to hear? Love? Promises? I think we both learned the
hard lessons from the past. Let’s get real here. Eight years have passed. We
have gone our separate ways, have grown apart. I thought I would have
stopped wanting you. But I still do. I don’t know what’s this I feel for you
now. I need time to sort out my feelings for you. But there’s one thing I’m
sure of. I do care about you, Angie. I care for your happiness. You’re not
happy with Jordan. I can see. He will never make you happy.”
“You want to make me happy?”
“Yes.”
 “Will I make you happy?”
“You already do. Now. Just being with you now makes me happy. It can
grow from here. Let’s take it one step at a time, Angie. Leave him. Leave
your family. Leave everything. Come with me. We’ll start a new life together
—”
She put her forefinger to his lips. “Shhh.”
His eyes were tender. Emotional. Imploring. “Please.”
This scenario happened before. He’d asked her to run away with him.
She threw caution to the wind. But everything ended badly. Could she do it
again? Risk everything for this man? Because if it would end badly again, she
was afraid she would never recover. “My life is in shambles right now, Jaq. I
need to make things right with Jordan. I need to make a lot of things right with
my family, too, before I can start a new one with you.”
“You will break up with him?”
“Give me time.”
“Dammit, you won’t marry him! I won’t let you. I will crash your
wedding, I swear, Angie.”
She kissed him hard on the lips.
He embraced her and he deepened the kiss.
“Promise me you won’t marry him. Promise me, Angie.”
“I promise. God, I don’t know how, but I promise. I promise.”
He hugged her tight again. “I don’t want to let you go.”
“I must. I will come back.”
“Promise to call me.”
“I will. I promise.”
He finally let her go.
She quietly alighted from his vehicle and walked towards the hotel.

Jaq joined his friends in one of the Lothario game rooms. Alexis,
Jonty, Rydon, Diegs and Tommy were there, gathered in a table.
Rydon had a bottle of beer waiting for him. “Drink up, man.”
He took the bottle and was about to quaff it when he noticed Kit drinking
alone in a corner nearby. This was not the first time he’d seen Kit staring out
in space, looking lost.
He was about to go to Kit but Alexis stopped him.
“Let him be, Jaq.”
“Is he okay? What’s wrong with him?”
 Alexis gestured for him to occupy a seat. “Just having a rough patch.
How are you? No date tonight? The rest of the world is celebrating this
stupid day.”
He made a grumbling sound. “Same ol’ shit.”
“Who invented Valentine’s Day anyway?” Diegs asked.
“Some dork who couldn’t get a decent lay or some brilliant ass who
wanted to make tons of money,” X aswered.
“We could do an orgy. The geisha’s would love a Valentine fest,” Rydon
suggested.
“I’ll pass,” Alexis said in a bored tone.
“Me, too. I have a date tonight,” Jonty said with a surprisingly happy
disposition. “Leaving in a bit.”
“Back in the banging circuit, man?” Alexis asked Jonty.
Jonty just shrugged.
“Judging from that stupid smile you have there, Jon, I take it this is no
ordinary date with an ordinary bitch. Make sure you don’t end up in the ring
with some jealous bloke, like Jaq,” Tommy snickered.
Diegs latched on the subject, too. “Damn, never seen anything like that.
Almost thirty minutes of non-stop action. I was surprised you were still both
alive after.”
“Was that a draw?” Jonty asked.
“No way! He went down first!” Jaq protested.
“You went down only three seconds later,” Alexis disagreed, chuckling.
“In my book, it was a draw.”
“Yeah, no one was knocked out. You both went down from lack of gas,”
agreed Rydon.
Jaq was seriously pissed off. “I demand for a rematch then. I’ll make it a
clean knock out next time.”
His friends laughed at him.
Alexis shook his head. “You’re really losing it, man.”
“Maybe it’s you who’s losing it, X,” he retorted.
“Me?”
“Yeah. About this ‘clothes in the closet thing’ you’ve been telling me
about? Wait until you lose access to your favorite clothes, man.”
“You mean you wore it again?”
He grinned. “Many times. Fit just fine and felt really good, too.”
Alexis shook his head again. “Tsk, tsk, tsk, I predict a bloody rematch.”
 “What the fuck are you two talking about?” Jonty interjected.
“Nothing, man. Just good ol’ clothes.” Jaq drank his beer.
His phone rang. It was Lulu. He took the call. “Hey, Lu, whazzup?”
“Jaq! Where are you?”
“Some place with old friends. Why?”
“Get to a TV. AZN channel. Right now.”
“Why?”
“Just do it. Call you again later. Bye.”
When Lulu called with a tone like that, it was usually bad news. There
was huge, flat TV screen hanging from a wall, facing them. He glanced at the
bar. “Hey, Cleo, can you switch to AZN for a bit?” he asked the geisha
manning the bar. She smiled and did his request.
The huge screen was full of Angie’s lovely face.
His friends stopped talking and watched, too.
Acid seemed to pour all over him. His skin heated up so much his sweat
broke out despite the building’s chilly, centralized air-conditioning.
The show’s title was, “Wedding of the Decade”.
He didn’t know why he sat there, frozen, quietly watching. Maybe he
needed more confirmation of what he already knew. Maybe he refused to
believe it was true.
Jordan lifted Angie’s hand to show the interviewer her engagement ring,
a huge stone that must have cost a fortune. Angie sat there, a fixed smile on
her beautiful face as Jordan held her hand, occasionally kissing it.
The date had been announced. They would be married two months from
now.
He stood up and left the club without a word.
Angie went to work early that morning.
Most of their employees hadn’t even arrived for the day yet.
Her phone rang. It was Darry.
“Hello, Angie?” she said without her usual happy greeting. “Girl, bad
news!”
“What...?”
“You’re in the tabs again!”
“What? What do you mean?”
“I’m on my way to your office. Ten minutes!”
Darry ended the call.
“Okay...” She was puzzled.
 Her phone rang again. It made her jump.
Two successive calls, and this time from Rad was alarming.
She hesitantly answered the phone.
“When will you learn?! Huh?!” were his immediate, angry words.
“K-kuya? What–?”
“Come back here. Now, Angie.”
Rad cut the call.
Oh God, this must be bad! What happened?
It was probably the longest ten minutes of her life. She was already on
edge when Darry arrived.
“What happened?!”
Darry wordlessly showed her the cover of a popular tabloid.
“Angelina Yulo and Jaq Montero in a Motel?!”
She nearly fainted in shock. Below the headline was her picture flanked
by Jaq’s and Jordan’s. The other smaller pictures contained her and Jaq as
she was getting inside his truck. It was taken on the day she met him up on the
street near the Empress Hotel.
With shaking hands, she read the article.
It seems that engaged to be married Angelina Yulo cannot make up her
mind between her fiancé media mogul Jordan Lavega and her ex-lover
multi-awarded film director Jaq Montero. The ex-lovers, (or is it ex,
really?) were sighted meeting up on a street beside the Empress Hotel
where Angie works as the PR Manager for her family’s giant hotel chain.
Our photographer tailed Jaq’s pick-up (we have a shot of the plate
number) and lo and behold, it disappeared inside the gate of a... guess
what? A motel! Ohhh. We wonder what Angie’s fiancé would say about this.
Aren’t they tying the knot soon?
The tabloids had perfect timing. For greater impact, they let the wedding
special air first before dropping this bomb.
“Girl, is this really you?”
“I have to call Jordan.”
“What will you tell him? ‘Honey, I’m calling to tell you I just publicly
embarrassed you again’?”
“But…”
“Trust me, Ange, this is something you should leave to him to deal with
in his own way. Wait for his call. And what on earth were you doing, girl?
Meeting Jaq in busy road in broad daylight? You well know the paps are
always hot on your trail? They’re always watching you and Jaq!”
“He threatened to come here! I couldn’t risk that so I met him up…on the
street.”
“And why did you meet him up, pray tell?”
“Don’t put the entire blame on me!” she shot back. “I knew it was you
who gave him my number! Who else would he get it from?”
Darry flushed. “He begged me. He said he just wanted to talk to you on
the phone.”
She stood up. “I need to go. Kuya Rad called.”
Darry sighed. “I’m so sorry, girl. Call me later, okay?”
“Okay.”

Angie bowed her head and took all her father’s tirades.
There was nothing she could say to justify her reprehensible behavior.
There was nothing left of her dignity. She had destroyed it all for her stupid
love for Jaq Montero.
She thought she finally had a choice. When Jaq asked her to be with him
again the other day, she thought she had something worth sacrificing her
entire life for. Something so valuable she would give up everything for it.
Just like she did eight years ago.
But it was all lies. Just a game that he played so brilliantly.
He took her to that motel fully knowing this would happen. He intended
for this to happen, to totally destroy her reputation. Then he made her hope.
Made her believe. Made her trust. He had seduced her into forgetting his true
intentions from the start.
His ominous words played clearly in her mind again and again. “Why
not? You deserve it. You and your father and your brothers deserve it. In
fact, it’s not enough. You deserve more. You deserve a lot more.”
Indeed, this was the ultimate revenge. He played her, used her and put
her in the middle of another vicious scandal and this time around, she was
truly, absolutely guilty.
Manolo sat back on the chair massaging his chest. “You will be the death
of me, Angelina.”
She bit her lower lip hard and closed her eyes.
“I’ll call Doctor Marquez,” Ram said.
“No, I’ll be fine.”
 “Are you sure, Dad?” Ram asked worriedly.
“It’s better if you’re checked by a doctor, Dad,” Rad concurred.
Manolo made an impatient grunt for them to be quiet. “Fix this,
Angelina. Talk to Jordan,” he said weakly.
She just nodded wordlessly.
Fix this? How could anybody fix this? The situation was irredeemable.
“Get out of here. I can’t stand looking at you,” her father said.
She fled the room.
Her past and future totally vanished, leaving her in this segment of her
life where everything was broken and she didn’t know how to pick up the
pieces anymore.
Jaq was working late alone at the BJP editing room when Joey came
in.
“Why are you here? Is something wrong at the set?” he asked, his eyes
glued to his Mac screen.
“Is your phone off?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. I said I’ll be back there early tomorrow.
Everything alright with the cast and crew?”
“They’re fine. Lulu has been calling you but she couldn’t get through.
She asked me to come check you out.”
He sighed. Lulu had been billeted in a hotel for weeks now, watching
over him like a hawk. He wished she’d fly back to LA and leave his ass
alone. “Can’t you see I’m busy? What is it?”
Joey put a tabloid on his table.
He glanced at it briefly, caught sight of his and Angie’s mugs. Great.
More smut. He turned away in distaste. “Put that in the trash.”
“Read it, cuz,” Joey said.
“Is there something new about my video scandal? That’s old news.
They’re still using that to sell their shit?”
“This is new. Not about the video.”
He looked at the tabloid again. Angelina Yulo in a Motel with Jaq
Montero?!
Those fucking hounds scored a hit again. He crumpled the tabloid and
threw it in the trash can. “Anything else?”
Joey shook her head sadly.
He couldn’t stand the pitying look in her eyes. “Leave me.”
Joey hugged him from behind and quietly left.
 He leaned back in his swivel chair and closed his eyes. He itched to go
to the mini-bar and grab a Jack and drink himself to sleep. But he didn’t want
a fucking hangover at work tomorrow.
He still hadn’t slept a wink since yesterday, after watching that TV
special of Angie and Jordan. Age had a way of magnifying pain. He’d been
hurt like this in the past. He’d rebounded and moved on. But now...same
woman, same shit, but the pain seemed worse.
He’d risked his heart with her again, stupidly asking her to be with him
again.
She must have been laughing at him. He didn’t know how she could play
the game so convincingly. He was the celebrated entertainer but he couldn’t
hold a candle to Angie. She played like no one else and he was always the
fool blindly licking the sweet lies from her fingertips. And now, with this
new scandal, the public must be seeing him as the villain in Angie’s fairy tale
romance with her prince, the one wrecking their happiness.
Dipping into his shirt, he fished out a pendant. He stared at Angie’s little
ring. He’d always worn it all these years, never taking it off, except when he
was meeting her. He didn’t want her to know he’d kept it.
Eight years ago, he’d thought that because he was the bearer of her ring,
he was her prince, her husband. The man she would love for all time.
But he would never be that. Not then. Not now.
Not ever.
Chapter Eleven
IF THIS CHARITY EVENT was not so important to the Yulo Foundation,
Angie wouldn’t have attended it. But she was the representative of the
program for the past five years now, in lieu of her dead mother who co-
founded it with Beatrice DeLeste and Maristela las Marias. The country’s
leading mavens of philanthropy alternately hosted the gala every year.
It was Beatrice DeLeste’s turn to host this year and she decided to tie it
up with the birthday celebration of her daughter-in-law Monique, the wife of
her only son, Duero Leon. The power couple were donating an eye-popping
amount to the foundation tonight.
The gala was being held at the grand ballroom of the Empress Hotel in
Makati.
She just had to finish this commitment and then she would disappear.
She didn’t know how long, but she had to go somewhere, where no one
knew her. And maybe she will find herself again.
At Jordan’s insistence, they went to the event together, a power couple
blatantly ignoring the screaming tabloid and internet gossip. He was courting
the DeLestes to invest in his multi-million dollar expansion project, the
purchase of a Fashion TV franchise. It was as if Jordan was playing a game
with the media and he intended to win it at all costs. At her expense.
They still hadn’t talked. She’d called him several times the past days but
he’d dismissed her, saying he was too busy he couldn’t come over. She knew
he was avoiding the issue. But the latest scandal couldn’t be swept under the
table just like the first one. Not this one.
She’d had enough.
She couldn’t go on anymore with the farce. She was dying every day.
They were finished.
She was finished.
Clad in a hot pink Versace Couture off-shoulder gown, she looked every
inch the future bride of Jordan Lavega. She could still play the role one last
time. She owed him. At least, for tonight.
Glamorous and regal, she stood beside her fiancé, doing her best to
stand by him proudly even if she was wallowing in shame.
She went through the motions. She delivered her speech, braved the
cameras aimed at her face, endured the chit-chat with the guests, praying
every minute that the night would end sooner.
 Jordan asked her to dance some time in the night.
Last dance.
“Are you alright?” he inquired when they were locked in each other’s
arms looking like an intimate couple outward, but inward, they were divided
by differences so vast she knew it was hopeless and irreconcilable.
“What do you think, Jordan?” she answered tiredly, no longer bothering
to hide her misery.
“Have you fitted for your wedding dress?”
His question sounded so strange she wanted to laugh hysterically in his
face. “A wedding is still taking place?” She couldn’t help the biting sarcasm
in her tone.
“The grandest wedding you can imagine.”
He had his poker game on. She’d discovered that Jordan was an expert
at this. She almost couldn’t stand his blasé attitude about the whole thing. His
detachment was extraordinary. He was not reacting like a normal human
being. She felt his withdrawal, his silent rejection but he didn’t dump her like
a typical man would do after those salacious scandals rained upon her. He
still insisted on this charade. To what end, she didn’t know anymore. And she
didn’t care.
She was so sick of it all.
“Aren’t you tired, Jordan?”
“What do you mean?”
“Pretending. We both know that marriage between us will be a total
disaster now. Why don’t we just both move on with our lives?”
His eyes turned cold. “Are you breaking up with me here on the dance
floor, Angie?”
She looked at him imploringly, holding on to the last threads of her
decency. “It’s for the best, Jordan. You deserve someone better. It’s not me.”
He grip tightened on her hand. “You’re the best.”
“Please, give yourself a chance to find someone you can truly be happy
with. I don’t deserve you.”
His expression did not change. Cold. Impassive. “Why do you think you
don’t deserve me?”
“You’ve been nothing but kind and respectful and…” she sighed.
“You’re such a good man, Jordan. Too good for me.”
He gave a short, mocking laugh. “You make it sound like I’m desperate
for affection, my sweet. Rest assured, I’m not. You really think this is all
about...love?”
She stood still, her legs freezing.
“Wrong. This is all about business. Always have been.”
He guided her to sway with him again. Like a robot, she followed his
lead.
She was taken aback by his sudden admission. Yes, she’d expected this
somehow, but it was still staggering to hear him utter those words with such
pragmatic ruthlessness.
“I understand your guilt, Angie. Let me ease your conscience. You think
I’ve lived a monk’s life all these years? I haven’t. I’m a man and I take what I
want. I know what I want in life, in my future. I want you. There are a dozen
women I can be with sexually for fun but none of them I’d like to marry.
You’re the one I’d like to marry.”
She thought she was no longer capable of further pain. She was wrong.
“I see.”
“Your father and I are talking about a new project. Bigger than the ones
we’ve done before. I’ll be risking half of the Lavega fortune here.”
There. Now she knew the real purpose of their engagement.
She had actually hoped…Oh God!
“I’m not about to let some man in your distant past ruin it for us. You
understand?”
It should make her feel relieved that he didn’t love her, after all. He
never did. But she felt all the more battered and used, because she did love
Jordan in her own way. Maybe not as deep and intense as she’d loved Jaq,
but she was true and faithful to him. Until Jaq came back into her world. But
what did it matter now? Nothing mattered anymore.
“So, don’t worry about me not being happy. I’m quite happy with you.
You have the kind of beauty, brains, family and connection that I want in my
wife. We will compliment each other. Our families will finally heave a sigh
of relief once we’re married. This is the final signature needed on the
merger, Angie and it’s long overdue.”
“You got everything covered. As always, I know where I stand in your
life.”
He smiled. Unapologetic. “Yes, we will get married and you will give a
child, my heir, right away.”
She wanted to slap his imperious face right there in the middle of the
ballroom. She had wanted to be a loving wife to him, give him the children
that would make him proud and happy, but she was nothing but a broodmare
to him, a leverage to ensure the longevity of his empire. What had she
subjected herself into? Had she worked so hard all these years just to be a
pawn in her family and this man’s quest for more power and wealth?
“What about class, Jordan? Don’t you want that? I no longer have that.”
He was stone cold. “Leave that to me. I’ve got enough for the both of us.
Mine will rub off on you pretty soon and you will be back to your old self.
We’ll be great together, Angie.”
A means to an end. That was all she was to him from the beginning. A
bitter pill that he would willingly swallow as long as he got what he wanted
in the end.
“Don’t tell me you wanted us to fall in love?”
His mockery hurt, because he had always been a gentleman. She returned
his icy stare. “No, of course not. Though at some point I thought we had
something else going. Forgive me for my stupid presumptions, but thank you
for making it clear to me now, what we truly are to each other. But lest I
presumed wrong, I will spell it out for the both of us again so there will be
no confusion anymore, especially on my part. Our families share a huge
business interest and we are the additional legal instruments that would make
the merger irrevocable. That is the only raison d’être of our marriage.
Nothing more.”
He smiled like he just closed a huge deal. “Good. Plan our wedding. ”
Uncaring now of his feelings, she finally delivered the coup de grâce,
the one thing guaranteed to make him discard her. “The tabloids are telling
the truth. I slept with Jaq Montero. Many times.”
He stared back at her, not even missing a step. She felt a chill run down
her spine at the lack of natural reaction on his face. He gave new meaning to
the word ‘stoic’.
“You think I’m a fool, Angie? I know everything about you and Montero.
Everything. You’ve been sheltered most of your life. But I’m liberal and
practical and I understand your need to explore. Marriage would be a long
journey for the both of us and I wanted you to get all your unfinished business
finished so you will become more capable of being my wife, which I’m
telling you now is no small task. But I think you’ve explored enough. It will
stop now. We will be married soon and you will have no one else but me,
you understand, Angie? I do not share my wife with anybody.”
 That dissolved the last vestiges of her girlish illusions of finding real
love with the right man. She had thought, despite everything that happened,
that Jordan was different. She thought Jaq was the worst monster. She was
wrong. Jordan was an entirely different breed. He was ruthless. Devoid of
any sentimentality. Just a hard to the core businessman.
Come to think of it, they deserved each other. This Machiavellian man
was the perfect partner for a lying, cheating fiancée like her. She was just
thankful that she didn’t need to pretend around him anymore.
He touched her face gently. She fought not to flinch. Eyes were on them,
cameras flashing.
“You have to be brave, Angie. We’ll get through this. Don’t break. Don’t
let him destroy you. Us. Our future. Whatever you did, I forgive you. Now, do
your part.”
That moment, she hated really him for his total lack of empathy, for not
showing any pain and anger of his own, for making her feel all too human,
weak and vulnerable, while he acted like an infallible god.
She was seeing a side of Jordan she had never seen before. And she
knew, somehow, she was responsible for that, for bringing out the worst in
him.
Her heart was breaking all over again. If that was still possible. How
many times would it have to break before it finally stopped feeling?
When their dance was over, Jordan lead her back to their table. The
party went on and she took everything in silent passivity.
She felt dead inside.

***
Jaq stepped out to get some fresh air. Ironic because he was dragging
nicotine deep into his lungs. He’d bought a pack of Dunhill from the counter
on his way out. He was not a smoker but he could really use a few sticks
right now.
He met up with his business partners and some of his Black Jack
creative team. They were inside the function room of this restaurant in
Greenbelt 5, discussing a huge project Black Jack would be producing for an
all-Asia distribution. It will star the country’s most famous young actress and
Jet Li. But even Lara Enriquez’ dazzling beauty couldn’t make him sit still in
that room.
 He should be in there, leading the discussion. His passion for his job
was being eclipsed by another kind of passion, a turbulent force wrecking
havoc inside of him and he had no outlet for it.
God, he was a mess all over again.
Somebody joined him outside. The scent of her perfume told him it was
Lara Enriquez, the gorgeous half-Brazilian, half-Filipino actress. Lara was
really hot. She was tall, with the toned and curvaceous physicality of an
athlete and a face that had launched a thousand commercials. Add the fact
that she was also a multi-awarded actress made her perfect for this movie.
“May I?” she asked.
He pulled out a stick for her. “I didn’t know you smoked,” he commented
as he lighted it for her.
“I don’t but I thought you could use some company.”
He smiled but said nothing.
They watched the people strolling in the well-manicured park in
contemplative silence.
“You know, Jaq, I’ll be frank with you. I accepted this project because I
think you’re great and I haven’t been directed by the much raved about,
kickass director Jaq Montero yet.”
He blew out smoke. “And?”
“I think your mind is not one hundred percent on this project that I’m so
excited to do with you,” she said point blank. “I’m turning down some
lucrative offers for this. I want an acting award from this.”
He wanted to tell her to mind her own business and her business was to
act well, not dictate him on how to run his damn production, but he didn’t
want to lose her over his bad temper. “What award? This is a Jet fucking Li
movie,” he teased her. “Your role is to make the male moviegoers drool, not
make ‘em cry.”
She grinned and shrugged. “Now that I got your undivided attention,
mind telling me who’s this woman that’s been making you so antsy?”
Did she know? She must have heard about the video. “How do you know
it’s a woman?”
Her knowing eyes told him she knew, alright. She smirked. “Only
women can give men a real taste of hell. You’re definitely on Level Nine,
darling.”
He chuckled, shaking his head at her keen intuition. She was cool.
“So, why don’t you go get her so you can finally relax?”
 He paused from taking a drag of his ciggie. “Get her?”
“Yes. Get her. Claim her.”
“She’s getting married.”
“And that should stop you?” She blew smoke in his face. “Go.
He stared at her harder. Then he kissed her cheek.
He dashed to the parking lot.

***
When Jordan asked her to join a group of his friends, Angie obeyed
and walked by his side, her mind not really there anymore.
“Smile,” Jordan reminded her. She knew now, he was not being
magnanimous or courageous in the face of the scandal. He was in fact
punishing her by subjecting her to this mental and emotional torture, facing
the public as a couple, forcing her to pretend, using emotional blackmail to
bend her to his will.
They approached Alexis’ group. She recognized some men she’d known
from way back– Jaq’s old friends and others who looked familiar but whose
names she couldn’t recall.
Jordan did the usual works. He introduced her to Blue del Rosario and
Dylan Anderson, both CEOs of their own companies. They were brothers-in
law. She was acquainted with their wives, Helaena and Issabella from the
charity events they’d attended and supported. Then there were the guys from
Jaq’s now defunct band, Oblivion— Tommy, Rydon and Diegs. They were
all high-powered businessmen now, a far cry from their wild rock star days.
As if her very thoughts had invoked him to appear, she suddenly saw Jaq
walking towards them like a predator who had spotted a perfect kill.
Her first instinct was to run, but Jordan snaked his arm around her waist,
anchoring her firmly to his side. It was a very territorial gesture. His fingers
bit painfully on her hip.
“Jaq!” Alexis called out. “You’re late as usual. I’ve been calling you.”
Jaq greeted his friends with some macho hand gestures and hugs.
“How’s your new movie coming along?” Blue asked Jaq.
“Almost done,” Jaq replied simply.
“Issabella is your biggest fan. I might permit her to be a movie actress if
you’d direct her. She’s always raving about you I’m getting jealous,” said
Dylan teasingly.
 Jaq smiled. “Directing your beautiful wife would be an honor, man. But
on one condition. You’re banned from watching the shoots. No jealous
husbands on my set.”
Dylan chuckled. “Touché, man.”
Angie wanted to drag Jordan away from the group which clearly
outnumbered them. It was obvious, they were all in Jaq’s corner. Why was he
here anyway? But of course, the persona non grata imposed by her brothers
on Jaq didn’t apply to occasions where Jaq was invited. He was clearly
Alexis’ guest who was representing her sick stepmother Maristela las Marias
tonight. Even her brothers won’t dare offend Alexis Benedicto. They were
after all in the hospitality business.
Jaq finally addressed Jordan. “Jordan,” he said in a formal tone.
Jordan didn’t respond. He’d gone so still beside her.
Jaq slightly tipped his head. “Angelina.”
She did not respond either. Her face felt like it would crack from trying
so hard to look unaffected. The buzz around them had quieted. She had a
feeling everyone was covertly watching them.
Tension mounted as Jaq looked at them with a half-smile, as if he knew
something they didn’t. “When’s the wedding by the way?” he asked casually.
Jordan’s hand splayed possessively under the swell of her breasts.
“Soon. Very soon and you’re invited.” He kissed her hair.
Jaq’s phony smile faded, replaced by a sneer.
“Congratulations.”
“Thanks. No hard feelings?”
Jaq’s smile was nasty. And then he threw all pretense of courtesy to the
wind. “I’m afraid I can’t resist feeling hard for a beautiful woman. My
million viewers at YouTube would be so disappointed.”
Three beats later, all hell broke loose.
Jordan went for Jaq’s throat.
The scene played like a silent movie. Angie couldn’t hear anything. But
she could see everything.
Her fiancé and her not-so-ex-lover were attacking each other like rabid
dogs, rolling on the floor, crashing against walls, dislodging and wrecking
anything that stood in their war path. They were barbarians intent on killing
each other. It was surreal.
Cameras flashed crazily. It was the scoop of the century. Probably hotter
than her video scandal.
 It took ten men to separate Jaq and Jordan.
Watching the whole scene was like an out-of-body experience. She was
looking into a giant doll house, witnessing everything from the outside.
Something snapped inside of her. A mercurial force swept over her,
breathing energy into her system. She was suddenly inside the doll house,
vibrating with raw power. Invincible.
She owned the damn universe! Might as well put the icing to make the
cake perfect, she thought with a strange emotional detachment and perverse
intention.
Her head held high, she purposely walked towards Jaq who was being
held by Alexis and Dylan. His nose was bleeding profusely, bathing his
white undershirt in crimson. He looked like a tornado devastation.
“Angie…” he said, his eyes intense.
She slapped him hard across the face.
She turned around and marched toward Jordan who was being restrained
by Rydon and Rocky. His lips and forehead were bleeding, too, looking like
a train wreck.
“Angie…”
She whacked him hard across the face.
She faced the spectators who had adopted a single reaction to the whole
scene– jaws dropping in total shock. Even the media people had stopped
taking pictures.
She pointed at Jaq. “That good for nothing bastard is my ex-lover. Ex!”
She pointed at Jordan. “And that Neanderthal pig is my ex-fiancé! Ex!”
Deafening silence.
The floor was totally hers.
“My life has been a mad circus since I had the misfortune to meet these
two megalomaniacs. It ends now.”
She exited the ballroom with her nose in the air, the people parting like
the Red Sea to make way for her.
For the first time in her life, she was truly free.
God, it felt damn good!
Chapter Twelve
JAQ DIDN’T WANT TO GET UP. His whole body hurt like he survived
doomsday. Not just physically but emotionally.
But he had to get up.
He had work to do. He had committed to participate in a Habitat for
Humanity project today, an international organization involved in building
community houses for the poor.
Slowly, he stood up and padded with a limp to the bathroom. He nearly
scared himself shitless when he saw his mug in the vanity mirror. He couldn’t
recognize his own face due to the cuts and swelling on his left eye and upper
lip. Dried blood coated the corners of his lips and the holes of his nose.
Nasty shit.
“What the fuck are you doing to yourself?” he asked himself aloud.
He washed his face carefully. It hurt like the devil to even breathe.
There was a loud knocking on his bedroom door.
“Cuz, breakfast is ready!”
That was Joey. What the hell was she doing here this early? Lulu must
have sent her to check on him again. Fuck. He descended to the ground floor
and entered the kitchen.
Joey was shocked when she saw him. “Holy shit! I didn’t know you’d
look this bad!”
He sat on a stool at the breakfast nook. “Coffee.”
Joey hastily poured him a cup of brewed coffee from the percolator. It
was hot but he took a hefty sip. The steaming liquid created a burning path all
the way to his stomach. It made him feel a little better.
“Holy cow, you should be in a hospital, cuz! You look like you had a 12-
rounder with Pacman!”
He grunted. “Why are you here pestering me so early.”
“Lulu called me up to check on you today. Somebody tipped her that you
were in trouble again. Your phone couldn’t be reached last night.”
He shook his head. His publicist didn’t know this country from Adam
weeks ago and now she was comfy with the local press and high-society
gossip-mongers. “I went to Lothario after leaving Monique and DL’s party.
The doctor at the club checked me. I’m fine. I came home at dawn.”
“Maaan, what happened?”
“Don’t ask.”
 Joey slammed a plate of breakfast in front of him. “Eat.”
She may be a dyke but she was a superb cook. Despite his injuries, his
mouth watered at the sight of food. He picked up the sandwich and took a
bite.
Joey went out of the kitchen and when she came back, she spread a few
tabloids and a national daily on the breakfast counter. “You’re making these
dogs rich.”
Indeed, if he and Angie were a business, they would be raking in huge
money. Their dirt dominated the front covers again, bypassing important
national issues. He read Manila Star’s shit. Even this decent broadsheet
braved getting sued just to cash in on the scandal.
Slugfest of the Rich and Famous!
Sex, lies and videotapes. This would aptly describe the high-profile
love triangle of Jaq Montero, Angelina Yulo and Jordan Lavega that
erupted into a bloody spectacle at a gala hosted by the DeLestes at the
Empress Hotel in Makati last night. It all started when an alleged sex
video of young lovers Jaq and Angie (Angie was merely 18 according to
reliable sources) was leaked on the internet and became the most
downloaded clip in the country’s history of celebrity video scandals.
He cussed and stopped reading. “Remove those crap heap from my sight.
Now!” he snarled. He didn’t wanna think about anything. It hurt to breathe,
much less think.
He really needed a break from all this shit.
Joey removed the rags and put them in a drawer.
“Care to tell me what’s going on between you and Angelina Yulo? It’s
getting really nasty.”
“Nothing. Everything’s been blown out of proportion.”
“I’m sure it will be shown on TV.”
“From now on, don’t bother telling me anything about her, okay? And I
don’t give a bloody fuck what they’re saying about me.”
The land line rang. Joey took it “Hello?” She put her palm on the
mouthpiece. “It’s Aunt Celica.”
He shook his head.
“Ah, Auntie, he’s still asleep...Okay, I’ll tell him when he wakes up…
Okay, bye, Auntie.”
Joey placed the phone back to its cradle. “She’s freaking out. She saw
you in the morning gossip news. TV’s really making money out of your shit,
too.”
He sighed. He felt guilty for dragging his relatives into this old mess all
over again. He wished he could shut out the world from his life for a day of
peace.
Joey was looking at him slyly. “What?” he snapped.
“I think you’re still hung up on Angelina Yulo. I have an idea what
happened way back. You two having an encore?”
He drank his coffee.
“You jealous of her BF?”
“She is nothing, alright? Now, drop it!”
“I’ve never seen you go batshit crazy over a chick, cuz. She must be
really something.”
If only Joey knew all the shit he had been through because of Angelina
Yulo, she would probably join him in his vindictive desire to lynch the whole
Yulo clan.
“Joey, if you say another word about her, I’ll duct tape your trap, I swear
to fuck.”
Joey shut up.
He finished his breakfast and stood up. “I’m going to Cavite. Wanna
come?”
“Cavite? What’s happening there?”
“Charity.”
“What kind?”
“Habitat for Humanity. We’ll construct houses for the poor.”
She grimaced. “Under this heat?”
“What are you, a pussy? You don’t wanna ruin that smooth woman’s skin
of yours?”
“Fuck you!”
“We’ll leave in twenty minutes. I’ll just take a quick shower.”
He turned around but he heard Joey grumbling.
“He just wants to hide from the press and he has to drag me to this
charity-my-ass-I-don’t-give-a-shit craphole.”
“Pussy!” he shouted.
“Hah, my dick is bigger than yours!”
He jogged back to his bedroom.
He needed to do something productive today or he would end up killing
himself or somebody.
 The site for the Habitat for Humanity project was a government-
donated land in Cavite. Today, some one hundred volunteers from all walks
of life will work together to build thirty low cost houses for thirty families.
Monetarily, Jaq had already donated millions for this foundation but he
enjoyed participating in the actual implementation of the project.
The site was already swarming with people when they arrived. Joey
immediately jumped out of the truck to look around. As expected, she
immediately zeroed in on a pretty young woman.
Jaq shook his head in amusement. Joey sure got game. That dyke had
probably nailed more beavers with her strap-on than his dick.
He was welcomed by co-volunteers, mostly colleagues in the local
entertainment industry, who he’d been working with for HFH for a few years
now. He would always time his trip to the country to coincide with a local
HFH event. Even in the US, Habitat For Humanity was his favorite charity.
Everyone asked what happened to his face. He told them he’d had an
accident. But he knew they knew what happened to his face. Facebook and
Twitter delivered news faster than anyone could say, voila!
“Jaq!”
He glanced to his side and was met by a vision of loveliness, enough to
brighten his day.
Alyandra Monleon was walking happily toward him, gorgeous in her
denim overall jumper. He long hair was braided and wrapped in a bandana.
Yandra was one of those high-society heiresses who had a big heart for the
poor. He really liked her.
“Oh my God! What the hell happened to your face?!”
He grinned and winced. “Come here, gimme a hug.”
Yandra gave him a hug and stared at his face again. “Gawd, you look
awful!” She truly sounded like she didn’t know what happened to him.
He adjusted his aviator glasses over his eyes. “Got into some accident.
How have you been?”
“Same old. I’m busy with a new biz.”
She was always busy with different stuff. Like him, Yandra was an artist.
“What is it this time?”
“I’m launching a series of boutiques for a clothing line and fine art. It’s
like fashion meets the art world.”
“Nice. When’s the launch?”
 “Soon and you’re invited. You know why?”
“I’d need a reason to be invited to your shindig?” he teased.
“This time, yes. Bad Boy Records will provide the entertainment, that’s
why. I don’t want the usual black tie red carpet stuff. I want badass rock ‘n
roll atmosphere.”
“You got it. Who’d you want to perform?”
“Romjin McKay! He’s hot!” she readily answered.
He grinned. “He’s got a crush on you, too.”
She made a face. “Me? You’re pulling my leg. No way! Why me?”
“Why? She had to ask!” he chuckled. “You’re one helluva beautiful,
smart woman for one? Two, a kickass artist. Three, a fearless
environmentalist. Four–”
“Alright, stop!” She was blushing now.
“Seriously, RJ is always asking about you. I’ll invite him to join us in
the next project. He really wants to meet you.”
She didn’t look convinced. “Since when? Since I made that Save the
Earth ad?”
He grinned, recalling her glorious beauty in nothing but body paint in a
giant billboard hanging along a main boulevard in Manila, shocking and
causing many a motorists who saw it for the first time into near mishaps. Not
even Alexis’ powerful connections were able to take that billboard down as
it was sponsored by an international environmental protection agency.
“I have to admit, that ad made RJ ask about you on a daily basis instead
of just once a week.”
Yandra looked flattered now. “Tell him, I’d like to meet him, too.”
“Who do you like to meet?’
They were both surprised to see the intruder.
Alexis was standing some five meters away.
“X! What are you doing here, man?”
Yandra didn’t look happy now. “Look what the cat dragged in. A dead
rat!”
Alexis walked toward them wearing dark aviator glasses, a green polo
shirt, khaki cargo pants, leather shoes and a white Callaway cap. He looked
ready to play golf.
“Hello, brat. Ready for action?” X said to Yandra.
Yandra put her hands on her hips. “Did you come here to hand me a
donation check?”
 Jaq immediately sensed an undercurrent of sorts. He watched them
interact with growing curiosity.
Alexis smirked. “In your dreams, sweetheart.”
“Then why are you here?”
“To help the needy, of course.”
She raised one elegant brow. “What about your needs?”
Alexis grinned. “Plenty of ‘em taking care of it, don’t worry.”
Yandra looked really pissed off now. “I see. I guess I gotta look for other
donors, then. I’m sure there are a lot of gentlemen out there who’d be willing
to help me with my charities.”
“Well, good luck, sweetheart.”
“Hah! We’ll see.” She walked out of them in a huff.

Jaq looked at Alexis, puzzled. “What donation check was she talking
about? Don’t tell me you’ve suddenly become a tightwad?”
Alexis chuckled, his eyes following Yandra’s retreating figure. . “It’s a
private joke, man.”
Private joke? It was getting more interesting, Jaq thought.
“So who’s this guy she wants to meet?”
“Romjin McKay.”
“Sorry. Who?” X said in deliberate dismissal.
“You’ve heard of him. The rock star currently making a lot of panties
weep. He has a crush on little Yandra, I think.”
“I don’t want him near her, understand?”
It was a flat statement that brooked no arguments. “And why not?”
“He’s a horn dog!” Alexis said irritably.
He guffawed. “And we aren’t?”
“Your horn wants Angie. Mine plows many. Romjin had better point his
horn some place else. Yandra ain’t fairgame. Got that?”
“Wait, are you putting the Code on her, man?”
The Lothario Code was a privilege each member was entitled to– to get
first dibs on a woman they really liked, forbidding other members from
playing their moves on her. It was a one-time privilege so the woman had to
be special. “Hell no! She’s like family. Her Dad is my godfather. My good-
for-nothing old man is her godfather, too. I’m just protecting her.”
Jaq looked at his friend speculatively, not overly convinced.
 “So, what do we do here?” Alexis changed the topic, his eyes scanning
the vast construction site.
“You will help?” He looked at Alexis’ custom-made designer golf
shoes. “In those Lobbs?”
“Just don’t make me shovel shit.”
He’d never heard Alexis mention HFH as one of the charities supported
by the Ellinor Allende Fund, the foundation Alexis named after his dead
mother.
“What’re you lookin’ at?”
“Nothing, man. I’m just surprised you’re here, that’s all. Never pegged
you to be the hands-on type in your charities.”
Alexis shrugged. “I’m looking for new projects to finance. This might
me a good one so I came to check it out.”
He came to check a construction site looking like a billionaire on his
way to play golf with fellow billionaires. That didn’t add up.
“By the way, you look like a poster boy for battered men. She did give
you a mean swing right there, I can see,” Alexis commented, looking at his
face.
“You’re the ninetieth person to say that today.”
“What are you gonna do now?”
He sighed. “I don’t know. I can’t think with a double shiner and a
swollen nose.”
“Two brawls in a row, over a woman? Never seen anything like it. And
I don’t get it.”
“Yeah? I heard that incident with the ambassador to France two years
ago. I didn’t get it either,” he retorted, referring to one of Alexis’ rumored
gun duels with the irate husband of his former mistress. He knew those duels
were not rumors but Alexis denied all incidents to the press.
Alexis shrugged. “Didn’t do it for the women, bro. I did it for the
husbands. As you can see, they’re all happy Lothario members now,” he said
without remorse.
“All are either separated, annulled or divorced.”
“Hey, bottom line, I did them all a great favor. Saved ‘em from their
faithless wives and miserable marriages,” Alexis reasoned out in his usual
laid back cynicism.
“You fucked their wives to save those guys from their faithless wives?
Wow, you should write a book on that, man. Truly hard to the core.”
 “Correction, I didn’t go out of my way to fuck those women. They went
our of their way to fuck me. There’s a huge difference, you know?”
He sighed. “I rest my case. I have no taste for the taken anyway.”
“Really? Then why the black eyes, man?”
He got him there, the fucker.
Alexis gave him a brotherly slap on the shoulder. “If the Yulo twins give
you any more trouble, just tell me. It’s time I meddled a bit.”
“Thanks, man but I can handle the twins. I can handle them all.”
“Okay. As for Jordan, honestly, man, I’m at a loss. Jordan is cool and I
like him but you are my brother.”
“I know and I’m sorry for putting you in the middle of this mess, man.
Everything just went out of hand and…” He couldn’t explain further because
he also didn’t understand why things turned out the way they did.
“Rad came to talk to me.”
“Yeah? He did tell me he’d ask you to kick me out of the club.”
“Yeah, something like that.”
“When you invited me to join the club years ago, you knew my only
reason was our friendship, bro. Not connection, business, power, none of
that. If I did something that’s contrary to the club’s code, then I will accept
the expulsion. No questions. It’s up to you.”
Alexis sighed deeply. “I’m just wondering…”
“Yeah?”
“Did you leak the video?”
He smiled sadly. “You know, I’ve been waiting for you to ask me that
point blank. Do you all think I did it?”
Alexis flushed a little. “All I know is that you hate the Yulos.”
Jaq shook his head and looked far away.
“Maaan, no offense…”
“No, it’s okay. I’m glad you asked and you’re honest about what you
think. I’ll set the record straight once and for all. No, I did not leak the video.
I’ll never do anything as despicable as that. Not to her and to anybody.”
Alexis heaved a sigh of relief. “I believe you, man. I’m sorry, I just
needed to hear it from you.”
He nodded. “No apologies needed.”
“Who would do such a thing? The twins are convinced you did it.”
“Actually, the fuckers ransacked my house looking for the video but they
didn’t find it. It was securely hidden in a safe. I’m the only one who knows
where it is and the only one who knows the combination numbers of the lock
and believe me, it’s no ordinary safe. It would take a professional thief to
even open it, if he can find its location.”
“But you shot that video, right?”
He sighed and nodded.
Alexis shook his head. “Man, what the fuck were you thinking?”
“Wasn’t supposed to come out at all.”
“Anyway, so who would leak it? Somebody so pissed off at the Yulos
for sure. But where would they get a copy of that vid?”
“Angie has a copy.”
Alexis removed his aviator glasses. “What?!”
He nodded. “Yup.”
“Maaan, this is getting way complicated.”
“I didn’t do it, I swear, man. It’s definitely someone from her camp.”
“But why would someone from her camp do something like that? It’s like
throwing your shit at the fan and your face is right in front of it.”
He laughed. “Somehow, that analogy gives me immense satisfaction,
bro. I hope it’s true. They all need to smell their own shit anyway.”
“And what about you and Angie?’
“What about her?’
“Come on man, after going through a decade of cold war with her father
and brothers, you’d tell me she’s nothing to you? I’m a financier. I can spot an
insufficient collateral from a mile away. ‘Fess up.”
He sighed. What he would give to feel nothing for her anymore. His life
would have been so much better if Angelina Yulo had never entered it. Or
would it have been?
“What can I possibly gain from caring for her still, X? More pain in the
mind, the body and worst of all, the soul,” he admitted without pretense.
Alexis grew quiet, then he put his arm around his shoulders in a
comforting gesture. “Come on, let’s build a house.”

Angie got up from bed. She crashed at Darry’s condo last night. She
didn’t want to go home and face her family immediately after what happened
at the Empress. She had to prepare for that.
She went to the bathroom and was greeted by a haggard-looking face in
the mirror. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying last night.
 She washed up and went looking for Darry. The aroma of brewing
coffee brought her to the kitchen. Her BFF was already there, preparing
breakfast. Or brunch.
“Hi! Did you sleep well?”
“What do you think? Look at me,” she murmured without energy and sat
on a dining chair.
“Sorry, but if it were my show last night, I would have slept with a
beatific smile on my lips. You definitely brought the house down, girl. I’m so
proud of you!” Darry put a smoking mug of brewed coffee in front of her.
She grimaced. “You think that was funny?”
“Nope. Plain ballsy, dearest. I mean, wow! That grand finale, it was like
watching a fifties movie starring Vivien Leigh. Awesome! I bet that was the
most memorable birthday party Monique ever had.”
Awesome? That was the last word she’d use to describe her life right
now. “My life is so fucked up I can’t tell the difference between my ass and
my face anymore.”
Darry laughed. “Wow. Love the new vocab! You will be fine. Sex
Symbol Angie, remember? Feisty, sexy, gorgeous, powerful! Go, girl!”
Darriene served her some bacon and tomato sandwich. “Eat.”
“I’ll just have coffee.”
“Hey, you need to eat. You didn’t eat last night.”
“I can’t. I’ve no appetite.”
“Just a bite. Come on.”
She sighed and bit into the sandwich. Her stomach recoiled but she
forced herself to swallow the food. After the second bite, she put the
sandwich down.
“So, what’s your plan now? Are you gonna talk to Jordan?”
“I thought you were paying attention? I publicly broke up with him last
night, remember?”
“Oh. That was really a break up? Seriously?”
“You don’t call slapping the mighty Jordan Lavega in the face in front of
Manila’s crème de la crème serious?”
Darry shrugged. “Why would you break up with him? Granted he
behaved like a Neanderthal last night, but I think it was plain male jealousy.
You should be flattered.”
“Jordan doesn’t love me, Darry. He will marry me only for business
reasons. He told me so.”
 “He really said that?! The cad!”
“It’s okay. I don’t love him either.”
Darry looked at her sadly. “I know.”
“I thought I could do it, you know, marry him even if I don’t...even if I
don’t love him that way. I thought that if he loves me at least, I could learn to
love him back over the years, because I care for him. I truly do.”
Darry nodded, listening.
“But I couldn’t do it, Darry. I couldn’t bear the thought of marrying for
money, for business. It’s common enough among us, but it’s not for me. I’d
rather be alone.”
“And what about Jaq?”
The mere mention of that name set her off in a flash.“That good for
nothing son of a bitch? I don’t ever want to see him again!”
“Okay. Hey, relax.”
“He’s done nothing but mess up my life from the beginning! He’s like a
plague that won’t go away!”
“Hmm, you sound like you’ve seen a lot of him lately. Did you by any
chance go to bed with him like the tabs are saying?” Darry asked her
shrewdly.
She sipped her coffee.
Darry nudged her leg under the table.
“Yes! But no more! Never again!”
Darry peered at her. “Tell me, how many times did you see each other
recently?”
She sighed. “A lot of times, okay?”
Darry clucked her tongue. “Girl, I have the feeling it isn’t over yet.”
“It is over!”
“Nah. Not when the sex is still hot.”
Yes. Hot sex. That was the only thing she would ever share with Jaq.
Nothing more. And it wasn’t enough. She wanted more in a relationship. She
wanted love, loyalty and faith. She wouldn’t get those from Jordan and she
would never get them from Jaq.
“Since you’ve broken up with Jordan, why not carry on with Jaq? I
know you still love him.”
She glared at her bestfriend. “How can you even say that?!”
“Well, now that you’ve admitted sleeping with Jaq again– not that I
condone cheating, okay? Cheating is bad. But since it’s with Jaq, I’d take that
as an exception. He’s not some random guy. He was your first love and he’s
my friend so I’m inclined to side with him, you know. All these years I knew
you were still pining for him but I just didn’t want to aggravate the situation
by torturing you with stories about him when I knew it was an impossible
situation. But now...you’re free, Ange and Jaq is still single.”
She shook her head and smiled sadly. “You’re really my bestfriend,
aren’t you?”
“Jaq isn’t that bad, you know. I’ve known him all these years. My
parents adore him, too. He’s a good guy, Angie.”
But Darry didn’t really know the depth of the chasm that divided her and
Jaq– the hate, the distrust, the bitterness. Nobody really knew the pain she
had carried inside her all these years. She had hidden it well for everyone’s
comfort. “Can you imagine the headlines when that happens? Jaq and Angie
are back for Sex Vid number 2.” She gave a short, hallow laugh.
“The press will have a feeding frenzy, for sure. Not that they’re not
having one right now. Manilasocial’s running a video of last night’s incident.
It’s viral now.”
She groaned and covered her face with her palms.
“You’ve covered all media, TV, print, radio and the internet. You and
Jaq are so hot together!”
She sniffled.
“Oh dear, I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to…”
She wiped her tears with her palms and stared at her friend. “Darry, I
want you to promise me that you will no longer mention Jaq in any of our
conversations.”
“There you go again. Just when things have become less complicated
and you have more freedom to do what you want, you’d go back to your old,
uptight self.”
“Darry, I’m serious. I wanna move on. I’m so tired. So tired of living a
lie. So very tired of being used by people. No more men from now on. I want
to be really alone, to find myself again. I want a new life. My own life. Do
you understand?”
Darry gripped her hand tightly, her eyes going misty. “I’m sorry, Ange.
Okay, I won’t mention him anymore. I’m here. I will help you. I love you, you
know that.”
“I know. Thank you, Darry. I wouldn’t know what to do without you.”
She silently finished her coffee.
 “I need to go home, Darry.”
“Are you sure? You can stay with me for as long as you want.”
“No. I need to face them sooner or later. Might as well get it over with
today.”
Chapter Thirteen
SHE USED TO DREAD MOMENTS like this, but this time, she was
looking forward to it. she knew she didn’t make a mistake. She knew in her
heart, her decision was right.
She entered her father’s study.
They were all there, her father and brothers, a tribunal waiting to mete
her punishment.
“Dad?”
Manolo stood up from his chair. He grabbed a handful of tabloids lying
on his table and threw them at her. She just closed her eyes.
“You have gone too far, Angelina,”
She opened her eyes again and met her father’s condemning stare. Tears
rolled down her cheeks. “Yes, Dad. I have gone too far and I can’t go back. I
won’t go back.” She didn’t know how she was able to speak without her
voice cracking.
“How many times will you embarrass this family? How many times will
you hurt us, Angelina?”
She could no longer be strong for this family, not in the way they wanted
her to. “And how many times will you hurt me, too Dad? How long will I
have to regret my past mistakes? How many times will you remind me of
that?”
Her father fell quiet.
It poured out of her like a broken dam. “I made a mistake. I fell in love
with the wrong man. I have regretted every day that I hurt you, Dad, that I
betrayed our family. I loved him so much but I walked away from him
because I loved you more. Even if I wanted to die, I endured it because I’d
rather lose him than lose you, because I wouldn’t have survived if I lost you,
Dad, if I lost my family.”
She paused to breathe deeply and ease the tightness in her chest and
throat. “You always measure my love for you. You always question my
loyalty to this family. I tried so hard to make up. I tried so very hard, Daddy. I
did everything you told me to do. I never ever wanted to hurt you again. All I
ever wanted was to make you happy, to have your approval and your blessing
in everything that I did, even if I was hurting inside. I love you so much,
Dad.”
 Her father remained silent. He stared at her, a hooded expression on his
face.
She turned to her brothers. “I love you both, so much, you know that.
Even if it hurt me that you hated Jaq, that you didn’t like him for me, I
accepted that, too. I chose you over him. I said to myself, he was just a
boyfriend and no matter how much I loved him, he can be replaced. But my
brothers, no, I can never find replacements if I lost them.”
Rad and Ram avoided her eyes and remained in grim silence.
She faced their father again. “I know, what I did last night caused
irreparable damage to the family name. I’m so sorry, Dad. I don’t know if
you can ever forgive me. But I’m so tired. So tired of asking for forgiveness.
So tired of walking on eggshells, afraid to commit mistakes, terrified of
disappointing you all over again. I’m so tired of having no voice, of having
no life of my own.”
She inhaled deeply. “And if after what I did last night you can no longer
accept me as your daughter, as a member of this family...”
She broke down then, her sobs wracking her body.
“Angie…” she heard her father’s soft voice.
She smiled through her tears. “It’s okay, Dad. It’s okay. I don’t think I
will ever be the daughter that you’ve always wanted. For the last time, I will
ask your forgiveness. I’m sorry for being such a disappointment to you and
our family. I’m really, really sorry. I will leave and you won’t have to see me
again. I will go far, far away from here, so you won’t be constantly reminded
of the shame and disappointments I have brought to this family. I will bother
you no more. I promise.”
Her father and brothers stood there, still and quiet as statues. She had
nothing more to say. She’d said it all.
Angie slowly turned around.
“Dad?”
The voice was like a crack of thunder in the stillness of the room.
Sherry was standing at the door, her eyes awash with tears.
“Dad, I have something very important to confess.”
Nobody said a word. They all waited.
Sherry slowly walked into the room .
Angie saw torment in her sister’s eyes.
“Ange, I love you. I hope you can forgive me.”
Forgive her? Why was Sherry asking for her forgiveness? For what?
 “I was the one who leaked the video.”
The words hung in the air like the jarring bang of a gong, echoing, then
fading. But the impact remained.
The drop of a pin could be heard from the deafening silence that
followed.
Angie didn’t think she could take this kind of betrayal. From her own
sister?!
“Why...?” she managed to croak.
Sherry broke into sobs. “I’m so sorry…I’m so sorry, Ange. I was
desperate…I was…I didn’t know what to do! I love Jordan! I did it to break
you up. I can’t bear it if she married you. I’m sorry!”
The things that were happening in their lives were just plain crazy!
“How could you?!” she raged, her entire body shaking.
“Please, Angie, I know you don’t love Jordan. You love Jaq! I know that
in my heart. I wouldn’t have done it if I knew you were in love with Jordan.
But it’s Jaq you’ve loved all these years. I did the right thing! I know I did!”
Angie slapped her sister hard across the face.
God, she couldn’t take this!
She ran from the room.

“I like Habitat For Humanity. You see immediate results,” Alexis

commented.
After dropping Joey off at the hotel where Lulu was staying, Jaq decided
to sleep at Lothario. He didn’t want to be alone. He whiled away the night
with Alexis over a bottle of Chivas.
“Yeah, that’s the reason it’s my favorite charity. It’s very interactive and
you’d feel more productive and fulfilled after you see what you’ve built.”
“I will start supporting that foundation financially.”
He smiled, although he suspected Alexis’ sudden interest in HFH had
something more to do with Alyandra. “Thanks, man. You’d be helping a lot of
families have their own decent homes.”
“I will donate a portion of Benedicto land for the next project site.”
Wow. Talk about a gold mine for HFH. “If all the rich, landed folks think
like you do, there will be no poor citizens in this country.”
Alexis laughed. “No big loss. They’re ill-gotten anyway, courtesy of my
father. He gave me vast tracts of land in the north but they are mostly under
dummy names. I might as well give them back to the people.”
 His respect for his buddy grew tenfold. Despite his notorious reputation,
Alexis was generous to a fault. He was one of the major philanthropists in
the country. “Your old man might get pissed off at you, you know, giving
away your inheritance like that?”
“I don’t care. He already gave it to me. If he takes it back, it’s okay. I’ll
donate a portion of Hacienda Ellinor.”
“Bro, can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Why don’t you get along with your old man?”
Alexis took his time to answer.
“Sorry, sore topic?”
“Nah. Let’s just say we’re not cut out from the same cloth. But he is my
father. We cannot choose our parents, can we? I have to live with what I’ve
got, whether I like him or not.”
He nodded in understanding. “At least you’re not a by-blow like me.”
Maybe he was already drunk. He was never the type who would verbally
lament about his illegitimacy of birth.
Alexis looked curious now. “Do you know your real father?”
“Sure,” He filled his glass with whiskey. “I’ve known about him for
seven years now.”
“Really? Have you met him?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re not gonna tell me who he is, are you?”
He smiled in irony. “You might not believe me if I told you anyway.
Besides, what’s the fucking point? He will never recognize me as his son.”
“Try me, bro.”
“I’ll give you a hint. Your father is close to him.”
“Aw, come on, my father has many friends. But I reckon your old man is
loaded. Marcus does not fraternize with the poor and powerless.”
“Right. Another clue. You won’t believe this. He used to sit in the
palace.”
Alexis’ brows rose. “Sit? The Palace? Are we talking about THE
Palace?”
“Uh-huh.”
Alexis straightened in his seat. “Whoaa! A fucking president?! Come
on!”
He shrugged. “Told ya, you won’t believe it.”
 Alexis reclined back again and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “There are
only three ex-presidents who could have fathered you based on your age and
their ages.”
“Uh-huh,” he mumbled, neither denying nor agreeing
The subject of his real father had been mysterious to him since birth and
he was not comfortable discussing it with anybody. Even when Debra
already disclosed to him his father’s identity, it didn’t have a huge impact on
him. Sonny Montero was the only father he’d ever known. It was Sonny who
treated him like his very own son, who taught him good values in life. Well,
his relationship with his biological father was still developing. He didn’t
know where it would lead. He was taking it one day at a time.
Alexis studied his face. “You don’t look like any of them.”
“I got most of my features from my Mom. She’s a product of a white guy
and a woman of mixed race, too. I forgot what racial combo my grandma was
but she looked white. So, my Mom really looks white, right? My grandfather
had some Puerto Rican blood. Mom says I really look like my grandpa. The
only thing I got from my biological father is my darker skin-tone and dark
hair.”
“Come on, tell me, man!”
“Nah, keep guessing.”
“I’ll just have you DNA-tested. Or I can ask the two living ole dudes
who had an affair with your Mom. If nobody admits, there’s a good chance
your father’s the dead bloke.”
He chuckled. “Don’t. It’s top secret. Let’s not add more scandal to my
already fucked up life.”
“Shit, this will keep me awake all night.”
“Good, because I’m not sleepy yet.”
Alexis’ eyes gleamed speculatively. “When Manolo finds out your real
old man was an ex-president, he might want to be related to you.”
He grimaced. “Sorry, not interested.”
“Really?”
“Maybe you’re right, bro. Old clothes are better left in the closet.”
Alexis became serious. “When I told you that, I wasn’t really sure if you
still love Angie. I was being my usual pragmatic self. You know me.”
“No, you were right. It’s not really worth reliving the past anymore. It
has run its course. It’s dead. You can’t bring back what’s gone.”
“But you still feel something for her.”
 He laughed hoarsely. “You know, X, for a man who casually screws
someone’s wife without remorse, you’re strangely meddlesome with your
friend’s love lives.”
Alexis flushed. “Just concerned, is all.”
“Ah, you want them to be happy.”
Alexis snorted derisively. “Happiness is such an abused word.”
“Yeah? What would you call such a state?”
“A state of temporary insanity. They’re all in that phase. DL and Lucky
are so happy. Blue, Dylan, Marc and Russel are so freakin’ happy they make
me sick sometimes. Not that I want them to lose whatever they have right
now. It’s clearly working for them. But I don’t need to join them in that gooey
pool of mushy happiness. No, thanks.”
“So, you don’t believe in happiness?”
Alexis pondered on it for a bit and then latched on the subject in only the
X way. “Okay, supposing I believe in that crap, happiness-loneliness
whatever, I don’t think happiness can be experienced as a whole. We can
only feel fractions of it at one time, so learn not to be greedy. Don’t expect to
have it all at the same time. It will be gone without warning and you’ll never
know when it’s coming back. If it comes, fuck it ‘til you drop. If it leaves, as
it never lasts, fuck your hand. Either way, you still get off.”
“Thus the maxim, enjoy it while it lasts. I know, you live by that credo,
brother.”
“Personally, I’m a gambler. I deal with my cards when I get them. But
professionally, I’m a financier, thus I speculate the future. But I only prepare
for the probable damages, not the gains. Gains can’t change or affect you that
much. It’s a situation you can control. It’s the loss that you should pay
attention to. Most men don’t know how to use the power of loss. They only
see it as a black hole of failures, bad decisions and a dead end.”
“Are we now talking about money? I’m kinda lost.”
“You know I’m always talking about money.”
“Go on.”
“But loss motivates a person far greater than anything. When you have
nothing but a hard wall on your back, you have two choices. Die like a loser
or die fighting. And you can do anything, have anything when you have
nothing more to lose but your last worthless breath. In contrast, gain is
actually a weakness. It makes you afraid to lose.”
“Are you saying that happiness is a weakness?”
 “Now you’re getting my drift. Absofuckinglutely. It’s a prettily wrapped
bomb waiting to detonate any moment. And you’ll wait every single day for
that to happen, dreading that day. I don’t need that kind of shit in my life.”
“So you’d rather be lonely?”
“Loneliness and happiness are concepts created and being capitalized on
hugely by card factories. You know that. Hollywood is full of such crap.
They’re two sides of the same coin and a billion-dollar enterprise. Me, I see
life for what it really is. It’s just a card game. I play it minus the drama.”
Jaq shook his head. “Sometimes I don’t know if you’re really jaded to
the bone or an idealist using the words of a cynic, bro.”
Alexis shrugged. “That’s just me, bro. Don’t let me influence you if you
like waxing Shakespeare. By all means, believe in this happiness-loneliness
blah.”
He thought about that. Happiness was the last word that would describe
the state he was in right now. Truth be told, he had forgotten how it felt. Was
he lonely? That simple a word could not describe his present disposition
either. He was definitely not happy and definitely not lonely. He was…what
did he feel? He had no fuckin’ idea. “Man, we are so serious! I feel like a
wussy. Change topic.”
Alexis refilled their glasses again. “Bottoms up.”
They downed their glasses straight.
“Wanna be with Isis, tonight?” X offered. “She’s the best. A dynamo in
the sack. You’ll be singin’ a different tune when she finishes with you, I
guarantee that.”
Isis was a new geisha being trained by Alexis himself for the hottest skin
action at Lothario. Right now, she was exclusive to X. “Do I look so pathetic
that you’re giving away your current favorite geisha to cheer me up?”
“The only cure for heartbreak, not that I’ve ever entertained such lame
feelings, is a fuck fest. Isis is yours for as long as you want.”
“Rad will kill me. He’s hoping he’d get Isis first.”
“Too bad for him, I like you more.”
Now that made him feel better. “Okay. Send her to me later. I’ve got
nothing better to do wide awake at zero dark thirty.”

Girl, you should eat. You look like you’re gonna drop any moment. You
should get some sleep, too.”
“Darry, I need to see, Jaq! I need to talk to him!”
 “Yes, you will see him soon but you gotta pull yourself together first,
Ange.”
Angie could feel hysteria rising inside her. She went to Darry’s place
when it was already near midnight. She took a taxi earlier today and went to
Jaq’s house. But he was not home. She could have called him but she wasn’t
sure how he would respond. Why must he even speak to her after everything?
What she wanted to say to him must be said in person, not over the phone.
She rented the taxi for the whole day. The driver parked on a curb near
his house and she waited for him. But Jaq didn’t arrive.
Even Darry couldn’t contact Jaq’s phone.
She closed her eyes, feeling the burning abrasion behind her lids, the
consequence of staying awake for almost thirty six hours. She was so tired,
but her mind cannot rest until she had talked to Jaq. “Darry, I found out
something really terrible.”
Even if she didn’t have the energy, she told her bestfriend what
happened.
Darry was appalled. “Oh my God! It was Sherry?!”
“I can’t forgive her for this. I can’t!” She still could not comprehend the
enormity of what Sherry had done.
Darry shook her head. “I have trouble absorbing the recent events of
your life now, Ange. It’s like a soap opera gearing for an overkill ending.”
She wanted to laugh at what her friend said. It was so ironically true.
“Okay, listen to me. First, you need to eat and then take a hot shower.
Then you will sleep. While you’re sleeping, I will try to locate Jaq. In that
order.”
“But…”
“No buts. I’ll order food from our fave restaurant.”
“I have to talk to him, Darry. I must!”
“I know, dearest, I know. But first things first, eat and rest, okay?”
She nodded in capitulation. But rest was the farthest from her mind.

Jaq woke up with a nasty hang-over. He and Alexis drank till way past
midnight. He didn’t even know how he ended up in his suite at the club.
He sat up on the bed, cradling his head.
“About time you woke up, bad boy,” came a sultry voice somewhere in
the room.
 A beautiful woman was reclining on a settee, draped in a red, silk
dressing gown, her long, black hair flowing down her shoulders.
“Isis,” he drawled groggily.
He realized then that he was buck naked.
Isis left the settee and approached the bed. When she reached the edge,
she crouched like a feline and crawled on top of the mattress.
Despite the hang-over, a morning habit was hard to break. His cock was
already stiff. He didn’t know if it was for the need to pee or to fuck. It was
the first time he got confused of the two.
Isis straddled him and sat right on top of his morning erection. Only the
thick blanket separated them. It would be so easy to shift in position and
slide into her.
“Isis, did we…?”
The woman giggled. “Not yet. You were too drunk last night to even
walk, much less get it up. But I can feel you now…” She rotated her hips and
their groins rubbed.
For whatever reason, he felt a huge relief. He was sure now, he needed
to pee.
She began to undress. He stopped her.
“You don’t want me?”
He managed to give her a a cajoling smile. “No, no, not that, sweetheart.
I’m just a bit wiped out this morning, I mean, look at my face…”
Isis transformed from sexy geisha to mother hen. “Oh, you poor thing. Do
you want me to put something on your cuts?”
“Please? I’ll take a shower first.”
“Okay, I’ll just get it from the med kit down the hall. I’ll be right back.”
The geisha left. He jumped out of bed and hit the shower. He was
finished in less than five minutes. He dressed up in record time. He kept a
few clean clothes in his closet here for on-the-fly sessions like last night.
When Isis came back, she looked very disappointed. “Oh, you’re
dressed. I was hoping you can stay awhile.”
“I need to go to work.”
“Let me put something to your cuts…”
She let the geisha administer to his bruises for less than a minute then
politely told her that he was leaving.
“Jaq?” she called to him as he was heading for the door. She reclined on
his bed seductively. “X said I must take care of you.”
 He smiled kindly to the woman whose chosen profession was to make
him deliriously happy in the sack. He felt like an unappreciative cad. He
walked towards the bed and stroked her face gently. “You are a very
beautiful woman, Isis. But…”
What the hell was he doing passing up on this woman? She was
currently the most coveted lay in the club and he got the privilege of her first
ride as a bona fide geisha. Rad Yulo will want to kill him for that.
She touched his chest lovingly in understanding. “I know. You’re hurting.
She’s a bitch for hurting you like this. She doesn’t deserve you, Jaq. Don’t
waste your time with her. A lot of women are willing to be with you, love
you, if you will only give them a chance.”
He left the geisha with a polite peck on her cheek. Not only was his sex
life open to public scrutiny now, even his feelings. It was so damn
humiliating.
Was he that transparent? He was behaving like the supporting role in a
typical cheesy romance movie, the guy who got jilted by the prom queen in
favor of the star athlete and son of the richest man in town. But he was no
fumbling, lovesick jerk in thick glasses who couldn’t score a lay if his life
depended on it. He was Jaq fucking Montero, badass Hollywood director.
Chicks had been hangin’ onto his stick since his rock star days! As for his
supporting role in that lucratively famous love triangle, he had forgotten for
awhile that he was the bad boy in the big bike who got to pop the prom
queen’s cherry in the star athlete’s locker room. Only, he didn’t want to marry
the prom queen. Hell no, he was too hot for just one woman.
Fuck Angelina Yulo!
It was time he got back in the game. Whipping his cellphone from the
back pocket of his pants, he dialed Alexis’ number. “X, I wanna throw a
party at MAB tonight. Round up all the usual guests….Yup, I want the whole
place exclusively.”
After talking to Alexis, he felt better.
X was so right. A fuck fest was in order.
Chapter Fourteen
JAQ ARRIVED AT AROUND TEN IN THE EVENING, when the party
had already heated up. MAB, the super club owned by Alexis was packed to
capacity tonight and it seemed that all the invited guests had turned up to
party with him. Sympathy attendance? He had to reclaim his old badass
image. At least, locally.
He entered the club with Gwenna who was only too happy to resume her
hobby with his stick. Having a hot bombshell hanging on to his arm in public
helped lift his sagging ego some.
They saw the beautiful socialite Wendy Lopez at the club entrance. With
just an eye-contact, he knew he was Wendy’s chosen fix for the night. Now,
who’d say no to this hot babe? Gwenna didn’t look pleased with the
competition but when Wendy glowingly complimented her outfit, the actress
relaxed and warmed up to Wendy right away.
It was raining booty and he hadn’t even entered the main premises yet.
Tonight, he would bang pussy until his pole dried up.
A spotlight followed him as he entered the club’s main hall at the ground
floor. Romjin, was on stage. Several bands under Bad Boy Records’ stable
were also performing tonight.
Romjin paused in the middle of a ripping song to greet him.“Ladies and
Gentleman, your host tonight has arrived! Make way for my good friend, your
good friend, Jaq Montero!”
Screams and applause greeted him.
Somebody gave him a wireless microphone. “Hey, RJ! We are packed
tonight!”
“Yup, dude, and everything’s on you!”
He raised his fist in the air to address his guests. “Yeah! Tonight, we’re
gonna party till you all fucking drop! Bar will be open ‘til zero dark thirty!
All you the booze you can drink, my friends! I’m payin’ alright! Make that
sky’s the fucking limit!”
Wild shouts of approval.
“I love you, Jaq Montero!!!” shouted a female from the crowd.
“I love you, too, baby. Join me at my booth later,” he drawled smoothly.
“Me, too, Jaq! I love you!!!” shouted another.
“Uhm, listen ladies. If you can all pack your beautiful selves in my booth
without fuss, I’m game.”
 Hysterical female shrieks.
“What about me? Wanna join me up here, later, man? I miss jamming
with you!” RJ said.
“Later, yeah. Carry on, man!” He gave RJ a thumbs up.
Romjin grabbed his guitar again and resumed playing to the crowd’s
delight.
They headed for the escalator. MAB was designed like a gigantic theater
with multi-level mezzanine floors. The second level was called the Hotshot
Lounge. On normal days, a VIP pass was needed to enter this part but tonight,
it was an open house.
The long escalator brought him and his two companions to the third
mezzanine level. This was called the Bigshot Lounge. In this place, no
cameras and cell phones were allowed. They were literally surrendered at
the door. This was where high society and celebrity mingled and did their
shit in relative privacy.
The beautiful sentinel guarding the fully-padded, red double-door
greeted him.“Good evening, Jaq,”
“Good evening, Sam. Looking good, babe.” He winked at the woman.
She winked back. “And you look so badass hot with those black and
blues, baby,” she said of his battered face. Ice packs diffused all the swelling
and diminished the dark patches. Sam’s eyes appreciatively traveled down
his entire frame clad in a black sleeveless leather tunic that exposed his arms
and torso. Below, he wore a matching black low-rise, tight leather pants
secured by his favorite silver, swastika belt. This was his favorite fuck-me-
hard costume and it never failed him.
Before he could introduce his date, Sam was on her. “Miss James,
welcome to MAB! I’m a huge fan! Can I have your autograph later?”
Gwenna smiled tentatively. “Sure.”
Sam winked at Wendy.
“Join us later, Sam?” Jaq said.
Sam licked her upper lip. “You bet. Sorry, guys, but gadgets please,” she
said with a big smile.
They had to follow protocol.
Moments later, they walked into the Big Shot Lounge.
“It’s getting crowded in here,” Gwenna commented, pouting.
“Sweetheart, this is my ‘back from the dead’ party. Humor me.”
“I can keep you alive all night, Jaq. You know that.”
 Didn’t he know it? She could resurrect a hundred-year corpse if she put
her mind to it. He chucked her chin playfully. “I know, but sweetheart. Come
on, let’s say hi to my friends over there.”
He held both women’s hands and they walked over to his friends.
Rocky, Tommy, Diegs and Rydon were grouped in one table while Jonty,
Thirdy and Alexis shared another. They were surrounded by gorgeous ladies.
“Jaq, join us,” Alexis invited him.
“I will, later. I need to play daddy first.”
He could hear their hoots and laughter as he led his two dates to a booth
reserved for him. At Bigshot Lounge, the policy was ‘mind your own damn
business’. The cubicle was plushly-carpeted, equipped with circular
cushioned seats forming around a low center table. It can occupy at least ten
people. He dropped his bulk on the throw pillows.
A waiter immediately attended them.
“Cosmopolitan,” Wendy and Gwenna said almost in unison.
“A girl after my heart.” Wendy drawled and winked at Gwenna.
Gwenna winked back.
Jaq didn’t miss the little exchange. Fuck? Was he going to see some dirty
WW action tonight? He wouldn’t mind at all. “Bring in my fave scotch, man,”
he told the waiter.
The waiter left to do their bidding.
Wendy slid closer to him and caressed his thigh. “I have something to
tell you, Jaq.”
“Yeah? What is it?”
Wendy ran her red fingernails lightly from his neck down to his navel.
“You’re such an inspiring figure in the entertainment business and I like your
fashion sense. You’ve got this swag that few men I know possess. Your look
is so sexy and unique. So, I created a line in your name. Of course, we’d
need to talk about the business side of it. I just got so excited I went ahead
and created the prototypes without consulting you first. You’re not mad, are
you?” She batted her extra-long lashes at him.
“No, no, Wendy. That’s so…I’m flattered.”
“Would you personally model it in my next fashion show and billboards,
please? You’re my current inspiration.”
“Fashion show? I don’t know…”
“You don’t need to do anything. Just walk the way you walk.”
“I don’t know. I’m quite busy with my movie.”
 “I’ll wait until you’re free.”
“But I’m not a model.”
Wendy leaned closer. “No, you’re not. You’re Jaq Montero, romantic…”
He grunted. “Come on, you probably saw that ancient video.”
Wendy smiled dreamily. “Hmm, I’d like to think that you’re still capable
of being that sweet, sweet guy in the video. I really, really dig him. He’s so–”
“Sweet? Me? No.” Fuck! Sweet guys were always suckers and stupid
fools.
“You didn’t let me finish,” Wendy purred. “Yes, you are. Mega-talented,
super-sexy and ultra-hot,” she flicked her tongue lightly over his lips, “…bar
none.”
This woman could make a living talking a man to jizzdom. Very eloquent
in blowing smoke up a man’s insecure ass. “I don’t think so but I like what
you’re doing, babe. Go on.”
Wendy kissed him. She was good. He stayed passive, letting her do the
work.
Gwenna cupped his face and turned him towards her. “My turn and I can
definitely do better than that.” The sexpot proceeded to show Wendy that she
was an even better kisser.
He grinned when Gwenna let go of his lips. “Why don’t you show
Wendy how good that was, sweetheart?”
Gwenna smiled and leaned over. Wendy met her halfway. He watched
their red lips get acquainted with each other, feeling the stirring of desire in
his groin. Shit. Not bad. The night was getting better.
Then they were on him again, Gwenna on his face, Wendy on his body.
Ah, but he missed his usual bad girls. They all knew the right moves.
Unlike good girls who needed a lot of tutoring and coaxing. All his good girl
fantasies were headlined by only one woman. Shit, no more good girl
fantasies. He concentrated on his bad girls at hand. The faint sound of rock
music in the background helped get him in the mood.
“Jaq?”
He froze at the sound of that voice. His tongue which was inside
Gwenna’s mouth retreated like it was stung by a bee.
She cannot be here. Not in his fuck fest.
“Can I talk to you, please?”
She was here, alright. He slowly turned to face her.
A perfect vision in white. His ultimate good girl fantasy.
 No. His ultimate nightmare.

Angie nearly lost her nerve.

Jaq was gorgeously sprawled between two beautiful women, practically
having sex in public and she was interrupting his fun. She knew both women.
One was Gwenna James, Jaq’s rumored girlfriend and the other was Wendy
Lopez, a known man-eater in town, a very successful fashion designer she
actually admired despite not having the guts to wear her super-sexy, highly
coveted gowns.
“Can we talk?” she repeated as he continued to stare at her, his eyes so
intense even in the dim light. He was clad in an outfit so strategically
revealing any woman would have to be dead not to want him in a sexual way.
Jaq slowly ran his hand along Gwenna’s exposed leg. “I’m busy,” he
said curtly and proceeded to nuzzle the actress’ neck.
Angie didn’t know how long she could stand the scene before her.
“Hey, isn’t this the bitch who slapped you, sweetie?” Gwenna asked
Jaq.
“Yes. She’s the one with Jaq in that video, too,” Wendy confirmed.
“Oh, THAT boring old video?” Gwenna snickered. “You call that
scandal? She didn’t even know how to kiss you properly, big boy. If I were
to make a sex video with you, Jaq, it will be smokin’ hot. Hotter than Paris’
and Kim’s. You’re welcome to join, Wendy.”
The two women laughed.
Angie’s nervousness was replaced by humiliation and shortly after,
wrath.
“Ladies…” Jaq interrupted but Angie cut him.
“I was only eighteen in that video. Imagine what I can do now. Why
don’t you ask him?”
Angie had the satisfaction of seeing their jaws drop. Smiling at Jaq
seductively, she cooed, goaded beyond restraint. “Darling, why don’t you tell
them how we are in bed now?”
Jaq jumped to his feet and dragged her by the arm away from the cubicle
to a far corner.
“What do you want?” he demanded in an impatient tone.
There, in the shadowy corner, her nervousness returned. She had
rehearsed every word that she wanted to say to him but her mind went blank.
“Go marry your fiancé. You deserve each other. I don’t care.”
 “Jaq…”
He sighed and combed his fingers through his tousled hair. How she
longed to do that right this minute, to touch him, hug him so tight.
“Look, Angie, I didn’t know what I was thinking. I shouldn’t have…we
shouldn’t have. We were finished eight years ago. You were right. Let us
move on. For real. We are definitely over now, I can guarantee that.”
This was not what she wanted to hear. But can she blame him? Never.
“Go home, Angie. You don’t belong in this place,” he said quietly and
turned his back on her.
She grabbed his arm, her tears falling down her cheeks. “Jaq…”
He looked at her again, his eyes swathed in abject sadness that made her
want to weep loudly in regret. She had caused that sadness and it was
breaking her heart all over again. God, how can she ever make it up to him?
“Why are you here, Angie?”
“I already know...I found out...that you didn’t leak the video,” she
stammered, struggling to speak straight when all she wanted to do was drop
to her knees and grovel.
He gave her a hollow smile. “Well, now you know it wasn’t me. Good.
Anything else I don’t already know?”
Her hands gripped his arm tighter. “Oh Jaq, I’m so sorry…I’m so sorry!
Please, forgive me…Please–”
“Hey, it’s okay. Really, it’s okay,” he interrupted her. “Go home now.”
“No, I want to say sorry…for eight years ago.”
His eyes suddenly went chilly. She felt the muscles in his arm tense.
“Yeah? What about eight years ago?”
“I’m sorry about about what my father and brothers did to you…”
“You couldn’t have done anything about it, so don’t be.”
“We didn’t even talk...we didn’t have a chance to see each other again
after...” her voice trailed off. It was too painful to reopen old wounds. Fresh
blood was drawn and the pain was the same, if not worse, because now she
was seeing clearly what they both lost. The beauty of their innocent love. The
chance to be happy together.
“After I was thrown into prison, you mean?”
The frigidity in his voice made the hairs on her spine stand up in
trepidation. “I know…I know it had been bad for you.”
He expelled a short, mirthless laugh. “You have no idea.”
 “But I did everything to help you, Jaq. Believe me, I didn’t want you to
go to prison.”
He yanked his arm from her grasp. His cold eyes were now scorching
hot in fury. No. Hatred. Unfathomable hatred. It almost made her turn around
and run.
“You didn’t want me...to go to prison?” he repeated slowly, menacingly.
“You have to believe me. I never meant to hurt you, Jaq. I never meant
not to see or talk to you again after you were released but things just got so
complicated and I—”
“You never meant to hurt me?!” he snarled.
She recoiled. “Jaq…”
“You better stop now, you bitch!”
The naked hostility in his eyes really frightened her but it did not deter
her. She would brave anything for his forgiveness.
“No, Jaq, we need to talk about this. Let me explain, please–”
“What is there to explain?!” he roared. “It was pretty black and white to
me! You intended to send me to prison!”
She stared at him blankly.
He walked away. “Go home!”
She stood there, momentarily transfixed. Then she went after him. He
was going back to his two companions. She grabbed his arm again in
desperation. “Jaq, please, listen to me!”
He shrugged her off. “I said go home! I’m warning you, Angie!”
“No! I won’t go unless you’ve listened to everything I came here to say!”
“Hey, you’re disrupting our party,” Gwenna said from a few meters
away.
“Shut up!” Angie snapped at the actress. She had been up with very little
sleep for almost three days now and her patience was at its limit. “Mind you
own business!”
“The last time I checked, that guy is our business tonight, not yours. Why
don’t you join us here? We can do a four-way.” Wendy invited with seductive
insolence.
Jaq grabbed her arm and dragged her from his two bitchy dates. They
headed for the door.
She dug in her heels but he kept on dragging her. “Jaq, please, you’re
hurting me!”
“Then walk, damn you!”
 They passed by a cubicle.
“Jaq! Angie!”
Angie saw Darry sitting beside Alexis, who invited Darry to this party.
Jaq let go of her arm and addressed Darry. “Take her home, Darry. I
don’t want her here.”
“Come on, Jaq, this is a party. Relax,” Alexis said.
“This is MY party! I can kick out anybody I want!” Jaq shot back.
He was walking away again.
“Jaq, I didn’t put you in prison! I saved you from prison!” she shouted at
his back, forgetting their audience.
He stopped walking, but didn’t look back.
“I know I was wrong that I didn’t even come see you after everything
that happened! But it didn’t mean I did not want to! It was very painful for
me, too Jaq, but I didn’t have any choice. My father nearly died and I had to
take care of him! If you thought that you were the only one who got hurt, you
were wrong! I was hurting, too! I’ve been hurting all these years!”
He turned around again and reached her in a few strides, his eyes, twin
orbs of black hate. “What lies are you trying to fool me with again, Angie? I
was there in that stinky prison cell for more than two weeks! You filed that
complaint against me! I saw your signature on it! I even filed a counter
affidavit!”
She blinked rapidly, couldn’t understand what he was saying. “But…”
she shook her head, confused. “No, that’s not true, Jaq. That’s not true! I
don’t understand–”
“No? Okay, I will refresh your memory, you two-faced bitch!” He
stepped closer towards her. “You charged me with abduction and rape. A
heinous crime, Angie. A crime that used to be punishable by death. Good
thing for rapists, it was reduced to life, though I would have preferred death.
You made an affidavit of complaint saying I abducted you at gun point and
guess what, raped you!” he said the last words with such devastating
contempt. “Wow, that really blew me away, you know?”
“R-rape?” She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She had a clear
recollection of what transpired that day. She’d never accused him of any
crime, least of all rape!
“No, Jaq, I didn’t… I didn’t… I would never do that. I loved you!
Please believe me! I loved you!”
He spread his arms wide. “Bullshit!!”
 She pressed her knuckles hard on her lips, her entire body shaking like a
leaf.
“Bullshit!! You’re so full of shit, you hear me?!”
“Jaq, I swear–”
“Shut the fuck up! Just stop it, Angie! I’m so damn tired of your lies! Just
be fucking honest for once! Just once! You never loved me! Okay, you did
what you had to do and that was fine! You wanted to get rid of me by filing
that damn rape case, fine! It was just a reckless, juvenile adventure on your
part, fine! I can take all of that, but don’t come here and act like you really
cared and knew nothing about it, because I cannot take that, you lying, selfish
bitch! You make me sick!”
She was rendered speechless. His burning hatred overpowered her
courage, or what was left of it.
When he spoke again, his voice was low and emotionless. But she knew,
it was the end of the line. He had shut the door on her. Completely. “Get lost.
I’ve had enough of your lies and games. I’ve had it with your fucked up
family. I used to think the world of you, but you were right, it was just a
reckless adventure. When I think about it now, it’s not even worth shitting on.
Do me a favor, will you? Don’t ever bother me again.”
When he turned his back and walked away this time, she let him go. She
didn’t have the strength to run after him. His verbal lashing had left her raw
and bleeding. Bile rose to her throat. Oh God, I don’t understand…I don’t
understand!
“Ange?” She felt Darry’s hand on her back.
She could feel people staring at her but she couldn’t see anything. Her
vision blurred. The voices around her turned into a harsh cacophony of
sounds, making her ears ring painfully.
Her legs gave way.

Jaq heard Darry scream. He ran back to them.

People were huddled together, looking down on something...or someone.
Fear slammed hard in his gut and he shouldered his way into the crowd.
He saw Angie lying on the floor, unmoving.
“What happened to her?!” he shouted.
“You tell me, you asshole!” Darry shouted back at him. She was shaking
Angie’s shoulders, trying to wake her up, but Angie was lying there...pale
and lifeless.
 He crouched beside her prone body. “Angie! Angie!”
“Let’s bring her to the hospital! Jaq, lift her up!” Darry commanded.
She didn’t need to tell him twice. He lifted Angie in his arms. She
weighed like a sack of feather.
“Use the private elevator. My SUV is waiting at the back exit,” Alexis
said.
Minutes later, they were aboard Alexis’ Escalade on their way to the
nearest hospital. He sat with Angie in his arms at the backseat while Darry
occupied the front passenger seat.
“Is she awake yet?” Darry inquired anxiously.
“No. Jim, can we go faster?” he said to Alexis’ chauffeur.
“I’m going as fast as I can without us getting into an accident, Jaq,” Jim
replied calmly at the wheel.
Jaq was trying hard not to be overridden by panic. What the hell was
wrong with her? Did she faint because they fought? Or was she ill? If
something happened to her…
No. Angie was healthy. She would be fine.
He leaned closer to her face. “Angie, wake up, baby…” he whispered.
“Don’t do this to me…I didn’t mean what I said…I’m sorry…Angie?”
She stirred in his arms. “I can’t breathe…” she said weakly, barely
opening her eyes.
“Hang in there, baby. You’ll be fine. You’ll be fine.”
She cried weakly. “Jaq…I’m so sorry…so sorry…”
He hugged her. “It’s okay. Shhh, it’s okay. Don’t think about it anymore.
Everything will be alright.”
When they reached the hospital, he rushed Angie to the emergency room.
Nurses immediately flocked to attend to her. He was gripped by greater
fear when a nurse clamped a ventilation mask on Angie face and another
applied chest compressions. A doctor arrived. Orders were barked, nurses
scampered all over the place, doing their jobs.
He stood there watching, suspended in the most helpless state of terror
he’d ever experienced in his entire life. God, why are they reviving her? Is
she dying?!
“What’s wrong with her? Is she sick, Darry?!”
“I don’t know! She seemed fine…No, she isn’t fine…Oh God, Angie!”
A nurse approached them. “Sir, ma’am, please wait outside.”
“No!” he protested. “We can’t leave her!”
 “No, sir. You must leave the room. We will get back to you later,” the
nurse said sternly.
They were forced to leave the emergency room.
“Oh God, I need to call Angie’s family.”
“Please, not yet, Darry. I wanna know what’s wrong with her.”
“But…”
“If you call them, I will have to leave immediately. You know her father
and brothers all want to kill me, and vise versa.”
Darry sighed heavily. “Alright, when the doctor comes out, I’m calling
them.”
“Thanks.”
Darry went to sit on a metal bench. They waited outside the emergency
room in agitated silence. He sat beside Darry, pumping his legs and rubbing
his palms together in anxiety. He couldn’t sit still. God, please, I will forgive
her anything! Anything at all if she will be fine.
“Jaq?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you still love her?”
He sighed. “It doesn’t matter anymore, Darry.”
“No. It would matter. It would matter a lot.”
“Why would it still matter?”
“Because she still loves you.”
He didn’t know what to make of that. How could a woman love him and
do what Angie did to him eight years ago?
“No matter what happened in the past, no matter how painful it was, it
didn’t kill your love for each other.”
Yeah, his love for her was still freakin’ alive, alright. It refused to die.
And for the life of him, he didn’t know why. People would often compare
love to a plant. You’d need to take care of it to keep it alive, water it
everyday, feed it with fertilizer or whatever to keep it healthy, even talk to it
so it will bloom and bear fruit faster. How was it then that his love for her
was still alive despite that it was trampled on, abandoned and was never be
returned?
It was the ultimate foolishness. He was the ultimate fool.
After almost thirty minutes, the doctor came out from the ER and
approached them.
They immediately stood up.
 “Doctor, is she alright?” Darry asked.
“Are you relatives of the patient?”
“Yes, ” Darry lied. “We’re her cousins. Is she okay?”
“The patient suffered a severe drop in blood sugar. The drop of blood
sugar causes low blood pressure, that’s why she fainted. It is triggered by
extreme stress or lack of food intake or a heart ailment. We need to do a
series of tests for her other vital organs. But she has been stabilized for now.
She’s also developing a case of severe anemia and we need to check her
hemoglobin level.”
“But she’s been healthy all her life, doctor. I’ve never seen her get sick
worse than a flu.”
“Has the patient been subjected to some emotional ordeal lately?”
Jaq swallowed hard, guilt eating him up. Darry glanced at him briefly
before answering. “ I’m afraid, yes, doctor, she’s been having really serious
emotional problems lately. She hasn’t been eating and sleeping well.”
The doctor nodded. “She needs plenty of rest. She needs to take a break
from work or whatever is giving her emotional or mental stress.”
“But she’s okay now, right? She’s not in critical condition or anything?”
Darry wanted to make sure.
“No. But we’ll perform a series of tests on her to really make sure she’s
all clear. She’s been given a tranquilizer, so she would be resting for hours.
You will be able to talk to her tomorrow. She needs to be confined for a few
days. Please, arrange for her accommodation at the nurses’ station.”
“Thank you, doctor.”
The doctor left them.
“Jaq?”
“Call her family now. I need to go.”
“Are you alright?”
Darry’s question sounded strange. “Yes.” He was far from alright. He
would probably never be alright.
“She will be okay, Jaq. Don’t worry.”
He nodded. She had to be. One of them had to be okay, at least. “Take
care of her, Darry.”
“I will. Thank you.”
Jaq left the hospital. Aboard the Escalade, he borrowed the chauffeur’s
phone and called Alexis. He forgot his phone at MAB.
“Man, is she okay?” Alexis asked with concern.
 “Yeah, she’s fine. Can you do me a favor, bro? Please, make sure
Gwenna is taken care of. Have her billeted at a 5-star hotel or anywhere
safe.”
“I’ll take care of her, don’t worry.”
“Tell Wendy I’ll make it up to her. I just can’t deal with them anymore
tonight. I’m not going back there. I’ll be at the club.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. You take charge of my party. Just extend my apologies to
the guests and the gang.”
“Alright. I’ll take care of it.”
He cut the call. He stared at the bright lights that lined the streets as the
vehicle zoomed by. He was one big chunk of numbness and he was grateful
for that. He didn’t want to feel anything more tonight.
When he reached Lothario, he went straight to his suite. He drank three
shots of whiskey and popped a pill. It was fast.
He felt sleepy within a few minutes.
Chapter Fifteen
SHE WAS NOT PREPARED to see any of them. Not while she was lying
in a hospital bed completely helpless and devoid of energy to confront all the
lies perpetrated by the family she had thought was worth giving up her
happiness for.
Sherry was beside her hospital bed. “Ange? Are you, okay?” she asked
gently, touching her hand.
Angie pulled her hand back as if burned. She glanced at her twin
brothers. They couldn’t look her straight in the eye.
She stared at her father whose head was bowed. “Dad?”
Manolo lifted his head and met her gaze. His face was etched with harsh
lines of worry, his eyes, tormented. He looked older today, much older.
She was afraid to ask her father, to learn the truth from his own lips.
Would she be able to handle the truth? His truth that she was almost sure now
were all lies from the beginning. But she couldn’t go on living without
knowing what really happened eight years ago.
“Dad, I will ask you something and I want you to tell me the truth.”
Manolo nodded.
“What was that document you had me sign in that hospital eight years
ago?”
Manolo looked at his hands and sighed deeply.
“Please, Dad. I need to know.”
Her father’s eyes became glassy. “I hope you can forgive me, Angelina.”
Her tears flowed. “Please, Dad, don’t tell me I put Jaq in prison by
signing that document. Please God, no…” She shook her head, wanting her
father to deny it.
“Angie…” Her father walked to the side of her bed. The guilt she saw in
his eyes said it all.
She felt like a big fist squeezed her heart, crushing it. She sat up on the
bed, chasing her breath. “Oh God! Why?! Why, why, why?! I trusted you,
Dad! I trusted you with all my heart!”
Her father’s hand lifted to touch her. She cringed from him, unable to
bear the thought that this man was her father. The man she had chosen over
Jaq, the person she had considered more important than the only man she had
ever loved.
 “How could you do this to me! How could you do this, Dad! Oh God,
no, no, no…!” she wailed in the room, uncaring of the world anymore.
“Angie, calm down…please, calm down...”
She lashed at Sherry. “You?! Why are you even here? Have you no
shame?! I trusted you so much, Sher! How could you do that to me?! I am
your sister!”
Sherry began to sob.
Angie turned to her brothers. “And you, you left me with nothing! You
took everything from me! Why don’t you just kill me?! What did I ever do to
you to deserve all this?! I thought I was lucky to have brothers who would
defend me from harm, who wouldn’t hurt me! But you’ve hurt me so many
times! All of you! Why do you hate me so much?! Why?! Why?!!!” She was
screaming at them like a person gone mad, but she no longer cared. She no
longer belonged in this family.
“That’s not true, sweetheart. We love you, Angie. I do love you.”
She shook hear head vehemently, his father’s words not making any
sense anymore. “No, Dad, you don’t love me. You never did! If you truly
loved me, you wouldn’t have done that. You wouldn’t have made me betray
the man I loved in the most cruel way and make me believe all these years
that I saved him. I don’t understand how you can love me and do what you
did. It’s hurts, Dad. It hurts so much!”
“I know. I know. Oh God, I’m so sorry, sweetheart. It was my fault. All
of it. I was blinded by my hatred…”
Her father’s words seemed to fade. She fell back on the bed, gasping for
breath like a fish out of water. Her vision was suddenly flooded by tiny
exploding stars and she could not see...
“Rad, call the doctor!” she heard his father’s voice from a distance.
She heard her sister sobbing, but she too seemed far, far away.
She was so tired…so very tired…
Jaq…Jaq…I’m so sorry, my love. I’m so sorry…

Jaq was awakened by the loud knocking on the door.

He sat up on the bed and groaned as pain shot straight to his head. His
skull felt like splitting in two. Shit! Sleeping pills and whiskey didn’t mix
well.
“Jaq! You in there? Jaq!”
 Why was Alexis at his door this early? He checked his watch. It wasn’t
early. It was already noontime. Damn, he had slept that long?
Alexis shouted his name again.
“Coming!” He hauled his ass from the bed. He was still wearing his
leather pants from the other night. Shirtless, he padded barefoot to the door
and wrenched it open. “Bro, what the fuck is so fuckin’ urgent?”
Alexis looked unhappy, too, obviously roused from bed. “Yeah, I asked
them that myself,”
“Who?”
“You have guests.” Alexis gestured to his right.
He stuck his head beyond the jamb.
The Yulo twins were standing there.
Jaq assumed a defensive stance as Alexis stepped aside and the twins
moved to stand in front of him.
He didn’t say another word and just stared at them. What the hell were
they doing here?
Strangely, Rad looked calm. Ram was his usual catatonic self. They
looked like meek lambs, which freaked the shit out of him. He wasn’t used to
anything but hostility from these two.
Alexis mumbled something and walked away.
“Jaq...can we talk?” Rad asked in a low, conciliatory tone. It was the
first time that Rad uttered his first name in years. What the hell had gotten
into this asshole?
“Schedule a meeting in the ring. We’ll talk there.”
Rad coughed and looked really uncomfortable. He glanced at his twin.
Ram cleared his throat. “We’re here…to apologize, Jaq.”
Now THAT, he never expected in a million years.
These two were apologizing to him? Impossible. They were up to
something. He leaned on the door jamb and crossed his arms on his chest.
“Apologize? For what?”
The twins looked like their asses were under a raging furnace now.
Apologies must be alien in their world full of self-entitlement. “If you have
nothing more to say, I wanna go back to bed,” He dismissed them and moved
from the door.
Ram raised his hand. “Wait...Jaq...”
“Two minutes.”
 Ram swallowed hard and spoke. “We want to apologise...for everything.
What we did to you before…it was wrong. Very wrong.” He sighed deeply.
“We are sorry, Jaq. We hope you can forgive us.”
The twins were now nervously pretending to inspect the intricacies of
the cream Italian marble floor like fidgeting schoolboys at the principal’s
office. It simply boggled the mind. What in hell brought this on?
“Is that all?” he asked them coldly.
They both nodded.
Fuck them! What they did to him was pure hell! Now here they were,
eight years later, saying sorry. Sorry?! What the fuck…! He wanted to bang
their heads together.
“There are no words that can express our regret, Jaq. But I want to say it
nonetheless. We are sorry. We really are. We were wrong.” Rad said in a
very humble tone.
It must be eating up at his enormous ego, to be asking for his forgiveness
like this. It was the first time too that Rad Yulo used a respectful tone on him.
For as long as he could remember, this guy treated him like dirt. If it wasn’t
so fucking ludicrous, it would have been included in the book of wonders.
“Tell you what, go fuck yourselves.” He slammed the door in their faces.
He was so freakin’ mad he couldn’t go back to sleep.
He took a cold shower to cool his head.

An hour later, Jaq joined Alexis at the Lothario pool side for lunch.
“I thought I’d never see the day when a Yulo would come to you with his
head bowed and his tail tucked between his ass, much less two Yulos,”
Alexis commented, slightly shaking his head in wonder.
“I don’t give a rat’s ass if they cut each other’s head off. I’m definitely
done with the Yulos.”
Fuck Rad. Fuck Ram. Double fuck their father. Triple fuck the entire
Yulo clan.
He inspected the bounty on the table. Food at Lothario was always
served like a feast for the gods. The club had become his sanctuary of sorts
the past few years.
The first time he came back here five years ago, he’d expected to have
lost his old friends. He cut all contacts from his homeland for three straight
years, just wanting to forget. But the moment he made contact again, they
welcomed him back with open arms. He thought they’d avoid him in
deference to the Yulos, but to his surprise, that didn’t happen. They embraced
him back into their fold without question.
When Alexis built Lothario, Jaq was honored as one of the pioneering
members. That was the most coveted place in the club roster, the mysterious
inner sanctum. Rad and Ram didn’t belong in Alexis’ tight group of friends
and he got a huge kick out of that. Money definitely didn’t talk the loudest at
Lothario. Bottom line, it was still brotherhood that mattered.
He sat down opposite Alexis and dug in.
“Is Angie alright?”
The fear he’d felt while watching Angie being revived last night would
always haunt him. He was only reassured by the fact that her family could
afford to have her treated in the best hospitals anywhere in the world if
needed. “Yeah, she’s fine. Now, can we change the subject, man? I’m eating
here. I don’t want to puke all over your table.”
“Party lasted till 3 AM last night. Your truck is at the garage. There’s
your phone.” Alexis gestured to the phone lying on the table.
“Thanks, bro.”
“Your two chicks were pissed off.”
He snorted. “I bet after you finished with them, they were already singin’
a different tune.”
“Nah. I entrusted Gwenna to Rydon who was so eager to show her his
brand new chopper, among other things. He’ll will take good care of her,
don’t worry.”
He gave a short laugh, relieved that Gwenna found a new “hobby”. “I
just bet he does. What about Wendy?”
“That babe didn’t need to be taken care of. She went home with three
guys I think. Forgot who.”
His brows arched. “And you went home with...?”
Alexis shrugged. “Was beat.”
He widened his eyes in exaggerated surprise. “Beat? You? The
Energizer? Perpetual record holder of Citizen Dildo? What the hell is
happening to the king of Lothario?”
“Shut the fuck up. Eat.”
They ate in silence for a few minutes.
“So, what are you doing later?” Alexis asked.
“I don’t know. I need to go back to work.”
“You need a break, man. Take a few days off from work.”
 “Where would I go?”
“Go to my place in Calatagan. Use one of my choppers to get there.
Anytime.”
He was moved by the generous offer. Alexis’ beach front property in
Calatagan was a paradise, a world-class private resort. It was near his set,
too. “I don’t know what to say. Thank you, bro.”
“Wanna bring a bunch of geishas with you? Take your pick.”
He shook his head and smiled wryly. “Nah. Peace and quiet. Means
alone.”

The visitor was the last person Angie expected to show up in her
hospital suite.
She teared up. “Jordy.”
Jordan smiled at her and walked toward her bed.
“How are you, princess?” he asked her gently. He would always call her
princess in the past. It was his simple way of making her feel special. He
was not a very expressive man.
She felt a huge weight lifting from her shoulders when she heard the
gentleness in his voice, when she saw kindness in his eyes again. Whatever
ill-feelings she’d harbored for him in the past weeks melted like ice. “Oh,
Jordy, I’m so sorry!”
“Angie, don’t cry.”
She wiped her tears with the hem of her blanket. “I don’t know what to
say. I hurt you so much.
He held her hand. “It’s okay. Let’s just move on from that.”
“No. I can’t move on without telling you anything. You’ve treated me so
good all these years, you and your family…and I did that…I’m a bad, bad
person, Jordy.”
“No, Angie. I said things to you, too, things that really hurt you.” He
sighed. “I said so many things out of dented ego. I was a selfish bastard. I’m
so sorry, Angie.”
She shook her head. “No. I deserved all of it.”
He touched her cheek gently. “Are we gonna have a who-did-worse
contest here?”
She stared at his handsome face with regret. She could have been the
luckiest woman on earth but she knew, she didn’t deserve this great guy.
Some other woman would make him truly happy.
 “Jordy, about Sherry…” she gently broached the subject.
The gentleness in his face was immediately wiped out, replaced by a
shuttered look. “I already know about that. She told me. I don’t want to talk
about her, if you don’t mind.”
She nodded. Even now, it was hard to come to terms with what her sister
had done. Never mind her damaged reputation. It was the betrayal of her own
flesh and blood that was hard to forget or forgive.
“Are you feeling better now? They said you had blood transfusion.”
“Yes, but I’m fine now. The doctors just advised me to rest. So, I’m
taking a time off from everything.”
“Yeah. Scandals are so draining. I think I need a break, too.”
They both laughed.
She held his hand tighter. “Thank you so much, Jordy. For everything.”
He kissed her forehead. “You take care always, princess.”
And that was how she formally broke up with the best husband she could
have had if she had not blown it. The only consolation there was that she
knew, Jordan would always be her friend.

Angie spent five days at the hospital then persuaded Darry to have
her discharged. The somber atmosphere was making her feel depressed
instead of getting better. She wanted to breathe fresh air.
Darry took care of her. Her other three close friends, the Monleon sisters
were vacationing in Europe with their mother.
She refused to see any member of her family after their big confrontation
days ago. She wasn’t ready to face them again. Her pain was still raw.
“Are you sure you can handle it already, Ange?”
“Yes, don’t worry, Darry. I just can’t stand the smell of this place
anymore. It’s so sickeningly sanitary. I can’t breathe properly.”
“Okay. You’ll stay with me while recuperating. I’ll take care of you.”
“Thank you. What will I do without you?”
“You need to relax. You have to take extra care of your health now.
You’re breathing for two.”
She nodded and touched her flat belly. Her doctors had explained her
condition to her and she was forced to obey their orders for five days for the
sake of her unborn baby.
She had not realized she was already pregnant. She thought her period
was just delayed, as usual, as it had always been irregular, but she should
have known this would happen. She and Jaq had never used any protection in
all the times they’d made love. Their every encounter was driven by impulse
and she simply forgot everything when they were together.
Jaq…
How can she ever make things right between them? The wrongs that
separated them were overwhelming she didn’t know where to start mending
and rebuilding. Jaq had suffered so much because of her and her family and
she didn’t know if he can still forgive her. She didn’t even know if she can
forgive herself.
The only thing that was sure in her life right now was she had to be
strong for her unborn baby. It was the only light she could see at the end of
the tunnel and she must not lose sight of that light. She must live for that light.
“It’s Jaq’s baby, isn’t it?”
Darry’s sudden question shook Angie from her painful thoughts. She
nodded.
“Aren’t you going to tell him?”
“One day soon. But not now. Not yet. I don’t have the courage to face
him again yet.”
Darry nodded in understanding. “Okay, darling. One day at a time.”
Chapter Sixteen
THE WEATHER WAS PERFECT .
Jaq walked barefoot on the fine, white sand of Baluarte de Alexandros
in Calatagan. The gentle wind caressed his face as he gazed pensively at the
beautiful sunset.
After working non-stop for almost two weeks, shooting for his film was
finally done. It was pack-up time. While his crew stacked all the equipments
in container vans to be shipped back to the US, he asked his production
managers to take charge as he took the weekend off. He really needed it to
regroup and think about what lay ahead for him after everything that
happened in his life recently. He drove to Calatagan.
A whole day of total peace and quiet could force a man to do some deep
self-introspection. He was thankful for this much needed solitude. He’d
realized so many things while staying in this paradise.
It was really time to close the book of his past and start a new one, here
and now, fresh and devoid of all the hang-ups. That acceptance brought a
squeezing pain in his heart. His eyes burned with tears. And this time, he let
them fall freely down his face.
This was the day that he would allow himself to finally mourn the loss of
his first love. For years, all he had nurtured inside of him was the hate and
bitterness. These negative emotions fueled his strength to go on living. But
God, he was so tired of hating her. He was so tired of hating her family. He
was so tired of running forward while looking back and repeatedly stumbling
in the process.
He missed his old self. How he missed the times when all was innocent
and new and his heart hadn’t been broken yet, when all his dreams were
clear and all the passion in his heart were pure. For all his self-proclaimed
strength of character, he was one weak fool.
He finally admitted to himself that he was such a damn coward for
keeping all these baggage inside of him for so long. He had squandered so
many years of his life nurturing his hate for Angie and his family. He hadn’t
even given himself the chance to fall in love again with another woman, to
look for another source of happiness because he had kept his heart within the
prison of his hatred and shut off any possibility of finding someone new to
love.
 Now, for the first time in years, he had truly, wholeheartedly
acknowledged that Angelina Yulo was finally, totally just a part of his old
memories.
Now, he can finally accept that he had suffered greatly in the hands of
cruel individuals and he had no justice from that, no vindication, but he no
longer had any desire to make them pay for what they did to him, or wish
them harm. Fate had its own ways. He would just leave everything to fate.
What went around would eventually come around.
It was time to really move on.
He sighed deeply and enjoyed the breathtaking sunset. Such beauty
moved him so much that he could even wish Angie good luck now in finding
her own happiness. Jordan would be good for her.
Most important of all, he could forgive her now. Truly let her go.
No more questions. Maybe they were better left unanswered. And the
answers didn’t matter anymore.

Jaq was walking back to the rest house when he heard the sound of an
approaching chopper. He scanned the horizon and saw it. He ran up to the
veranda and waited. The sun had just fully set, leaving a swathe of bright
amber in the sky in its wake.
He watched as a white chopper descended on the runway near the rest
house. He didn’t recognize this chopper. Did X buy a new one again? Or
were they guests like him?
He slowly walked down the steps to greet the guests. He figured it was
his duty since he was the lone occupant of the rest house at the moment.
The passengers disembarked from the chopper.
Well, well, well. Just when he had decided to forgive and forget, the
three ex-plagues of his life decided to pay him a too early visit just an hour
after his new life-changing resolution.
The Yulo twins and Jordan Lavega approached him.
He didn’t move. He waited for them to come near. He didn’t say
anything. They came to him. It was their call.
Ram greeted him. “Jaq.”
“Ram,” he said curtly.
Rad tipped his head a little. Jordan mumbled a low, “Good evening,
Jaq.”
 Good evening? It was strange coming from the man he’d engaged in a
fist fight twice.
“What dragged your asses down here?” he said in a not so welcoming
tone.
Ram cleared his throat. “We need to talk, man.”
“Yeah? About what? You must know by now I didn’t leak the damn
video,” he said straight up, not wanting to prolong the conversation,
whatever they came here for.
Ram nodded. “Yeah, we already know.”
“I’m just curious. Who did it?”
The twins looked at each other.
“It was Sherry,” Ram supplied.
“Your sister?!”
The twins nodded.
“Why the hell would she do such a thing?”
The twins were at a loss for words. Even Jordan was tight-lipped. It
was obvious they were not going to elaborate on that mystery. “So, why are
you here?”
“Because of Angie,” Rad said.
He raised his hand. “Look, I can assure you, we were finished eight
years ago. I swear to you now, we are definitely finished.”
“We don’t think so,” Rad countered with a sneer.
Rad The Asshole was back so soon, he thought. “I can see your
apologies meant nothing. I should have known better.”
“That was before we learned that Angie’s pregnant.”
Rad’s bald statement sucker-punched him. “Pregnant” reverberated in
his head like a crack of a vicious thunder.
He looked at Jordan, and much as he had vowed to let bygones be
bygones, jealousy swept through him with such violent force he wanted to
tackle the man to the ground and beat the shit out of him again.It took all his
willpower to remain where he stood and do nothing. “Congratulations,” he
said coldly to Jordan.
“No. Congratulations.”
Now, what the hell did Jordan mean by that? He was congratulating him?
Mocking him?
“I have a question and I want a straight answer, Jaq,” this, from Rad.
“Yeah, shoot.”
 “Did you have sex with our sister recently?”
The fuck?! What kind of question was that? But one look at the Yulo
twins told him they were seriously expecting an answer. “Yes, a few times
recently,” he admitted grudgingly. He didn’t have to tell them how many
times exactly, did he? “But so did he,” he gestured towards Jordan.
“I am definitely not the father,” Jordan shot back with absolute certainty
in his voice.
The fuck is this?! Were they playing a damn prank on him? They all
looked ridiculously serious in dumping this recent ‘crime’ on him. “Now,
wait a minute! I have decided to just let everything go. Whatever happened in
the past, I’m okay with it now. Let’s all move on from that shit. Just don’t
give me this new bullshit because I won’t take it like the damn fool I was
before!”
“You will be a dead damn fool if you don’t own up to it!” Rad replied in
the same intensity.
He laughed in their faces. He couldn’t believe their gall.
Fate had decided. Bygones won’t be bygones, after all. “Get outta here,”
he said, waving them off.
“You will come with us. You will marry Angie,” Ram stated.
He took on a defensive stance, ready for battle.“I don’t think so.”
“You’re denying it’s you who knocked her up?” Rad demanded.
He barked a laugh. It was simply ludicrous. “You’re crazy for even
thinking that! Why the hell me? She’s engaged to Jordan! Marry them off!
That was the plan from the beginning, right? Stick to it!”
“We were never lovers.”
His head snapped towards Jordan. “What?!”
“You heard me.”
“Aw, come on! Are you shitting me?! How can you have a girlfriend like
that and not nail her?!”
Rad took a step toward him and pushed him in the chest. “Don’t talk
about our sister like that!”
He pushed the asshole back.
Before they could proceed to round one, Jordan came in between them.
“I swear, Jaq, I never touched her,” Jordan restated his claim, looking
him straight in the eye.
He shook his head. “I don’t believe you! Angie told me herself that you
two are sexually intimate!”
 “She was lying,” Jordan said flatly.
“But why would she lie about that?!” This was just too bizarre to
comprehend.
“Fuck if I know! You were the ones screwing behind my back! You tell
me!”
Jordan got him there. Shame hit him but he refused to play their shitty
games. “Look Jordan, this is a stupid argument. Why don’t you just ask her
who the father is? I’m sure she knows.”
“She doesn’t know we’re here. She’s not talking about it and she doesn’t
know we know about her condition. But you need to see her, Jaq. Talk to her.
Make right by her.”
“I told you, we’re finished.”
“The doctor said she’s more or less eight weeks on the way. Do the
math,” Jordan added.
Eight weeks. Jaq’s mind frantically counted backward. It stopped on the
night they first saw each other again after eight long years. They had wild
unprotected sex on his sofa. In fact, he had never used any protection in all
the times they had been together. Sex was always spontaneous with Angie.
“If it’s my kid, Jaq, believe me, we won’t be here talking about it. I
would be on her, dragging her to the nearest judge to marry us quick. I want
kids of my own. My own flesh and blood. But Angie’s baby is not mine.”
Confusion really kicked in this time. “I need to think about this…”
“No. You come back with us to Manila. Now,” Rad said.
The underlying threat in Rad’s voice made his hackles rise. “Are you
threatening me?”
“You bet we are,” Ram said calmly.
He snorted. “You talk too much.”
The trio simultaneously reached behind them. In a flash, three 9mm’s
were pointing at him.
Not surprised anymore, he smirked at them. “Resorting to violence
again? It’s getting old, boys.”
“Shut the fuck up. Get in the chopper,” Rad ordered him.
“This is fucking ridiculous! Seriously? You’re kidnapping me? To marry
your sister? Are you all fucking nuts?!”
The trio remained serious.
“Okay. Shoot me then.”
“The fuck, Jaq! Just get in the fucking chopper!” Ram shouted.
 “My father will be royally pissed if I end up dead. I’m his only son.”
“Yeah, Sonny Montero is dead. You’ll join him six feet under if you
won’t come with us,” Rad said.
“But Sonny is not my real father.”
“Yeah? We don’t care who spawned you, Montero. The only guy who
can make me shake a little in my boots is the Armed Forces chief of staff.”
He smiled confidently. For the first time in his life, he was grateful he
was a bastard. “Yeah? What about the ex-Commander-In-Chief of the Armed
Forces? Would that shake your boots a little, Rad?”
The twins exchanged puzzled looks.
“I’m telling you, you don’t wanna cross my old man. He’s one nasty son
of a bitch. He’s more loaded than both your families combined. You don’t
wanna know how he’s amassed his wealth but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t from
being a nice, honorable gentleman.”
“You’re full of shit, Montero!” Rad replied. “Get in the fucking
chopper!”
He shook his head slowly. “You gotta shoot me, man. But remember, the
people here saw you and your chopper. Unless you wanna kill them, too? X
won’t be pleased if you splatter his runway with my blood and gore. Imagine
what you’ll have to deal with then aside from my big shot father?”
He turned around and walked away from them, heading back to the rest
house.
“Fuck! Get back here, Montero!” Rad shouted.
He flipped them the bird.

Jaq had been pacing the vastness of the rest house’s living area for
two hours now, analyzing his recent conversation with the Yulo twins and
Jordan. The three had left, no doubt plotting on how to get him next time. It
was definitely an unfinished business, but one he did not intend to finish.
Because he was scared shitless.
Angie was pregnant.
Was Jordan telling the truth? That he and Angie were not intimate?
He knew Jordan by reputation at Lothario. The man was definitely not a
monk. So, if Jordan wasn’t the father, then who? Was there any other guy in
the picture aside from the two of them?
Jaq immediately rejected that possibility. The thought of another guy
simply didn’t add up. If Jordan wasn’t fucking her then nobody was.
 Except HIM.
Was that why Angie bled that time they did it at his house? Because she
was not sexually active for years? She had been so wet and he knew he’d
made her come, and yet she’d bled.
And why would the Yulo twins want him to marry their sister if there
was a possibility that Jordan was the father? The Yulos had been gunning for
Jordan to be Angie’s husband since he can remember. Now, they were
gunning for him, the guy they’d been spitting on for almost a decade! He
would never have believed it had he not heard it straight from the twins
earlier. They actually wanted him to be part of their family now? He wanted
to laugh hard at the irony of it. It was the joke of the century.
The longer he thought about it, the possibility became more apparent.
The baby could be his. The idea brought a mixture of feelings. Fear.
Excitement. Joy. Hope…
Oh God.
Don’t give me false hopes.
Don’t make me hope and lose again.
Please, I beg you.
But he needed to know the truth. He had to hear it from her own lips and
he won’t get the truth if he remained in this place pacing like a caged animal
with a burr up his ass.
He went looking for the resort’s head of security. He saw Nel coming
towards the rest house, too.
“Jaq, Boss X just radioed us. He said you need to go back to Manila
ASAP.”
“Why? What happened, Nel?”
“You friend Kit met an accident. He’s in a very critical condition.”
His mind went blank in shock.
Two shocking news in one day was just too much, even for a tough ass
like him.

Jaq was in Manila in less than an hour. He got a call from Alexis
minutes after the chopper landed. Kit had slipped into a coma.
He borrowed one of Alexis’ numerous cars and headed for the hospital
where Kit was taken.
This day was actually special because it was their friend Nico’s
wedding. Kit came from the wedding reception when he had the accident.
 Upon reaching the hospital, Jaq went straight to the ICU. Alexis was
there along with Rydon, Diegs, Tommy and Kit’s relatives.
It felt like a time warp back to the past. This same scenario happened
eight years ago. Right after he was released from prison, Kit had OD’d on
coke. Kit survived but he had to be taken into rehab. That lead to Oblivion
disbanding. Having nothing else of value to do in this country, Jaq left with
his mother for London.
“How is he?” he asked Alexis quietly.
Alexis shook his head, looking devastated. Kit was Alexis’ best friend
and that friendship spanned nearly three decades. “Kit is always a pain, man.
He always does this. Look at him.” He gestured to Kit’s prone body inside
the ICU. “He went head on to a fucking cargo truck. Stupid fuck, I can’t
believe he’d be so… I swear, Jaq, Kit’s gonna kill me with a fuckin’ heart
attack.”
He patted Alexis’ back. “You’re a bad seed, bro. A heart attack is too
boring a death for you,” he attempted at humor.
Alexis sighed deeply. They both fell quiet.
He knew, words were not enough to comfort Alexis or Kit’s family at
this time. Kit was lying there, almost covered entirely in bandages. Several
tubes were attached to his arms and chest. A ventilator was helping his
unconscious body to breathe.
As he stood there looking at Kit’s almost lifeless body, thinking of the
huge possibility that his friend could just quietly slip away so easily, he
suddenly realized that all the painful things that happened in his life seemed
insignificant compared to the loss that he might feel if Kit died.
Life was too fragile and short.
He thought of Angie…and their unborn baby…and just like that, his
doubts melted like ice.
He was sure now, in his heart and soul, he was the father of her baby.
And just the thought of losing either of them now was simply inconceivable.
And he didn’t want them to lose him, either. He wanted to be alive for them.
To celebrate life with them.
His tears fell. Fight, Kit. Please, fight hard. So many people love you.
He glanced at Kit’s family huddled together in one corner, abject grief in
their faces. Your family loves you. You can’t leave us. You can’t, brother.
He wiped his eyes and walked over to Gustavo del Bianco, Michelle,
his second wife and Bettina, Kit’s wife. Just months ago, Kit and Bettina
were married and were so happy together, and now, this.
He expressed his moral support to them. They expressed their gratitude.
Afterward, there was only one thing left to do.
It was time to face his future.

***
There was only one thing that could make Angie see her family
again.
A tragedy.
She received an urgent call from Europe earlier tonight. The Monleon
sisters tearfully informed her that Kit met an accident. They asked her to help
their Uncle Gustavo because they couldn’t come home immediately to be
with the old man.
The sisters didn’t know she had a falling out with her own family but
this was one instance when conflicts should be temporarily set aside for
more important matters.
She went straight to the Yulo mansion.
The Yulo men were in the study. They didn’t notice her at the door.
Manolo was in the middle of a tirade. “Who told you to do that?! I did
not tell you to do any of that!”
“I’m sorry, Dad. We did what we thought was right under the
circumstances and–”
Manolo sliced his hand in the air to silence Rad. “Enough! From now
on, you will not do anything unless I told you to, is that clear?!”
“But Dad, we don’t understand. You’re suddenly acting differently now.
Did that woman who came here have anything to do with this?” asked Ram.
Manolo slammed his palm hard on the mahogany table. “Are you
questioning me?!”
“No, of course not, Dad. Sorry. But I just–”
“Enough!”
Manolo sat on his hair and massaged his forehead.
“Excuse me, Dad?”
They all looked shocked to see her but she didn’t go there to deal with
family conflicts. She was there to deliver a sad news. The only news that
would unite them as one, if only for a moment.
 And so they were all here now at the hospital where Kit was admitted,
ready to lend support to the del Bianco family. They didn’t say anything to
each other. Each of them understood that this was not the right time or place
to talk about their own problems.
She wondered if Jaq would be here? He was Kit’s close friend. He must
be here.
What would she say to him if he was here? She wouldn’t know what to
do if she saw him this soon. She was not ready.
But just as they rounded the corner leading to the ICU, she saw him
walking towards them.
She froze in her tracks.

Jaq stopped walking and stared at the woman he had been loving
almost all his life. The joy he felt when he saw her again was overwhelming.
His heart, now devoid of hate and pain, beat healthily like a child’s, fast and
exhilarated. Energy rushed into his system, making his blood rush with thick
heat.
He felt buoyant.
Alive.
There was the woman he loved. The only woman he had ever loved.
His Angie. His one and only Angie.
Without hesitation, he resumed walking and closed the distance between
them.
He stopped in front of her. He had never seen a more beautiful sight than
Angie looking up to him with tears of anguish. He saw the pain in her eyes,
the same pain he’d suffered for years. But no more. No more pain for them
from now on.
“Are you alright?” he whispered.
She nodded. “Yes.”
He gently wiped her tears away with his fingers.
The rest of the world ceased to exist but the two of them. There were no
more words necessary.
He took her hand and laced their fingers together.
He lead her back to the ICU.

The sound of hushed voices echoed around them but Jaq remained
standing beside Angie as they quietly looked at Kit through the glass wall.
Not even for one second did he let go of her hand.
Unable to help it any longer, he kissed the top of her head and
whispered, “Let’s get out of here.”
“Yes,” she whispered back.
Holding hands, they started walking away from there.
“Jaq.”
They paused when they heard Manolo’s voice behind them. Slowly, they
both turned around.
Jaq gripped Angie’s hand tighter as Manolo walked towards them.
Fatigue was etched deeply on the old man’s face. He looked like he
hadn’t slept in days. “Can you spare me a moment, Angelina?”
“What is there to talk about, Dad?”
Jaq felt her hand shake. He squeezed it reassuringly.
Manolo’s eyes became moist. “Angie, please…”
“No, Dad. There’s nothing you can say that will bring back the years
you’ve stolen from us. We have suffered enough, haven’t we? I beg you,
leave us alone from now on.”
Manolo bowed his head, tears seeping from his eyes.
Jaq couldn’t believe it. The mighty Manolo Yulo was shedding tears in
front on him!
“Angie, I was so wrong…so selfish. Angelina, please, forgive me.”
Jaq had never seen this coming.
“It’s not I you should be asking forgiveness from, Dad.”
To Jaq’s further astonishment, Manolo addressed him, his eyes full of
regret and his voice, thick with humility. “Jaq…I don’t know where to begin.
You have no idea what I did to you but when you’ll finally learn of it, I hope
you will still find it in your heart to forgive me and my sons. I was wrong in
my judgment of you and I will forever regret it. Forgive me.”
Jaq was speechless. He couldn’t count the times when he’d fantasized of
this exact scenario, of Manolo Yulo humbly asking for his forgiveness. In his
fantasies, he would spit on his face and flip him the bird. But he couldn’t do
any of that now. He couldn’t even move.
Right there, within earshot of her entire family who were all watching
them, Angie demonstrated how much he meant to her.
“From now on, Dad, I’m no longer a Yulo. I’m a Montero.”
Manolo’s shoulders sagged.
Jaq didn’t know if he should feel happy or sad.
 Angie just renounced her family for him. It was something he had been
expecting her to do before, to fight for him against all odds. She just did that.
But her father looked so devastated Jaq felt guilty for causing this family
break-up. He opened his mouth to say something but Angie already turned
around, pulling him with her.
They walked out of there.

On their way to the hospital’s parking lot, they saw a small chapel.
Angie pulled Jaq into the little sacred sanctuary. They sat on a pew, their
hands entwined.
“I would like to tell you what exactly happened eight years ago,” she
started.
“It really doesn’t matter now, angel. Let’s bury the past and start anew.”
“But I want to tell you. Please?”
“Alright, if it makes you feel better.”
And she told him a concise version of it all.
“I’m so sorry. I was so naive, Jaq. I should have read the document
before signing it. I was desperate and so trusting. I trusted my father too
much.”
“It’s okay, angel How could you have known your father’s full intention?
You were so young. It is I who should ask your forgiveness. I put you in that
situation. You were not ready to face all that, but I was so afraid of losing
you I got desperate and practically kidnapped you.”
“No. I knew what I was doing and I never regretted running away with
you. Never.”
Staring deeply in his amber eyes, she knew now with absolute certainly,
nothing on earth could break them apart ever again. Nothing except death.
“I really intended to see you again but Dad had a heart attack and he
nearly died, Jaq. I was so guilty. I knew it was my fault. I had to make it up to
him. I had to take care of him. I’m so sorry I chose to take care of my father
in those times and I neglected you. I really wanted to see you but it was just
so hard for my family that time…and then I learned that you left the country
and…” her voice trailed off and she couldn’t contain her emotions anymore.
She cried.
He hugged her tight. “Shhh…”
“I’m so sorry, my love. I’m so sorry.”
She poured all her pain and his loving strength absorbed all her regrets.
 Her Jaq. Her beautiful, beautiful Jaq.
When she’d quieted, he wiped her tears away.
“It’s a good thing your father has apologized to me already before you
told me all this. It’s been preempted and the drama was lost,” he said
teasingly.
She sniffled. “Ha-ha.”
He grinned. “And even though you just quit being a Yulo, hell, I’d love
being connected to your family if only to annoy your brothers. I’d love to rub
it under their snotty noses every time that the first Yulo grandchild is gonna
be a Montero, spawn of their mortal enemy.”
Her eyes widened. “You know?”
He frowned. “I was wondering when you’d get around to telling me
about that.”
“I was gonna tell you. But how…?”
“Your brothers paid me a visit earlier and told me the great news.”
“My brothers?”
“Uh-huh. They were not so subtle in their excitement to hogtie me to the
altar to marry you.”
She flushed. “This is so embarrassing!”
“I can’t say I was cool with their manner of persuasion but on second
thought, I realized they did have a point.”
He held both her hands in his own and looked solemnly in her eyes.
“Will you marry me, Angelina Yulo, the mother of my first child, one of many
more to come?”
Her eyes moistened again. “Oh Jaq…”
“I’m waiting for your big, fat yes.”
She smiled broadly, too overcome with happiness she felt she might
burst with it. “Didn’t I already say yes eight years ago?”
“But you got engaged to another guy.”
She glared at him. “That’s not funny.”
He chuckled. “I never got engaged to anybody so my vows still stand.
It’s yours that need renewal.” He gestured to the altar.
“In that case…Yes, I will marry you, Jaq Montero, the father of my first
child, one of many more to come. I promise to love you, honor you, cherish
you with all my heart, body and soul, now and for always, till death do us
part.”
They sealed that with a kiss.
 He pulled out something from the lapels of his shirt. Her chest swelled
with joy when she saw what it was. The ring she gave him dangled from a
black leather string tied around his neck.
“Oh Jaq, you’ve kept it!”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
She smiled and dipped her fingers down the vee of her blouse and
showed him her cross pendant.
He grinned. “Glad you’re wearing it again.”
“And why is my ring a pendant now?”
“Come on, this is a woman’s ring. Where is the ring I gave you?”
“Come on, it’s a man’s ring.”
“Wear it again.”
She hugged him tight, loving him more, if it was still possible. She was
drowning in her love for him. “I will. Now that you’re here again, I will.”
Chapter Seventeen
WAKING UP IN THE ARMS of the man she loved in the morning was the
best.
They made love passionately last night. Then they slept spoon-fashion.
The warmth of his body surrounded her like a cocoon of comfort and security
and she had never felt more loved and cherished.
Angie basked in the tranquility of her mind, in the serenity of her soul, in
the contentment in her heart.
“Good morning, wife,” her lover murmured sleepily and nuzzled her
neck.
“Hmm, what’s good in the morning, husband?
“This.” He rubbed himself on her bare bottom.
She smiled. He was hard and pulsating. “Hmm, is that better than
coffee?”
“Why don’t you taste it to find out?”
She reached behind her, taking hold of his erection.
She still had to get used to the wonder of this part of him. The hot,
pulsating power. Power that will be unleashed inside her soon. Again and
again.
She moaned, heat pooling between her legs in anticipation.
“Horny so early in the morning, babe? I love that,” he murmured as his
hand made a tantalizing journey from her neck to her upper thighs, evading
the parts that tingled and craved to be petted.
She began moving her fist to and fro, loving the resilient, silky skin of
his super hard cock.
“Fuck, baby…slow down. I’m trigger-happy in the morning.”
She giggled and sighed when his hand went back up, homing in on her
breasts which were extra sensitive lately. He leisurely circled her nipples
with his fingertips until goose bumps covered her entire body.
She grasped his hand and rubbed it harder on her breasts. “More.”
He cupped cupped her breasts, kneading and squeezing them together. “I
think they’re bigger now. They’re perfect for me…just perfect.”
Her core throbbed and ached, begging to be filled.
“Jaq…” she mewed.
“Hmm?”
 Shamelessly, she dragged his hand down and pressed it between her
legs.
“Oh yeah, this is the best place to be in the morning.” He lightly
skimmed her folds, sending tingling sensations all the way to her toes.
Her hand gripped his penis harder. “I want this.”
She adjusted her position and draped her leg over his hip, totally
opening herself for his explorations.
“Ahh, my angel knows the right moves now,” he said teasingly, running
his fingertips around her outer labia, avoiding her tingling inner crevices.
“Touch me!” she demanded.
He chuckled. “Yes, ma’am.”
His hand made a long swipe down her slit. She wanted to faint with
pleasure. Her kitty felt so sensitive, so swollen. He repeated the motion,
rubbing his entire palm on her folds, massaging everything at once.
“So fucking soft…so fucking wet…”
“I want this. Inside me. Now!” He was so warm, hard, and silky in her
hand, so ready. He groaned as she stroked him, gliding her fist up and down
his thick, long shaft faster, following the rhythm of his hand between her legs.
“Angel, you’re a bad, bad girl,” he said gruffly, pumping his hips behind
her.
Very sure in the security of his love now, she lost all her inhibitions. “I
want you to come inside me now. Take me. Fuck me!”
“Damn, say that again.” He took over and guided his cock to nudge her
wet, wet portal. “Say it again.”
“Come inside me. Fill me! Fuck me!”
He surged inside her.
She gasped loudly.
He froze behind her. “Fuck babe, you alright?”
“I’m okay. Ohhh, you’re just so big it’s a shock every time.”
He chuckled. “My big ego loves you. Feel.”
The sensation of him sliding in and out, stretching her sensitive passage
was so wickedly delicious she moaned and ground her hips to pleasure
herself more with his cock.
He rolled her on her belly and crouched behind her. Then he was
grinding against the plumpness of her bottom. “God, you’re so sexy, my
angel.”
 He pumped harder, faster, the sound of their slapping bodies echoing in
the room.
“Are you okay, sweetheart? Not hurting you?”
“No, no, no! Don’t stop, don’t stop!”
He lifted her and she was on all fours, receiving his animal thrusts. His
fingers were back between her legs, circling, plucking, rubbing her clit as he
rammed her harder and harder. The delicious tension went tighter and
tighter….and snapped! “Oh God, Jaq!”
Her orgasm ripped through her. She arched against him, crying out his
name as she squeezed him, clenching spasmodically around his surging shaft.
She couldn’t have cared less if the neighbors heard them. Jaq had totally
unleashed the wild beast in her.
She collapsed on her belly, her climax robbing her of strength. She
reveled in his frenzied movements behind her as he chased his own pleasure.
He hugged her tightly as he shuddered, reaching his own peak, his harsh
moans filling her ears.
Moments later, she stretched like a lazy cat, her languid limbs still
entwined with her lion.
“I’m hungry,” she finally said.
“Me, too. Come on, let’s make some breakfast.”
Minutes later, they went downstairs together.
They were greeted by a big surprise in the kitchen.

“About time you lovebirds woke up.”

Jaq stared at the beautiful woman standing at the island counter. She was
cooking breakfast.
“Mom!” he exclaimed in shock.
His mother raised one elegant brow. “Not happy to see me, darling?”
His mother was in his kitchen, not in London. It was one of the weirdest
things he had awoken up to. “What are you doing here, Mom?!”
“What, no huggies first?”
He went to hug her. “Mom!” he exclaimed again, unable to believe his
eyes. “When did you arrive? Why didn’t you call me?!”
She just smiled mysteriously. “Surprise!”
“But…who brought you here?”
“Joey fetched me from the airport the other day. She drove me here.”
 “The other day! You’ve been back two days and you didn’t bother to call
me?”
“Your phone can’t be reached.”
He felt guilty. He was secluded in Alexis’ resort and he had turned his
phone off so he could have some real peace and quiet.
“This must be Angie.”
He pulled Angie to his side. “Yes, Mom, this is Angie,” he said, grinning
proudly.
His mother’s eyes were shining with a strange light. “You’re more
beautiful than I expected, Angie. I’m Debra, Jaq’s mother.”
Angie smiled shyly. “I’m pleased to meet you….uhm, Auntie Debra.”
“Come on, give me a hug, too.”
Jaq watched with mist in his eyes as the women he loved the most in this
world hugged each other.
“My, you’re so beautiful, my dear.” Debra said again as she gazed at
Angie fondly. “You have your father’s gorgeous eyes!”
Angie looked uncomfortable at the mention of her father.
“Mom…”
The buzzer went off.
“Oh! Go get the door, darling.”
“Who could that be? I’m not expecting anybody.”
“Just get the door, Jaq. Angie, will you help me with breakfast,
sweetie?”
“S-sure.”

Jaq passed by the CCTV room and checked the screens. He got his
second shock this morning.
Manolo Yulo was standing outside the gate of his house! What on earth
was happening? Why was the old man here? He seemed alone.
He went down to the gate and hesitantly opened the small door at the
side.
Having Manolo Yulo in his territory was strange. He didn’t open the
door wide to let the old man in. He just stood there looking at him
suspiciously.
Manolo smiled. “Jaq, can we talk?”
Even if he had forgiven him, he had not forgotten what this man did to
him in the past. He couldn’t pretend to be cordial, not even for Angie’s sake.
 “Jaq! Why don’t you let our guest in?”
The voice of his mother shook him from his momentary trance. He
stepped aside and let Manolo in. To his shock again, his mother went down
the front steps to welcome Manolo Yulo graciously, her eyes shining with
joy. “Come on inside, Manolo.”
He watched in stupefaction as his mother took Manolo’s hand and they
entered his house like a couple.
What the fuck was that he just saw? Manolo and his mother holding
hands?!
He felt like he was transported to the twilight zone. Everything was just
so bizarre this morning. His mother and Manolo? He vigorously shook his
head to bring him back to reality. He slammed the gate shut and walked back
inside his house.
He caught up with them in the kitchen. Angie was as shocked as he was,
her eyes incredulous as she watched the old folks talk like they’d known each
other for ages.
“Mother, what is going on?!” he thundered.
Debra was startled and looked at him with all too innocent eyes. “Oh,
aren’t we going to eat first?”
Jaq walked towards them, taking Angie’s hand in his, as if to shield her
from any possible harm. “You will explain to me what’s going on now,
Mom!” he demanded, throwing a wary look at Manolo.
Debra glanced at Manolo. They seemed to communicate with their eyes
alone.
“Let’s all sit down in the living room,” Debra finally said and walked
out of the kitchen. Manolo followed her.
Jaq glanced at Angie. “Do you have any idea what’s going on?”
She shook her head.
“Then we’d better find out.”

Jaq held Angie’s hand tightly as they both listened to the ultimate
shocking story that solved all the mysteries of their past tragedies.
He stared in awe as his mother held Manolo’s hand while she spoke.
“When Manolo told me everything that happened between you and Angie, I
cried. We both cried. We realized that the past, our past was relived by you
and Angie.”
 Debra looked at Angie. “You see, once upon a time, some thirty years
ago, I was a young woman like you, Angie, and I was in love with your
father.”
Manolo and Debra exchanged a meaningful look and smiled at each
other. Their eyes were both misty with emotion. They took turns telling their
story.
“She was the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on and I fell in
love. But I was engaged to be married to your mother then, Angie. It was
arranged, much like what you and Jordan had. But I knew the moment I saw
Debra that I couldn’t marry anyone else but her. I was lucky she felt the same
way about me. I was ready to defy my family just to be with her.”
“But our love was tested too soon. Another man saw me and took a
liking to me. He was a very powerful man. In those times, even the wealthiest
families like the Yulos were subjugated by the reigning government. This
man, one of the trusted men of the incumbent president wanted me. And I was
only a poor, naive young woman who was trying my luck at modeling. I had
no money and no power to say no to a man like that. I begged him to spare me
but to no avail. He threatened me that if I didn’t cooperate with his wishes,
he will do something bad to my family and Manolo’s family.”
Manolo looked at Debra, his eyes full of regret. “I didn’t know about
this. She kept it all from me. I thought she just left me because she found
someone new. It drove me over the edge. We vowed to be together no matter
what. I was willing to be stripped of my inheritance for her…but she left me.
She told me she got tired of me and she wanted out. And she left me just like
that. I hated her. I hated her so much for betraying our love, for making me
believe that she loved me.”
Manolo’s words tumbled through Jaq’s mind like his very own. They all
sounded so familiar.
“After two months or so, he got tired of me. He finally let me go. He
warned me not to talk about what happened to anybody. I was very scared for
my life and for my loved ones. That man was like a god. He had an army who
would do his bidding at the flick of a finger, but his public reputation was
clean and decent. I was helpless against that kind of power. So, I swore
never ever to talk about what happened to me to anybody. I found out later
that I was pregnant. And then I found out that Manolo got married. I was so
devastated I wanted to die, but I didn’t want my unborn child to die with me.
Even if I was mentally and emotionally suffering in those days, I went on
with my life. I had to. I had a child to raise.”
Jaq had never loved his mother more.
“Yes, that man gave you life, Jaq. I hated him with every breath that I
took but he gave me you and for that alone, I only half-hated what happened
to me. Because I love you so much, darling, and no matter how you were
conceived, you mean the world to me,” Debra’s tears fell. “Always.”
“Mom…”
“I had to marry you mother, Angie. I didn’t have any more reason to back
off from the wedding. I willingly became my family’s pawn to form an
alliance with another family, so that we our clan will become stronger.
Carmella was a good woman. I have learned to love her through the years
and taught myself to be content with her. However, deep in my heart, my
hatred for Debra remained alive and strong. But when you and your siblings
were born, I learned to let go. I thought I had truly buried the past for good.
But Jaq suddenly entered our lives reminding me of his mother’s betrayal and
I was sucked into the past all over again. I just couldn’t accept that my
precious daughter fell in love with the son of the woman I hated. When you
ran away with Jaq, I totally lost it. All I could dwell on was my pain and
bitterness, the insult to my dignity happening twice. I wanted to avenge
myself. I wanted Debra to feel the suffering she had caused me by hurting her
son. I was blinded by it all.”
“Dad…”
“I love my children. Each of them is special. You are my angel,
Angelina. All I ever wanted was the best for you, sweetheart, but confronted
by the unfinished business of my past, I became deaf to your feelings. I
simply refused to feel what you were feeling. I became stone-cold, numb of
anything else but my own thirst for revenge.”
Jaq’s throat was so clogged he had difficulty breathing when Manolo
looked at him.
“And so I duped my own daughter into signing a document that would
put you away for good, Jaq. She trustingly signed that document. And I made
her promise to marry another man in exchange for your freedom. Angelina
never betrayed you, Jaq. Like what Debra did, she sacrificed so much so that
you will live freely and safely.”
Jaq gripped Angie’s hand. His own tears fell.
 “When I learned that you have been involved with Manolo’s son, I knew
you were in big trouble, Jaq. I knew that Manolo would want to hurt you to
get to me, so I did the last thing I would have done. I went to you father.
Many years have passed and he has become a very, very powerful man in his
own right. But the years have made him a compassionate man, too. When he
learned about you, he wanted you. He has no son of his own. He was the one
who saved you from prison.”
“When I learned that the fiscal junked the case and you were freed, I was
so furious I had a heart attack. But Angelina took care of me. She never left
my side. She chose me over you, Jaq, and it pacified me somehow. It made
me realize that my family was more important to me than a very old grudge.
That experience has united my family more over the years, especially after
the death of my wife, Marcella. When the video came out...I felt like it was
happening all over again. But this time, I thought it was you who wanted to
mess with my family, Jaq. But I was wrong in my judgment again. God, why
am I such a poor judge of character?” He shook his head ruefully. “I cannot
believe the tragedies that happened to both our families because of me. How
can I ever make up?”
Debra touched Manolo’s face, her eyes full of empathy and
encouragement.
Manolo looked at his daughter with tears streaming down his face.
“Angelina, can you ever forgive me?”
“Dad…”
Jaq could feel his love’s torment. When she looked at him, her eyes
begging for understanding, he gave it. He let go of her hand.
Angie crossed the short distance and hugged her father. “I love you, Dad.
I love you.”
As Angie and her father hugged each other, he met his mother’s eyes.
They smiled at each other, their eyes wet with tears. He had never felt more
proud of the woman who gave birth to him. She was a superwoman. And he
was the luckiest bastard. No pun.
“Whew, now that we have that settled, can we have breakfast now?”
Debra said lightly.
Angie and Manolo were both smiling widely now.
Jaq wiped his tears. “Before we eat, Mom, I’d like to settle one more
thing.”
“Hurry, I’m starving!”
 He looked at Manolo, his eyes serious. “I am marrying your daughter,
you know?”
Manolo’s brows arched. “Is that the proper way to ask her father for her
hand, boy?”
He gave the old man a smug look. “Uh-huh. And you’d better think of a
better way to ask for my Mom’s hand, old man. You owe her big time.”
Manolo blushed. “I will not…. She’s married.”
“Oh, she didn’t tell you, did she?”
“What...?”
“She’s divorced now.”
“What?!”
“Jaq!” Debra exclaimed.
“Okay, breakfast!” He grabbed Angie’s hand and they both ran to the
kitchen. They heard an argument erupt in the living room. And then shortly
after, silence.
They looked at each other and they both peeped in the living room.
“Ugh, I can’t believe this,” he said, grimacing.
“Neither do I.”
Not in a million years could he ever have conjured the idea of Manolo
Yulo kissing his beloved mother. But there they were, oblivious to the rest of
the world. Two people who found their way back in each other’s arms.
“I guess I cannot rub anything under your brother’s noses after all. My
mother is about to become a Yulo.”
Angie burst out laughing.
He had never heard a more beautiful song.
EPILOGUE
JAQ WAS NERVOUS AS HELL.
Why not? He just got hitched.
As a gift, his home studio gave him a two-week off before resuming
post-prod on his movie.
He ascended the stage and went to the microphone. He looked at some
three hundred guests composed of his and Angie’s families and friends
gathered within the grand ballroom at the flagship Empress Hotel. They were
all looking at him with anticipation.
His mother had never looked happier. She was finally back where she
belonged. In her first love’s arms. Until now, as he gazed at his beloved
mother and Angie’s father who were inseparable now like Siamese twins, he
still had difficulty grasping the fact that Manolo Yulo was his father-in-law
now and will soon be his stepfather, too.
His own father couldn’t make it to the wedding lest he’d steal the show
from him and Angie. Plus it would be too awkward with Manolo around. The
old blokes were still not seeing eye to eye, but he was hoping it would
change soon when their grandson finally arrived. His father sent his best
wishes by gifting him and his new bride an island. A fucking island complete
with a fucking villa and its own air and land transportation. He could only
shake his head. One day, he hoped he’d get to meet his siblings, too. That
would be really cool.
But the best part was when Rad finally learned who his real father was.
His brother-in-law was totally speechless and went pale as a ghost. That was
a priceless moment.
He caught sight of his best man and his date. Surprisingly and thankfully,
Alexis didn’t bring any of his usual ‘babes’ to this important day. He brought
along Alyandra Monleon.
Rad and Ram became the persons he had never ever expected them to
be. His brothers. They started showing him their acceptance when they threw
him a stag party at Lothario. They told him he could have any woman he
wanted that last night of his bachelorhood and they would turn a blind eye.
He politely declined, of course. He couldn’t even look at another woman
now, much less screw her.
He smiled and gazed lovingly at the woman sitting on a special chair
some meters away, flanked by her friends who were also her bridesmaids.
She was the most beautiful being in the entire universe. No woman was more
radiant than his Angie today, his bride.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for making this day
more special for me and Angie. I thought this day would never come.”
A round of applause.
“But judging from that scandalous video the maid of honor has shown us
earlier, I should have known from the beginning. This is destiny,” he said
jokingly in reference to Sherry’s dramatic video presentation entitled How
Jaq Met Angie. Sherry surprised all of them by showing selected footages of
the video that made him and Angie household names. But this time, it got a
sixty-second standing ovation and made all the female guests cry.
“I also never thought a time will come when I have to do something I’ve
never done before.” He looked to his left and inclined his head. His Oblivion
band mates ascended the stage.
The bridesmaids screamed which elicited hoots and laughter from the
male guests.
He picked up an electric guitar, Tommy a bass guitar. Rydon went to the
keyboard and Diegs occupied the drum set.
“This is an Oblivion reunion in almost a decade.”
His bride was standing now, along with her bridesmaids, Darry, Dana,
Tisha and Lexi, giggling like teenagers.
“This song that I will sing was taboo in any Oblivion repertoire. If Kit
were around, he would most likely kick my ass for this,” he said with a
sheepish grin.
“Who says we won’t kick your ass later, man?”
Diegs ribbed him.
“Shut up, jealous bitches, it’s my wedding!”
Laughter.
“Anyway, I’m sure Kit won’t mind. Get well soon, buddy. I know you
can make it.”
There was a moment of silence as the plight of Kit del Bianco, whom
most of the guests knew and loved as a brother hung in the air like a
melancholic tune.
He broke the silence by picking a soft chord on his electric guitar. “This
song is my baby’s favorite and heck, I would sing anything she wants me to
sing. I’m just so glad it’s not a boy band hit. She calls it our make up song. So
babe, every time I mess up, you’ll be hearing this tune.”
 “You feeling lucky today, Montero?” Angie shouted.
He grinned and winked at her. “Super lucky.”
There was a collective sigh from the female guests.
“Okay, here we go...”
Diegs clicked his drumsticks thrice. They made a killer intro of Always,
the biggest-selling, cheesiest Bon Jovi single of all time.
Angie screamed like an Oblivion groupie. “I love you, Jaq Montero!!!”
He chuckled. “I love you too, Mrs. Montero.”
As he sang the corny lyrics, he knew he meant every single word. This
was the song he would never get tired of singing for his angel.
Forever and a day.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
 This is dedicated solely to the kickass
LMD SQUAD

Kat Madrid
Garnet Hart
May Rose Alegre
Jennifer Rillera
Reda Belle Lachica
Shane Angela Chavez
Joy De Vera
Luan Lucas

Guys, I can never thank you enough for all the love and support
and most especially, the friendship.
Love, love love!
Group hug!
OTHER WORKS
 COMING SOON!!!

VALENNA JONES is a pop superstar, a modern day sex symbol, fashion icon, a Grammy Award
winner, a bankable actress, a successful businesswoman, a philanthropist, a mega-producer, a composer,
a credible product endorser, a virgin.

But she’s tired of her last title. She’s worn her purity ring for ages and it’s time to say goodbye to
her famous, most coveted cherry. But she’s not getting rid of it the usual way.
She’s gonna lose it in only the Valenna Jone’s way.

Spectacular.

She auctions her cherry to the highest bidder.

Bidding starts at ten million dollars. Any takers?

GIANFRANCO ZOLDATTI is a big loser. In fact, the billionaire speed demon is on a losing streak
he’s contemplating retirement from professional car racing. His ego badly needs lifting. Like popping a
famous cherry. A crazy, stupid way to celebrate defeat.

But he’s so fucking depressed. He’s going mad with anger, resentment and frustration. Meeting another
kind of madness would probably divert him from his thoughts of murdering his archrival.

Like who auctions their cherry anyway? For ten million dollars? The fuck?
And who would close the bidding at 50 million dollars?

Only a crazy sonuvabitch like him.

Ah, what the hell.

He wants that cherry.
Also By Eve Montelibano
 ONE CLICK NOW!!!
A MODERN DAY EROTIC FAIRY TALE.

http://amzn.to/1DSVgRb

A MEGASTAR MEETS HIS SELF-PROCLAIMED NO. 1 FAN IN THE WORLD.

Celine Lavega has been crushing on her idol, Hollywood megastar Dare Montgomery (the most famous
actor in the world) since grade school. She decides to make her dream come true and embarks on a
mission: Become Mrs. Montgomery. Now, the road isn't exactly clear of tough competition as it is filled
with starlets, supermodels, A-list actresses, socialites, name the breed, Dare has 'em all tucked nicely in
his high-traffic bed. BUT, she has a secret weapon none of these women possess. Dare will be HERS.
Carve that in stone!

Burned out, bored and badass, Dare Montgomery takes one look at this maddening smartass with a face
and body that could launch a thousand d*cks and he perks up. He hires her as his secretary and finds
himself less bored everyday. Man, she could use her typing skills on his body anytime. He won't
certainly let this one get away without sampling her charms.
There's just one problem. The girl believes he is Prince Charming to her Sleeping Beauty. Now, he'd
rather hear about ribald cocktales than stupid fairy tales.

A jaded player. An idealistic virgin. A clash of the Titans waiting to happen.

About the Author
 THE AUTHOR
Eve Montelibano is an Interior Designer and a hopeless romantic. That said,
she couldn't be blamed for the amount of cheese and cream you'll find in her
books. She loves to write about jaded, super alpha heroes and spunky, sassy
heroines, and enjoys putting them in a lot of sticky, steamy, sweaty situations.
Definitely not for the fainthearted.

Her favorite authors are Jackie Collins (modern fiction) and Robert Greene
(Philosophy). Her major inspiration in romance writing are Brenda Joyce,
Linda Howard, Sandra Brown, Judith McNaught, Susan Johnson, Penelope
Williamson, to name a few.

Connect with her on Facebook, Goodreads and Wattpad.